> Hidden Spark
>  by EbonyDanger
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue: The Door of Fear
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

„Stop moving!“, Twilight shouted. She was standing in a large, round room, which walls were circled by stairs. The purple mare was staring at a door, which seemed to make fun out of her by running around the wall, avoiding her attempts to open it.
This is a bloody joke! Only one obstacle and then she had found the Crystal Hearth. And she got to find it, if she wanted to rescue the empire from King Sombra. The dark King of Shadows had returned and wanted to get back what was his own. Of course unrighfully.
Twilight's patience broke. The aura of her horn changed. Usually a light purple like her fur it became darker, black with green shimmer in it. It even looked like bubbles, creeping over it. Her eyes turned green as Twilight angrily shot a black beam straight at the crystal in the top of the door.
The door stopped moving. Instead it opened. Bright white light floated in front of Twilight. Her eyes widened in happyness. It is done. I have found the hearth. She was so confident of herself that she believed nothing could go wrong now. „Spike“, Twilight called after the little dragon, who was her companion, „I guess, I found it. I think, it is here.“
Happily the unicorn ran through the door, gasped in surprise and stopped. Her hooves were sliding over the red carpet. She was not where she had expected to be, whatever that might have been. In fact she was standing in Canterlot. The throne room to be more exact. The light of the sun shimmered in red, blue, gold, green, silver, coloured from the painted glass windows that represented Equestrian history.
What...what am I doing here? How did I come here? Shouldn't I be, I do not know, somewhere else? The mare looked around in confusion and surprise. Then a voice could be heard behind her, familiar, but cold and sharp: „What are you doing here?“
Twilight turned around. In front of her throne, with her back to the unicorn, stood Princess Celestia. The white mare was signing several roles of parchement, which floated in front of her. She did not even bother to look at her student. The quill scratched over the paper. Although the purple unicorn was glad to see a familiar figure, she felt a deep stitch of pain in her chest. She could not explain what it was.
„I do not know“, answered Twilight and trotted towards her, „I opened the door and now I am suddenly here.“
„And now you must leave“, said Celestia. 
The mare blinked. „But where?“, she asked. 
„It doesn't matter to me.“ Her mentor turned her head around and the dawncoloured eyes starred down at her with such a hate and resentment. „You failed the test, Twilight.“
It was as if her hearth had to stop to take a breath just like its owner, before it started to beat again. Now even faster. Twilight's eyes widened and her ears turned down. Her mouth was open as if she was about to say something, but the words stuck in her neck. This could not be true! She had prepared so much for that and now Celestia said, she had failed. No please! Not so short in front of the goal! Twilight had sworn, that she would make her mentor proud at all cost. This failure hurt more than she could ever imagine.
Celestia added sharply: „Moreover you will not reach the next levle of your studies. You won't continue your studies at all!“ This was too much! Twilight's eyes, first widened in shock, now begann to water and she started crying. The words were sharp like blades. How could Celestia say such a thing? What did I ever do to you? Haven't I worked harder than anyone else? Haven't I studied without taking a break? Haven't I said so many times „You can trust me, Princess Celestia, I can do this.“? Wasn't I her most faithful student? I was so eager to learn. I would have done anything for her!
„You did not say anything about being no longer your student, if I fail the test“, stammered Twilight. She was sobbing now. Celestia took a step forwards. 
She touched the young mare's shoulder with her wing as if she wanted to calm her down. „Oh, didn't I?“, asked the alicorn disdainfully and pushed Twilight apart.
She was making her way to the door. „But what shall I do now?“, whimpered Twilight. She sat there, her head sunk and her eyes closed. Tears dropped down her face and she shivered. She felt like a lost child. „I do not know, where to go.“ 
Celestia answered firmly: „That is not my problem. Your luck is no longer my matter.“ 
„But I am your protégé!“, cried Twilight. 
„Oh, were you?“ She was walking towards the door and stepped through it. „I do not have a protégé.“ 
> A strange disease
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A sharp dringing sound came into Twilight's ears. Her alarm clock. It was dancing on the tiny table next to her bed. The mare reached out and hit it with her hoof. Immediatley the annoying sound stopped. Twilight sat up in her bed. She was pressing her pillow on her head. „Uuuuhhhh“, she grumbled.
Another night, which hardly had allowed her to sleep. She had been woken up with cries of fright and sobbed herself back into sleep. If you could call this state of terror and unmoveablity sleep. The bad dream was still in her mind. The images, sharp and bright, hurting her eyes, flashed before her mind as she remembered every tiny detail. Celestia, who abandoned her and threw her out of Canterlot, saying she no longer was her student. The thought of leaving Ponyville forever caught her hearth in a firm grip. Being a refugee without friends, without hope, without any support. She shivered.
Come on, Twilight. It was just a dream. The new day awaits. Outside the sun shone through the slit of her carpet. Twilight fought herself out of the bed. Like a wounded animal she creeped down the stairs, her head stretched forwards. Her theeth greeted and she muttered curses. Curse over the sleep. Curse over the morning. Curse over her body. Curse over this strange condition, in which she was. Oh, curse the whole, bloody world!
Spike had already laid the round table, where they had breakfast. Crossiants, bread, salad and an apple. It all looked cute and friendly, but Twilight was not in the mood to say thank you. The tiny, purple dragon turned around. „Hey, Twilight“, he said cheerfully and relaxed, „How have you...?“
„Don't you dare to say it, Mister Sleepsalot“, grumbled Twilight with an angry snort. Spike flinched. His friend looked dreadful. Her mane was uncombed and felty, her face was dull, the eyes gloomed in their caves. Dark rings laid under her eyes and her whole body language spoke of exhaustion. It was even a surprise, that she could still stand.
„What? Another nightmare?“, asked Spike shocked, while Twilight sat down on her chair. With her magic she leviated the teapot and tried to get the drink in her cup. „That is going on for a month now“, said the dragon, while he counted the days off on his claws,  „Is it because you work too much? Do you work on a special project? Eh, Twilight“, he added, as he realiced, that the alicorn actually was pouring her tea right next to the cub. Unremarkable he pointed in the direction.
„What?“, asked the mare, before she realized her mistake as well. „Oh, curse it!“ Angrily Twilight dropped her tea pot and hit the table with her chin. „What would I give to have one night without a bad dream“, she complained, „Just one night sleep. Is this asked too much? For Celestia's sake!“

***

Twilight was walking through Ponyville. Her snout almost touched the pages of the book, which floated in front of her. Magical diseases from A to Z. „I do not understand that“, mumbled the purple alicorn, „This symtomps are not mentioned here. Have I eaten something worng? Nightmares, headaches and voices. Do you think, I get schizophrenia, Spike?“
„Eh, Twilight“, the dragon replied. He pulled on her mane to make her look up. Twilight dropped her book. 
„Out of my way!“, shouted a familiar voice and then with a fast wushing sound something blue rushed down, circling around her. „Wuhu!“, shouted Rainbow Dash, before she landed in front of the alicorn. Her coloured mane was tousled from the wind.
„Twilight, it is just truly amazing!“, she brusted out, „Spitfire had told me that I shall design a geography for the Wonderbolts on the Summer Sun Celebration and that I will be the main flyer.“ Rainbow jumped once in the air and smiled. „Can you even imagine that? Me as a front flyer in the Wonderbolt team. I mean, I had dreamed about this for like ever. This is totally awesome!“
„Summer Sun Celebration? What?“, asked Twilight, who still was a bit dazzled. She was so tired, that she could not concentrate. She had not really listened to her. The pegasus looked annoyed and a bit angry. Obviously Rainbow Dash had not realized, that Twilight was not in her best status at the moment.
„Twilight...“ Spike pressed his claws against his belly. With a burping sound and a shot of green flames he spat out a perchmant role. The purple mare leviated the letter in front of her and started to read aloud: 
„My faithful student Twilight Sparkle,
As it is the tenth anniversary in our new Area of Peace, I have decided that I will held the Summer Sun Celebration at Ponyville. You have shown organicing talents before, therefore I want you to overview the preparations. Your friends have to do some things too. Applejack, I want you to prepare a good buffett for the festival. Rarity, you shall design some dresses for me and the important guests. Pinkie Pie, I'd like you to organice the decoration. Rainbow Dash, you and the Wonderbolts will do an arial number, which you have designed. And Fluttershy, can you and your animals make a nice chorus for the time, before I raise the sun? I rely on you to make sure this day will be perfect.
Yours sincerly, Princess Celestia.“
Twilight took a deep breath. I completely forgot that this year is the hundredth Summer Sun Celebration, scince we defeated Tirek. She rubbed over her forehead. It kept beating like a hearth. The pain was numb, but it was constant and it truly annoyed her. How was she supposed to organice a festival with these bad conditions?
„So“, Rainbow Dash asked, „Is this cool or awesome?“ She sounded really excited and happy, while Twilight looked like someone, who just had bitten into a lemon and now searched for a way to get rid off it, without anyone noticing. 
„Yeah“, Twilight said finally fast and hasty, „It is great. Rainbow, can you do me a favour and tell the others their jobs? I have to do something, which cannot wait!“ It was a lousy excuse, but it was better than nothing.
„Alright, Twilight. Bet, I'll have done this within a few seconds. See you!“ And with a fast movement of the wind the blue pegasus dashed away, dragging the glimpsel of light behind her. 
Twilight watched, until she was out of sight. With an angry shout the mare declared: „How am I suppose to do all this? For Celestia's sake, I am sick!“ Her head hurt badly at her fast movement of anger and she pressed her hoof against it. „Ouch.“
Spike said: „Well, I do not know, but if I was you, I'd go to visit Zecora. That zebra knows more about herbs than that pony from the flower shop. I am sure, she can give you a tea or a pill against your bad dreams or at least the headache.“ 
Twilight picked up her dropped book and stuffed it away in her saddleback. „You are right, Spike. If anypony knows something against this disease, than it is her.“

***

„About such a disease, there is no word in my books, but you are invited to take a second look“, said Zecora with her calm, smoky voice. Twilight and Spike were sitting in the hut, which was filled with shelves, full of books, perchament roles, boxes, bottles in every colour and shape, and a big cauldron on the ground.
„Great“, snarled Twilight, „But what am I supposed to do now? The Summer Sun Celebration is in five days and I have to supervise all preparations! What if I make a mistake? What if I miss a detail? What if we do not get finished in time? Princess Celestia will be furious. She relies on me after all.“
Zecora softly touched the alicorn's hoof with her own. „Calm down, my friend. I maybe know a way to make these pains end.“
„Really?“, asked Twilight hopefully. The zebra slowly walked around her shelves and started to open boxes with herbs. She threw them, together with several coloured liquids into the cauldorn. Then the mare bent down. She softly blew against the wood and the fire warmed the cauldorn. Silvery smoke puffed upwards and filled the room, while the zebra used a stick to stir the drug.
„If I work with speed“ - Twilight watched Zecora, filling a darkblue potion into an empty glass bottle - „then I will maybe have, what you need. Here, this little juice will give you a dreamless night, so you won't wake up with a cry of fright.“ 
The purple mare picked up the bottle and looked at the potion. „Thank you, Zecora“, Twilight said, „I guess, I will leave you know.“
She stuffed the bottle away and walked to the door. The zebra called after her: „Before you go, there is one last advice, I have to give.“ Twilight turned around. Zecora's yellow eyes seemed to burn themselves into her hearth. „What bothers you, is a storm and not a simple brease. You should go to a friend, that will help you to enjoy yourself with ease.“
The alicorn nodded. „Thank you, Zecora. I will try  not to worry so much about this.“ 
Spike nodded as they stepped out of the hut. „I agree with her“, the dragon said, „Maybe you are bothering too much about nothing. One shouldn't make a mountain out of a molehill.“ 
Twilight sighted. „I just hope, you are right, and I really worry about nonsense.“ She smiled. „At least I will get some good sleep tonight. But now let's go. We have some supervision to do.“
	
> The Apple and the Spark
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Ponyville the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration already were in full swing. Fillies, mares, colts and foals were running around, delivering something, decorating their houses with flowers and garlands. The air was thick with the smell of cooking, roasting and baking. An overwhelming joy filled the atmosphere and Twilight looked at all the happy faces. They are really trying to make the best out of it.
Spike was sitting on her back as usual. He hold a parchment role in his claw. „You have to supervise five things“, the dragon said, „How are you going to do this? What is your plan?“ Yes, he knew her well. 
Twilight explained with a look in the sky: „Because it is already midday, I will only visit Rarity and Applejack. Tomorrow we are going to check on Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. I assume, Rainbow Dash will do her job just fine.“
„Alright“, Spike answered. It seemed like he was looking forwards to meet Rarity again. It was an open secret that the dragon had a crush on the beautiful mare. Which was not a surprise. Twilight knew no other pony, that checked so much on her looks. Rarity loved nothing more then her friends and herself. She still was very generous, which on the outsider's perspective was like a miracle. The comfort of her customers meant everything to her.
Rarity's boutique was standing on a great place. It was a big, white and purple decorated pavilion with yellow carpets. It always reminded Twilight of some kind of fancy torte for a royal wedding. The whole boutique looked rather noble and stood out in the ordinary houses of Ponyville.
Twilight softly knocked at the main door. Rarity sounded nervous as she shouted as a greeting: „GO AWAY! PREPARATION IS NOT FINISHED!“ Spike pressed his claws against his not visible ears. 
Twilight sighted, before she knocked again and said quietly: „Rarity, it is me, Twilight! I shall come and overview the preparation for the Summer Sun Celebration.“
The red door opened a slit and Rarity's head stucked out of it. „It is you“, said the white mare, „Well, then you can come inside. Pardon for screaming at you, darling. I am just so incredibly nervous.“ Twilight trotted into the working room, which laid in the main floor. Pink walls, golden frames and mirrors everywhere. Several fabrics laid on Rarity's table in all thinkable colours: Golden, blue, yellow, pink, green, red, silver, black. The wall was stuck with sketches for dresses. The purple alicorn also realiced, that Rarity was wearing glasses, a pair of scissors stuck behind her ear, together with a pen. A tape laid over her back behind her shoulders.
„Can you believe, what I have to do, Twilight?“, she asked and walked beside her, „I have to design the dresses for every important guest, which means the Princesses, your brother and the main minister and advisers. Oh my god, it is so much to do and I am not yet finished! Darling, because you just happen to be here, can you tell me, if my versions of the dresses for the Princesses are alright? After all you know them better then me.“
And before Twilight could utter a word, Rarity's horn glowed and three display dummies appeared. The dresses, they were wearing all looked very beautiful and elegant. The purple alicorn could already tell by sight, which was for whom. 
Celestia's dress was white and a golden ribbon had been wrapped around it. The edge had a thick golden line at its end. Rarity had added several firerubies and thin orange lines, which were following the wearer's movements. 
Rarity had choosen darkblue and black as a colour gradient for Luna's dress. Silver dots were stitched into it, forming several figures, which Twilight recogniced as constellations. Also Luna's dress had several jems on it. Sapphire and moonstone. 
Cadence's dress was pink. A pale, skinlike tone. It was shimmering like snakeskin at some parts, because Rarity had added thousands and thousands of thin rose quartz stones. A fireruby in a golden necklace at the top of the dress was a true eyecatcher.
Twilight nodded slowly. „You do not have to worry, Rarity. Those dresses look brilliant. The Princesses will love them“, she found. 
„Are you sure?“, panted the white unicorn, „Quite sure? Is the cut somewhere misplaced? Or did I chose the wrong fabric? Are there too many or too less gems?“ She looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown again.
Twilight walked over and placed a wing on her shoulder. „Calm down, Rarity“, she said softly, „I am sure, the Princesses will adore your dresses.“ 
Rarity shuddered. „I hope so. Darling, I still have not worked on yours as I am not sure, what you would want.“ 
Twilight stepped back. „I trust your instincts, Rarity“, she declared, „I am sure, you will know, what suits me.“ 
Spike looked around and muttered: „So many gems. Eh, Twilight, if your dress will have gems too, may I have them after the celebration.“ Twilight knew it was a habit of dragons to collect shiny things (moreover to eat the gems like crisps) and she could not really forbid it. 
„Sure, Spike. Come. Let's visit Applejack.“

***

Sweet Apple Acres laid a bit away from Ponyville. The apple farm was huge. The orchards stretched over the hills and their healthy, wonderful treasure shone in the light of the sun, which was making its way to twilight. The main building of the farm was a huge, red barn with white bars. Twilight heard pigs squealing and a few cows followed the visitor with their dumb looking faces.
Applejack was standing in front of the door. Her orange coat fumed from the heath and she was pouring water with her hat over her face. Next to her stood a handcart, on it baskins, full of red apples. „Howdy, Twilight“, called the mare as she saw her friend in the reflection of the glass of a nearby window.
„Hello Applejack“, answered Twilight. She was actually glad that she had gotten away from Rarity's nervousity. Somehow her high pitched voice had  caused her headaches again. She still was tired, but she tried her best to hide it. 
Applejack put her wet hat on her head. „Nice to see ya.“ The mare pulled her into a thick hug. Twilight laid her head on the mare's shoulder and smiled. As usual she had a very warm feeling, whenever she was with Applejack. It made her coat prickle and caused her some sort of happiness she did not even knew off.
The earth pony stepped backwards. „Twilight, is everything alright?“, she asked, while she studied the tired and exhausted face, „Ya look dreadful, believe mah.“ 
She rubbed her neck. Her wings opened and closed nervously. „AJ, I haven't slept well during the last month. And I am having headaches“, Twilight confessed. 
„Can I help ya somehow?“, Applejack asked and laid a leg over her shoulder, which made Twilight smile briefly.
„Actually yes“, the mare said, „Zecora had said, I should visit a friend, who could help me and my pains. Distract me a bit. I immediatley had to thought about you, Applejack.“ 
Her friend blushed. „Thank ya, sugarcube, for this great trust“, she said, „I will try mah best.“ They kept looking in each other's eyes. Applejack's were the colour of fresh, cuted gras. Green, with a few darker sparkles in them. Twilight had always loved those eyes. She could drown in them.
„Oh, come on!“ Spike's yell made them look at the tiny dragon. He was throwing his arms in the air. „You always find me ridicolous being in love with Rarity, but now look at you, Twilight! You are acting like a school foal on Hearth's and Hoove's Day. Even a bat can see, that you two have something for each other.“
Applejack snorted amused as her eyes rested on Twilight. The alicorn's cheeks flushed. „Spike, how about you going away for a short while?“, she asked and pushed her snout in his back. „Can you check on the preparations for me? I am coming soon.“ Lousy excuse, Twilight!, the student in her criticised.
„Yes, of course. More power to you, the lady.“ And Spike walked away, probably to stop brusting out in laughter in front of the two mares. Twilight watched, until the dragon's tail disappeared behind an edge. 
Applejack laughed. „Oh, come on, Twi!“, she called and softly hit her friend's shoulder with the hoof, „It's nothing to be ashamed of. Look at Spike. He would become a monkey to please Rarity.“
Twilight nodded and answered quietly: „But Spike and Rarity do not have the same sex. How would our friends react, if we told them?“
Applejack snuggled against her. „All will go well, sugarcube. Ya'll see.“ And they turned their heads and their lips met. 
The kiss was shy as if it was their first one. Applejack tasted like Red Delicous. Sweet, fruity and juicy. Twilight closed her eyes as she answered the kiss. Their heads were moving slowly as their lips chose their position, which was the most comfortable one. Twilight's tongue touched Applejack's mouth and she heard her chuckle. „That tickles, sugarcube“, she whispered.
They stopped as soon as they heard hoofsteps and turned around. Apple Bloom was sprinting towards them. Totally excited the filly stopped in front of them and asked: „Applejack, ya have promised, ya will teach mah today how to buck apples! Will ya teach mah? Will ya teach it mah now? Please!“ Her eyes became huge as she begged.
Applejack chuckled. „Yeah, why not, sis. We have many trees to buck and it is already midday“, she answered. „Hey, Twilight, how about ya help us a bit? I am sure, ya can buck apples as well.“ 
The mare said unsure: „I do not know. I am not as strong as an earth pony.“
„Are ya kidding me?“ The orange farmer lifted her wing with one hoof. „Ya're an alicorn. Ya do not just have a pair of wings, ya also have an earth pony's strength. Trust mah.“
Twilight folded her wings. „Alright“, she said and smiled, „Maybe that is just the distraction I need.“
„Yeeehaaaa!“ Applejack rose to her hindlegs and laughed. „Let's go and buck some apples.“ Apple Bloom cheered, before she ran off as fast as a weasle. The two older mares followed her amused.

***

„Alright, Apple Bloom“, said Applejack. They were standing on the orcharde in front of a tree, which stood alone. Between the green leaves hung, sweet and armoatic, red apples. „One can seperate the act of apple bucking into tree steps“, explained the mare, „Up, kick, straight. Or longer: Lift yar backside up, kick against the tree trunk and keep yar legs as straight as possible, when ya hit the tree.“
„In full movement it looks like this.“ Applejack scanned the tree with her smaragd eyes, before she turned around, rose to her front legs and kicked viciously and cleanly against the trunk. It danced from the pressure. The apples rained down and landed in the baskins, AJ had placed there. The orange mare lifted her head proudly and closed her eyes shortly. „Voilá.“
Twilight whistled. „Nice kick, AJ“, she said. 
Her friend smiled, before she adressed her younger sister: „Have ya seen everything? Do ya wanna give it a try?“ Apple Bloom nodded. „Good.“ Applejack scanned the place. She guided the filly to a smaller tree, a yearling, who was wearing his first fruits. The trunk looked fragile, but solid.
Apple Bloom eyed the tree, took a deep breath, before she turned around and kicked against it. The truck trembled slightly and two apples fell down. Twilight smiled and said: „Keep trying, Apple Bloom. I am sure, you can do it.“ 
Applejack nodded in agreement: „Get its weak spot, sis, and the apples are yars.“ 
The yellow filly eyed the tree furiously, before she kicked against it again, this time more near the middle. The apples rained down. One hit her head.
„Yeeehhhaaa, ya did it!“ Applejack laughed and started to pick the fruits up. Twilight helped her. Her friend said: „Alright, now ya try it.“ 
„What?“, asked the purple mare startled and dropped the apple.
„Oh, come on, Twi. I know, ya can do it.“ The alicorn shot a look at the tree. Its trunk seemed to become bigger and solider in her imagination, unable to break or to move.
Twilight felt like a troll or fool as she walked over to the tree. Alright, let's get over with this. She looked at Applejack and Apple Bloom, her eyes full of doubt. Her best friend smiled. „Up, kick, straight“, she said, „Come on, Twi. Show mah ya can make a great farmer.“ The purple alicorn blew out the air.
Then she rose to her front legs and kicked against the trunk. Her legs trembled from the unfamiliar move. Twilight closed her eyes and waited anxiously for the result to come. A few bopping sounds. The mare opened her eyes a slit. Apples rained down on her. Ten at last. „Did I just do that?“, asked Twilight and jumped a mile forwards, before she turned around.
„Yeehaaa!“ Applejack jumped into the air and spread her arms. „I told ya, ya have the strength of an earth pony.“ Twilight blushed. 
Apple Bloom already had picked up her crop and said: „Come on, AJ. Let's finish this job.“
The three mares were sprinting through the orchard. They kicked against the trees and the fruits rained down. Twilight used her magic to fill basket after basket. Every now and then she too bucked an appletree. But Applejack and Applebloom were doing the most job of the harvest. The sun climbed over the sky and the three workers sweated. AJ called commands to make sure they worked the most efficent way.
Twilight rose her legs and kicked against a very dark, thick looking tree. As soon as her hooves touched the bark, a sharp pain shot through her forehead. Twilight shuddered and closed her eyes. The pain beat her like a whipe. It was the worst headache she could even imagine. As if someone had grabbed an axe and tried to split her forehead into halfs.
Twilight whimpered and pressed her hoof against her forehead. She closed her eyes. Applejack trotted to her side. „Are ya alright, sugarcube?“, she asked worried.
„I'm fine“, grunted Twilight and turned her head away.
„Are ya sure?“, repeated the mare anxiously, „Ya don't look like that to me.“ 
„I said, I am alright!“ Twilight turned her head around and her eyes flashed.
Applejack took a step back. Her friend's face was eclipsed and a green glow shimmered on the farmer's face. Purple mist floated out of the corners of Twilight's eyes and she showed her theet in a terrifying grimace. „Alright, Twilight“, said Applejack appologicing and turned her face away to avoid full eye contact.
	
> Twilight freaks out
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was already late in the evening – the sky was as violet as Twilight's coat – when Spike and the mare were making their way back home. The dragon pressed his claws on his belly. It rumbled and twitched painfully. „That pie for apple lovers doesn't love me at all“, he whimpered. Gosh, I overdid it again! It was one of his weaknesses: The purple dragon loved cake, sweets and fruits and when Twilight had asked him to „check on the preparations“, he of course could not resist. Spike tried a bit from everything. Cake, pie, tarte, biscuits, yoghurt, fruit salad...it was amazing what the Apples could make out of their harvest.
Twilight shot him a short look. Spike could not tell what was on her face: Shame, fear, weariness. She seemed to be sick of all of this. And she seemed to be afraid of going to bed. Spike softly caressed her neck. „Everything will go right, Twilight“, he said to calm her down, „Zecora gave you that potion, remember? You won't dream that night.“
Twilight nodded. The mare slowly climbed up the stairs. She eyed her bed as if it was a toxic plant. Spike smiled. „Come on, drink that medicine and then get some rest“, he said. Her horn glowed and she levitated the bottle with the blue liquid. Her lips trembled and the eyes were full of doubt. Then as if she did not want to allow herself another thought, Twilight poured the drink down.
„So?“, Spike asked.
„Sweet“, Twilight said thoughtfully and surprised, „It tastes sweet. Like blueberries.“
„Wow, I'd love to try that as well“, mumbled the dragon and licked his lips, „But luckly I am not sooo tired that I would need it.“
Twilight slowly climbed into her bed. She used her magic to pull the blanket over her shoulder. „Good night, Spike“, mumbled the alicorn. 
„Night, Twilight“, he said. The dragon curled up in the basket next to the purple mare's sleeping place and pulled his blanket over him. He yawned and closed his eyes.

***

Spike woke up in the middle of the night. It took the dragon a few seconds to realice, what had woken him. Twilight was whimpering. He stood up and walked to the bed. The purple mare was laying on her side and kicked in her sleep. The blanket laid crumpled on one side. Under her lids Twilight's eyes were rolling and she muttered something. Spike leaned closer to hear her words.
„Please, Princess Celestia. I do not understand that! The Elements could not break like that. No, please! The magic of friendship still exist, I know it! It cannot just die, can it? Please, Princess. I did not mean to disappoint you. Please, do not send me away! Do not imprison me! Princess Celestia.....!“
Spike could no longer stand it. This dream must be a true torment to his friend. „Twilight, wake up!“, he shouted and snapped his claws. With a cry of fright the purple alicorn sat upwards in her bed. Her eyes were wide, she was covered in sweat and breathed heavily. Her ears twitched and it looked like she had lost orientation.
Oh, Twilight... Spike was so worried, it made him sick. She was not just a friend to him, but also a elder sister, a caretaker. Twilight Velvet, Twilight Sparkle's mother, had taken the tiny dragon in the family after her daughter had hatched him as if he had always belonged to them.
Spike wrapped his tiny arms around her neck. He felt her trembling and heard her whineing. „Spike, I just had the worst dream in my life“, she whispered, „I...I dreamed that I had destroyed the magic of friendship, that the Elements of Harmony were shattered and Celestia throw me into the dungeons for it.“
„There, there“, Spike said and caressed her back, „It was just a dream. Such a thing could never happen to you. It just cannot. Your friends are living representatives of the Elements of Harmony. If the elements shattered, then this mean, they would have to die. And this won't happen.“ Twilight sniffed. Tears were glittering in her eyes. She rubbed over her nose with her hoof and stood up.
Twilight slowly walked to the window. The moon reflected in her eyes. „I really hope, it is just a dream“, said the mare. She looked at the dragon. „What really bothers me, Spike: The potion had not worked. How couldn't it work? It can only mean one thing: Whatever is going on with me is not natural.“

***

„Alright, we have checked on the dresses with Rarity and the buffet with Applejack.“ Spike was sitting on Twilight's back, leaning against her long neck. He was holding a parchment list in his claws, together with a quill. „So what are we checking next?“
„Fluttershy.“ Twilight's voice was dull. „We are going to visit Fluttershy.“ Spike also realized that she was walking slower then usual. The purple mare stopped every now and then, because she yawned. Spike sadly petted her neck. This torment was not good for her at all.
They were slowly walking outside of Ponyville. Fluttershy lived in a small, nice house with a garden. It was standing on a hill, so one could see the town from one side and the Everfree Forest from the other side. Twilight could hear the animals and saw furs, rushing around. Squirrels, dogs, cats, a bagger, they all loved to come to Fluttershy.
„Do you think, she and her birds can practice here?“, asked Spike. He stood insecure on Twilight's back and tried to make sure that a cat was not ripping the parchment role apart.
„No, I do not think so.“ The mare turned her head around, her ears were perked up. She seemed to listen. Spike did the same,
Finalley they both heard the faint sound of bird's chirping. „Over there“, said Spike. He sprinted down the hill. Twilight followed. Fluttershy had chosen an old oak with long branches as a practice stage. She was flying on a spot and waved her arms to conduct the birds. They were chirping softly and melodic.
„Oh, no wait!“ Fluttershy carefully flew upwards to a nightingall. „I am sorry, Mister“, she said calmly, „but could you please lower your voice? It is a bit too high-pitched. If you do not mind of course.“ The bird opened its spout and sang its melodie again. „That is perfect“, whispered the yellow pegasus pleased.
Twilight waited until she had landed. „Hello Fluttershy“, she said. 
The yellow mare turned around and smiled brightly. „Hello Twilight.“
„I am here to check on the preparations for the Summer Sun celebration“, Twilight said, „To see, if everything goes alright. And I have to say your bird's chorus is beautiful.“
„Yay“, cheered Fluttershy quietly and pleased, „We have been practicing a lot.“ 
Spike walked almost into Twilight's leg and added: „Wow. One sees that.“
„Oh, thank you, Spike“, said Fluttershy. „Do you want to stay and hear the full orchestra?“, she asked. 
„Ehm, no“, replied Twilight apologetic, „We have to check on Pinkie Pie. She should do the decoration.“
Spike put his claws on his chin. It looked as if Twilight was begging to get away. She was turning her head around and her wings were partly opened. If the dragon saw it right, she even shivered. Fluttershy of course saw that too. Her warm eyes widened worried. „Twilight“, she asked quietly, „Is everything alright?“
„I am fine“, Twilight sneered. She shook herself like someone who had just fallen in cold water. „Come on, Spike. Let's go and find Pinkie Pie.“ The voice of the alicorn had never sounded that cold and disgusted. It was as if she hated her friends. Spike rubbed the backside of his head with his claw. He said slowly and unsure: „Ehm....okay, I suppose. I'll just make a note on the list.“
The dragon took the quill and made a cross behind the word Fluttershy – Orchestra. Checked. Fluttershy took a step closer. „You do not look like you are alright“, she whispered worriedley. 
„I am fine, for Celestia's sake!“ Twilight was shouting in the yellow mare's face. 
The pegasus stumbled backwards. „Okay“, she whispered.
Before Spike knew what was happening, Twilight's magic levitated him on her back. She spread her wings and shot up into the sky. The movement was rapide and forced. Spike wrapped his arms around her neck. He heard Twilight's wings bashing the air in cold fury. His checklist was dancing from the wind.
„You know, you should not take your bad temper out on everyone“, he said slowly. 
Twilight hissed: „I am not in a bad mood. Don't you dare to say, I am in a bad mood.“ 
And a donkey can fly. Spike sighted and thought: Perhabs it is best to let her be the way she is now. After all, this task is stressfull.

***

Twilight was flying over Ponyville. „Sweet Celestia“, she called and it was a surprise she did not fall off mid-air. Spike sat on her back with his mouth open. Pinkie Pie's way of preparation had left a big mark on the city as if she wanted to make it crystal clear who had done all this work.
The ground was full of flowers and confetti. Ballons danced in the wind and colourful ribbons. She also had painted a white wall on a building in cheerful colours. When Twilight looked around she realized it was a funny caricature of the princesses. 
As Twilight landed on the ground, a loud explosion could be heard behind her and confetti rained down on her. She spat out the colourful shrads of paper and rolled her eyes. Spike roared with laughter and fell of her back. Well, this really is funny. Pinkie Pie popped out of the next building and cheered: „Twilight!“ She hopped to her and hang a necklace around her, which was formed like a smiling sun.
„And one for you Spike too“, she said and gave him one. The necklace was made out of cheap paperboard but it looked so bright and funny that one could oversee this material. Pinkie jumped around Twilight, while she asked: „So what do you think? Do yo like it? Did I surprised you? Rainbow Dash told me that you will check on the preparations so I did my best.“
Twilight sighted. Spike said: „Oh, come on, Twilight! It looks amazing.“
„Thank you“, babbled Pinkie Pie, „I also added a few candies in the trees, so if somepony is hungry, he gets them for free. And I choose those colourfull balloons. Oh, and I even asked Mr and Mrs Cake to make a few cakes for the buffett. You have to see them....“
„Pinkie“, Twilight said ennerved, trying to interrupt her.
„Oh, and what do you think about all these ribbons and my firework.“ Behind them a firework display shot into the air and exploded, making blue, green and purple sparkles rain down. 
Twilight furrowed her brow. „Pinkie...“, she said once more. Pinkie did not seem to notice any change in her friend's behaviour. But Spike did. He quickly took a few steps back. Ohoh, looks like the air is going to burn.
Twilight furrowed her brow. Then all of the sudden she jumped upwards into the air. Her fur started to glow bright white, her eyes flashed red and long, orange flames licked over her mane and the tail. „PINKIE PIE! CAN'T YOU JUST KEEP YOUR SNOUT SHUT FOR TEN SECONDS????“ Twilight's voice was a loud, hoarse roar and she eyed Pinkie so furiously as if a devil had rammed his pitchfork in her bum. 
Spike looked at the pink pony, who frowned in her movement and stared up at the flaming demon-like alicorn with an open maw. The orange shone of Twilight's fire painted her flesh bright. Spike waited worriedly for his friend to calm down. This has been a test too much. He knew Twilight only  had such moments when she had passed over her limits. Which happened rarely.
„Oohh, silly, maybe you should take a nice break, shouldn't you?“, suggested Pinkie Pie. 
The alicorn had stopped yelling in her anger. She now was hanging in the air. Twilight's fur was partley covered in dust. She seemed rather exhausted. The mare flinched and rolled her eyes.  „I can't take it anymore“, she stammered and collapsed like a wounded animal.    
		
> Bats....again!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

„Cock-a-doodle-do!“ The cock's cry rang in Applejack's ears. It welcomed the first orange shimmer of Celestia's sun. The orange mare yawned and sat up in her bed. The blanket went down her back, crumpling. Her green eyes looked at the thine slit of the carpet. The sun painted a small, white line in the room.
It was a small bedroom and hardly had any furinture. Apart from Applejack's bed and the nightstand, there was only a large box with the farmer's private things. „Alright, I feel ready for that day!“ The mare climbed out of the bed and stretched herself. She picked up her hat and placed it on her mane. The farmers were all that enthusiastic, because each one shared a simple golden rule: Live this day as if it was your last. This made them value all the short joys in life.
Applejack tried to get this good feeling again, but an event casted over her mood like a dark shadow. Twilight Sparkle's behaviour. Something is wrong! She was sure about it. The purple alicorn had paranoia, that was normal, but she would never ever dare to act like this. And the pain in her head. Applejack had seen the tiredness in her friend's eyes. She had hardly been able to stand on her feet. And even when the alicorn tried to act happy, there was a absent-mindedness in all her actions. It seemed as if she forced herself to act as if everything was right.
That is foul. It clearly is. Applejack walked down the stairs to the kitchen. The scent of freshly backed pies and other foods nearly choked her breath. Granny Smith seemed to be up already. The green, old, gypsy-looking like mare was walking through the kitchen, pealing apples, hacking them, mixing salads and putting tarts in the oven.
The whole table seemed to groan under its burden. Granny had made pies, cakes, busciuts, salad, tarts, pancakes, applejuice, apple spritzer, applesauce, apple yoghurt. Applejack whistled. „Isn't that already enough, Granny?“, she asked. 
„Good morning, Applejack“, said the old mare and walked to the table. She was balancing a tablet on her back with even more food. „Oh, that hardly is enough, my dear. Ah need more apples, AJ. After all thousands of ponies will come to the Summer Sun Celebration, so we have to make sure that the mouths are fed.“
„Sure.“ Applejack walked around the table and picked through all those plates. „Can I have one?“, the mare asked as she reached forwards to grab a pancake. 
„No, sugarcube!“, replied Granny. She throw an apple to the mare, who caught it in her snout. „Have this for breakfast. Ya've got work to do.“
„Sure.“ Applejack took a bite of the apple. It was sweet and aromatic. „Granny, ya should ask Mr and Mrs Cake, if they can help ya. We cannot have our whole house full of apple food.“
The green mare replied: „Oh, we still have space. Now ran along. Ah need more apples.“ 
„I'm on mah way.“

***

The sun painted the trees of the orchard cinnamon and the leaves golden. Applejack was trotting towards the trees. She knew, Granny would need almost as much apples as they had got yesterday. Well, let's get this done. The orange farmer stopped in front of a tree. She whirled around and kicked viciously against the truck. The apples rained down – and splashed in front of Applejack's hooves.
„No way!“ The orange mare eyed the leftovers of the fruit. The meat was dry and sludgy. Worms crawled inside of it. But they could not have done this. Panic and anger filled the farmer. Please, please let this be an isolated case. Applejack's head jerked upwards and she sprinted through the orchard, kicking against the apples.
Her fear increased as more and more dry and muddy apples rained down. These were useless. Applejack greeted her theet. Her eyes were wide in terror. How could this possibly happen? She had a suspicion, who was behind this. And she prayed that she was worng. But the evidence clearly spoke against her wishes.
Applejack finally stopped in front of the very first tree, which had given her such bad fruits. Her fur fumed from her sweat. She looked up at the branches. The leaves were rustling in a weird way. As if they were made out of leather and red dots stared back at her.
Steps approached behind her. The orange mare turned around. Big Macintosh was trotting to her. He stopped next to her and looked at her inquiring. „We have got a problem, Big Mac“, said Applejack gloomy and her face eclipsed. They looked back at the trees. With a high-pitched cry a cloud of winged, dark bodies swarmed out of the trees and passed them, their fangs glittering from salvia. 
„Eyyup“, replied the dark red stallion simply.

***

Applejack was pulling on a rope, which was connected with a bell. That one swung forwards and backwards, the clapper hit the walls and loud tones could be heard. The ponies rang this bell only, if there was an emergency. And for Applejack an invasion of Vampire Fruit Bats certainly was. Those beasts would ruin her orchard.
Big Macintosh was still standing next to him. „Yah can stop, younger sister“, he called. Applejack jumped down from a hay bale – making another gong with the bell – and landed next to him. Four ponies were sprinting towards the farm, their manes flow from the wind. Finally they stopped. It were Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity.
„We came here as fast as we could, darling“, said the white unicorn, „What had happen?“ 
Applejack trotted towards them. „Where is Twilight?“, was her first question. She looked around as if the purple alicorn would come around the next trees, explaining with a low breath, that she had collected a few books, before she could made her way.
The others looked at each other. They seemed rather surprised. „Well, I do not know“, said Rainbow Dash. She was flying a few feet over the ground, her wings made the grass tremble. „I have not seen her.“
„Me neither“, whispered Fluttershy, „But she seemed really tired.“ 
Pinkie Pie added: „Oh, oh, and I remember she really exploded. I mean, she became this flaming beast again. All with fire and red eyes and screams, you should have seen her.“
Applejack touched her chin with her hoof thoughtfully. „I don't like that“, she said slowly, „Seems really bad to mah.“ 
Rarity replied, while placing a hoof on the farmer's shoulder: „We all have realized, that Twilight is not feeling so well at the curtain moment. I assume, she just took our advices to go and sleep a bit.“ Applejack chewed her lips. I am not sure. Twilight told mah, that she has got nightmares. So how should sleep help her?
„Alright“, Rainbow Dash interrupted the silence impatiently, „You called us here, because there is an emergancy. What is it?“ 
Applejack's face eclipsed. With a low voice she said: „A pack of Vampire Fruit Bats is rampaging my orchard.“ Everypony gasped in surprise. „If they continue to work with that speed, my apples will be gone in no time.“
Rainbow Dash shouted shocked: „Wait! No apples means no cyder, am I right?“ She flew to Applejack and grabbed her shoulders. 
Applejack sighted. „Right.“ 
The pegasus howled like a wounded animal. „This a desaster!“, she yelled and flew upwards, „We've got to save the cyder!“
Fluttershy interrupted her lament softly: „But the bats do have a reservation. And there they have more then enough apples. Why would they take the apples of your orchard then?“ 
Applejack scratched her neck. „Ah know, Fluttershy“, she replied, „But Ah am not sure, if that is the old colonie or a new one. Besides, how many babies can a Vampire Fruit Bat have? I mean, can their colony grow that fast?“
Fluttershy explained: „I read much about Vampire Fruit Bats. Therefor I know, that the females can give birth to only one cub, for which they care deeply.“ 
„And how many females do live in a colony?“ 
Her answer was simple and she smiled: „Oh, the colonies often comprise 1500 animals or more and nearly three-quarters of them are female.“ 
Applejack stood there, her maw opened. 1500 animals and almost all of them are females. And all of them give birth to cups. She pictured a huge swarm of those beasts, rampaging in an orchard, their sharp fangs went deep into the flesh of her precious apples, the juice dropped down as the colonie hold its feast. And when they were gone, the whole orchard was a desert. No, no, no! Applejack shook her head in terror. This could not happen to her.
Rarity demanded sniffing: „Well, speculations won't help us. We will have to check the Vampire Fruit Bat's reservation. Then we know, why this colonie is here.“ 
„Eyyupp“, replied Big Mac. The red stallion trotted to his younger sister. He softly pushed her forwards. 
„Yeah, you are right“, the farmer said weakly, „Now let's get this problem solved.“

***

The reservation was a quarter of the orchard and laid far away from the Apple family's house. As soon as they entered the place, Applejack swallowed. The last time she had seen this place the trees were strong and green, the grass grew wildly and free and the whole air breathed with live. Now it was as if they had just stepped on the surface of the moon.
The reservation was a desert. The ground was dry and cracky. Every step conveyed clouds of dust in the air, so the ponies could hardly walk. There was not even a leaf or a strand of grass. The trees looked hollow and fragile. As if they were dead. The whole area breathed death and Applejack felt as if she was getting sick.
Fluttershy whimpered and covered her face with her hooves. Rarity was walking so slowly as if she had never seen anything more disgusting. She said: „This air is not healthy for my lounges. The dust does not agree with my fur and my hooves are getting split. Eeehww.“ She lifted one of her hooves and eyed it.
„What the hey has happened here?“ Rainbow Dash was flying through the reservation, the flap of her wings made the branches tremble. Some broke with a low crack and shattered on the ground. „The rest of your orchard looks alright, AJ.“ 
Applejack rose to her hindlegs. „Oh, curse it!“, she cried, „I cannot explain this. It is as if a fire had went through this place. Or a drought.“ She landed on her front legs again and kicked furiously against a nearby tree. Branches rained down and cracked, the bark entangled itself in her mane.
Applejack shouted in frustration: „It is as if the place was cursed!“ Why does this happen to mah? That is so unfair. She would have loved to cry, but crying was for babies. She would not cry. She would hide her feelings, trapped them inside as if her hearth was made out of stone. She was a tough mare, she won't become weak.
Big Macintosh trotted to her. He softly removed the pieces of bark. „Easy, sister.“ Her older brother gently placed his long head on her neck. He knew, how sad and desperate she was and that she refused herself from crying. Applejack looked at her friends and her glance was met by four eye pairs, full of pity.
Fluttershy whispered: „Now we understand, why the Vampire Fruit Bats are in the orchard. Here they do not find any food.“ She pointed at the dead trees. 
Applejack stepped away from Big Mac. „But why are they so furiously, trying to get every dammit apple? Ah know, they are fast, when it comes to eating apples, but even Vampire Fruit Bats have their limits.“
Rarity ran over a tree truck with her hoof. „A very foul game is played here, darling“, she said, „My friend, I assume, that this is a curse. And that had influenced the bats behaviour.“ 
Rainbow Dash answered angrily: „Alright, fine! We know what the problem is, we know why the bats are behaving the way they do. But what are we gonna do about it, eh?!?“ She was flapping her wings and clouded them in dust.
Applejack said: „We cannot try this Avoid-The-Apples-Spell. First, because Twilight is not here. Second“ – a quick glance to Fluttershy – „remembered what happened the last time?“ Everyone nodded in agreement and the yellow pegasus dropped her head nervously. When Applejack's orchard had been plagued by the Vampire Fruit Bats, Twilight had casted a spell on the animals so they won't go on the apples anymore. The problem: To make it work, they had to focus on the alicorn. Therefore Fluttershy had used her Stare on them – and in return had transformed herself into a Vampire-Fruit-Bat-Pony hybrid.
Rarity explained: „Probably the best solution is to lock the whole colonie up, until we have found out, who cursed the reservation.“ 
She could have also said to kill them, the result for Fluttershy would have been the same. The pegasus mare squeezed in shock and pressed her hooves on her ears as she ducked down. „Ca-Ca-Cages?“, she stammered.
Applejack walked towards her, until her own shadow painted Fluttershy's fur dark. Then she pulled her on her feeth. „Rarity is probably right“, she tried to examine softly, „We cannot let them be free. Unless we want my orchard to be ruined. Therefor we've got to lock them up. Ah know, ya do not like the idea, but it is our only way.“
Fluttershy looked down. She sighted. Her ears twitched. „I know, that you are right”, she mumbled and looked into her green eyes, “I just feel so sorry for the bats. I hate the idea of putting them into a cage.” 
Applejack replied: “It won't be forever, sugarcube. And if ya want, we can make their cages large enough for them to fly around a bit. Does that make ya feel better?”
She nodded. Rainbow Dash landed on the ground. “So what are we waiting for? Let's build the cages and lock the bats up, so we can save the cyder!” 
Everyone else shook their heads. 
Rarity answered: “But how are we suppose to get them into there?” 
Pinkie Pie seemed to have thought as well, because she brusted out: “Oh, I know! We just take long nets to catch them. Like the nets for sardines!” 
Fluttershy gulped in terror.
Applejack said: “Probably the best solution.” Big Mac snorted and shook his head. 
“You disagree?”, asked her younger sister. 
“Eyyup”, replied the stallion, “Those nets are too expensive and we won't use them anymore after that.” 
Pinkie hopped around the yellow pegasus and asked: “And what about Fluttershy, using her Stare? Then these bats would be in one place and we could throw the cages on them!”
Fluttershy whimpered and opened her wings nervously. “I really do not like this idea, Pinkie Pie”, she whispered, “After all, my own Stare has infected me with Twilight's spell and I became a Vampire Pony.” 
Rainbow Dash said: “Well, but Twilight is not here!” 
All eyes rested on the yellow mare, who seemed to shrunk.
Applejack made a clicking sound with her tongue and signaled Fluttershy to follow her. They both trotted away from the group. Pinkie was about to follow, but Rarity shot her a warning glance and the Earth Pony staid where it was. The farmer stopped and turned around. “Listen, Fluttershy”, she said slowly, “I know, how much you hate it to be forced in an action you do not want. Especially if it has got to do with animals and probably harm. Therefore it is your own decision. You can help us with your Stare. But I won't be angry if you don't.” She lifted the yellow mare's chin. “You are hearing me, I won't be angry, if you don't.”
Fluttershy eyed her hooves. She opened and closed her wings. Then she lifted her head very slowly. Her glance was firm. “I'll do it, Applejack”, she declared, “But you've got to promise me, that you won't cause harm to the Vampire Fruit Bats. The cages must have a good size and when you capture the bats, you have to be careful.” 
Applejack touched her own chest with her hoof. “By Celestia's everything-seeing eyes, I swear.”
They walked back to the group. “Big Mac, can you help us with the cages?”, Applejack called. 
“Eyyupp!”, was the simple answer. 
They formed a circle around the farmer. “Okay, this is the plan”, explained the orange mare, “Big Macintosh and Fluttershy are preparing the cages. Pinkie, Rarity and I are searching for other fruits those bats might like. Rainbow Dash, you are flying over the orchard and tell us, where the bats are. Everyone got that? Good, let's go!”
> Conjuration of the Dead
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

During the same time Applejack was worrying about her farm, a purple mare was slowly walking in circles in the library. The shelves formed colourful walls around her. Parchment roles on tables. Twilight was muttering under her breath. She had hardly woken up from her burn-out. At least she had taken the time to clean her fur from the ashes. And while she was doing so, she had come up with an idea. A weird, reckless and risky idea.
Spike, who was sitting on a chair, watched the alicorn, who was making her circles, critically. “Twilight”, the small dragon said, “You are again looking like a weirdo.” Twilight's head flung in his direction. Her left eye was itching, her teeth crunched and she was rubbing her front hooves together. From an outsider's perspective she looked like a psychopath, who had just planned the next crazy murder.
“I am not, Spike”, explained Twilight. She chuckled and an eerie smile crossed her face. “We only have four days, before the Summer Sun Celebration starts” – her voice was followed by the sharp intake of her breath – “and we still do not have a clue what is happening with me. If sleep and Zecora cannot help me with my bad dream problem, then the solution is pretty easy.” Spike took a step back. Twilight could see that she scared him, but she did not care. She was desperate. “We are asking somepony, who is dead. It is as simple as that!”
Twilight laughed maniacally as her horn glowed brightly and a dark book floated towards her. Red marks were printed in its back. Spike answered: “Twilight, I do not like the expression on your face. Stop that!” 
Twilight dropped the book and opened it. The mare answered: “I cannot. I do not have a better plan at the moment.”
Spike scratched his scaly neck. “Well, I had a plan”, the dragon suggested, “How about you send the Princess a letter about your conditions? I am sure, she can help you.” 
The alicorn was running over the pages. “No, Spike”, she said firmly, “I do not want to bother Princess Celestia with this nonsense. I am sure, she has more then enough to do on her own.” 
And it would be obvious that I had failed her. No, no, no! This should not happen. Her snout nearly touched the paper as she bent down. One brow was lifted, while her other eye twitched. She pursed her lips. I am a good student! I can do this on my own! Twilight's glance brightened. She hardly was listening to Spike, complaining that this was about her health and other nonsense. She finally had found what she had been looking for.
“Spike”, Twilight demanded, while her eyes rested on the book, “can you get me a dagger, incense sticks, ink and a few things, made out of silver?” 
The dragon snorted. “Have you even listened to me, when I talked?” 
“Spike!” The mare angrily slammed her hooves on the book. “Could you just do it? And you should probably go out. It might be dangerous.”
“Then you shouldn't even try it”, muttered Spike, but Twilight stared at him so furiously that he finally did, what she had been asking for. I can do this, Spike. I am certain of it. Sure, what she was about to do was risky, she would not deny that. But it was necessary.
Finally the purple dragon brought her the ingredients she needed. Twilight eyed them critcally, before she nodded. “You may go”, she said. One could see that the dragon still disapproved her actions. His eyes glittered in a warning. But when she stared back with an almost evil gloom in her face, he took a few steps back and walked away. “And no words to the others!”, called Twilight after him. It would be a desaster, if she was interrupted by this ritual.
Twilight again shot a look at her book. On it a map showed exactley what she had to draw on the ground. Her magic leviated the dagger. Twilight furrowed her brow in concentration. She slowly started to let the blade ran over the wooden ground. It cut through it like butter. Twilight made several lines, all strict formed, clean and tidy.
With this way a pentacle appeared in the library. Twilight painted a second one, more tiny a few steps in front of it. She stepped into that small pentacle to check, if she had enough space. The mare nodded pleased. Yes, this space was enough. Determination laid in her next movements. Twilight used the ink to write serval strange symbols on both pentagrams, checking on them twice and third, until they were correct. If she wrote one syllable worng, this could have terrible consequences.
As soon as the alicorn had set fire to the incense sticks and hang the silver things (mostly forks and knifes) around the library, she stepped into the tiny pentacle. Alright. Now let's get this done. Twilight breathed out very slowly. She stretched her legs like an athlete, who was about to run a marathon. This task was difficult and risky. She had never tried the spell before. If she made it wrong, then she would be in serious danger.
Twilight angrily spread her wings and slowly moved them back and forwards to cool her heated fur. No, she could do that. She had faced worse in the past. And it was not the first time, she used dark magic. It had worked in the Crystal Empire as well. Let's hope, he can really give me some answers.
Twilight concentrated herself. The air fumed with magic and the power ran through her body like cold water. She shivered. Her horn started to sparkle. Again the start was very hard. As if a mental blockade in her mind wanted to avoid the dark powers to come forward.
The sparkling changed. Sweat ran over Twilight's forehead, but she could see that the aura of her horn had become darker. Black, green shimmering bubbles creeped all over it. The voices in her head whispered louder and louder. Power.... Might..... Wisdom.... Ruler.... I can give you everything... Twilight tried to shut them out of her mind. Violet fume came out of her now green glowing eyes as she shot the spell on the larger pentacle.
It burned a hole in the ground and the ashes formed some kind of star. Twilight breathed out and swallowed. Did it worked? She was not sure. The mare looked around nervously. What is this? Her lamp flared as if the light was about to die out. A cold wind blowed through the room, making the pages of the books whisper and shudder. Smoke rose from the hole in the ground. It became more and more, until it towered in the room.
Twilight coughed and closed her eyes. She looked away. Brewing sounds could be heard as the black smoke became stiff and changed its shape. A loud, yet hoarse sounding roar could be heard. It was as if someone had been awoken from a long sleep. Twilight kept her eyes closed, until she felt a threatening glance rested upon her.
The mare dared to cast a look at the newcomer. It was a stallion with an angular head, grey coat and a dark mane. His eyes were reddish, but they glowed green and purple fume floated out of their corners like tears. The long horn was strangly formed, it seemed to be a weapon to spear somepony. He was wearing an armour, a helmet and a long, red coat. Only the paleness of his colour and structure told Twilight that it was a ghost.
“Well, well”, the stallion spoke with a deep, sonourus voice, but it sounded as if he had not used it for a long time, “At last we meet face to face, Twilight Sparkle.” 
The alicorn opened her wings partly and furrowed her brow. “I am not scared of you, Sombra”, she explained firmly, “And that is Princess Twilight Sparkle to you now.” They may still be enemies, but now they were equals.
The defeated king sighted. “Ah, my appologies”, Sombra said, “I was not invited to your coronation. I must say, you wear your new wings well.” The last sentence almost sounded envious.  His red eyes stared into hers. “So, why have you called me? Not many unicorns can master a Conjuration Charm. This goes deep into dark magic. Not even Celestia herself would dare to do something like this. She considers herself way too noble to do something so wicked.”
Twilight answered: “I have summoned you, because I have got a few questions and you have to answer them honestly!” He rolled his eyes as if it was highfaluting to even demand such a thing. “I need to know, if your Door of Fears has got any longterm effects.”
There was a glitter of interest in his eyes. The evil king smirked and showed his sharp fangs. Rumors said he was eating diamonds to get them in this shape. “Why are you interested in such a thing? I assume, you have seen my little trick. Quite impressive, don't you think?” 
Twilight snorted. “It scared the heck out of me!”, she hissed, “If that pleases you! But now I need to know, if your door can curse someone. I am not in the mood for your games.” She sighted and dropped her head. “I am not in a good mood in general.” Why am I telling you this? Did her mental breakdowns made her sentimental?
Sombra's smirk even became wider, until one could see his back theet. “What is killing you? Toxic? Or a curse?” 
Twilight's head jerked upwards. “This is none of your business!”, she explained furiously, “Just answer my question: Does your door has got any longterm side-effects?”
He lifted one of his hooves and eyed it as if dirt stuck between the metal plates of his horseshoes. His mouth turned into a low bow. Sombra answered slowly: “Side-effects are only trauma. I did not organiced the spell to last for centuries. I just made it to keep any intruder outside. So they would be trapped in their fear, sitting in front of the door forever. I did not consider any other side-effect.”
Twilight growled: “So you cannot help me.” She shook her head in frustration and waved her tail from side to side. Great! Now this whole dangerous action was worth nothing. Twilight could just scream. But she avoided this urge, because she felt it would cause her another bloody headache.
Sombra chuckled darkly. “Stop laughing!”, Twilight demanded. Her eyes flashed. “This is not funny.” The grey stallion seem to twist and became paler. The Conjuration Charm was about to wear off. Soon he would have to return to the realm of death and Twilight was not sure, if she could master this spell once more.
Sombra's voice was only a whisper and Twilight really needed to pirk up her ears to understand the words: “Before I go, let me give you a little hint: You are adressing the wrong villain.” And then he turned into dust and was gone.
Twilight rubbed the side of her head. “You are adressing the wrong villain”, she repeated the last words. What does that suppose to mean? Sombra is the only one, who had seen my greatest fear. But what if somepony else is able to do the same? But who could do that? She again started to walk in circles.
“Think, Twilight, think”, she whispered under her breath and kept knocking her forehead with one of her hooves, “What are your symptoms? Headaches, voices, bad dreams. Bad dreams. There is no one, who can enter a dream. Appart from...” But before Twilight was even able to finish this sentence, another headache exploded in her mind, together with a sharp pain around her throath as if someone was strangling her. ENOUGH!, a voice declared and with a whimpering sound Twilight collapsed on one side and fall unconscious. 
	
> Catching the Vampires
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the markets the period before the Summer Sun Celebration was a true gold mine. Everypony came to buy some things. Food, water, clothes. Around the well of Ponyville the stands were trying to outsmart each other. Stallions and flower mares were screaming themselves hoarse to get the attention of the customers.
The market was full. Many ponies were walking around and looked at the stands. And in this whole mess two Earth Ponies and an unicorn were making their way around the other customers. “So what are we looking for?”, asked Pinkie Pie curiously. She was hopping around Applejack and Rarity and looked around with huge eyes. Every now and then she pointed at something she found entertaining and funny.
Applejack explained: “I have spoken with Fluttershy, before we left. She said, Vampire Fruit Bats eat many different fruits. Although they prefer apples, they can also get the juice out of any other fruit.” 
Pinkie called: “How about we are taking a melon? They have much juice, because they are so big!”
“Pinkie”, interrupted Rarity and rolled her eyes, “A melon is way too heavy to carry it to the farm. Besides, I doubt those beasts eat such exotic fruits.” 
“But they could be useful”, answered the pink mare, “You are an unicorn. Can not you carry them just with your magic to the farm?” 
Rarity snorted and stopped. “This is ridiculous, Pinkie Pie!”, she called, “My magic is sensible and not made for such a task. I am not as good in magic as Twilight is.”
While the two of them kept discussing, if it was useful to choose a melon, Applejack was scanning the stands. She finally trotted to one, where several fruits were selled: Pears, peaches, oranges, strawberries, bluebarries. Her eyes were narrow. She carefully lifted several fruits with her hoof and turned them around. Which fruit had the texture and juiciness a Vampire Fruit Bat found attractive? It had to be something almost similar to an apple!
“Can I help you, young missy?” The seller, Lychee Rain, was a good friend and trade partner of the Apple Family. 
“Eyyupp”, replied Applejack, “Ah've got a problem, Lychee. A pack of Vampire Fruit Bats is rampaging my orchard and Ah need something to distract those beasts. Do ya have a fruit, which is almost similar to an apple?”
Lychee whistled and his eyes glittered worriedley. “This sounds bad, Applejack. If I were you, I would take those pears. They may not be apples, but I have heard that some Vampire Fruit Bats like them.” 
“Alright”, replied Applejack and shouted: “Pinkie Pie, Rarity! I found the fruit, we are looking for.”
They stopped their argument and walked to the farmer. “So we are not taking melons?”, asked Pinkie Pie disappointed.
“Nope”, replied Applejack, “We are taking pears.” She dropped the fruits in the saddle back. “How much do I owe ya, Lychee?”
“One kilo pears? That is twenty bits.” Applejack rummaged around in her back for the coins and handed them over.
“Let's go.” The three were making their way back to the farm. Pinkie Pie was hopping forwards, singing a silly melody. Applejack and Rarity walked side by side behind her. As they came across the library, the farmer stopped and turned her face. Spike was sitting in the entrance and eyed a window solicitously. When he spotted them, he quickly waved his arms to make them go away. Yet there was a glipsle of fear in the dragon's eyes.
“Applejack, darling, what is it?”, asked Rarity symphatetically. She had already taken a few steps and now turned around. “You are looking very uncomfortable and sad.” 
Applejack sighted. “It's because of Twilight”, she responded, “I am just wondering, what she is doing now. She has not showed up, when I rang the bell for an emergancy.” 
Rarity shot a short glimpsel at the library. She answered: “My dear, you can not worry about that now! It is your farm, that is in danger. I am sure, Twilight is doing fine. You can check on her, when your farm is safe again.”
Applejack slowly started walking again. Once more she turned her head and stared at the library. I really hope, everything is alright. A low sight escaped her lips and her ears turned down. She then galloped behind Rarity the way up to the farm.

***

Fluttershy and Big Macintosh had staid on the farm to build the cages. The dark red stallion was hammering one last nail in the wood. Fluttershy flew around this last cage and examined it. It had the form of an ashlar and between the wooden baulks a net, made out of netting wire, was spanned. The cage was very light, so one could easily throw it. There was a small door, so the ponies could put food in it and several branches, so the bats had a resting place. Fluttershy nodded. The cages were neither to small nor to big. 
“They are perfect”, she said and landed, “Thank you, Big Macintosh.”
“No problem”, he replied.
At that moment Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Rarity were slowly coming towards them. The orange mare was carrying a saddle back. 
“Ahh, so ya're done?”, she asked. 
“Eeyupp”, replied her older brother proudly.
“Alright”, Applejack replied and eyed the cages. She dropped her saddlebacks and opened them. They were filled to the top with the pears. “Now we only need Rainbow Dash to tell us where the Vampire Fruit Bats are.” As if this sentence had been a signal the sharp flapping of wings could be heard. Rainbow Dash shot out of the next pair of clouds, her mane and tail danced in the strong wind.
“At your service, AJ”, she joked, stopped in mid-air and saluted, “I have found the colonie. They are just eating their way through this place of the orchard.” She pointed with her hoof at the fields to the west. Good! Applejack furrowed her brow. It was time to get this job done. The bats should no longer rampage in her precious gold mine.
Applejack picked up her saddlebacks and grunted: “We have got enough pears for all of them. Now we just have to get them into the cages.” She looked at her friends, one by one. “Rainbow Dash, you, Pinkie Pie and Big Mac will get the cages. Rarity, you and me will lure them towards the oaks over there. Fluttershy, you will wait at this particular tree. When the bats are all there, you will use your Stare on them and then we imprison them.”
“Got it”, whispered Fluttershy and gulped. 
Pinkie Pie seemed rather excited and danced around. She jumped on the cages and said: “Now we go on safari.” 
Rarity stared at Applejack with a Why-do-I-have-to-be-near-this-ugly-vermin-look. The farmer smiled weakly. “Sorry, sugarcube. But we have to get it done.”

***

The bats were all soaring around the tops of the trees. They shot towards the branches, where the thickest, reddest apples stuck and sank their fangs into them, sucking out the last drop of juice. Then they spat the muddy and dry fruit on the ground.
Applejack stood there and watched all this, listening to the slurping and smacking. The sounds made her shiver. Those bats simply don't know how to act. She had always disliked them, but thanks to Fluttershy the mare finally had come to accept their use. But this...it was beyond her imagination. The bats were using their long, bluish tongues to get every single fruit in the trees. Within tree minutes one tree was empty and they took the next one. Their hunger seemed to be quenchless.
“Alright...” Applejack slowly pushed her hat backwards. She was carrying several pears on it. A small look to her left side. Rarity was standing there, shuddering in disgust. She was completely dressed up in a white uniform with a mask on her face to avoid being touched by the animals. 
“Alright”, she said shivering.
Applejack took a deep breath and started sprinting towards the orchard. Come, come, come, she thought, come, come come. Her hooves were thundering over the ground. The pears filled the air with their aroma. She could only hope it was attractive to the bats and would make them follow her.
At this certain moment the animals were hanging in the branches, their eyes closed. At the sound of the sprinting farmer one of them opened its redish eyes. Its nose twitched. Finalley it opened leather wings and flew after Applejack. Good, boy, girl, whatever. She turned her head backwards. The bat was a large female, her black coat was enforced with silver. And behind her thousands of those dark animals swarmed behind her. Good, Ah've got the attention of its leader.
Applejack rushed around the next tree. Some of the pears were falling down and immediatley a black mass of bats formed around them as they argued who should get the fruits. But as soon as they had sucked it dry, they turned their angular heads and with a hiss followed the farmer once more.
Applejack shot out of the orchard. She now was racing down a hill, her green eyes rested on a tree. The old oak, around which the orchard had grown over the period of generations. Fluttershy was sitting between its roots, frozen to the spot. Big Macintosh and the others were hiding with the cages. From the other side of the hill Rarity sprinted towards the orchard. She was making some weird grimaces, perhabs complaining about the swarm of bats, following behind her.
Applejack stopped a few inches before the oak, rose to her frontlegs and slingshoted the pears right in the tree. The bats hissed in their eagerness and swarmed around the oak, before they nestled on its branches and used their long tongues to snag the fruits. 
Rarity too had reached the oak and now the whole place was full of large, grey and black bodies. Applejack looked at Fluttershy. “Your turn in the plan”, she said and tried to smile caringly. Fluttershy first seemed to hesiated, but then she shot upwards and flew on the spot. Her eyes rested on the bats. She hang her ears.
“I am very sorry that I have to do this to you once more”, she whispered, “I can only hope, you won't be too angry.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Fluttershy's lids shot open. Her brow went down and her eyes became wide. The glance, which rested on the bats, was terrifying, determinded and firm.
The bats looked up. They hissed, before they fell oddly silence and simply answered Fluttershy's Stare with wide, red eyes, closed maws and hang ears. Applejack waited until every animal was caught in the glance and then nodded towards Big Macintosh and the others, who were hiding.
They came out of the bushes and behind the nearby trees. Quickly and precisely they threw the cages on the bats. The animals screamed and their wings rustled in the air. For a short moment they flew in their prisons, without orientation, like blind men in a large room. They stumbled through the air and hit the walls. The Vampire Fruit Bats shrieked angrily. They clenched at the net and bared their fangs, but they soon realized they could not escape the cage. So they simply hang down from the branches, that stucked in their prisons and closed their eyes with misfortune in their glance.
“Oh, I really do not like it that we have to do this to them”, whimpered Fluttershy. Her eyes shimmered in symphatie as they rested on the bats. Applejack used her hat as a disguise for her rolling eyes. Not this problem again! Ah told her, it would be temporary and she still.... The farmer stopped her thought and walked over to the yellow pegasus.
“It is only tenporary, Fluttershy”, she reminded her kindly and gently, “Soon they can go back to their reservation. I promise.” Fluttershy nodded weakly. Applejack turned around. Pinkie Pie, Big Mac, Rarity and Rainbow Dash had formed a circle around them. The farmer called: “I am very pleased, how this turned out. Thank yah for the help.”
“No problem.” “Eyyupp.” The group started to spread. The sky had become darker. Luna was raising the moon to bring dusk among Equestria. 
Rarity yawned politley with a hoof before her opened maw. “Well, now I will go back to Ponyville”, she said, “Blimley, I've got to start to work on Twilight's dress tonight. Otherwise I won't get it done for the Summer Sun Celebration.”
Twilight! Applejack touched her chin. During her work and the fight with the Vampire Fruit Bats she had kept thinking about the alicorn. Twilight's outbrust of anger and this green glow in her eyes stood clear in her mind. Also Pinkie Pie's describtion of her rage-shift. This rare appearance only showed up when a strong emotion like anger, frustration, hate or fear connected itself with the magic of the unicorn or alicorn. Twilight had only rage-shifted once before and this also had been while Pinkie Pie was around.
I really hope, she is alright. Why would Twilight behave like this? A lack of sleep? No. Applejack did not believed this. Her friend had complained about nightmares. It was as if somepony was haunting her. Or something. I should better check on her. Maybe I can help her somehow. A cub of hot chocolate even makes Big Mac sleep like a foal after all.
Applejack adressed Rarity: “If you do not mind, I would like to go to Ponyville as well. I need to check on Twilight.” 
The white unicorn blinked. “Sure”, she stammered, “Why not, darling? Follow me.” 

***

Applejack trotted behind her. Ponyville laid in its valley, the lights of the houses shone golden in the darkness. It felt like a warm welcome. The whole town laid in silence, holding its breath for the next day.
Rarity was chattering quietly: “Blimely, Applejack, you cannot believe what I have to do, darling. I have just finished and corrected the dresses of the Princesses. I added a few small details here and there. I also did the uniform for the ministers and Shining Armour. I almost used all of my magenta velvet for it. I just hope, it is alright.”
Applejack responded: “It will surely be alright, sugarcube. Ya've done everything and Ah've learnt to trust yar instincts as a designer. After all, you are a professional.” 
Rarity stamped on the ground. “Oh, but Twilight's dress just has to be perfect. After all I am not just making it for a Princess, I am making it for a friend. And therefore it has to be glorious, beautiful and fabulous.” 
Applejack replied: “I am sure, you will do just fine.”
“Well, I saved the best fabric just for her.” Rarity stopped. They were in the path, which leaded the one way to her boutique and the other way to the library. The white mare turned around. “Well, Applejack, darling, I must leave you now”, she said, “I have to make Twilight's dress. Can you check on her and tell me, how she is feeling?”
Applejack nodded. “Sure, Rarity.” 
“Oh, then I can put my mind at rest”, Rarity said and smiled, “Good night, Applejack.” And she walked towards her boutique. The farmer watched her, until she disappeared in the distance. I just hope I can say the same thing about mah.
The orange mare turned around and made her way towards the library. The old tree in which it was placed stood there, the long branches wore thick on their leaves. Applejack took a deep breath. Good, there is light in the windows. So it means Twilight must be at home. Reliefed she trotted towards the building – and stopped.
Close by the entrance stood a mare. Her wings were closed and she was ducked down. Like a predator, who had sneaked out to start a crime. The ears were pulled back. Applejack swallowed. She could not tell what was wrong but something made this mare ugly. Maybe a deformation in her body, although Applejack could not find any.
Fear rose in her hearth and her coat started to get wet from sweat. Applejack clutched the mane on her neck. She swallowed. “Twilight?”, she called. The mare turned around. She looked partly like Twilight. Her fur had the same purple tone, but her mane was darker. There also was a reddish glow in her eyes and she smirked in such a mean way.
“I beg you pardon?”, asked the mare politley. 
Applejack took a few steps towards the mare. She said: “Ah was mistaking yah for a friend of mine. Twilight Sparkle, yah must have heard of her.” 
“Positive”, replied the purple stranger, “What has she told you?” 
“Nothing”, said Applejack, “She just told me, that she is not feeling well. My name is Applejack by the way. I am one of her friends.”
The farmer forced a weak, weary smile on her face. “What is your name?”, she asked the mare. 
“Hidden Spark or Hyde for short”, replied the stranger.” She looked at Applejack with her reddish eyes and narrowed them. Hidden Spark stood in a way she blocked the orange mare's path. “What do you want?”
Applejack tried a different approach. This mare was a bit fishy in her eyes. Only her glance makes mah wanna shiver. Where did this fear come from? There was no reason for it. No threat. No threat? Her thought was full of doubt. Applejack swallowed. Her throat felt sore. She felt more and more uncomfortable, Hidden Spark laid her eyes on her.
“I see you are going in.” Applejack nodded towards the door. “Would you mind assisting me?” 
Hidden Spark made a surprised sound and shot a fast look at the entrance. “What?”, she asked, as she turned her attention to the farmer once more. 
Applejack repeated her question: “I'd like to check on Twilight. Could you open the door for me please?”
Hidden Spark showed her theet with a sharp intake of her breath. “You will not find Twilight Sparkle”, she barked, “She is from home!” And with a fast movement that stranger opened the door with ease and slided through the slit. With a sharp bang the door clunked shut straight before Applejack's eyes.
Alright, this is weird. Applejack kept staring at the closed door for like fifty seconds, before she shook her head and trotted away. Every now and then the mare hesitated and stopped. Applejack looked back at the library. Something made her shiver.
This is not just weird, it is...strange, but in a very negative way. Hidden Spark had acted in a terrifying way. Why did Twilight never mentioned her? Besides, who was she? A friend? A foe? A relative? In what had Twilight gotten there? Applejack shivered and pressed her ears on her head. “Oh no”, she whispered and took her hat down from her mane. She clunched it against her chest. What if Twilight had made a pact with someone really dark?
Could this be the reason why she was hiding and acted so tired? That she met with someone in the darkness and made plans? Evil plots? No, this is impossible! Applejack shook her head and stamped on the ground. Twilight was completely loyal towards the princesses, Celestia especially. She would never plot against her.
But still...this rejecting behaviour. It felt like a thorn in her hearth. Applejack swallowed and started to ran back to Sweet Apple Acres. We better watch out! First the Vampire Bats and now this stranger, who just looked like Twilight. It was horrible. Somepony was working against them. I can only hope, it is not too late. And please, Twilight, tell me, you are not plotting against us. This would be fatal.
	
> Dark Clouds in the Sky
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun shone in Twilight's back. Outside Owlowiscious flew past her window and shouted: “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” The purple mare did not even looked up. She was sitting on her table. The breakfast stood in front of her. A bowl, filled with alphabet soup. The letters were as dark as the ink she used and they seemed to form several words: Friends, love, hate, greed, live, evil, envy, attention, caring...
Twilight again did not paid attention. This was her world. Normal, despite this weird incidents. Morning in Ponyville shimmers, morning in Ponyville shines! And I know for absolute certain that everything is certainly fine! She hummed the melody of her daily morning song, while she levitated the spoof, filled with the alphabet soup, and slurped the liquid into her maw. The letters crunched between her theet and the bitter taste of ink caressed her tongue.
“Twilight!” She turned her head around as sudden steps could be heard. The lumber of paws. Spike was jumping down the last two stairs and walked to her. 
“Good morning, Spike”, replied Twilight and smiled softly. 
The dragon stopped in front of her. “Celestia said, I should give this to you.” Spike flinched and buckled over. Funny noises could be heard. Green smoke came out of his mouth. Finalley he opened his maw and with a burping sound and a shot of green flames a parchment role appeared in front of Twilight. 
Now let's see, what we've got here. Curiously Twilight levitated the letter in front of her. It was written in sharp capital letters and said the following: Get to Canterlot this instance. Without the ifs and buts! Princess Celestia, solar Princess, ruler of Equestria, director and founder of the School for Gifted Unicorns, etc.
I wonder, why she wants to see me. Twilight dropped the role. “Spike”, she explained and stood up, swallowing the last few bits of her alphabet soup, “I need to go to Celestia. She has called for me.” 
“Sure thing”, Spike replied. 
Twilight turned around and walked to the door. She opened it and stepped through the entrance.
The mare founded herself immediately in the throne room as if walking through doors allowed her to switch places. The red carpet drowned the sounds of her hooves. Twilight Sparkle looked around. The stained glass windows painted Equestrian History on the walls. The coronation of the royal sisters. The defeat of Discord. The transformation of Luna into Nightmare Moon. And of course all the things the mane six had done, since they whiled the Elements of Harmony: They had defeated almost every great villain.
Two blue carpets with the sun as Celestia's symbol hang down the pink coloured ceiling. The solar Princess herself was sitting on her throne. Her long, rainbow coloured mane floated around her neck. Her dawn coloured eyes rested on Twilight and seemed to eclipse for a couple of seconds. She lifted her perfect brow.
“You have called for me, Princess?”, asked Twilight friendly and bowed. 
“How brave of you to come, you traitorous dog!” Celestia's voice was cold and firm. She stood up and opened her wings. By doing so the mare looked larger then she was and really terrifying. She turned her angular head to stare down at her pupil with one hateful eye.
Traitorous dog? Twilight took a step backwards. She looked around unsure. Guards were standing in every corner of the room. The sun's light broke itself sharply on the edges of their spears. “Princess”, asked Twilight, “What do you mean?” 
“Silence!” Celestia's harsh shout cut off her question and she flinched. The young alicorn ducked down, until her belly touched the red carpet. Submissivley she looked up at her mentor, her ears pressed down.
Celestia slowly stepped forwards. She was walking with a deadly grace. As if she wanted to murder the ground, which was carrying her. Finalley she stopped and her shadow made Twilight feel small and vulnerable as it fall on her body.
“How dare you to dissappoint me like that?” Celestia barked the words. Her horn glowed bright golden and a picture appeared in front of Twilight. The hologram showed her a city, where the villagers were rampaging. They ran around and fought with each other. Something was weird in their eyes. There was a heart in them unstead of the pupil and iris.
A Want It, Need It spell? Twilight shook her head in confusion. Now she could see, what the villagers were fighting for. An empty teacub. “So?”, asked Celestia. 
Twilight stammered: “I do not know, how this happened! I am so sorry, Celestia. I promised to never ever use a Want It, Need It spell after my fiasco with Smarty Pants.”
She shook her head in disbelief. I cannot even remember that I did something like that. Twilight rubbed her hoof against her forehead. “Wait? Is that Big Macintosh? With Applejack's fur and mane?” She shook her head to get a clear mind. This is crazy! This is completely crazy! She looked at the hologram once again.
No, she had not mistaken herself. In this town were her friends. And it looked like all of them had changed their colours somehow. “That couldn't be me”, stammered Twilight, “I would never do such a thing. Princess Celestia, what if Discord had done that? It would resemble him familiar.” 
To her horror the white mare shook her head. “No! It would not resemble him at all.”
Celestia's horn glowed once more and the hologram vanished. “I am very disappointed in you, Twilight”, she said sharply. The purple mare turned her head away and sighted. I know. “You have not just rejected my trust in you, moreover you have failed one simple task. I cannot tolerate such a thing.”
“I know, Princess”, replied Twilight and looked at her mentor, “I promise, it won't happen again.” 
“I said, silence!” Celestia stamped on the ground and the alicorn flinched once more. Celestia said: “You won't fail me again, because you will never ever walk into this castle or the town again. Twilight Sparkle” – she lifted her head – “by royal degree, I, Princess Celestia, banish you into the Everfree Forest!”
What? No! Twilight Sparkle sprang to her feeth. “No!”, she shouted. Her eyes started to water. Her fear clutched on her heart like an evil shadow and she felt like someone, who had fallen into cold water. Desperation stroke her with its wet claws. “No, please!”, shouted Twilight, “This won't happen again. I promise!”
Steps could be heard and out of the walls came her friends: Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. They stared at her with the same hate and contempt that laid in Celestia's eyes. 
“What have you done to us?”, asked Rainbow Dash. 
“My farm, it is ruined!”, declared Applejack. 
Pinkie Pie shouted: “Nopony breaks a Pinkie promise!” 
Fluttershy's voice was as sharp as a blade. “Nopony likes you. Why are you even here? You weren't born in the village.” 
“From all the things that could happen to Ponyville, you. Are. The. Worst. Possible. Thing!”
Twilight flinched and stumbled backwards. What...what have I done? My own friends, they hate me! Fear shoked her throath. “Please”, whimpered Twilight and tears floated down her cheeks, “Let me explain.” 
The five ponies circled around her, nose lifted and eyes closed in anger. They sang in a harsh, terryifing chorus: “Stop the Twilight, stop the Twilight! Make her vanish into the night. Stop the Twilight, stop the Twilight! Make her vanish into the night.”
The circle around her got closer and closer. Twilight panted in fear and backed away. Her widened eyes rested on Celestia, who returned the glance coldly. “Leave!”, she commanded and thunder cracked behind her. A cold laughter seemed to wrap itself around Twilight. 
The mare could no longer stand it. She whirled around, broke through the circle and sprinted towards the door. With a loud bang she went through it and found herself in the dark and shady Everfree Forest. The trees surrounded her and as she turned her head around she saw the gap, which used to be the door, closing behind her.
I am trapped. Twilight swallowed. She trotted towards the forest. Fog grow between the branches and trucks. The leaves whispered words into her ear. As Twilight pirked them up, she could really hear someone speaking: “Do you need help?”
“NO!” Twilight's hooves thundered over the ground as she suddenley started to sprint. The mare gritted her theet and her mane flew behind her. Her wings were partly open. With furious eyes she looked around. “I do not know who or what you are!”, she shouted desperatly, “But I want to stop right now! You are torturing me. Why are you doing this to me?”
The voice replied: “I have done nothing to you. I want to help. If there is a problem with your magic, I can make you controll it. If there is a problem with your mentor, I can talk sense into her. If there is a problem with your friends, I am sure, I can help too.”
Twilight braked as she saw a shadowy mare between the leaves and branches. Her yellow eyes gloomed and she was smiling. Twilight spun around immediatley and ran into the opposite direction. “Get away from me!”, she shouted, “Leave me alone!”
The shadow mare answered: “I won't.” And she transformed herself into mist and floated behind her. Twilight shrieked and ducked down. The mist rushed above her and the air started to smell of smoke as if something was burning....

***

Twilight shouted something she did not even understood and woke up. The mare sat in her bed and tried to caught her breath. It was a dream, Twilight, nothing more then a nightmare. Breath! In and out, in and out! Her chest rocked wildly and her fur fumed from sweat. Her mane was a mass. She was breathing in fast and eager movements.
Suddenley she realised something. There was one aspect in her dream, that had followed her into the reality. Or did this aspect entered her dream? Whatever. Her nose twitched as she smelled the sharp, stinging scent of smoke.
Oh, my Celestia! The blancet flew on the ground as Twilight jumped out of the bed. She rushed over to the window and hit it with her nose. Through the glass the mare could see smoke, rising from a building not far away. Wait! Is this Carsoul Boutique? Twilight's maw dropped.
Then the alicorn whirled around and jumped down the stairs. Spike, who woke up from the noise, lifted his head. “Twilight, what is the matter?”, he asked sleepy. I have no time to explain it, Spike. You better see it yourself. Her magic wrapped itself around the small dragon and he landed on her back. “What the hay....?”, stammered Spike and wrapped his arms around Twilight's neck.

***

The mare was sprinting through the streets in the direction of Rarity's dress salon. Her wings were partly opened in fear. Twilight had not even reached the boutique, when she could see the orange glow of the fire. Oh, no! The mare gasped. Spike, who was still sitting on her back, started to chew on his claws. “Rarity....”, he whispered.
Finally they reached the boutique. Orange flames were shooting out of the windows like the tongues of a hungry animal. The smoke towered in the air. One could hear the sizzling noise of burning woods. Rarity stood like a ghostly silhouette in front of all this terror. Her eyes were widened and Twilight could see blank fright in them.
The mare stopped so abruptly, that she catapulted Spike from her back. “Ouch”, the dragon grumbled. 
Twilight was not listening. “Where is Sweetie Belle?”, she asked, because she could not see the white filly, standing next to her big sister. 
Rarity was crying. “She is somewhere in the building”, she shrieked and yelled: “From all the things that could happen, this. Is. The. Worst. Possible. Thing!”
She sank down and whined. Twilight touched her shoulder. “Don't worry, Rarity”, she said, “I'll get Sweetie Belle and you get the others. We need to stop this fire.” Rarity looked up and nodded, still tears in her eyes. What the alicorn then did, was very brave, but also very reckless: Twilight closed her eyes and concentrated herself as she opened the inner chains to her magic. A flash of violet light and she teleported herself into the burning building.  
Twilight coughed for breath. She looked around. The fire surrounded her. The flames licked over the walls. They tore the precious dresses appart. Smoke filled the air. It laid in the room like a fog. The heat made Twilight's fur fumed with sweat. She coughed once more and narrowed her eyes. The toxic gasses made them water.
“Sweetie Belle!”, roared Twilight and almost choked at the taste of smoke in her mouth, “Sweetie Belle, where are you?!” 
“I am here!”, a thine voice shouted, “I am here!” 
Twilight's head flung around, while her ears tried to find the direction of the voice. But the smoke clouded her vision and the roaring of the fire made it hard to hear anything.
A location spell! I need a location spell. This is my only chance. Twilight furrowed her brow. She rose to her hindlegs. A flash of purple light and then a small dot appeared in the air. It did not stayed there very long. Dragging a purple tail behind itself, it moved into the fog. Twilight started to ran after it.
It was difficult to move in the boutique. The fire was dancing around her, the tongues snapped after her, scorching her fur. Twilight jumped around as if she was standing on hot stones. The smoke swirled around her, stung in her eyes and made her blind. Every breath filled her powerful lounge with thick, sticky ash.
Come on, come on! Twilight jumped over a burning dummy. Her head jerked around. The light dot was shooting towards the stairs. Sweetie Belle must be in the first floor of the boutique. Twilight sprinted over the stairs. Behind her a shelf crashed and hit the stages. The wood broke apart and sparks rained down on her fur and there extincted like tiny shooting stars.
Okay, now the way back is blocked. Twilight gulped. She watched the flames, dancing over the staris, climbing higher and higher. With every second she missed, Sweetie Belle was in more danger. The alicorn turned around and ran upwards the last few stairs.
The first floor only had three rooms. The bath and Rarity's and Sweetie Belle's bedroom. 
Twilight shouted once more: “Sweetie Belle!”
“Over here!” Her voice sounded so scared. It came from the door, closest to her. Twilight did not even used her magic. Instead she spun around and kicked viciously against it in the movement, she had learned on the apple farm.
The wood shattered under her hooves and she stumbled into the room. Sweetie Belle was standing by the window. Her eyes were wide in fright. Ash laid in pashes on her coat and she clutched Rarity's cat Opalescence against her. That one had bristled her fur, which made her look like a dirty ball of snow.
“Twilight!”, shouted Sweetie Belle, “You came.” 
Twilight quickly checked on her. “Are you alright?” She nodded. “Then let's get out of here.” Twilight used her magic to levitate Sweetie Belle on her back. The white mare was about Spike's size, but she was a little bit lighter. A glance backwards. The top of the stairs gloomed orange. Twilight again mobilized the last bits of her magic and teleported outside of the building.
They poped out of mid-air. Twilight took a deep breath. Air! It was such a welcoming gift after all this smoke. She spotted Rarity, who had already gathered Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. “Out of my way!”, shouted Twilight, who dashed down. As soon as she landed, Rarity ran over and pulled Sweetie Belle from her back into a thight hug.
“Sweetie Belle!”, she called, tears streaming down her face, “I was so scared! What were you thinking?” 
“Opal”, Sweetie explained, “I could not let her alone.” The cat stood there, rooted to the spot, her fur was bristled and her tail stood straight in the air, which made it look like some kind of toilet brush.
Applejack interrupted them sharply: “We still need to get the fire out.” They looked at the burning building. “We need lots of water.” 
Rainbow Dash asked jokingly: “If that is all? Give me ten seconds.” She dashed away. Twilight tilted her head back. The mare could see the blue pegasus, swooping through the air, snatching every rain cloud in her reach.
Rainbow Dash brought the massive thunder clouds above Rarity's boutique to a halt. She jumped on the greyish fabric. A loud thunder crack could be heard and the water rained down. It was a long fall. Twilight heard several hissing sounds as the flames came in contact with their arch-enemy. Smoke raised, but soon was replaced by the white steam. It wrapped itself around the building and hide it from the sight of the ponies. Rainbow Dash slowly landed on the ground. “You do not need to thank me”, she said and bowed, “It was a pleasure.”
Twilight heard Rarity whimper. “This is a catastrophe!”, yelled the white unicorn and threw her head backwards, “I am ruined. My life is ruined. From all the things that could happen this. Is. The. Worst. Possible. Thing. Ever!” Sweetie Belle hugged her sister, who fall down and started sobbing. “What shall I do now? My whole life...it is gone! Just like that.”
Fluttershy stepped by her side. She opened her wing and laid it on Rarity's shoulder. “You and Sweetie Belle are alive”, she whispered, “And that is the greatest treasure.” The mane five looked at the unicorn, pity and sadness in their eyes. Poor Rarity. These words won't help her that much. Twilight sighted and looked at the boutique.
Or what was left from it. The fire had hollowed it out. The walls were covered in ashes and parts of the furniture were collapsed. They laid there, a undefinte mass of wood, shattered fabric and melted needles. The smoke danced above it like a sad mourn. Twilight remembered her own feelings, she had during her fight with Tirek, when the centaure had destroyed her home, the old library of Ponyville.
Therefore she could easily place herself in Rarity's position. Twilight understood this shock, this sadness, this feeling of being left with a hearth, torn appart. A home was not just a roof above your head, it was so much more. A safe harbour, to which you always could return. A home was the nutshell, in which you kept your memories. This place of safety and belonging.
And Rarity had not just lost that. She had also lost something, that was so important in her life. Her  boutique was a symbol for her love for fashion, her sense as a stylist and dressmaker. Something, that had defined Rarity as a person.
“But what actually had happened?”, asked Spike and his question broke the freezing motivation of the group. 
The ponies turned around to face the dragon. “Hmmm?”, they asked. 
“Come on”, he said, “There has to be a reason, why this fire broke out. It just could not come from no-where.” 
The others nodded. “Ya're right, Spike”, replied Applejack, “Come on. Let's search for evidences.”
The ponies started to walk around the building. They piked their nose in everything, looked under every smoking bar. Twilight squeezed her eyes. She could hear Rarity sobbing. The unicorn sat there, unable to look at her now destroyed boutique. Sweetie Belle tried her best to comfort her big sister.
Twilight stood near a window, the glass was melted from the fire bolt. The mare ran over the fabric thoughtfully. The liquid glass stuck on her hooves like tar. Iiihhh! Disgusted the alicorn shook her hoof and watched the dark mass drop from her leg. This fire had caused an imense distruction.
Twilight looked around in the hope from some better evidence. Her friends were moving themselves on the other side, throwing broken furniture and torn dresses behind them. Pinkie piked inside a hole and came out with a black coloured snout. They all were searching, but nopony was really sure, what they were looking for.
At that moment Twilight spotted something glowing near the burned building. The mare blinked. What is that? Her horn flashed as Twilight used her magic to leviate the broken pieces. She threw them behind her. Underneath the burnt bricks and melted glass she found a strange glowing fabric. It looked like some kind of magically changed hay and as Twilight bent over it her hairs nearly cought fire.
Ouch, hot! Twilight sneezed and lifted her head. She was about to call for her friends when she spotted something. Several tracks on the muddy ground. Hoofprints. Twilight's eyes widened. Very carefully she placed her hoof next to one of the prints. The mare lifted it and looked at the tracks. No! No! This cannot be.
Fright grabbed her hearth and she almost choked. Her fur bristled. Twilight Sparkle whirled around and ran off the scene. She thought, she heard Applejack shouting “Twilight, wait!”, but she was not listening. The print burned itself into her eyes. It couldn't be. It was absurd. It was so wrong like one of those wooden bars cheaters covered in gold leaf to sell it stupid, old mares as true gold. And yet Twilight could not deny the fact: Those prints on the crime scene had been her own.
	
> Confrontation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight was sprinting away from the crime scene. Behind her she could hear the lumbering sounds of Spike's paws. Although the dragon was small and a little bit fat around his belly, he still was able to run after her. “Twilight, wait!”, he panted. But the purple mare was not listening. Her hearth raced together with her steps and her eyes were wide with terror. This cannot be!
“I am sorry, Spike”, Twilight shouted back, while the aura around her horn started to glow, “But you cannot come with me.” A poof, a flash of violet light and she was gone right in front of the small dragon's eyes. 
Spike stopped and gasped for breath. “Huh, huh, huh....why are you...huh,huh...running away from us?”, he panted, “Huh...it seemed like...ufff...you are afraid of yourself.”

***

Twilight had teleported herself into the library. With a kick of her hind leg she slammed the door into the lock. Her magic made her horn glow as she even rammed a chair under the latch. Breathing heavily, she eyed the door for several minutes. Nopony should come inside now! 
Her left eye was itching and her ears twitched. She greeted her teeth. Her mane seemed to bristle. Twilight crept through the library. Her voice was a quiet, urgent whisper as she shattered to herself: “Okay, Twilight, play cool! Apparently you have caused this fire by yourself. But you could not have done this. No, no, no! Rarity is your friend! You could never do something like this to her.”
Twilight stopped in front of the mirror. She starred at herself. Itching eyes, the mane a mess and her teeth bared like a dog. She looked like someone, who was balancing on a rope over the abyss, which is called insanity. But this was not insanity. No, no, no, it is not insanity, Twilight! It is something else. Something way more serious.
Suddenly her nightmare arose in her memory like a ghostly figure. She thought about the shadowpony, which had addressed her. “Fine”, Twilight growled to herself. She rubbed her hooves together. “This seems to be a trap! And we have realized it too late! But I can still save Equestria. I have to do this.” She brushed through her mane and determination glow in her eyes. “For me, for my friends, for the Princesses and for Equestria!”
Twilight mortised her legs into the ground and focused the mirror. She slowly opened her wings. Her voice no longer sounded like a panicked wheeze, but calm and strict. Perhaps a bit like Celestia had sounded in her younger ages. “Alright! I know, that you are here and that you try to trick me and my friends. But tell you what, I won't fall for this again! I know, that you have cursed AJ's orchard and set the fire to Rarity's boutique. You try to use me as a scapegoat! But I am not your prey! Do you hear me? I am not your prey!”
Twilight rose to her hind legs and stamped on the ground. She flapped her wings in anger, before she folded them. Her eyes narrowed. “Now be at least brave enough to show me your face, you coward!” The alicorn had shouted the last sentence with all the fury, she could muster. She hoped, that her foe would show itself. I can fight any enemy. I just have to see him!
“I do not consider myself as a coward.” Twilight's ear twitched as she heard a voice right behind her. The mare gasped in surprise and turned around. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. In front of her stood another alicorn that looked like some dark reflection of herself. It had yellow eyes and a dark purple coat. Red strands in a blackish shimmering mane.
This is impossible! Who is that? For a short moment Twilight was speechless and startled. “Did the cat caught your tongue?”, asked the mare and smirked. She revealed long, sharp fangs, the ones of a predator. 
Twilight shook her head to get a clear mind. “So you are behind all of this!”, said Twilight and narrowed her eyes, “You have used my mind and body to ruin the Summer Sun Celebration or at least the preparations for it.”
The mare laughed maniacally. “How right you are, Princess!”, she mocked, “But I am even planning more.” She slowly walked towards Twilight and smirked satisfied, enjoying the alicorn's confusion and fear. “I have been planning this for quite a while. Soon your body will merely be a vessel to my will and then I'll take Canterlot and after it all of Equestria to plunge it in an eternal night!”
No! Twilight furrowed her brow. She suddenly realized why this stranger's voice sounded so familiar. Just like the goal of this certain foe. Twilight lowered her head and stamped on the ground. Her horn started to glow. Twilight said firmly: “You won't do any of those things! Because I will stop you.”
The dark mare laughed. “You are kidding. You are kidding, right?”, she demanded to know disdainfully. But Twilight already was sprinting towards her evil twin. Her horn glowed and she was ready to cast her spell. Twilight suspected the other mare to make a run for it, but she just stood there and smirked.
Finally Twilight shot her spell and gasped in shock. Her magic only was able to send a few sparkles raining down. Her evil twin called: “Well, you really deserve your name. Twilight Sparkle!” She laughed. 
“Shut up!”, shouted Twilight and her head jerked upwards, “This cannot be possible. I am better in magic.”
The mare smirked. She eyed her hooves. “Well, it seemed like you have been weakened. And it is not a surprise. I have stolen your sleep with your worst nightmares. I have tormented you with my very presence....those were the headaches, you felt. I fed off our magic and consumed it into dark energy, which would allow myself to get a better hold of you. And now” – her body started to become a smoke-like fabric – “I will take what is mine!”
“No!”, panted Twilight. Her horn glowed once more and she got herself into a fighting position. The black smoke circled around her. Her mane flew upwards and she had to close her eyes. “It is too late for your friends or even you to separate Hidden Spark from Twilight Sparkle”, whispered the dangerous mare and then her enemy crushed down on Twilight and the strange mist wrapped itself around her, embraced her, choked her...until there was nothing but darkness in front of the alicorn's eyes.

***

Spike still stood there and stared at the spot, where Twilight had left him. He hung his head and his eyes gloomed worriedly. Oh, Twilight! What is the matter with you? He had never seen her so scared, so worried, so shocked, so guilty. It was the look someone had, who realized he had been used against his will.
Steps approached behind him and somepony stopped next to him. Applejack's voice insisted on his ear: “Are yah alright, Spike?” 
The dragon looked at the orange mare. “I am not sure”, Spike said, “Actually, I am really worried. Twilight, she just ran off. She even teleported herself out of my reach. She had neverdone this before.”
Applejack's eyes gloomed. She scratched her neck and moved her cowboy hat deeper into her face. “Ah am worried about that as well”, she said, “Twilight had acted suspiciously the last few days. As if something is tormenting and bothering her. Ah tried to help, but Ah couldn't.” 
Spike added: “Just like me. I even gave Twilight the advice to send a letter to Celestia, but she shouted at me like some rude bully. She was even more stubborn then a donkey.”
They were walking back to the burnt down boutique. The others had kept their search for evidences. Suddenly Rainbow Dash shouted: “Hang on! What is this?” She was pointing on something on the floor. Curiously the other ponies formed a circle around the spot. Several hoof prints, deep inside the burnt gras and really fresh.
“Now that is interesting”, called Applejack. She bent over and started to eye the prints. 
“What are you doing there, darling?”, asked Rarity and huffed. 
The farmer did not replied. She scratched her hoof over the dirt and sniffed on it. Her ears twitched thoughtfully. Finalley she dropped the dirt and stood up. “Oh, no”, whispered Applejack.
“What?”, asked Pinkie Pie, “What did you find out? Tell me, tell me, tell me!” 
Applejack lowered her head and sighted. It seemed like the next words were hurting her throath massivley. The farmer looked into the eyes of her friend and said: “Those are Twilight's prints.”
Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie gasped. Spike clapped his claws on his maw. 
“Wow, wow, wow!” The blue pegasus angrily flapped her wings and her snout almost hit AJ's nose. “Are you sure about that? I mean, those are just prints! It could be anypony!” 
Applejack sighted once more. Her eye lid's went down. “I am the best tracker in Ponyville”, she explained, “And I am quite sure, those are Twilight's prints. I wish, they weren't, but they are. And that is a fact.”
Fluttershy whispered: “Oh my goodness! Why would she send fire to Rarity's boutique?” 
Rarity gasped and seemed to be speechless. Spike saw, she had tears in her eyes. 
Applejack lifted her shoulders. “Ah don't know. But what Ah do know is that Twilight has behaving strangley.”
“Yes, her rage-shift for example”, remembered Fluttershy, “And she seemed to be quite stressed.” 
Rarity added: “She looked like someone, who had not slept for days, and she was so rude. Like a ruffian.” She huffed once more and lifted her nose. 
Rainbow Dash added: “And what about that curse in the farm? AJ?”
Applejack scratched her neck. “Ah have not mentioned this yet, but during my applebucking with Applebloom, she had accidently cast black magic. Maybe this explains, why my orchard had been ruined.” Another gasp from the group. 
Pinkie Pie narrowed her eyes. “Then this means, she is evil”, the Earth Pony said, “Or maybe she is not even Twilight, but a weird doppelganger. Like a changeling. And now she wants to ruin everything and everypony's life!”
“Stop!”, shouted Spike. I can't bear this anymore. How they talk about Twilight! As if she is a complete stranger. But wasn't she just that? A stranger to him and her friends. Still Spike decided to defend her honour. Twilight may have rejected him, but he was her Number One assistant. He was loyal to her.
“We are just jumping to conclusions!”, Spike said firmly, “I mean, come on! You all know Twilight. We are her best friends. We cannot just turn her into a monster, just because her prints happen to be at the crime scene.” 
The others looked at him, eyes full of guilt. “You are right, Spiky-Wikey”, replied Rarity, “That cannot be Twilight's will, whatever she is doing here.”
Fluttershy asked: “So what are we going to do?” 
Applejack explained: “We've got to confront Twilight and ask her, what has happen with her. If we know, what we are facing, we can go against it.” 
Rainbow Dash saluted. “On it!”, she called and smiled, “I'll get Twilight!”

***

She was laying on one side and breathed heavily. Her flanks went up and down. For a short moment she felt weak like a newborn foal. Get up! It is done. She slowly rolled on her belly and forced herself on her feeth. The serpent's eyes rested at her reflection in the mirror.
Twilight Sparkle still looked much like herself, but her coat had become darker. The mane had now the colours of dark violet, red, purple and a few white strands. Her Cutie Mark looked like a twisted star. She breathed in a fast and eager wheeze, tasted the air. The body was working perfectly.
Hidden Spark's yellow eyes glittered pleased as she kept looking at herself in the mirror. She posed in front of it and tested the wings. Slowly her lips parted into a satisfied grin, revealing long, purewhite, sharp teeth. She had to fight against the urge to laugh loudly. Perfect. This is just going like it was planned. Now with Twilight's body under her controll, she had to overthrow Celestia and Luna to plunge Equestria in her beloved darkness. The ponies would mourn for their rulers, would cry after their sun and would worship her for she would make them admire her. Only her. They would forget, that before the Eternal Night there had been something else.
Hidden Spark caught herself, when her thoughts got to wild. Easy, girl! The deed must be done yet. Equestria is not yours now. But it soon would be. A weird, childlish excitement caught her offguard and she fought it done. Silly hostbody! This was the problem. A few emotions, Twilight Sparkle had, hold her back. That was always the problem with the host. Their silly, foolish emotions and feelings hold her dark urge and power back. But she could go along with it. She just needed to knock the mind completley down, send Twilight into her eternal sleep in her darkness.
A knock at her door. Hidden Spark was about to snap “Who is there?”, but then she decided otherwise. She needed to keep the illusion of being Twilight Sparkle as long as possible. Just for a day. Just until I have gotten rid of the Princesses. Then I can make Equestria my own. Hidden Spark took a deep breath and finally her voice, former harsh, cold and sharp, became smooth, soft, friendly almost: “Come in.”
The door opened and a blue pegasus with a rainbow coloured mane squeezed herself through the slit. “There you are, Twilight”, she said and smiled weakly. Rainbow Dash. That mare's name was Rainbow Dash. Hidden Spark had caught the name out of Twilight's memory. She was one of the mane six, representor of the Element of Loyality. I've got to get rid of those too. But every step must be planned. She should not rush the things.
“Why, hello Rainbow Dash”, greeted Hidden Spark. She was slowly cleaning the mess, she had made during her possession of Twilight Sparkle. Some books had fallen out of the shelves and they all laid on the floor. Shattered parchment roles. Broken quills. Hidden Spark enwrapped them with her magic and slowly stuffed them away.
Rainbow Dash watched her and began slowly: “Well, we were wondering something. If you feel alright. Scince you have been acting a bit weird.” 
Hidden Spark replied coldly: “I can assure you, that I am alright. So do you mind, leaving.” She watched the floating book, which softly glided into the shelf.
Rainbow Dash said: “Sorry, but not sorry. You must come with me. We have some questions to ask.” 
Hidden Spark had turned her back on the pegasus. Now she turned her head around and gazed at him with a purple disguised eye. “No”, the mare said calmly, “I won't. I have got important things to do.”
The pegasus did not looked satisfied. She narrowed her eyes and hit the her hooves together. “Fine, you want to do this the hard way”, Rainbow Dash growled, “We can do it the hard way.” And she shot forwards and grapped Hidden Spark by her tail. 
“Hey!”, the alicorn shouted, as the blue pegasus flapped her wings furiously and dragged her out of the library.
Somehow Rainbow Dash was able to drag Hidden Spark through Ponyville and to Sweet Apple Acres. In the barn Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash circled around the dark alicorn, which had been tied up with some ropes. Hidden Spark's eyes followed every movement. Her lips were stiff and her glance firm and cold.
The questions came like thundering stones. 
“Are you alright?” 
“Have you been feeling strange recently?”
“Can you not always remember what had happened?”
“How have you slept?”
“Why are you so angry at some times?” 
“Do yah know, why the Apple farm is cursed or why a fire broke out in Rarity's boutique?”
Hidden Spark hide her snort. Pathetic, all of you. They all stared at her with their big, sad, worried eyes. Hidden Spark did not wanted this. Too much love. Too much sadness. Too much worry. Too much of everything. It was painted in their face like their tearful fur and flesh. It showed all their weakness. How could they possible wheal the Elements of Harmony with all their flaws?
Hidden Spark did not replied to any of the questions. She did not had the time for those non-sense. She had a kingdom to take, two princesses to perish under her hooves and those pathetic friends were just holding her back! Why did she let Rainbow Dash in in the first place? Now is the time to come out of the shadow. I have played hide and seek long enough!
The mare closed her eyes. The aura of her horn started to glow. Unlike Twilight's purple, Hidden Spark's was red. As red as the bleeding sun at down. Fluttershy was the first one to catch sight of the threat. “Watch out!”, she shouted with her thine voice.
Hidden Spark's horn burned with magic. Her serpent eyes glowed white and she greeted her theeth.  Out of no-where blackish crystals shot out of the ground. They grew and fastened with knots as they reached out for the five ponies. They all shrieked in shock and surprise as the crystal plant started to capture them like the thorned whines of the Plunderwhine. 
They all were seperated in several corners of the barn. Rarity pressed herself against the wall and gulped for a spike of the crystal's was close to her throath. Applejack angrily tried to free her legs. Fluttershy just ducked on the ground and whined. Pinkie Pie looked at her reflection in the crystal. “Creepy”, she said and laughed. 
Rainbow Dash shouted: “What the hey?!”
Hidden Spark's eyes glowed once more as she ripped the ropes apart. Her wings bashed through the air and she rose into the sky. Like a demon from Tartarus the dark mare flew in the barn. Her serpent eyes rested on the ponies. She smirked and revealed her sharp fangs. “Be glad, I have got some things to do. I will deal with you later.”
Hidden Spark flew towards the celling of the barn. Her horn started to glow. A flash of light shot through the wood. Dust rose and patters of the celling fell down. A huge hole had appeared through which Hidden Spark flew and rose into the sky.
In the mean time Applejack had been able to free herself. “Didn't she just....?”, she asked her friends. 
Pinkie Pie hopped to the place, where one could see the whole. The mane five stared at it. Now true worry in their face. Nopony said a word, except for Pinkie Pie, who wanted to know: “Does she ever use doors?”
	
> Long live Princess Hidden Spark
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Canterlot was known as the City of Gold. And it deserved its title. The capital was beautiful, rich and bombastic. For the streets and houses only the finest and bestest material were used. The streets were full of ponies and the air had a natural scent of lovley aromas from food or perfume. Thick and sweet. Lamps gave a golden shimmer whenever nightfall casted its dark shadow above the city, turning the black sea into a violet ocean.
Mostly unicorns lived in Canterlot. There were the upper-middle class near the train station, which were mostly teachers, writers, professors and artists. The upper class lived in the heart of the city. Rich millionaires, stars, singers, owners of whole factories and organications, members, who worked in Canterlot Castle.
The castle itself towered behind a large mountain on a hill of blackish stone. It had given Canterlot the title City of Gold. The walls, towers and quarters were made of white marble, which gleemed in the light of Celestia's sun every morning, when she bathed the sky in red and orange. The roofs of the towers and quarters were traingles, cones and other nice geographic forms. They were made out of gold. Also other ornemants of the castle walls were golden.
The castle should show the power of Equestria's main ruler. Princess Celestia. The Solar Princess is still praised. Hidden Spark furrowed her brow as she walked towards the entrance gates. The alicorn had reached Canterlot in the evening. Although most ponies used the train, when they wanted to go into the capital city, a good flyer could reach Canterlot within three or four hours.
Hidden Spark snorted disgusted. They all boasted around in Celestia's precious light and worshipped her. The dark mare doubted that anything had actually changed. She had listened to some of the unicorns in Canterlot, when she had made her way through the cleaned streets, and apart from their boring everyday buisness, they all talked about Celestia.
Not for long. Hidden Spark crunched her teeth. In front of the entrance stood two guards, both mascular looking stallions with firm faces and a golden armor. As it was natural, they immediately crossed their spears to block her path. Hidden Spark stopped and lifted her head. Her eyes gleemed purple.
„Seriously is this a way to threat a Princess?“, she asked indignant and lifted her nose. 
„Beg you pardon, your Majesty“, one of the guards said, „But we are ordered to protect the Princesses and therefor have to announce anyone, who would like to meet her royal Highness Princess Celestia.“
Hidden Spark opened her wings and stretched them backwards. „I am one of the Princesses“, she hissed, „And I am Celestia's star pupil. I have to speak with her about a matter of great importance.“ She lowered her head to stare at the guard, who instinctivly bowed and backed off in fear. „So if you don't mind, Sir?“
The guard gulped. „Of course, your Highness“, he said, „I'll announce you. Just give me a minute.“ And he ran off. Hidden Spark watched him and smirked. Now that seems to go easy. She rolled her wings, while folding them again. The mare looked around. She spotted two very large towers. One was in the east, the other one in the west. They both looked very different from another. While the one in the east was decorated with red, golden and orange ornaments, the one in the west had blue, purple and cobaltcoloured ornaments.
„Guard“, Hidden Spark asked and seemed to startle the remaining guard, „What are those towers for?“ 
The pegasus replied: „These towers are used by their Royal Highnesses, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, to raise the sun and the moon. The East Wing is Celestia's part of the castle. Princess Luna resides in the West Wing.“ 
„Ah.“ Hidden Spark chuckled. Now this is really good. Perhabs she could pick on each Princess in her private chambers. It would be too good to be true. Hidden Spark turned her head as the guard who had been announcing her to Princess Celestia came back, sprinting over the bridge that bypassed the river, which laid before the castle.
The guard bowed and explained: „Your Majesty, Princess Celestia would be honoured to welcome you in her throne room.“ 
Hidden Spark asked: „Do you mind assisting me, please?“ 
The guard shook his head and walked forwards. The dark alicorn followed him, a sinister smile on her face.
„What is Princess Celestia doing at the moment?“, asked Hidden Spark and slowly walked besides the guard. They were met by several servants, who ran around the castle corridors like ants in a tunnle. 
„She is dining“, explained the guard, „One of the kitchenfoals brought her her meal as I announced you.“
They walked around a corner and finally stood in front of a large, two winged, brown door with golden handles. Those were shaped like the heads of unicorns with Pegasi wings. „One moment, Princess.“ The guard knocked against the door and opened it. He stepped beside the door, pulled his shoulders back and announced with a lifted head: „Princess Twilight Sparkle approaches!“
Hidden Spark slowly stepped inside the room. Her eyes scanned the area for possible obstacles, hiding places and other dangers. Celestia's throne room was long and large. Huge windows surrounded the alley. Their colourful images represented Equestrian history: the two Royal Sister's defeat against Discord, the Lunar rebellion, the defeat of Nightmare Moon via the Mane Six, the defeat of Discord via the Mane Six.
A long, bloodred carpet went through the hall and ended in front of Celestia's throne. Two golden carpets hang beside it, each on showing the silhouette of an alicorn. Hidden Spark spotted four guards, in every corner of the room one. Fine. This means, I will have to get rid of those guys as well. She lowered her head. Not that this would be difficult. Hidden Spark was confident of her skills and pretty sure, she could manage this.
Princess Celestia was sitting on her throne. In front of her, enwrapped in a golden aura, floated a bowl of darkred tomato soup with a little hill of sour cream and parsley on it. Next to it, on a small wagon, stood a glass of sparkling water and a baguette. Celestia had kept her eyes closed, while dipping the bread into the soup and taking a bite from it. She was moving as calm and coolly, you can only do, if half the world is yours.
Hidden Spark stared at the Princess and felt her own hate, coming out of the shadows. This alicorn would not realize danger, even if it was jumping at her face. Her tyrant rule, full of sweet lies, disgusted the dark mare. But not for long, not for long. Very carefully and very slowly Hidden Spark breathed out.
With an immense amount of self-controll she stepped forwards and said: „Good evening, Princess Celestia.“ The ruler opened her eyes and rested them on her personal student. A motherly smile caressed her lips. 
„Twilight Sparkle“, Celestia greeted her, „So lovley to see you, my faithful student.“
She used her magic to place the bread and plate of soup back on the wagon. 
Celestia folded her wings on her back. „You said, you have an important message for me“, she asked. 
„Yes.“ Hidden Spark nodded. 
Celestia put her head on one side. „Is anything with the preparetion of the Summer Sun Celebration?“, asked the mare.
Hidden Spark slowly walked forwards. She chuckled. „Oh, the preparations“, she mocked, „They are going really well.“ She stopped next to the plate and eyed the soup. Her magic enwrapped itself around the spoon as she levitated it and took a sip from the tomato soup. „I hope, the meal is good“, she said lazily, „After all, every ruler deserves a good dinner, before his last end.“
Celestia turned her head around. She narrowed her eyes. „Twilight Sparkle“, the Princess called, „What is the meaning of this? Why are you acting like this? This is not like you.“ Hidden Spark slowly walked behind the throne. The mare laughed darkly. Oh, this Princess is so unaware. She always has to believe the best in ponies. Celestia had made this mistake once and now it would cost her her throne again.
Slowly Hidden Spark stepped out of the right corner of the throne. Her first purple eyes turned yellow and the pupil became as small and slit as the one of a serpent. Her coat darkned. Celestia gasped in shock. „Twilight?“, she asked, „What is going on here? I demand an explanation! You are not the pony I used to know. What happened to my faithful student?“ Her voice sounded firm now and she narrowed her eyes.
Hidden Spark smiled and lifted her head. The mare slowly folded her wings and cleared her throath. She started to sing with a charming, elegant, sweet, but low sounding threatening voice: 
„If you want the picture of a charming Princess, I take the cake.
But now you find me all the more alarming, scince I am charming as a rattle snake.
My kind, bookish and loyal personality was like a dream.
But now that you are awake, the harsh reality is: Things aren't always what they seem!
Taken in by my childish grin.
you have failed to note the pointy theet.
I am no fraud, but beneath this warm fassade.
I am Princess Hidden Spark underneath!“
Hidden Spark opened her wings and laughed. The guards seemed to be as startled as Celestia was. The melodie of her dark confession song was so catchy, that they better listened to the end instead of going after her. No one seemed to prepare for any attack. She had their full attention.
„Just look at what a perfect royal ruler, I am gonna make!
'Cause everypony is absolutly unaware, I now controll their fates.
You and your sister have been granted for the plots I plan.
And my gratitude is perfond and large.
Now is the time for the world to know,
that I am hardly harmless, no light in my hearth, but dark.
No, I am Princess Hidden Spark!
And I am in charge.“
Hidden Spark stopped, opened her wings and bared her fangs. Celestia stood up. Her glance turned firm, angry and sad. „Twilight!“, she called, „It does not need to be like this. Stop this madness!“ Hidden Spark stared into the dawncoloured eyes. Although Princess Celestia tried her best to look firm and in controll, the dark mare could see a broken heart, swimming in those eyes.
„Twilight Sparkle?“ Her voice had never sounded more disdainfully. The dark mare did not hide her feelings anymore. Now she showed, what she felt for Celestia: Anchorless contempt. „Call me Hidden Spark. After all, there is no Twilight anymore. Doesn't this remind you of something, Celestia?“
For a short moment the serious face seemed to melt. In a couple of seconds Celestia looked incredibly weak and sad. As if those words had ripped open old, deep wounds, which had taken years to heal. „You!“, she breathed, „I cannot believe it. You already took my sister from me, Nightmare, and now you want to take my student as well.“
Celestia took a step forwards. „I urge you to stop this“, she explained, „Release Twilight. Otherwise you will suffer the consequences.“
Hidden Spark laughed. „Do you want to threat me with the Elements of Harmony?“, she mocked, „I guess, you know very well, that they are powerless without all representors. And it is too good to see your face. Now you know, how it is, when somepony takes everything away from you. When all your efforts are shattered in front of your hooves so close in front of your goal.”
Celestia sighted and folded her wings. She shook her head. “Hidden Spark”, she repeated, “I beg you, I urge you to stop this. Release Twilight. She has got nothing to do with our ancient struggle.” Hidden Spark laughed. Silly filly! How long would it take for Celestia's blinded eyes to see her own lies? 
The mare flapped her wings. “In contrast”, she shouted, “She has got as much to do with our struggle as you and Luna. After all she hit me with a rainbow strand. Do you know how it feels like, when you are ripped apart, skinned like a rabbit? It hurts really badly! And it is your faulth I had to go through this agony. You told your precious student about the Elements of Harmony and set her against me. You made my reign end. You send me to the moon. You took everything away from me.”
Hidden Spark smirked and pushed her head forwards. “Therefor”, she spat, “I have taken what is precious to you. First your own sister and now your beloved and faithful student. And the next thing I take is your crown. I will end this dirarchy of lies!” Her mane bristled and her eyes glowed like the ones of a demon. Her own rage and the desire for revenge burned in her veins. She had been waiting for this moment of reveal for days, months. So what do you now, Celestia? How much is Twilight worth for you? Or do you want to send her to the moon as well?
Celestia answered: “Hidden Spark, you have to free Twilight from your vengence or you’ll pay the penance. Do I really have to call this sentence?“ She shivered and closed her eyes. „Guards!“, called Celestia and regret made every of her words heavy, „Arrest her.“
Hidden Spark looked around. The four guards had melted from their frozen position. Now they ran after the dark mare. The alicorn roared with laughter and rose to her hindlegs. Her horn flared red. As her hooves met the ground, several purple crystal's pieces were floating around her. Another glow, Hidden Spark yerked her head around and the shattered pieces rushed after the guards.
They howled in agony as the sharp edges cut through their flesh. As they stumbled to find a safe stand back, Hidden Spark's eyes glowed golden and several lightning bolts crushed down on them like the scythe of justice. The royal guards collapsed, their fur was fuming with smoke and they looked like a bunch of slapped children.
Hidden Spark smirked and rested her glance on Celestia. The mare looked around. Her eyes were wide and tears glittered in them. She was shocked by this amount of distruction. Celestia turned around and stared at the dark mare. Her glance again became firm, strict, but pain laid in it like spilled blood from a fresh wound.
„You were foolish to reveal your true self“, Celestia said. She and Hidden Spark rushed forwards, until their horns met with a  low, sharp crack. „I will protect my subjects from you“, declared the Solar Princess as she rose into the sky, „And I will save Twilight from herself.“ Her horn started to glow golden. Hidden Spark jumped aside as the beam shot past her, bright and golden like pure sunlight.
The dark mare rose into the sky and started her counterattack. The two alicorns flew around the castle, two colourful strands, bright and oscillating from magical energy. Again and again the golden and the purple strand hit one another, only to seperate. It was a fast and angry movement. Like two blades, that were crossed in a swordfight. Hidden Spark was fighting with one simple goal: She wanted to kill Celestia. Never before this urge had been seen so clearly on Twilight's face.
The magical aura that surrounded them touched one another once more as they crashed into each other. The shields drizzled sparks, where they made contact. Hidden Spark bared her teeth. Her eyes were narrowed and full of hate as they stared in Celestia's face. The Solar Princess looked sad and desperate, trapped in her precious and wounded memories.
The two of them seperated. Hidden Spark's horn started to flare bloodred. She yerked her head back and fired an enormous, reddish glowing, purple beam after Celestia. The white mare had made a simple shield, but when she realized, it would break, she dashed around the beam and flew towards the dark mare.
Their bodies met in a cruel embrance. Hidden Spark kicked Celestia in the stomach. As the Princess lost control over her wings for a couple of seconds and fell down like a wingless bird, the dark mare fired another beam after her to tore her appart. As an immortal alicorn Celestia had immense power and magical abilities. Twilight may be a made alicorn, but Nightmare gave her host body a magic as powerful as immortal alicorn magic.
Celestia flew forwards and avoided the beam that way. Too bad! Hidden Spark crunched her teeth. She kept fireing at Celestia. The white alicorn flew in a zigzag lines. She finally rose upwards and shot. The golden strand caught Hidden Spark out of surprise and she met with an immense heat. The mare growled as she was pushed down by the immense force.
Still Celestia was holding back. Just like she had done during the fight between Nightmare Moon and her. Only when she had not had any other option, had she used the Elements of Harmony against Nightmare. Hidden Spark knew, if she had been any other villain, this could have been her end. But because Celestia was not using her full powers, the dark mare could free herself from the beam's grasp.
Well, well. Too bad I am not afraid to use my full powers. Hidden Spark roared and shot her biggest and strongest beam after Celestia. It was met in midair with a similiar, golden beam. The two alicorns were seperated by this long strand of canalised magic and did their best to push it in the direction of their opponent. Hidden Spark and Celestia knew, whoever would win this strandwar, won the entire battle.
Salvia ran out of the corner of Hidden Spark's maw. She pulled back her lips and showed her fangs, crunching with them. Her horn trembled from the strong energie and force, which laid on it. But she would not back down. Not now. Not so short in front of her goal. She could only imagine, that Celestia probably made a similiar face.
For a very long moment it was as if the magical strands were holding themselves in a balance. Then  Hidden Spark felt the beam, pushing in her direction. „No!“, she panted, „No. NO!“ Her own fear seemed to have an influence on her magic for it was now working in self-defence. With a loud roar Hidden Spark started to push Celestia's part of the beam in the opposite direction.
She thought, she could hear a whimpering sound, maybe a mumbled version of the words „Not again, please.“ Then the beam hit Celestia's horn. A loud explosion could be heard and darkpurple smoke formed a cloud around the area, where the Solar Princess had been. The white mare was falling out of the cloud. She hit the edge of the throne with her head and slammed on the ground in a boundle of white fur and crumbled wings.
„Ha!“, roared Hidden Spark and started laughing, while she kept herself in the air, „Twilight Sparkle's magic is even more powerful then I have thought. But it should not be a surprise. After all, she is the representor of the Element of Magic. It is still amazing how strong she is.“
Hidden Spark landed on the ground in front of Celestia. The alicorn laid on one side. She had several scars and open, small wounds on her face and neck. Dust clouded the purewhite coat and her mane was a mass. Sneekering to herself, the dark alicorn slowly came closer.
„How does it feel, Celestia?“, asked Hidden Spark, „How does it feel to know, that you not just failed yourself, your sister, your subjects, but most of all, that you failed Twilight, who had trusted you the most?“ Celestia coughed. She tried to get on her hooves, but the explosion had cost her her strength.
Her dawncoloured eyes rested on Hidden Spark. Regret laid in them, sadness, guilt and so much love. There always had been love in her glance. Even when her sister had transformed herself into the monster called Nightmare Moon. Too much love to be responded. Such a waste.
„Please Hidden Spark“, whispered Celestia, „It is not too late. Stop this. Not for me, but stop it for Twilight! You will break her heart. You do not have to be evil. You are not supposed to be like that.“  Hidden Spark shook her head with a satisfied grin. She placed her fronthooves on Celestia's wings, making her whince in agony. „Don't you see? I will never stop. I am the personifikation of the evil in pony's hearts. So why should I stop?“
Her horn slowly started to glow red once more. Hidden Spark explained: „You cannot be killed just like me and it is really tempting to send you to your sun for a thousand years. So you can just feel the pain I felt. But I think, there is something worse then a neverending exile. To be a servant under my will, realizing what you are doing with no hope to stop it.“
Red fire surrounded Celestia, together with a orange dome. Her eyes widened, but as they did so, they became blank and reddish. The fire and the dome started to glow. It became so bright that Hidden Spark had to close her eyes. When she opened them, Celestia was no longer there.

***

This is odd. Luna threw her head backwards, her mane rippeling and sparkeling as she eyed the sky. It still was clearblue like the day and the sun stood high. But the sun should have started to set scince an hour. That is not normal. Celestia would never miss the time to set the sun. And I cannot raise the moon now.
She slowly turned around and walked away from the balconery, on which she had been standing. The alicorn transited the West Wing. Unlike the white, red, orange and gold, which decorated Celestia's part of the castle, her wings had several shades of the coloures blue, purple, silver and violet.
Several servants passed Luna's way and bowed as she stepped aside them. With a simple nod the Princess gave the silent order to them to continue their work. Her thoughts were racing. A strange chill had caught her scince she had noticed that there was something odd about the sun. Why wasn't Celestia setting it? Was something not right with her? It had to be. But why was Celestia not telling her that she was not feeling well? Even by letter?
The chill had increased as Luna was walking towards the throne room. Her fear travelled down her spine and crawled into her flesh. She did not know what was there to be afraid of and yet she felt fear. Fright, together with a dark foreshadowing. Luna had the weird feeling, she had been in a similiar situation before. But she could not tell, what it was.
„Sister?“ Luna pushed open the door of the throne room. Her maw dropped and she let out a cry of shock. The great hall was a mess. The windows were partly shattered and the carpet had been torn apart. Guards were laying around, moaning in pain and agony, half unconscious. Blood on the carpet and the marbled floor.
But most of all on Celestia's throne sat another pony. The dark mare had a strange familiarity with Twilight. Well, she shared the purple coat, but it was way darker, almost the colour the sky had, before the night embraced the land. In her blackish mane shimmered several bloodred strands. She was eyeing her hooves.
„Where is my sister?“, demanded Luna to know with a low anger in her voice and took a step forwards. Behind her the door clunked shut. 
„Ah, Luna“, the fake Twilight said and lowered her hoof. She lifted her head. Yellow serpent eyes stared at the Princess of the Night. „So lovley to see you.“
The glance, the voice and this feeling of having been in such a situation before. But now from the other side of the coin. No! Please no! Luna caught her shock and avoided gasping. „Nightmare Moon“, she breathed out the name of her opponent. Old memories crashed down on her: sharp images, burning cold in her imagination. Why did her sins had to come so clear to the surface?
„Not another step.“
„Did you really expected me to sit idly by, while they all boast around in your precious light?“
„There can only be one Princess in Equestria. And that Princess shall be ME!“
„Luna! I will not fight you. You must lower the moon. It is your duty!“
„Luna? I am NIGHTMARE MOON.“
Nightmare chuckled. „Congratulations“, she said and clapped her hooves, „You figured it out faster then your sister. But I had suspected that already. Oh, and by the way: My name in this form is not Nightmare Moon. It is Hidden Spark!“
Luna stared at the dark alicorn and felt pure hatred, running through her veins together with an immense bitterness. „Where is my sister?“, she repeated her question sharply, „What have you done with her?“ 
Hidden Spark laughed and clicked her tongue. She turned her head around, so only one yellow eye looked at her. „You will join her soon enough. Don't worry. She is perfectly fine.“
Hidden Spark stood up and approached Luna slowly. „Luna, Luna, Luna“, she said with a sad chant. Her wing caressed the mare's shoulder. „You had it all. How foolish you were to give up your power. And for what? So called friends? Such weaklings. We could have it all. We could have been the rulers of Equestria and everypony would have seen your wonderful nights. You finally would have everything you had ever wanted.“
„You are wrong.“ Luna angrily pushed the caressing wing away. The blue mare made a step aside. She wanted to gain space between her and Nightmare Moon. Sins. The same situation. Just the other side of the coin. „My former goals mean nothing to me anymore. Ponies appreciate my night now. I am loved and worshipped just like my big sister is. I have no intention to plunge Equestria in eternal night.“
Hidden Spark sighted low. „Such a pity“, she whispered, „For I certainly won't stop. I will take Equestria and rule over it. I will cast an everlasting night. Those medling ponies will worship me out of their own fear.“ She laughed. Luna furrowed her brow. Unlike Celestia, who had a much softer core, she had learned to store away her feelings and block away her past. Still Hidden Spark's words scratched at the scab of the wounds.
I have to safe Equestria. Luna's horn began to glow. A blue aura caressed her weapon. If she did not end this madness now, nopony would. And the Moon Princess was sure, that Celestia had tried everything to talk sense into Hidden Spark. The dark mare had made it obvious that words won't change her attitude. So actions must speak.
„If you want Equestria“, declared Luna, „You will have to take it from me.“ She fired a blue beam at the dark mare. Hidden Spark shot into the air and avoided the attack with ease. She flapped her wings to stay on one spot and shot another beam at Luna. The mare gasped and jumped upwards. The curse burned a small part of the carpet, forming a black hole.
Luna's wings dashed through the air and she flew around Hidden Spark. She narrowed her eyes in fury. The mare fired another beam at Hidden Spark, who now made a purple gleaming shild around her. Her own spell hit the glowing wall and shattered like tiny falling stars.
Luna gasped as Hidden Spark's horn glowed and several darkred crystals floated around her. They were small, but the edges looked quite sharp. Oh, oh. The possessed alicorn threw her head around and the crystals flew towards the Lunar Princess like a swarm of angry wasps. Luna quickly spread her wings. She tilted herself aside and flew a sharp edge. Her eyes followed the crystals, which crashed into the wall next to the throne.
Luna flew towards Hidden Spark. The dark mare staid where she was. Both rose to their hindlegs in mid-air and crashed into one another. Both wrapped their hooves around each other shoulders. Luna yelled in pain as Hidden Spark digged her teeth into her neck and vicisouly started to pull. Damn those fangs! They were as sharp as the one of a Timberwolf.
For a short moment both struggled into the air, buckeling over, snapping and kicking at one another. While Celestia relied more on her magic, Luna had also learned to use her body as a weapon. And Hidden Spark could do the same. She had those strange fangs and she was not afraid of using them.
Luna felt the first bites on her neck and cheeks. Come on, Luna! The mare closed her eyes. Her horn started to glow blue. She made a giantic, blue wall, which was shaped like an hourglass, between the two of them. This forced both alicorns to seperated. They both landed on the ground. Luna breathed heavily. Blood ran down the small wounds.
The mare used her magic to heal the deepest injuries. Then she made the saphire shield disappear. Hidden Spark stared at her. Luna felt the heath of the fight and the tension in the air as thick as smoke, towering under the celling. But no one attacked. They waited for the next attack. The other side of the coin. Now Luna could imagine what Celestia had felt, when she had to fight against her. This sadness, this regret, this hate against oneselves.
Luna's horn started to glow once more. She used the same fabric for the hourglass again, but now she made several daggers, which were forming a line behind her. Hidden Spark narrowed her eyes, but staid silent. Luna's horn glowed again as she leviated the daggers. It is on! Her eyes turned white as she casted her spell.
The daggers shot after Hidden Spark ready to cut through her flesh. The dark mare yerked her head upwards, horn glowing. Out of nowhere shot a huge, purple crystal. Like small arrows the knifes crashed into the stone and staid stuck trembeling. Luna cut through the rock with a swing of her magic.
Hidden Spark yelled and stamped on the ground. As Luna flew to her direction out of the ground shot several huge, sharp edged crystals, ready to pierce her. Oh no! Luna gasped in shock. The blue mare shot several, small flashes of blue light and destroyed the crystals. Her wings flapped angrily as she reached out for Hidden Spark.
The possessed alicorn bared her teeth. Her eyes turned white. „Stand back, you foal!“, she shouted. Luna heard a thundering sound and smelled tin. Then white lightnings crushed down on her. Luna yelled in pain and agony. Her body twisted and her wings snapped. The bolts cut through her body and made her spine tremble.
The alicorn fell of the sky like a wounded bird. Luna rolled over the ground and stopped near a shattered window. She grunted in pain. Everything hurt. It was as if she had been burned alive. The agony pumped through her body like a heartbeat. I lost. She knew it, even before she opened her eyes.
Hidden Spark stood above her. She smiled and it almost looked kind, but her eyes were cold and mean. „I am sorry“, whimpered Luna. She was not sure to whom she was appologicing. Maybe to Celestia, maybe to Equestria's future, maybe to herself. 
Hidden Spark declared: „You will be.“ Her horn flared darkred. Luna cried as she felt her mind slipped away. And the last thing, she clearly noticed, were the red flames, that danced around her and seemed to engulf her.

***

Now that was easy. Hidden Spark smirked and sneekered. She looked around. No princesses in her way anymore. Now she only needed to make sure, that Equestria worshipped its new queen. And that she would never be threatened again. Neither by the Elements of Harmony nor by any other weapon that could endanger her safety.
Hidden Spark teleported herself on the balconery of the Easttower. The sun shone above Canterlot, showing the city in all its glory and beauty. The dark mare closed her eyes. Her horn started to glow once again. The red became deeper and stronger. Hidden Spark's eyes shot open. They were so red one could not see her pupil or iris.
Long waves of red magic ran over Canterlot like the waves of a pond, when a stone was dropped into it. Small, but the circles were wide. As soon as they reached any pony it would look up and its eyes would turn red for a short moment. Hidden Spark was floating a few feet above the ground. Her mane and tail danced around her. Her wings were open and her horn was on fire.
As soon as the last red wave had reached the end of Canterlot the spell stopped. Hidden Spark sank on the ground of the balconery. She folded her wings. The dark mare had just casted the strongest mindcontrol spell, which had ever been performed in Canterlot. Compared to that Chrysalis' spell on Shining Armor was magic kindergarten.
Very nice, very nice indeed. A pleased smile on her face Hidden Spark turned around and walked back to the throne room. Every servant, who passed her way, gasped and fall on his knee, mumbling „Your Highness“, „Your Majesty“, „Princess“ and other lordiness titles. This was of course perfect. All was going well and smooth. Just like she had planned.
Hidden Spark sat down on the throne of Princess Celestia. The guards who now had calmed down from her lightning attack stood up and bowed deeply. Their snouts touched the ground. „All hail to you, Princess Twilight Sparkle!“, they called. Hidden Spark laughed and put her chin in her hoof. She had won. And that was all that mattered.
	
> Shattered Harmony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had taken Applejack some time to crash the crystals, that had entrapped them, with her hindlegs. As soon as she had freed Rainbow Dash, the blue pegasus had flew after the dark twin of Twilight to catch up. In the meantime Applejack walked to the others and freed them as well.
Soon Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Applejack met one another in the middle of the barn. It was barley damaged. Only a few shattered pieces of the purple stone laid here and there together with scratches in the wood. And of course this large hole in the celling. Great!, thought Applejack bitterly and eyed the gap angrily, Now I will have to repair this barn again. But that was the least of her worries.
„Mon dieu“, called Rarity. She whipped off some crystal shards, that stuck in her mane. „What was Twilight thinking? For a short moment, I thought, she tried to kill us.“ 
Fluttershy gulped and looked down. She caressed her hoof and whispered: „Killed us.“ She shrieked fearfully at the thought and hided herself behind her wings.
„Oh yes“, said Pinkie Pie, „She has become so evil. Have you seen her face? That was the one of a demon. I mean, reddish eyes and sharp fangs. That is some monster. Huuuuuhhhh!“ The Earth Pony rose to her hindlegs and waved her frontlegs and made a creepy, weird face. „Maybe she wanted to eat us. Our brains. What if she had become a zombie?“ Fluttershy yelped and jumped behind Rarity.
The unicorn said: „Calm down, Fluttershy. You know how exaggerated Pinkie Pie can be from time to time.“ Applejack lowered her head and scratched her neck behind her head. Sure, Pinkie's theory is exaggerated. But still I have seen this face before. Applejack cudgeled her brain on this matter. Why had Twilight's „transfomration“ looked so familiar to her? Even the voice. She had heard that before.
„You will not find Twilight Sparkle. She is from home!“ Applejack gasped as the memorie arose from the depths of her subconscious. When she had travled with Rarity to Ponyville after the bat incedent, she had met a dark mare with yellow eyes in front of Twilight's house.
„Hidden Spark!“, shouted Applejack and the sudden call made everyone jump upwards. 
„Who?“, asked Pinkie Pie and put her head to one side. 
Rarity lifted a perfectly clean eyebrow. „I beg, you pardon“, she said quietly and politley, „It is not really nice to shout all of the sudden. It is rather unpolite and rude.“
Applejack crunched her teeth ennerved and rolled her eyes. Typical, Rarity. You can not stop correcting my language, even if we are in a dangerous situation. The farmer explained: „I have seen this Twilight before. I met her in front of the library that day, we defeated the Vampire Bat's plague on my farm. She looked just like Twilight, but her mane was darker and she looked ugly. Although I cannot tell, what made her ugly. Perhabs a deformation in her body, but I could not find one. This mare....“
Suddenley Pinkie's tail started to twitch widly. „Oh-oh“, she called, „Applejack, watch out!“ Applejack turned around to ask the pink mare, what was about to fall down, when the answer came in no time. Rumms! With a blast of rainbow behind her tail, Rainbow Dash rushed through the hole in the celling and crushed into Applejack. Both ponies rolled backwards in a mass and landed near a few balls of hey.
Applejack grunted in pain. She had hit the ground with her head hard. Now a numb pain drubbed in the backside of her head. „Ouch“, grunted Applejack. 
„Sorry“, appologiced Rainbow Dash with a wide smile, „I was not looking.“ She climbed down from the farmer. 
Applejack came to her shaky feeth and rubbed her head. This is going to be a bump the next morning.
Rarity asked: „What do you wanted to say, Applejack?“ 
The farmer replied: „This mare called herself Hidden Spark.“ 
Fluttershy peeked around Rarity's hindlegs and asked worried: „So you mean, this mare, we have questioned, was not Twilight?“ 
„Eyyupp“, she responded.
„Rainbow Dash“, asked Pinkie Pie, „Have you found Twilight or Hidden Spark?“ The pegasus explained in a dramatic tone: „I flew as fast and as high as I could. Hidden Spark was only inches away from me. I tried everything to reach her. I flew over the mountains. I followed the railway through snow and ice and....“
„Rainbow!“, shouted Applejack ennerved and stamped on the ground with her hoof, „Cut it short and tell us the important facts.“ 
Rainbow Dash sighted and flapped her wings. She revealed: „I lost her close to the mountain, that seperates Ponyville from Canterlot. She was too fast even for a flyer with my incredible skills.“
They fell silence. Applejack bite her bottom lip. Great, just great!, she thought ironically. What were they supposed to do now? After all the mane five stood in a broken barn, Hidden Spark was out there somewhere and nopony actually knew what this mare was capable off and the remaining Elements of Harmony had no clue what to do. The situation was damn bad.
„Now what?“, asked Pinkie Pie and broke the silence with her long stretched, ennerved sounding question. 
Rarity lifted her shoulders. „I guess, nopony has an idea, Pinkie Pie.“ 
Fluttershy whispered: „Usually Twilight is the one, who has the plans, tactics and ideas, but now without her....“ She sighted and did not cared to finish the sentence. But Applejack knew what she thought. They all were like long released prisoners, who had no idea what to do with their freedom.
Twilight did not just represented the element of magic, but for the mane six she had always been the leader. Applejack was sure, nopony had asked the alicorn or better former unicorn to become their leader, but they all had accepted her as the one, who made the great decisions, because of her smartness and magical abilities. And also because she had the bravery and awareness for her surroundings and people a natural born leader should have. Sure, Twilight's magic had often caused serious problems in the past, but the unicorn always had taken responsible for it and fixed it. Perhabs this was one of the main reasons, the mane five saw her as the leader.
Now without Twilight it was as if they had a gap, which was waiting to be filled. Who should be the one to take responsiblity this time? Applejack realized, how hard this was for each one of them. Taking responsiblity meant that other ponies relied on you to make things right. And never before this had been so important. The future of Equestria depended on it. Applejack sure could take on responsibility on the farm – she did this all the time – but this was a different case.
Ah am not sure, if Ah could handle this. Applejack looked into her friend's eyes. She saw the same mixture of unease and anxious waiting in their eyes. They all feared of taking responsibility and at the same time they hoped somepony else would make the first step.
Their awkward silence was shattered as the door sprang open and Spike ran into it and with him the Cutie Mark Cursaders. The young dragon stopped and stammered: „What had happen? I realized, Twilight was acting weird and I saw her fly away from your farm. Holy Celestia“ – he seemed to check on his surroundings just now – „what has happened here?“
Rarity replied: „A long story, Spike. Twilight is no longer the Twilight you know. In fact she is possessed by someone, who refers to herself as Hidden Spark. Twilight has become a monster.“ The dragon stood there, rooted to the spot. Applejack could see the change of expression on his face: First confusion, then shock and disbelief, finally terror.
„This can't be true!“, Spike shouted all of the sudden and stamped on the ground, „Twilight would never do this. She would never let something like this happen to her. She is far too strong for that. Isn't she?“ Doubt filled his last sentence. Together with the tears in his eyes. 
„Oh, Spikey-Whikey.“ Rarity rushed forwards and pulled him into a thick embrace. She too was crying. „I am so sorry.“
The other mane four had problems not to cry too. Soon they all hugged Spike, crying and whining, while they tried to whisper words to him to comfort the small dragon. Not that any word could give Spike any comfort about the fact that Twilight was gone and a monster had taken her.
Only Applejack's eyes staid dry. She had closed her eyes and lowered her head. The farmer was not disrespectful or half-hearted. She simply cried on the inside, mourning the loss of Twilight and her pity for Spike. It was an old habit, Applejack had got from the time shortly after the burial of her parents. She had felt so sad, desperate and lonley, that she had numbed her heart against any joy, any anger, any regret and any tear. Only Granny Smith had finally helped her to get a softer core, to make her really blossom.
Applejack suddenley adressed the Cutie Mark Cursaders: „What are yah doing here anyway?“ 
Applebloom explained: „We had just finished our last cursading – trying to back cherry tarte – and went back to the farm, when we spotted a group of soldiers, walking towards it.“ 
„Therefore“, Scootaloo added, „We ran as fast as we could to warn you about them.“ 
Sweetie Belle finished their describtion with the sentence: „They did not seemed really friendly.“
Applejack's core again seemed to harden. Her face eclipsed. They had no time to mourn for Twilight or even comfort Spike. The mare stared over the three fillies at the small, sandy path, which connected the farm with the town. Her ears trembled as she thought she could hear the sounds of hoofshoes, trampeling over the earth. How many were they? She did not know.
Applejack pushed her hat deep into her face to hide the grimdark expression. Her serious voice wrenched the others from their sorrow: „We get visitors and Ah can smell, that they won't be really friendly.“ The farmer turned towards the Cutie Mark Cursaders: „Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Spike, hide! Hide somewhere in here. Let the big ponies talk.“
„But...!“, protested Applebloom and her friends to opened their mouths to voice their disagreement. 
Applejack lifted his head angrily and said sharply: „No buts! Hide! And do not come out, no matter what happens. Do you hear? Don't come out!“ The yellow filly turned around and looked at her friends. Applejack had never sounded so serious and worried before. This meant something really bad was about to happen. The tension in the air spoke of it.
Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Spike jumped behind the next balls of hay and sacks of dry apples. The others, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, grouped around the mare and in a sharp pitch in her heart Applejack realized, she had just taken the step everypony had been waiting for. She had taken responsibilty and her friends believed in her.
For a short moment doubt flashed her mind, but Applejack angrily shook her head. There was no time for such a feeling. Not now. She bared her teeth and waited together with the others. The guards swarmed into the farm. Their golden armors glowed in the sun and the usually dull and expressionless faces showed brutal force and grudge.
Within a few seconds the mane five were surrounded. The guards directed their spears at their chests. 
Rarity gasped. „I demand an explantion!“, she shouted. 
„Silence! No one has asked you to speak, changeling.“ The captain of the Royal Guard stepped forwards. White fur, a blue mane and red glowing, blanc eyes. Shining Armor, Twilight's brother, was no longer the kind and brave stallion, Applejack remembered from the Canterlot wedding.
„Changeling?“, repeated the farmer and lifted an eyebrow, „Excuse mah?“ 
Shining Armor answered sharply: „The Princess had seen through your disguise, vermin. You wanted to invade Canterlot by taking the form of my sister's friends.“ 
„That's blasphemy!“, shouted Rarity, „I beg you pardon, we are Twilight's friends. You won't adress us in such manners, Shining.“
The guard's spears seemed to come a little bit closer. Now they were only inches away. Rainbow Dash, who flew beside Rarity, adviced her: „Maybe we should keep our mouth shut for a while.“ 
Shining explained: „You are arrested for conspiracy against Equestrian royality and its ruling class.“
The guards pushed the five ponies roughly in a line. Each one was flanked by two guards, who directed their spears on them at all times. 
Applejack called at Shining Armor, who was about to turn his back on her: „Who had given you that order?“ 
The white unicorn turned his head around, until their eyes met. Shining explained with a sinister smile: „You will see before long.“

***

Ouch, my head! Grunting Applejack tried to open her eyes. Her limbs seemed to weight a pound and her head was as heavy as a stone. Her lids trembled as they went upwards. Applejack tasted dust in her maw, which made her cough. Her body shook violentley. She felt so fragile, so weak. Several cuts burned in her face, neck and flank.
She looked around. Complete darkness. Applejack could not see a thing. What had happen? Those weirdos had not tortured her, hadn't they? Well, her body spoke otherwise. The farmer slowly came to her shaking feet. She felt something hard, stiff and cold around her ancles. As Applejack tried to lift her frontlegs, she could hear the rattling of a chain. Great! Those guards had tied her fronthooves together.
Ah need to find out, where Ah am and what happened with the others. „Hello?“, Applejack called, „Is anypony here? Fluttershy? Rarity? Pinkie Pie? Rainbow Dash?“ She walked backwards and bumped into somepony. 
„Watch, where you are going, dude“, said a familiar voice. 
Applejack let out a sigh of relief. „Rainbow Dash“, she called and turned around, once more, hitting the pegasus with her head in the chest. She would have loved to hug the mare, but those conditions did not allowed it.
„Yeah, it is me, AJ“, responded Rainbow Dash. 
Fluttershy whimpered in a corner to the farmer's left: „Oh, thank goodness, you are here! I was so scared.“ 
Pinkie's voice came straight after that: „Are we in chains? I like that sound.“ One could hear the rustling, which was followed by an ennerved sight. 
„Of course we are in chains, Pinkie!“, called Rarity.
Sweet Celestia, Ah am so glad, ya're all here! Applejack laughed weakly. At least they had one another. The guards did not seem to have thought about the opportunity to place them into several dungeons and just one big one. Besides, were they actually in the dungeons? Shouldn't there be a light somewhere? Anything, that could fight off the darkness and show them their surroundings?
Applejack carefully ran over the ground with her hoof, trying to figure out, on which material she was standing on. It felt cool, smooth and plain. Was this stone? If so why was this stone so polished? Why would they even bother to polish a stone?
Applejack asked: „Rarity, can you make a simple light spell so we can see, where we are?“ 
„Of course, Applejack.“ 
There was a moment of silence. Applejack softly breathed into the darkness. Her ears twitched worried. She suspected Rarity's spell to work and light to fill their place of imprisonment, but that did not happen.
„Rarity?“, asked Applejack, „What is wrong?“ She heard a fast movement. Probably the white unicorn was checking on her horn for any injuries. 
A quiet gasp could be heard, followed by the words: „My horn! Somepony had placed something on my horn. It feels like the scab of a wound. Aaahhhh!“ Rarity sounded terrified.
„Great!“ Applejack heard the flapping of Rainbow Dash's wings. She turned her head around. As she reached one hoof, she felt the taut strained chains. Probably the pegasus could only fly a few inches above the ground. Rainbow called: „What do we do now? Besides, where in all of Equestria are we?“
„The Canterlot Caves.“ Suddenley light filled the room. Fluttershy shrieked and pressed her hooves above her head, while pressing herself on the ground. She looked terrified and seemed to wish, she could just melt with the ground. Applejack and the other ponies gasped too in shock, disbelief and fear. The light was coming from several crystalls, that stuck in the polished, black walls.
The owner of the voice showed herself in a very large, crystalled wall. It was Twilight, but she did not looked like Twilight at all. Her coat had darken even more. Now it was black with a purple shimmer on it. Her body had changed. Now she was as tall as Celestia and even had a swan-like neck with a long muzzle and huge eyes. They were yellow with a small slit as a pupil in them. The mane had become way more longer and almost floated around Twilight's neck. 
Applejack breathed out her name: „Hidden Spark.“ The dark mare explained: „Long ago greedy ponies searched in this cave for diamonds and gems. But now they are abandoned. Nopony knows, that they even exist. Therefore they are the idle place for a prison. The memorie's of a host body can be such an advantage. Thanks to Twilight's memories of the Canterlot Wedding, I know about this great opportunity.“
„What have you done with our friend?“, shouted Rainbow Dash, who seemed to have found back her voice. She was about to turn on Hidden Spark, when Applejack yerked her head around and snapped the tail of the pegasus with her teeth. 
„Easy partner!“, she grumbled, while Rainbow furiously kept pulling.
Hidden Spark laughed and looked upwards, seeming rather amused. „Why, Rainbow Dash? Shouldn't you asked Rarity this question?“ The white unicorn gasped in shock as the serpent eyes rested upon her. In the purple light Applejack saw purple crystals, stucking all over her horn, blocking her magic obviously.
Rarity's eyes filled with tears and she shook her head, unable to speak. „Come on“, whispered Hidden Spark. In an almost caring smile she revealed her sharp teeth. „Tell them, who I am.“ 
Rarity hissed: „Leave me alone. They should already have recogniced you as the spirit of Nightmare Moon.“
Pinkie Pie gasped in huge surprise. „Oh no! Not the spirit of Nightmare Moon!“, she called. Then the Earth Pony bent down to Fluttershy and whispered behind a hoof: „I did not even knew that it existed.“ The yellow pegasus wheeped and buried her face in her hooves.
Rainbow Dash kept bashing her wings through the air, although Applejack hold her with all her Earth Pony strength. „You won't get away with this! The Princesses will stop you.“ 
Hidden Spark chuckled. She turned her head around. „Such a pity. I already have“, she mocked. The dark mare smirked. „Well, remaining Elements of Harmony“, Hidden Spark explained, „I guess, you should feel honoured.  Because you are imprisoned and Twilight is in my possession, nopony can stop me now. You just have made an area end. A new one will start. But you sadly won't be a part of it.“ And she left.
„Hey! Come back!“ Rainbow Dash finally was able to break free. She shot upwards – and was pulled backwards by the chains for their length had stopped. With a gasp of shock the blue pegasus fell on the ground and landed disreputable on her chin.  The cave was covered in smooth darkness again.
Applejack sat on her butt and turned her face away. Shattered. She could find no other word to describe what Hidden Spark had just done with her heart. She had appeared in front of them and nopony would knew that this had been Twilight, if they were not searching for the right evidences or had been told. Instead of Twilight Applejack had just faced a monster.
Rarity stammered: „This rude, selfish, cruel monster! She won't get away with this.“ 
„Yeah!“, agreed Rainbow Dash angrily and she almost sounded insane, „We will defeat her. Isn't that right, AJ?“ Her smile faded as the ponies could hear a whimpering sound. „AJ“, repeated Rainbow Dash worriedly, „AJ, are you....crying?“
Applejack was sitting there. Her body shivered and her head hung down. Her hat had floated down and laid crunched besides her hooves. Tears ran down her snout and soaked into her fur. The farmer had never cried scince her parent's burial. „What are you even thinking?“, Applejack shouted at them with a trembeling voice, „Can't you see the facts? We are trapped! Miles beneath Canterlot. We are in chains. Rarity's magic is blocked. We cannot get out of here! We can not save Equestria this time. We can not save Twilight!“
The ponies gasped. Rarity moved closer and leaned against the crying farmer. „Applejack“, the unicorn asked, her voice too trembeling, „You are not telling me, you give up, do you?“ 
Applejack's head flung around and she faced the white mare. Tears floated out of her smaragd eyes. „Yes, I do give up!“, said Applejack firmly.
Rainbow Dash said: „Twilight is not lost, we still can....“ 
„You do not understand!“ Applejack furiously pushed herself out of Rarity's caring embrance and walked away as far as she could. „You may have lost a friend in this night.“ Applejack laid down and sighted low. She caressed her head. „I lost more.“
	
> Is this, who I am supposed to be?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hidden Spark had taken quarters in Celestia's private chambers. The Solar Princess' place was a praise to the beauty of sun and light and summer. White marble walls, golden ornaments, forming flowers, suns, lines, craved in stone. The furniture was nice and ordered, almost fragile. Lightbrown wood. Soft, red carpet.
The chamber had a huge, brown bed with two white carpets, hiding the sleeping person from curious eyes. There was a mirror on a dressing table with several drawers. A cupboard with the dresses of Princess Celestia. Hidden Spark had already looked into it. She did not really liked the dresses. They were too fair in her liking, too much orange, yellow and even red, one of her favourite colours, was too bright.
The sun's light shone through two large, glassed doors with golden lines on the material. It leaded towards the white balconery, on which Celestia stood, when she rose the sun without a public. Hidden Spark was standing in front of the mirror and eyed herself in it. She was rather pleased with the last events. Celestia was gone, Luna was gone and the Elements of Harmony were defeated and in her grasp. Never before her aim had been so close.
Now to the next step. „You have finished the invitations?“ Hidden Spark turned around to face an unicorn stallion with a fluffy mustach. He had a sandbrown fur and a clock as his cutiemark. Kibitz, Celestia's former schedule manager and adviser, bowed. 
„Yes, although I am still not sure, why you changed the place of the festival“, he replied.
Hidden Spark's horn glowed and she levitated a copy in front of her. Golden, baroque letters said Invitation to the Summer Sun Celebration in Canterlot Castle. Every subject – high and low – is welcomed. There was also an image of the rising sun and the silhouette of an alicorn mare. I just hope, it is not Celestia.
Kibitz added: „But I do not understand, why you want to have the celebration in the building. Celestia has arranged it in Ponyville. So why changing it?“ His obstreperousness left as soon as Hidden Spark rested her glowing eyes on him. Her horn flared and the adviser was forced down on his knees, his snout pressed on the ground. 
„Perhabs you should remember, that I am the Princess“, Hidden Spark hissed, „And you are the servant. I make the decisions! I speak for the nation! So if you do not mind....“
„Mind?“, stammered Kibitz, „Why would I mind? Of course I do not mind! Everything will be arranged to your wishes, your Majesty!“
Hidden Spark flapped her wings lazily. „Then give a guard a copy of those invitations so that the words are spread. Oh, and bring the royal tailor to me.“ 
Kibitz stammered „Yes, your Highness“ and „Of course, your Highness“, before with a mumbled „I take my leave, your Highness“ and another deep bow, he left the room.
Hidden Spark had already turned her back on him as if he was not worth her time. She had only taken a simple, cold glance in his direction. They all were nothing but puppets and her mortal toys. She ate them hungrily and when she was finished, she burped them out. She was playing with them. And she would watch them die. And their children and children's children.

***

Pump! Pump! Pump! Twilight could hear the rythm of her heartbeat. It faded through the darkness. The mare could see everything, Hidden Spark saw, but she could not do anything. The darkness was pumped through her veins, floating through her body, caressing bones, organs and her mind. And she was trapped in her mind, in the backside of her head.
Oh, what have I done! Twilight had made mistakes and failed before. She had thought, after her almost fiasko with Starswirl's spell, she could not make a  greater mistake. How wrong she had been! She had let this happen. The two Princesses were gone, half of Canterlot was under Hidden Spark's control and she was slowly making the next steps for her way to the throne. Everypony wants to rule the world.
Power. Like wine, when you had it. Like poison, when you lost it. Twilight felt, how it ate on her. Lost. She was trapped in her own mind and she no longer had any power of what she was doing. Every action Hidden Spark made, caused such deep regret and pain in her, it hurt. She had done something unforgivable.
Twilight had not just attacked and defeated the two Royal Sisters with ease. No, she had imprisoned her friends. She had thrown her friends into a dungeon! In chains! Twilight still saw Applejack's face in front of her as Hidden Spark had tormented her face. This desperation, sadness...her best friend had been a broken soul.
Twilight had shouted in Hidden Spark's mind. She had cried and begged the dark mare to stop. She had tried to stop her tongue, saying all these harsh words, she had tried to say „I am sorry. I do not want this.“ All those appologies. But her tongue had not obeyed her and her lips had been so numb as if Hidden Spark had sealed them.
Lost. Helpless. Full of regret and remorse. Twilight had never hated herself more. Why hadn't she tried anything to stop this destruction? Why hadn't she asked for help just like Spike told her to do? Twilight was a fool. An idiot! Just look at what I have done. What kind of Princess can I be, if I let this happen? What does this says about me? Do I even deserve being called the Princess of Friendship? I betrayed my friends and all those, who put their trust in me. Twilight wanted to cry. As Hidden Spark looked at herself into the mirror, the imprisoned alicorn saw her own face and that of a monster.
„Your Highness?“ 
Hidden Spark turned her head around. A guard stood in the doorway. He saluted in a stiff movement and tautened his shoulders. „The tailor.“ 
Hidden Spark grazed him with a simple glance. Reddish, puffed eyes. All under her spell. 
„Bring him in“, commanded the mare.
She slowly walked through the room with long steps and rested herself on a reddish couch. Hidden Spark folded her front legs and turned her head around to face the tailor. He was a small, childish looking unicorn with big ears and a round face. His coat was as red as cinnamon and his Cutie Mark had the shap of a needle. Just like his name: Feeble Needle.
„Well?“, asked Hidden Spark and rose an eyebrow, „What have you brought me?“ 
Feeble Needle snickered nervously. „A masterpiece, your Highness“, he said and bowed, „I hope, its design will please you.“ His horn glowed and a display dummy came into view.
It was wearing a long, detailed dress. Bright red, golden ribbons, white quillings and several small red diamonds. The dress had two, long red feathers of a phonix on its collar. It looked really beautiful, but Hidden Spark's face eclipsed. „It is a nice dress“, she said slowly. Feeble Needle stood up and smiled. As he was about to say a thank you, he was cut short by a sharp explanation: „But I do not like the colour. It is too bright and friendly for my liking.“
Hidden Spark stared at the tailor with a grimdark look as if she was picturing him being skinned. Feeble Needle seemed to sense this villany in her glance as well, because he bowed shakingly and stammered: „O-of course, your Highness. I...I will redo it.“ This mare is a tryrannt! Twilight felt shivers, running through herself. She had never been afraid of herself.
Hidden Spark ordered coldly: „I want another colour.“ She whirled around, her tail hit Needle's frontlegs and she walked off in the direction of the balconery. „Dismissed!“ The tailor hastly picked up his stuff and rushed out of the room. Hidden Spark's hooves softly caressed the carpet as she walked over it.
The mare passed the mirror. Twilight dared to look at the reflection. She saw a dark mare, who was confident of her powers and who longed for the pain of others. Hidden Spark was obsessed with controlling other ponies. Twilight thought, she could spot some deformation in the body, but she could not tell what it was. And still the reflection showed her. In the core of Hidden Spark's movements, gesture and facial expression there still was something of Twilight Sparkle.
Hidden Spark stepped on the balconery. She put her head in her neck and looked at the sun, a bad smile on her face. Then her wings slowly enrolled themselves. The laughter climbed up her chest, her throat, before Hidden Spark released it with a mean, maniac, but smooth sound. Twilight shivered and cried in her mind as she thought: Is this, who I am supposed to be?

***

Spike, Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had hidden behind a large ball of hay. The three ducked between to boxes, full of apples. They had heard everything. Spike had seen the shock, sadness and anger in the Cutie Mark Cursaders' faces. When Shining Armor had declared, that the mane five were arrested, the dragon even had to grab Applebloom's wrist to stop her from jumping out of the hiding place.
As soon as the guards were gone, the four children ran out of their hiding place. They sprinted out of the barn and stopped. „They are gone!“, shouted Sweetie Belle. Spike stood there. He could hear a whimpering sound. Scootaloo was crying. Sweetie Belle seemed to be captured by her shock and Applebloom looked like she was about to kick the next intruder, who dared to show his ugly face at the farm, in the soft parts.
Spike could not believe it. This was a bad dream. It had to be. Twilight was no longer herself and now the others were captured and maybe even tortured. What can I do? What can I do? Spike scratched the backside of his head with his claws. He was a child. For goodness' sake! He was a child. Normally Twilight and her friends took on the dangers. And now they were gone.
Applebloom asked: „Now what?“ She looked at her friends and the baby dragon. 
„I...I do not know“, replied Spike quietly and hang his head, „I am sorry.“ 
„We have to do something“, replied Applebloom, „I mean, what I have learned with the Cutie Mark Cursaders is, that one never lets a friend hanging. They need us.“
Spike looked up. He scratched his neck again. She is right. Of course Applebloom was right. Spike too would never let Twilight hanging or doing things on her own, he found to risky. He always had helped her to get back to her senses, when her paranoia had gotten the better off her. And now the thought of Twilight being possessed by some evil demon made him wanna shiver. And on the hand it filled him with an anger and determination. He needed to stop this madness.
Spike said: „You are right, Sweetie Belle. We may not be able to stop Hidden Spark. But we might be able to help the others, so they can help Hidden Spark.“ 
Sweetie Belle nodded. „I won't let her do anything to my big sister.“ 
„Me too“, added Applebloom furiously and stamped on the ground, „Zecora always said: „Many little people, in many little places, taking many little steps, can change the face of the world.“ Twilight and her friends had saved Ponyville and Equestria so often. Now it is our turn to save her.“
Scootaloo asked: „Then what are we waiting for? Let's do this!“ She pushed out her scooter. Two ropes tied it together with two skateboards. 
While the Cutie Mark Cursaders climbed on their places, Spike added: „I say we first go to Ponyville and try to find out, if there is anything new and usefull for us, before we try to rescue Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash.“
„Yup“, said Applebloom. Spike carefully climbed on the skateboard behind her. „Better hold on thight“, explained the yellow mare. 
Scootaloo asked: „Wouldn't it be awesome, if we got our Cutiemarks from this adventure?“
Sweetie Belle sighted, chuckled shortly, before she said seriously: „Not now, Scootaloo.“
Scootaloo carefully spread her small, feathered wings. As she started to pull her scooter, the three Cutie Mark Cursaders started to sing: „Got the moves, got the mojo. No harder ponies around. We are a trio. Work as a team. We will be the first ponies out at the flag waving scene.“ Spike could feel an immense energy and trust, which laid in these words. The three fillies were confident of their skills.
The small scooter rushed down the dirty, dry path, which connected the town with the apple farm. Scootaloo's wings swirled through the air as she used the boost to push their small vehicle forwards. Together with the crunch of wheels one could hear the chorus of the Cutie Mark Cursaders: „We've got hearts as strong as horses! We've got hearts as strong as horses! We've got hearts as strong as horses! We've got hearts.....hearts as strong as horses!“
Spike looked around. The citizens did not really seemed to realize, that a drastic change had happened. Deeds need time. Not only to be done, but also to be heard and seen. They were shooting through the townstreets. The three Cutie Mark Cursaders were smiling at one another as they sang the last phrases of their song as if there was no tomorrow.
„And we're planning to win. As we gallop to glory, we can conquer any challenge we are in. We've got hearts....hearts as strong as horses. Hearts as strong as horses!“ 
At that moment Spike spotted a   poster on a wall, which he had never seen. „Stop right there, Scootaloo!“, the dragon shouted. The orange pegasus pressed her hoof on the ground and the scooter stopped as fast as it had stopped. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom were thrown off their scateboards.
Spike ran to the column and ripped of the poster. The dragon hold it in his claws and read with furrowed brow: „Invitation to the Summer Sun Celebration at Canterlot. Everypony – high and low – is welcomed. Wait! Hidden Spark wants to hold the celebration of Canterlot Castle.“ 
Sweetie Belle asked: „What if our friends are in the castle's dungeons? We could use the celebration to search for them.“
„Great idea, Sweetie Belle“, responded Applebloom with an ennerved expression, „We only would have to fight off thousands of guards and need to sneak into the castle. Thought about that?“ 
Scootaloo thought aloud: „I guess, the visitors would all wear awesome dresses and clothes. A bit like in the Grand Galloping Gala.“
Spike scratched his neck thoughtfully. His eyes dirfted around, until they rested on the ruins of Carsoul Boutique. It still gave him a sting in the heart to see it. The mane six may had been able to put the fire out, but most parts of the Boutique were destroyed. The upper floor had partly crashed on the basement floor and some collumns had ripped a few dummys apart. Spike guessed that most of the fabric had been burned down, but maybe just maybe a few balls of velvet had survived.
The Cutiemark Cursaders seemed to have realized, that Spike was staring at the Boutique. They trotted to his side. Applebloom asked: „You think, there are still some fabrics and stuff in there, that could be useful?“ The dragon nodded. The yellow filly carefully walked into the ruins. She started to peek around the corner and in cupboards and boxes, which had somehow survived the fire.
„Hey!“, shouted Applebloom as she pulled out a few rolls of velvet and silk, „Look.“ Scootaloo too was now searching through the mess and found Rarity's chewing mashine. It was covered in dust and ash, but it still seemed to work. Spike's eyes brightened up, but as he turned his face around, he saw Sweetie Belle, standing there, hanging her head.
„What is it?“, asked the purple dragon. 
Rarity's younger sister explained: „Even if we have fabric and a chewing mashine, how are we suppose to make dresses? Rarity is the one, who makes the dresses.“ 
Applebloom was carrying their foundings towards them, while Scootaloo called: „Why, you, Sweetie Belle!“
She gasped. Then the white unicorn shook her head viciously. „No!“, responded Sweetie Belle, „No, no, no. I am not Rarity. I cannot make dresses for us. They would look dreadful. I am not even half as good as Rarity.“ The others looked at one another. Applebloom and Scootaloo hang their ears.
Spike wrestled his arms. His eyes became huge, as he said with a desperate undertone: „Please, Sweetie Belle! You know, how Rarity works. You have watched her so often. If anyone of us can make clothes for us to attend the celebration, then it is you. The others are captured. They need us to free them. If we cannot do this, Hidden Spark wins!“
Sweetie Belle lowered her head. Spike pushed further. „Do it for Equestria. Do it for Rarity. But most of all: Do it for yourself!“, he begged. The white unicorn staid silent for some time. Please, Sweetie Belle. I do not know, what else we can do. Suddenley her head yerked upwards. Sweetie's eyes flashed with determination.
„I will do it“, she said simply.

***

The evening painted the sky violet like Twilight's coat. The light of the dying sun was drowned in the heavy carpets, which closed the windows. Hidden Spark had ordered Kibitz and her guards to not interrupt her. She said, she wanted to prepare herself for the Summer Sun Celebration alone.
The tailor had brought her his new version of her dress. It now was bloodred with black ribbons and  quillings. The two swanfeathers had been replaced with the one of a black phoenix. The long, silvery ribbon around her chest and hips was closed with an amethyst. Hidden Spark had been very pleased and even congratulated the tailor for his design. Not after saying the mocking words „Well, it works, hmm?“
Hidden Spark had ordered the kleinsmaids of Celestia to bring her several ribbons for her mane and a silver bucket with crimson paint and a brush. Now the dark mare stood in front of the mirror. She was lifting one of her hooves. Her magic had enwrapped itself around the brush, which was soaked with the paint. Hidden Spark dyed her hooves darkred.
She eyed herself in the mirror. Her long mane had been tuned up into an elegant knot. Several strands were hanging from her forehead, together with the silky ribbons. She had put on darkblue eyeliner. The mare was rather pleased by her look. One thing was for sure: She would make a wonderful impression and those fools would worship her.
Hidden Spark enjoyed the coolness of the paint on her hooves as she sang: 
„This feast is going to be perfect.
The kind of feast of which I dreamed scince I was small.
Everypony will gather round,
say I look lovley with my crown.
What they don't know is that I have fooled them all.“
Deep down in her mind the imprisoned Twilight lifted her head. She could feel the eagerness and joy in Hidden Spark. The dark mare was certain, that her dreams, her deepest desires would come true tonight. But Twilight Sparkle only felt bitterness and regret. Her voice was thine and low as she too started to sing:
„This feast was going to be perfect.
The kind of feast of which I dreamed scince I was small.
But instead of having cake
with all my friends to celebrate.
This might not have a good ending for us all.“
Hidden Spark was walking around her room. Several dummies followed the dark princess with their blanc eyes. Their dresses throw shadows on the halls. The dark mare used her magic to made them circle around her, bowing again and again. Hidden Spark yerked her head upward and sang with all her fury and triumph, that made her drunk.
„I could care less about the dress.
I won't partake in any cake.
Words, I'll be lying when I say
That I do love the sun and I want them to be here all day.
The truth is, I don't care for them at all.“
Hidden Spark's horn started to glow. She hit one of the dummy's, which started to melt. Her head yerked backwards and she watched the doll being torn appart. Its head flew through the air and landed in front of her hooves. With a low shout of anger Hidden Spark kicked against it, squeezed it under her feet.
„No, I really hate the light.
I only love and worship night.
But I still want them to be all mine!“
Twilight stared at the shadows. They swirled around her, caressed her. The mare tried to move, but as soon as she did, the dark force wrapped black tentacles around her legs and neck and pulled her down. While Twilight kept struggeling, she somehow found enough air to sing once more.
„I must escape before it is too late.
Find a way to save the day.
Hope of escape, it is a lie, when I say.
I do fear this is a trap
And no one will hear it snap,
when someone tricks and manipulates them all day!“
Tears ran down her face and she whimpered. Twilight kicked against the black tentacles, but they wrapped themselves around her even thighter and squeezed her as a warning.
„For I love both, night and day.
I wonder, if they are okay.
Oh, my beloved friends
I have to make this horror ends.“
Hidden Spark already was entering the throne room. She knew that the guests awaited her. But she would let them wait. A true ruler only showed itself when it was the time for doing so. Hidden Spark looked at herself in the mirror.
„Finalley it is the beginning of the feast.
They all gather around me, the true beast.“
Twilight seemed to stumble over her next words.
„Oh, I will be too late
and they meet their worst fate.
Equestria will be.....“
Hidden Spark cut her off by laughing and with a few simple words, finishing their song: „Mine, all mine. Hahahahaha.“
> A feast for a Princess
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

„Are you sure this is going to work?“ Scootaloo eyed herself askance. She was wearing a fair violet dress with two golden rings around her hooves. The mare's scrubby mane was made into a ponytail with a red ribbon. Sweetie Belle had did her best to make dresses, that could fit during the Summer Sun Celebration. Of course they were not as good as Rarity's but Spike had to admit they were really nice.
„Of course it will work“, replied Applebloom with a wink, „Just look at us. We look noble.“ Her dress was red like corn poppy with a simple yellow tape around it, which formed a bow over her hips. Sweetie Belle was wearing a fairblue dress, which shimmered and looked a bit transperent. Spike had gotten somekind of uniform. I look like a chimney sweep. Seriously. He was wearing a black suit together with a darkpurple tie. On his head was a huge top hat with a pale, muddy purple ribbon around it.
The Cutie Mark Cursaders and the purple dragon were standing in the royal guarden behind a large bush. It was perfectly trimmed, but still it gave them enough cover. The night breathed over the place like a sleeping animal. Stars twinkled cheerfully and the moon swam in the black waves. Every now and then a cloud passed by and hid the silver coin as if it knew, what crime was about to be commited in the next morning.
„Okay“, Spike whispered, „Remember the plan. We try to mingle with the crowd to get inside the palace. When we are there, we somehow need to get into the Canterlot dungeons without raising suspicion.“ 
Sweetie Belle said: „Maybe someone should stay at the festival and keep an eye on Hidden Spark.“ 
But Applebloom shook her head. „I would not risk that“, she said, „What if Hidden Spark somehow recognizes us? I know, she may have never seen us, but Twilight did more then enough. What if Hidden Spark can read her memories somehow?“
That is a good point. Spike crunched his theet and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He took a deep breath and as he let it out, declared: „I say, we just go to the feast and worry about everything later. Just act incognito.“ 
„In-what?“, asked Scootaloo and lifted a brow. 
Spike hit his forehead with his claws. „Inconspicuous. Just act so nopony will be curious about what we are doing here.“
The four slowly climbed out of the bushes. In front of Canterlot Castle stood many carriages. They all were exaggerated with gold, jewelery and ember wood. The noble families obviously had taken the invitation very seriously. Spike spotted several familiar faces: Filthy Rich and his daughter Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon and her parents, Fleur dis Lee with Fancy Pants, Spitfire and two other Wonderbolts.
„Wow“, whispered Scootaloo. The four slowly made their way towards the entrance. Many other unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies walked passed them, without even noticing. Luckily Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had already entered the castle. Spike knew, it was better if he and the Cutie Mark Cursaders avoided this pair.
Spike spotted Fancy Pants and Fleur dis Lee, who were about to enter the hall. Spike snatched Sweetie Belle's wrist and started to pull as a sign for the Cutie Mark Cursaders to hurry. They sprinted through the line, until they almost bumped into the two unicorns. „Huh?“ The white unicorn with his perfectly cleaned, cobaltblue mane turned his head.
Spike was about to say something, when several guards moved forwards, ready to remove this intruders. It was Sweetie Belle, who saved the dragon's and her friend's necks. „Good evening, Mr Fancy Pants. I am Sweetie Belle, Rarity's sister, and we would like to come to the feast as well.“ She peeked around, before she whispered urgently: „It's important that we are there.“
Fancy Pants, who first seemed to be rather surprised, started to smile as the white unicorn mentioned his favourite party guest. „Gentlecolts“, he adressed the guards, „Lower your weapons. Those four belong to me.“ The guards looked at one another. Spike realized, that they like Shining Armor had those reddish glow above their eyes. And not only them. Many ponies, who lived in Canterlot, had those weird, blanc eyes. All, except for Fancy Pants and Fleur dis Lee.
Slowly the guards lowered their weapons and took their position besides the entrance again. Fancy Pants lifted his head proudfully and flounced into the corridor. The Cutie Mark Cursaders and Spike followed. Fleur dis Lee was walking beside her husband and greeted every unicorn, she knew with a satisfied nod.
While she kept the visitors distracted, Fancy Pants turned his head to look down on Sweetie Belle. He smiled shortly and said: „You have Rarity's white coat and her manetype. I already felt that you were familiar to me, although I only knew your sister. I have to say, the dresses and the suit this dragon wears look rather nice. So simple and yet so elegant.“ 
Sweetie Belle smiled. „Thank you, Sire“, she said with bright eyes.
„Please call me Fancy“, the rich gentlecolt said. His expression became slightly worried. „Now tell me“, he whispered, „what is so urgent, that you had to attend this festival? Besides, where is Miss Rarity? I had guessed, she would be one of the first to arrive here.“ Fancy Pants looked around as if he hoped, he could spot the unicorn with the purple mane.
Sweetie Belle explained: „That is the reason, why we are here. You must know, you and the other guests are in great danger. Something had possessed Twilight and she had captured Rarity and the others. We are here to rescue her, but....“
She was cut short, when two guards suddenley started to sing: „Oh, what is that sound? Everypony turn around. Her Majesty is here!“ Spike's jaw dropped and he heard the Cutie Mark Cursaders gasp  at once. The mare, who stood on the top of the stairs, hardly looked like Twilight at all. She was wearing a long, darkred dress with black ribbons, firerubies and phonix feathers. Her long mane was tied up and as she took a step forward and posed at the top of the stairs, red hooves could be seen. Is this paint? Spike narrowed his eyes. Hidden Spark opened her wings. A dark, seductive power laid around the mare and her serpent eyes seemed to be completley normal to everyone.
The guards bowed, pointed at Hidden Spark and sang: 
„All the praises we sing to Princess Twilight.  
Sir, you gawk, well join the folk.
Take in her glory.
Now as you are trotting along, too much praising isn't wrong.
Peasants, enjoy this moment before she is gone!“
Spike pressed his claws on his mouth. He was not sure, if he should brust out laughing for the guards acted hilerious like puppets or crying for Hidden Spark had them all under her controll. I didn't imagined this. I really didn't. The vainity of the posessed mare was so strong one could actually taste it. If one was not hypnoticed.
„All the praises we sing to Princess Twilight.
Her deeds make her name legandary.
She freed us from Nightmare Moon.
And brought about Discord's doom.“
„Well...“, began Spike and scartched his forehead, but his doubt was overpowered by the guards: 
„She will have her own kingdom soon, Princess Twilight.
See her crown, we should bow down.
Nopony dares to play a prank
for her magic is the top of the rank.
She has got guards, she has got servants and flonky.
Love serving her, fullfilling her wishes, they are just lousy with loyality.
To Twilight...Princess Twilight.
All...the....praises we sing to Princess Twilight!
Our princess is a sight lovley to see.
And that good ponies is why
you all doodled-up and dropped by.
With her fancy castle
servants galore
Her crown and gown and jewelery and more!
With forty hoofmans, her cooks, dressmakers and guards that all sing on key
Make way for Princess Twilight!“
Hidden Spark slowly stepped down the stairs and walked over the red carpet. Her dress whipped over the ground. The mare had lifted her head proudly and closed her eyes. Spike greeted his teeth. He formed his claws to fists. Smoke puffed out of his nostrils. That monster! What have you done to Twilight? She would never act like that, selfish demon.
The Cutie Mark Cursaders looked at one another. They seemed to realize that Spike was about to storm through the crowd and slapp the evil out of Twilight. Applebloom quickly wrapped her arms around the dragon. „Calm down“, she whispered urgently as they watched all these fools, who surrounded Hidden Spark, bowed deep and praised her as if she had always been the sole ruler, „We will make this false monarchy end.“
Fleur dis Lee lifted a brow and gave Fancy Pants a questioning look. The white gentlecolt snorted. He leviated his monocle and placed it on his eye, which he squint thoughtfully. „Mon dieu“, he said, „Something is off about that mare. I can see now, why you and your friends are trying to save Ms Rarity and her friends, Ms Sweetie Belle.“
Sweetie's eyes flashed. „Fancy Pants“, she asked and made her best puppy dog face, „Could you please keep an eye on Hidden Spark, while we try to find the others?“ 
The unicorn laughed gently. „Of course.“ The stallion slowly walked in the direction of the false Princess with an autority only an aristocrat can have. Fleur stopped styling her mane and went after him at once.
„Good“, Sweetie Belle said and let out a sigh of relief, „Now this problem is solved. What are we gonna do next?“ The Cutie Mark Cursaders looked at Spike. The dragon scratched the backside of his head and his tail started to twitch. His brow furrowed. Come on, Spike. Where could be the dungeons? Think, think, think.
He chewed his underlip for like fiftheen minutes, before the dragon asked: „How about we check one of the towers? Which one is hardly visited?“ 
Scootaloo replied: „The West Tower. Hardly any pony goes into the West Wing of the castle, except for Princess Luna and those, who serve her. This would be the ideal place for a prison, laying underneath the building.“ 
„Scootaloo“, found Sweetie Belle, „You have read too many Daring Do books.“
„Well, it is worth a try“, responded Applebloom. She grabbed the fringe of her dress with her maw and rushed carefully, yet in polite manners out of the great hall. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo followed at once. Only Spike turned his head back. Hidden Spark was laughing at a joke, Fancy Pants had said. His eyes were still clear. Good. At least one could rely on one member of the noble houses. Spike narrowed his eyes disdainfully at the creature that had become out of his best friend. Then in a fast movement he turned around as well and followed the three foals into the corridors.

***

The corridors seemed deserted from anypony. All guests were definitley in the great hall and only a few guards patroulled here. Spike and the Cutie Mark Cursaders were running as silentley as they could. Their hooves and paws made soft sounds on the ground. Whenever a group of soldiers could be heard, coming closer, the four ducked down behind carpets, furnitures and doors.
If we are able to get to the West Tower in that way, it will be a miracle. Spike had never been more anxious. He listened constantly to every step, every hiss of the wind, watched out for every shadow or unfamiliar movement. But his mind was still partly in the great hall and his heart was heavy, when he imagined Hidden Spark again and again. She had chosen the most effective way to show everypony, who now controlled all of Equestria. And no one, absolutley no one, complained.
They are all so blind. Can't they see there is a monster on the throne? Spike shivered. He had often faced several dangers with his friends: Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, the Mane-iac. But no one of them had scared the purple dragon more then Hidden Spark. To see his best friend, his caretaker, being currupted by dark powers, was more then he could bear.
Somehow the three ponies and the small dragon had been able to reach the West Wing of the Castle. Spike's maw opened in surprise. The Cutie Mark Cursaders looked around equally curious. „I don't know, what you think“, said Sweetie Belle, „but I like this place somehow more.“ Spike did not know if he shared her view, but he could clearly see one thing. The whole Wing had Princess Luna's hoofwriting over it.
The tapestry was darkblue. Just like the stone. Violet ornaments and silver frescos. The windows were not as large as they were in the East Wing and they were not coloured but simple glass windows, composed in silver frames. Several black carpets hang from the celling, which were showing certain constellations. And the moon could be found everywhere. The whole atmosphere was different. Spike had a feeling as if he was taking a stroll during a cool summer night.
The four stopped. „Now what?“, asked Scootaloo, „We are in the West Wing and nopony has a clue where the dungeons are.“ 
Applebloom lifted a hoof. „Hsschhh, Scootaloo“, she found, „I say, we simply check this area. I doubt, that the entrance to the dungeons is somewhere upwards, because there must be Luna's private chambers.“
Spike thoughtfully scratched his head. I wonder, what jewelery Luna has got. I have seen Celestia's jewelery already. All her amber, firerubies, diamonds and emeralds. But I do not know what Luna has. He angrily snapped back to reality. It was not the time to start daydreaming now. They had to find the imprisoned mane five. Fast!
„Search quick“, the dragon whispered. The four spread and walked around. They looked for any new corridor or door. But Spike only spotted a stairchase, which went upwards and he did not dare to go upwards. He knew, that Luna's guards were probably still in her Wing. Actually nopony had ever seen a glimpsel of the infamous Bat Ponies, those strange creatures, who guarded the Princess of the Night. Well, except for those, who had been at this Nightmare Night Festival, where Luna had shown herself and had had much trouble in fitting in. But those times were past now.
„Hey, what is this?“, asked Applebloom at that moment. Huh? Curiously the dragon turned around. The other Cursaders walked to the filly. She was starring at a gap behind a carpet, which looked like somepony had ripped it thorn appart. The gap was very small, only large enough for the fillies and the dragon to fit in. Darkness yawned at them.
„Don't know“, said Sweetie Belle, „I can hardly see anything.“ 
Spike narrowed his eyes. „Step aside“, he said. The three fillies made way for the dragon. He took a deep breath and coughed a bunch of flames through the hole. In the green shine they spotted the walls of a small tunnle. Strange. Spike looked at the others and lifted a brow.
„Has anypony an idea, where this leads?“, asked Applebloom. 
„No“, responded Sweetie Belle. 
Scootaloo ducked down and added: „And I do not really want to find out.“ 
Spike carefully reached in the hole with his paw. His claws felt a polish wall. The dragon said: „Only one way to find out.“ 
„Oh, no!“, called Scootaloo, „You are not plotting to...!“
She fell silent at the sound of steps. The ponies and the dragon whirled around. Shadows painted themselves on the wall from another corridor. The silhouette of several stallions in armor. Spike did not think twice. „Go!“, he shouted and jumped through the hole. The Cutie Mark Cursaders swallowed, before they followed him.

***

Spike had landed on his bum and slittered down the tunnle. It was steep and full of curves. The wind hissed in his spikes. Spike tried to claw himself in the walls to slow down his fall, but his fingers always slid down on the polish texture. He heard the three fillies scream and howl in shock behind him.
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Spike pressed one paw on his hat to avoid it flying backwards. He narrowed his eyes, but the smooth darkness around him never brightened up. His stomach made several jumps and his throat became sore. Sweet Celestia, please let us survive this!
And then suddenley the tunnle ended and he landed on a similiar ground. Spike tried to stand up, but the falling Cutie Mark Cursaders knocked him down again and he hit his chin. Ouch! Spike grunted something in agony. „Get down from my back“, he adressed the fillies above him, „Please.“ They did him the favour and his back sighted in relief. Spike carefully stood up and grunted once more. He pressed his paws on his bum, while stretching himself. „Ouch, iiich, autsch“, he groaned.
The three Cute Mark Cursaders looked around in awe. „We must be miles beneath Canterlot“, whispered Applebloom. 
„I cannot see a thing“, complained Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle furrowed her brow and started to concentrated herself. Suddenley a thine, green light flashed on the top of her horn.
Spike gasped and also Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom seemed to be rather impressed. They were in a large crystall cave. Thousands of violet tiles reflected the simple light of the unicorn's horn. Some crystals were growing out of the blackish stones like strange, exotic plants. Some small ponds of water shimmered here and there.
Slowly the group started walking. The sound of their steps echoed around them, together with a splish, when they walked through the ponds. They still looked around in amazement. I did not even knew, that those caves existed. They look so beautiful. And the gems...I bet, they taste delicious. 
„Where are we?“, asked Scootaloo. She seemed to waver between fear and respect. 
„Ah am not sure“, responded Applebloom, „But it is amazing.“ 
„Absolutley“, added Sweetie Belle, „Beautiful.“ She was walking at the top of the group, closley followed by Spike, Applebloom and Scootaloo.
The corridors were long and small. Spike had the feeling, they just entered another world. Crystal flowers blossomed in the darkness and amethyst waterfalls froze in the air. The light of Sweetie Belle's magic danced over all those wonders and suddenley painted several rather familiar shadows on a wall. The silhouette of ponies.
„Are those...?“, started Scootaloo, but Spike already had started sprinting. 
„Spike, wait!“, shouted the Cutie Mark Cursaders and they ran after him. Spike's paws thundered over the ground, a pond splashed as he walked through it. The dragon rushed around a corner and gasped. The three fillies almost bumped into him and the light of Sweetie Belle's horn showed five ponies, sitting on the ground, chains enwrapped around their legs.
„Spike?“, asked Rarity and lifted her head. 
Pinkie Pie called: „We are saved, we are saved!“ 
„Scootaloo“, called Rainbow Dash and she flew upwards. 
Fluttershy whispered: „Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, what are you doing here?“ 
The ponies made a small circle around the dragon and the Cutie Mark Cursaders.
„Is everyone alright?“, asked Spike. 
„Yes, everypony is fine“, replied Rainbow Dash. 
Fluttershy nodded with sad eyes in a corner and explained: „All, except for Applejack.“ 
Applebloom cried. „Is mah sister wounded?“, she asked. It was at this cry Applejack turned her head. Spike gasped. 
Scootaloo asked: „Is AJ crying?“ 
The small dragon spotted the lines, the tears had made. They were still floating out of those emerald eyes, which had never watered in front of anyone. The farmer sighted and turned her head away. She pushed her hat deep in her face.
„What has happened?“, asked Sweetie Belle, „I do not understand this. Applejack usually cries on the inside. Now she is really crying tears.“ Worry painted itself on the faces of the three fillies. 
Rarity responded: „We do not know what is wrong with her. You must know, Hidden Spark showed herself and mocked us and when she left, AJ started crying.“
Spike slammed his paw against his own forehead. Oh, Jesus, Applejack, you have to clean the air. The dragon said: „AJ, you have to tell them. They deserve to know it. After all, even I had seen, what is going on between you and Twilight.“ Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Rainbow Dash shared confused glances.
Applejack slowly turned around. She took a deep breath and said: „Twilight and I are a couple.“ Everypony gasped immediatley. „W-what?“, stammered Applebloom in disbelief, „Scince when?“ 
Applejack lowered her head. „About half a year by now.“ 
Rarity walked to him and placed an hoof on the farmer's shoulder. „Now this explains a lot of your behaviour towards Twilight.“ 
Pinkie Pie called: „I knew it! Wait, what are we talking about?“ 
Rainbow Dash smirked and sang: „AJ and Twily, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!“ 
Applejack snorted amused, while Fluttershy smiled. „I am so happy for you.“ 
Spike chuckled. Had this confession been so difficult?
Fluttershy asked: „How did you even come here?“ She looked at the Cutie Mark Cursaders and Spike. 
„By sneaking in“, explained Scootaloo, „We came to rescue you.“ 
Rarity eyed the dresses for the first time very accurate. The clothes were a bit messed up by now, but they still looked good. „Sweetie, darling, those dresses look so nice. Have you made them?“, she asked. Sweetie Belle turned pink around her nose and nodded.
Applejack explained: „Even if you rescue us, what use could this have? Hidden Spark had already won.“ 
Spike pointed at the farmer with one claw as he declared: „I do not believe, what I am seeing. Is this the Applejack, I once sworn service to? Is this the Applejack, who has owned the heart of Twilight? AJ, you should have seen Hidden Spark at this festival. It would make you freak out. She is such a cruel, spoiled, heartless monster. You cannot give up now. You and the others are mabye the only chance to bring the real Twilight back to us. You have done it before by purifing Rarity. You are capable of doing it again. Besides, I doubt that Twilight would want you to give up.“
Applejack lowered her head once more. She became oddly silence. The other ponies waited. Spike hoped that his far-fetched speech had made an impact. Suddenley Applejack's head yerked upwards. She pushed her hat backwards to reveal determinded glowing emerald eyes. „Yah are right, Spike“, she said, „Ah owe Twilight this.“
„But how are we going to get rid off the chains?“, Pinkie Pie asked and waved her frontlegs, making the links rattle. 
Scootaloo stepped closer. She lifted Fluttershy's hooves and eyed the chains. „With a sharp shim one should be able to break them“, the pegasus said, „The links are not really thick and they are not fussed with one another.“
Rainbow Dash sounded impressed, when she asked: „How do you know this?“ 
Scootaloo smiled nervously and twitched her ears. „I have to repair my scooter from time to time“, she explained and blushed, „I know stuff like this.“ 
„Great!“, called Sweetie Belle and yerked her arms in the air, „And where do we find a sharp shim in here? The only thing I see are crystals, crystals and more crystals.“
Spike looked around. A few rather large crystalls stuck in a bloc in the wall. It looked like a disgusting ulcer, out which the sharp staffs grew. The dragon ran over the edges with his paw. „They are rather sharp and seem to be strong.“ He grabbed one of them with his claws and started to pull. Come on, get out! Spike pulled and pulled, but his efforts were in vain.
Applejack had watched the situation thoughtfully. Suddenley her eyes brightened. „Applebloom“, the farmer hissed, „Up, kick, straight.“ „Up, kick, what?“, repeated Rarity confused and scratched her mane. Belivered she looked at the orange mare. Applebloom first looked unsure, but then she walked to one of the crystals, turned around and kicked against it. Spike's jaw dropped. Now what is that for?
Applebloom eyed the crystal, who kept stucking in the stone. She gave Applejack a questioning look, who nodded encouraging and replied: „Try to get its weak spot, sis. Ah am sure, yah can do it.“ The yellow filly nodded, whirled around and started to kick against it. Again and again. They listened to the sound of the hooves, meeting the polish surface with a low clack. The crystal started to tremble. Suddenley there was a cracking sound and the gem broke like a branch. It landed on the ground like a pen.
Spike stood there, maw and eyes wide in amazement. And he felt quite embaressed. This is a joke, isn't it? I tried everything to get this crystal out of his place and Applebloom just managed to do so by kicking against it?! The dragon shook his head. While Applebloom broke more crystals out of the wall, he, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo used the crystal spears to crash the chains of the mane five.
Applejack slowly kicked the sockets from her ancles. The other four ponies grouped around him. Spike smiled brightly as the farmer said with a low, determinded tone in her voice: „Come, y'all. Let's find the exit of this caves. And save Twilight.“
	
> Too late?!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The shine of the fire danced over the crystals, making them look like frozen water. It showed the shadows of several ponies, who slowly made their way through the caves. Applejack had taken the lead again. Spike was sitting on his back. He had found a dry piece of wood, which with a blast of green fire he had transformed into a torch. 
The mane five had formed some kind of circle around the Cutie Mark Cursaders. They had all fallen silent. Applejack felt their glances, digging in her neck. Responsibility. A heavy burden on her shoulders. The farmer first had been scared of this burden, but now she was ready to take it. Not for herself, but for Twilight.
Whenever she closed her eyes the orange mare could see Hidden Spark, appearing on the crystal walls, mocking them with a satisfied grin. I will make her pay for that! Applejack's sorrow and sadness had been replaced with determination and cold fury. The fury, a leader had, who wanted to bring justice. The masses were a sea of evil, some parts were deeper, some were shallower. And some ponies built themselves floats of rules and hoped not to drown.
Applejack stopped as they reached a branch-off. Two crystalled tunnles, leading to who-knows-where. „Now what?“, asked Spike. It was clear, the dragon and the three fillies could not reconstruct the way they had come. They had come here down way too fast to perceive important landmarks.
Applejack turned her head around. Her friends looked at her, doubtfully and unsure. But Applebloom's glance staid safe and sure. Her younger sister believed in her. And the others did it as well. Applejack felt the trust, which cought them all in its strong web. Applejack breathed out and turned her head back to the branch-off. Left or right?
The mare looked at the first tunnle, then at the second one, then again at the first. Left or right? Which way, Applejack? Make your choice! She closed her eyes and sniffed in the air. The tunnle on the left smelled muggy, thick, dry and made her throat sore. The one on the right smelled nearly similiar, but there was a important difference: A fresh breeze, which caressed her nose and filled her nostrils with fresh air.
Bull's eye! Applejack's emerald eyes flashed open and a bright smile filled her lips. She once again turned her head towards her friends and nodded towards the right tunnle. Then she started to sprint. „Wow“, called Spike and snatched her mane with his claws to avoid falling down. The others ran after Applejack.
Their hooves thundered over the ground. Applejack felt the breeze grow stronger. The others seemed to notice it too for they sighted in relief and took deep breaths. Finalley the corridor opened in a large cave. Applejack looked around and soon found the source, through which the breeze came. A hole in the celling.
„There!“, called Applejack. The mane five and the Cutie Mark Cursaders carefully stepped towards the hole. It was high above them and the light of the moon caught itself in their fur. 
„Now what?“, asked Rarity, „How are we suppose to get up there? Not everypony has wings here.“ 
Applebloom looked around and asked: „How about we use this rock over there?“ 
Pinkie started: „Everypony, we could just.....“
At that moment Fluttershy turned pale and pointed forwards. „Ehm, guys“, she whimpered. Applejack turned her head around. She gulped. Out of the shadows came two very familiar figures. Two mares with wings and horns, which were directed at them. 
Celestia's and Luna's eyes glowed red in the darkness and with a sinister smile they whispered: „You aren't going anywhere.“
For a short moment the mane five stood there, rooted to the spot. Then they slowly started to back away. This is not good. Applejack gulped. She could not hope to stand against an Alicorn, leave out two. The Royal Sisters were infamous for their strong magical ability and the battles, they have fought. Compared to what they have faced in the past, the mane five must be a joke to them.
Celestia's horn started to glow golden. She yerked her head around and fired a glowing, almost white beam at the group. Applejack shouted: „Apart!“ and the ponies seperated immediatley by jumping into every possible direction. They screamed in terror and shock as the beam burned the ground, where they had been standing.
Applejack came to her feet. She checked the area. Rarity and Pinkie Pie stood on one side of the cave, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy on the other. Spike had been thrown off the farmer's back. Applejack spotted the Cutie Mark Cursaders, who looked around terrified.
„Spike, Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, take shelter!“, shouted Applejack.  Celestia rose to her hindlegs and fired a beam after the fleeing fillies. The farmer tackled her hindlegs in the desperate hope to distract Celestia from the fillies. As the mare whirled around Applejack was flung through the air and hit the wall with her head. Ouch! She was hurt a bit, but at least the Cutie Mark Cursaders and the baby dragon were safe now.
Rainbow Dash angrily hit her own hooves. „Looks like we have to do this the hard way“, she growled, before the pegasus spread her wings and dashed after Princess Luna. They hit one another in midair and rolled over the floor. Then the whole hell broke lose. The mane five dashed after the two royal Princesses.
Applejack and Rarity were fighting side by side. „Applejack, do you have any idea what we could do?“, asked the white unicorn and angrily avoided another beam. The two of them were surrounding Princess Celestia, performing fake attacks and tried their best to get closer to the Alicorn. But the Solar Princess kept fireing those enormous heat beams, which made it impossible for anypony to get closer then five feet.
Somewhere in the left Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were having a rather similiar fight with Princess Luna. The pegasus shot down and kicked at the blue mare. Luna shot beams and used her power of the winds to distract Rainbow. Pinkie on the other hand fired her party canon and caused some weird confusion in that way. Fluttershy was nowhere to be seen. She probably had curled herself up in a corner and avoided the whole fight out of fright.
Applejack panted and jumped over another beam. „Nope, Ah don't“, she confessed. 
Rarity angrily shouted: „Then please be a dear and come up with a plan! Fast, if that is not too difficult.“ 
Celestia roared and charged at them. Her horn was directed towards them. While Rarity jumped to the left, Applejack jumped over the Princess and landed on her back.
„Hyyyhhhaaaa!“, she called and wrapped her arms around Celestia's neck. Now that is what I call a rodeo! Applejack had attended the rodeos in Appleloosa several times and even won several blue strands. Therefore she knew, how to stay on the back of a crazy bull, who jumped around and tried everything to throw her off. Sadly Celestia was not like a bull and even worse.
Celestia rose to her hindlegs and even throw herself on the ground in an attempt to make Applejack fall of her back. The farmer greeted her teeth. Yah've got to try better, if yah wanna get rid of mah, Princess. She pressed her legs against Celestia's flanks and clunched into the long, rainbow coloured mane. Celestia snorted angrily and ran around in circles, buckeling over. The stone ground cracked underneath her hooves. Applejack could feel the coat getting wet from sweat and anger. Celestia's eyes flashed and she bared her teeth.
„Applejack, look out!“, shouted Rarity at this moment. 
„What?“, asked the orange mare. She turned her head around and gasped. Princess Celestia had turned her head backwards and her horn started to flare. A stinging, burning pain exploded in Applejack's eyes as she was almost blinded by the spell. The mare let go off the Princess' mane. One fast turn around and Applejack flew through the air and hit the ground with her chin.
Ouch, mah head! Applejack grunted and came to her feet. She rubbed with an hoof over her eyes. They still stinged and tiny white dots flashed in front of her view. Applejack blinked and winced. She turned her head around and her eyes wided. Oh, no! „Rarity!“, shouted the farmer. Too late! Celestia's energy beam hit the unicorn's horn already.
Rarity flew through the air and rolled over the ground. „Rarity!“ Worried Applejack sprinted in her direction. She had to duck under another one of Luna's spells. The Moon Princess and Rainbow Dash were chasing each other in the air, while Pinkie Pie tried to hit Luna with confetti from her party canon.
Rarity came to her hooves. She smiled and eyed her horn. A blue glow laid around it. „Now that is, what I call an advantage“, the mare said proudly and immediatley fired a beam after Celestia, who ran at them. Applejack turned around. We cannot really defeat them, she thought and bite her lips, They are stronger then us and we all will make a mistake sooner or later. We will have to tie them up.
Applejack's eyes flashed. „Rarity“, she said, „Ah need ropes. Thick, good ropes. Do yah think, you can make such?“
„Of course“, responded Rarity and her horn started to glow, „Just get the dear Princess out of my reach.“ 
„Eeyupp.“ Applejack sprinted towards Celestia and shouted: „Hey, sunbutt!“ The Alicorn whirled around and her dawncoloured eyes flashed. She whinnied, rose to her hindlegs and ran after her.
Great! Now she is after me and what am I gonna do about it? Applejack sprinted through the cave. She kicked a lose stone, which hit Celestia's face. The Princess panted in anger and whinnied once more. Her horn flashed and several bright white beams shot after Applejack. The farmer blinked as the light almost blinded her. She jumped around to avoid the spells.
Suddenley Applejack stumbled as she tried to jump over a beam, which almost hit her legs. The mare yelled in shock and rolled over the floor. Another spell crashed in her and she flung through the air. „Aaahhh!“, cried Applejack as she met the wall with her back. The farmer opened her eyes. She had several bruises and a blue ring around her eye. Her lips were bleeding.
Celestia was coming forwards. Her reddish eyes glowed and her sinister smile grew wider. „Gotcha!“, she breathed. Applejack gulped. She watched the horn of the Solar Princess starting to glow golden, preparing the spell to finish the wounded farmer.
„How dare you? HOW DARE YOU?!“ Applejack gasped. The voice, which she normally knew as something soft, quiet and timid, now was louder, sharper and clear. A flashing of yellow fur, then a small pegasus mare with a pink mane stood in front of her. Fluttershy's wings were spread, she was panting in short, angry gasps and her eyes were full of cold fury.
Her eyes started to widen and the glance turned firm, strict and angry. „Listen here, Missy“, Fluttershy said sharply and took a step forwards to the bewildered Celestia, „Just because you are an Alicorn does not mean you can abuse your magic like this. I know, you are a Princess and I owe you respect, but you will not, I repeat, WILL NOT hurt my friend! You have got that?“
Under Fluttershy's Stare and her sharp speech Princess Celestia seemed to collapse back upon herself. She ducked down and her reddish eyes filled with worry and sorrow. „But Mistress says, I must attack any intruder“, replied Celestia and sounded very sheepish. 
Fluttershy shook her head. „No, Princess“, she said and now a small smile curled her lips, „You don't have to do anything. You simply made a bad decision. Now be a good Princess and just sat down, so my friend Applejack can tie you up. She won't hurt you, I promise.“ The pegasus turned to the Earth Pony. „Am I right?“, she asked. 
Applejack mustered her biggest smile. „Sure.“
Rarity came to them at the moment and handed Applejack several ropes. „I hope, those are enough“, she adressed the farmer. Applejack already had placed one in her maw. She mumbled: „More then enough.“ Then the orange mare ran several circles around Celestia and carefully tied her up. One done, one to go.
Applejack grabbed the next rope. She looked around and spotted Rainbow Dash, who flew a sharp edge at that moment to avoid another hard spell. Applejack called: „Rainbow, get the Princess to me!“ 
„Got it!“, shouted the pegasus and panted as she flew a looping to escape another spell. She then shoot down. Luna furrowed her brow and followed at once.
Applejack pressed her hooves on the ground and prepared herself. Her eyes watched Rainbow Dash, who flew in her direction. Alright. Come closer. One... "Out of my way!" Her mane trembled as Rainbow shot over her. Luna was coming closer and closer. Her wings furiously bashed through the air. Two.... Applejack took  a step back and lowered her head. The shadow of the Princess fell on her. Three! The farmer jumped upwards and threw her lasso.
Luna gasped in surprise and shock as the loop nuzzled around her neck. Applejack grabbed the rope and pulled furiously. The noose closed and the Alicorn panted as she was dragged out of midair. Luna stumbled over her own feet. While she was puzzled, Applejack threw more ropes around her and started to tie her up in  a harder and sharper way then she had done Celestia.
Applejack carefully wiped down the sweat from her forehead. Good. Now this problem is solved. She turned around to the other ponies and the small dragon. „Is everypony alright?“, the farmer asked. They nodded. The Cutie Mark Cursaders looked a bit scared but also impressed. 
Spike whispered: „How you fought the two Princesses was amazing.“ 
Fluttershy breathed: „I wish, we weren't forced to do it. They are the Princesses after all. What if we get punished? What if they throw us in a dugeon? Or banish us? Or throw us in a dungeon in the place of our punishment?“ She made a fearfull squee and shivered.
Applejack softly placed an hoof on her back. „Calm down, sugarcube“, she said, „Ah am sure, this won't happen. They were hexed, they did not knew what they were doing. So everything will be fine.“ 
Rarity walked again to the hole in the cell. „Back to my last question:“, she complained unnerved, „How are we supposed to get up there?“ At that moment the mane four backed away in surprise as Pinkie Pie peeked her head through the hole. 
Rainbow called: „How did you get up there?“ 
The Earth Pony smiled brightly. „The stairs!“ She pointed at a staircase, crafted in stone, which lead towards the hole. „Silly.“

***

The mane five, Spike and the Cutie Mark Cursaders found themselves in a corridor, which leaded towards the great hall. Scootaloo said: „The sun rises.“ She pointed at a window. The sky shimmered orange near the ground and started to turn red. Applejack gasped. Her eyes went wide and she put her ears back. „This can't be good“, she whispered.
Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie turned around to look at the mare. The farmer broke free from her paralyse of fright. „We need to get into the great hall“, Applejack explained and started sprinting. The others followed. „Now!“

***

The sun's golden shine painted a frame of light around her body. Hidden Spark's horn glowed, while she slowly rose into the sky. It was difficult to raise the sun. It was not obeying her really well as if it knew, that another alicorn was forcing its magic at the very certain moment. But that did not matter. Those sun-loving fools saw what they wanted and due to her spell they did not even care that it was somepony else.
Hidden Spark had reached the highest point. She opened her eyes and looked at all those reddish eyes. The ponies rose to their hindlegs and cheered. The applauded and whistled. The dark alicorn carefully landed and basked in the glory and praise. She had closed her eyes and made a pose, showing her red hooves.
„Thank you, my little ponies“, Hidden Spark said and nodded, „Thank you.“ A smirk curled her lips for it was time to finish the last step of her plan. She had been waiting for this for such a long time. Her body trembled in eagerness, but she forced her joy down. The serpent eyes opened. „Remember this sunrise, little ponies“, Hidden Spark explained quietly and they all were caught in the web of her speech, „For it was your last. From this moment forth, the night will last forever!“
Lightnings danced around her as she threw her head back and laughed malicious. The sun fell down and darkness creeped over the horizon, through every slit. It swallowed everywhere's light. A tension laid on the place, an aura of depression and sadness. The hypnoticed ponies looked at her. No one spoke. Finalley they bent down as if Hidden Spark was a god, which needed to be praised.
Oh, this is just wonderful. Hidden Spark giggled. It was everything she had dreamed about, she had wished for. Her aim was fullfilled. Equestria was shattered in an eternal night and those ponies praised and loved her for it.
Hidden Spark slowly stepped towards the stairs, which leaded towards her throne. The impressive chair was in her back as the dark mare opened her wings and sang with sadistic joy and triumph:
„This feast has been just perfect.
The kind of feast of which I dreamed scince I was small.
I have caused an eternal night
and they all quiver with fright.
Who says, a nightmare force can't have it all!“
	
> One last stand
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

„Stop!“ Hidden Spark's head yerked upwards. The hypnoticed guests slowly turned around as if they were in a trance. The double door sprang open. Five ponies, three fillies and one baby dragon sprinted into the room and stopped. Hidden Spark gasped. Her eyes went wide and her maw dropped. But...but...that is impossible! Her shock did not last long. It faded away as quickly as snow in the summer sun and was replaced with hot fury.
Applejack called: „Everypony, you have to wake up! This is not Twilight Sparkle. You have been tricked. This is....“
„Silence!“, bellowed Hidden Spark sharply and rose to her hindlegs. She slammed her hooves on the ground in front of the throne. The mare's brow was furrowed. Her mane danced over her heavy breathing snout and salvia dropped from her long fangs.
The festival's guests looked from one opponent to the other. They all wore those blanc faces and reddish eyes. No one moved. The ponies seemed to wait for the next step. Hidden Spark demanded to know: „How did you escaped the Princesses?!“ 
The mane five shared amused glances. Pinkie Pie hopped around and laughed: „We tied them up.“ Oh my goodness! This simple idea is embaressing. Her cheeks flushed with heat.
Hidden Spark lowered her head. „How clever little ponies you are“, she sneekered. Her glance threw daggers at Applejack as she rested her eyes on her. The dark alicorn smiled mischievously. „Sadly you are too late!“, mocked Hidden Spark, „Equestria is already shattered in an eternal night. You have failed.“
Applejack furrowed her brow. She pushed her hat back. „Yes, we made the mistake to understimate you“, she said, „But that does not mean, we cannot fix it.“ She took a step forwards. 
Rainbow Dash cheered: „Go for it, AJ!“
„We have faced you already twice before, Nightmare“, the farmer explained and a deep self assurance laid in her voice, „And we defeated you both times. We have been able to purify Princess Luna and Rarity. We will be able to do the same again with Twilight.“ She looked over all those hypnoticed ponies and said: „What is the purpose of darkness if there is no light to shine the way, you are going?“
How senitmental! Those words were like thick sugar for her ears. Very sweet, but extremley unhealthy and pointless. Hidden Spark stepped forwards and rolled her eyes. „What a lovley, but absolutley ridicolous sentiment“, she sneered, „You can save your breath. Your philosophy won't work with me. Do you really think, that simple words will bring your oh so beloved Twilight back? You are even a greater fool then I thought!“
Hidden Spark's horn flared red. The guards snapped out of their frozen position. They took their spears and slowly started to form a circle around the mane five, coming closer and closer. The friends immediately closed ranks. „Oh, come on!“, shouted Rainbow Dash, „Seriously?! Compared to the Princesses the guards will be easy-peasy!“
I wouldn't make that bet. Hidden Spark smirked. Her horn glowed once more. The guards shouted a cry of war and charged forwards. Immediatley the mane five were lost under a mass of white bodies in golden armour. One could hear angry screams and saw several fast movements. Applejack and Rarity were again fighting side by side.
Because the unicorn had no longer the barrier on her horn, she could use her magic more effectivley on the opponents. Applejack kicked and slapped her way through the guards, which fell down like leaves. It was surprising how strong the mare was. Perhabs the farmer could even break another pony's bone with one kick.
Every now and then one could hear a loud poof, followed by confetti, which rained down on the unconscious guard. Pinkie Pie had somehow managed to drag her party canon even into the great hall. And now she turned this fight into some weird party. Fluttershy had ducked down and seemed to hope, nopony saw her worthy to attack.
Hidden Spark crunched her teeth. She watched the fight and a vein on her neck started to swell with anger. The mane five were strong, because they worked as a team. Even the guards were many and had surrounded the tiny group, Applejack and her friends were able to break free. „Over there!“, shouted Hidden Spark, „Over there! Over there!“ She pointed at the fighting ponies, but the guards never were able to defeat them.
Aaarrrrghhhh, I could just scream! Hidden Spark pressed her hooves against her head. The fools, the idiots! They were not even able to get rid of a bunch of fillies. But on the other hand, Hidden Spark had believed, that the Princesses were more then enough to keep Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie in the Canterlot Caves. And she had been wrong. „I am surrounded by idiots!“, shouted Hidden Spark and rose to her hindlegs. Thunder broke free and the loud noise made everypony look up. Even the guards stopped fighting. Memo to myself: Never let a foal doing a mare's job!
Hidden Spark jumped down from the throne podest and landed in front of the mane five. She bared her teeth and hissed: „That's it! I am going to deal with you myself!“ And this time I won't show any mercy! Her horn flared red once more, became brighter and brighter, until she let out an enermous beam.
The mane five screamed and jumped aside, trying to take cover. A large hole burned itself into the carpet. Applejack and Rainbow Dash somehow had managed to get under a table. Hidden Spark looked around and slowly creeped through the room. Her head was lowered and her wings folded. Her serpent eyes gleemed.
„Come out, come out“, she whispered, „Come out, you little foals.“ Her ears twitched as she heard Rainbow Dash, asking Applejack something. The mare turned around. 
The blue pegasus nodded. „On it“, she said and spreaded her wings. What are you plotting, pegasus? Anxiously Hidden Spark stopped.
With a dash of rainbow the blue pegasus shot out of the table. Hidden Spark stumbled backwards and yerked her head upwards. Rainbow Dash was flying higher and higher, until she almost touched the celling. Oh no, you don't!, Hidden Spark thought as she watched the mare shooting down, her hooves were directed at her. Obviously Rainbow Dash wanted to pin her on the ground.
Hidden Spark bared her teeth and got into a charging position. Her serpent eyes glittered, while she watched the pegasus, flying in her direction, her wings bashing through the air. The dark alicorn's horn started to glow. Purple lightnings creeped over it like elecricity. Then suddenley Hidden Spark fired a strange, twisted, lightning shaped beam after Rainbow Dash. She hit the pegasus in mid-air.
Rainbow Dash's scream cut through the air like a dagger of sound. The pegaus winced in pain and buckled over. Her wings flept around without any controll, her face was a grimace of pure agony, she showed her teeth and pressed her hooves against her belly, while her hindlegs kicked around. Her screams were long, loud and shrill. Full of agony.
Hidden Spark laughed. Her eyes gleemed and she felt sadistic joy, running through her veins as she watched the struggeling pegasus. Delight painted itself on her face. It was so wonderful to see Rainbow Dash, buckeling over, screaming and howling like an animal, which got skinned. She deserves that. And her friends as well.
At that moment something hit her flank. Hidden Spark gasped in shock. Her spell was been thorn appart and Rainbow Dash hit the ground like a doll. She laid there, groaning and sighting in relief. Hidden Spark herself was flung through the air. Somepony had cletched itself around her and they rolled over the ground.
Finalley Hidden Spark came to an halt. She laid on her back, above her stood an orange mare with emerald, worried eyes and a hat. Her eyes narrowed disdainfully. „You!“, Hidden Spark hissed at Applejack. I should have taken her off first! Apparantley Applejack was the glue, that kept this group together. If she had been imprisoned somewhere else or even killed, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash had abandoned all their hope and would have staid in the Canterlot Caves.
Furiously the alicorn hit the farmer in the stomach with her hooves. Applejack gasped in shock and hit the ground with her chin. The mane four gasped. The festival guests formed a circle, so the farmer could not flee. Hidden Spark fired another beam and nearly hit the farmer. Applejack gasped and panted in shock. The curse had hit a chair and turned it into tiny flakes of ash.
Applejack turned around. Hidden Spark bared her teeth furiously. Her eyes gleemed. Clouds started to swirl above the orange mare. Thunder cracked and lightnings caressed the fabric. Then several bolts dashed down. Applejack howled in pain and jumped out of the storm. Several strands of burned fur could be seen.
„Fight back!“, shouted Hidden Spark and once again charged at her. She hit the farmer with her chest and tossed her around the room. Applejack flew around and rolled on the ground. Her emerald eyes looked at the dark alicorn. Love. It was deep in her glance. And so much sadness. But no hate, no anger. Just love. „Fight back!“, repeated Hidden Spark and fired another beam. She blow off Applejack's hat, which landed softly on the ground behind her, „Why won't you fight back?!“
Applejack explained: „Because I won't harm you, Hidden Spark. I don't want to fight you. I know, Twilight is still in there. Twi, you just have to find yourself. Fight back! I know, you can do it.“ Her voice was quiet, soft and friendly. Not firm, but also not desperate. More confident. The alicorn shot forwards and snatched Applejack by her neck.
The other ponies shouted in shock and terror as the dark mare angrily slammed her teeth into the flesh of her head. Viciously Hidden Spark pulled her head around, yerked it from side to side. The orange farmer screamed. Tears floated out of her eyes. She rose to her hindlegs in a desperate try to escape the pain in her head. Hidden Spark growled once more and turned her head around. With a terrible ease she flunged Applejack around the hall.
The farmer hit the ground. Blood splittered around and the drops traveled a long distance, painting red lines on the floor. Applejack rolled on her side. Her eyes had been closed due to the pain. Now she slowly opened them. Hidden Spark stood above her and grinned evilly. She was certain, Applejack would die. She could not survive. Not with these wounds.
A dark, reddish hole was on the backside of her head. Blood ran down her neck and wetted her mane. She had a scratch on her nose and left eye. Thine red lines traveled over her nostrils and the corner of her mouth. Applejack flinched as she lifted her head carefully and gazed upon Hidden Spark. She choked blood as her voice came out of her lips, weak and trembling from pain: „What have you done, sugarcube?“
„Applejack?“ Hidden Spark's eyes widened. And with them something deep down inside of her mind. It was as if the world was taking a deep breath and time stopped. Something spread out of her mind. Pictures and words. They brusted out of Hidden Spark's mind like water out of dry sand in a dessert. And with them someone started to moved, someone Hidden Spark thought had finally given up the fight and went back to sleep.

***

„It looks good on yah as well.“ Applejack smiled as she watched Twilight. The purple alicorn was sitting on a chair and looked at her own reflection. She was wearing the farmer's cowboy hat. It laid behind her horn and softly touched her mane. Twilight turned her face around and checked it from every angle. „You think so?“, the purple mare asked. Applejack laughed. „Positive, sugarcube.“

***

It was a warm summer evening. Flies swarmed around. The wind rustled in the leaves of an old oak. Applejack laid next to its roots. Behind her stood a basket with freshly bucked apples. Twilight nestled in her side. The farmer had closed her eyes and chewed on a strand of hey. The princess herself was sleeping, enjoying the warmth of Applejack's body and feeling perfectly safe.

***

„You will like this story about Daring Do, AJ.“ Twilight softly dropped the book and opened it. Applejack laid down beside her. While the purple mare laid an hoof on the farmer's leg, she explained: „Daring goes into the plains this time.“ Applejack lifted a brow at the touch, but then she smiled and the two rested their eyes on the book and began to read.

***

More memories emerged on the surface. Memories of Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Spike. Of Celestia and Luna. Of the Cutie Mark Cursaders. Of all those things, Twilight loved. Applejack is right, Hidden Spark. I just had to find myself back inside me. Our friendship is stronger then you. As long as it remains, there is no obstacle, we cannot overcome, no enemey, we cannot defeat. With the magic of friendship, we can face every challenge. You are weak. Because you do not know this magic...and I feel sorry for you.
Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Rarity have rushed towards Applejack. They all eyed the wound and worry eclipsed their faces. The farmer was breathing in a fast and quiet wheeze. Her breast went up and down. She seemed to have lost conscious. It was Rarity, who lifted her head and spotted the change in Hidden Spark. „Look!“, she called and the others looked up as well.
Hidden Spark was floating a few feeth above the ground. Her eyes were closed and her head yerked backwards. Her mane and tail danced around her. Black smoke burled up and swirled around her. And in all this dark smoke there was a bright, violet light, which surrounded a purple mare with wings, horn and a star among five smaller for a Cutie Mark. „TWILIGHT!“ The cry of her friends was full of joy and relief. Never before the youngest Princess had been so happy to hear them.
Twilight felt the grip around her loosing off. Hidden Spark was screaming in anger. The smoke slowly transformed itself into a winged, shadowy alicorn with cyan eyes. The nightmare force rose her head, howled one last time with bared teeths, before she vanished, swallowed by what she had tried to defeat: the light.
Slowly Twilight Sparkle landed on the ground. Her knees became weak and she fall down. The mare shuddered. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash rushed towards her and hugged her, burrying her under a peal of bodies. „Twilight!“, they shouted, „You are back.“ 
„Girls, please.“ Twilight fought herself free. „AJ!“, she shouted as she spotted the farmer, laying on the ground.
Her hooves thundered over the marble stone as she sprinted to him. Twilight fell on her knees and wrapped her arms around Applejack's neck, pushing her on her lap. Salty tears rained down her cheeks and she whimpered: „I am so sorry! This is my faulth. Applejack, forgive me, please! I am so, so very sorry.“ 
Her friend's emerald eyes opened. Applejack smiled weakly. „It's alright, sugarcube“, she whispered, „Having you back is everything I have hoped for.“
Twilight laughed weakly and pressed her snout against Applejack's head. „I love you“, she whispered and kissed her forehead. 
The farmer replied: „I love you more, Twi.“ 
Twilight smiled sadly. „I love you most.“ 
They were interrupted by a high-pitched cry. Pinkie Pie was sitting there, tears rained out of her eyes. „Oh my god!“, she whined, „This is soooo cute.“ The earth pony grabbed a napkin and sneezed into it, while she kept crying. Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash too seemed to be attatched by this situation.
Suddenley golden light flashed above them. „Twilight Sparkle!“ The calm voice was firm and furious. Twilight looked up and slowly sank on the ground. Gleeming like the sun Princess Celestia was flying above them. Her eyes were narrowed. The Solar Princess closed them and with another enermous flash of white light freed every guest from Hidden Spark's mind-controlling spell.
„Oh, shit“, whispered Rainbow Dash as with a low thunder of her hooves Princess Celestia landed in front of them. Her eyes seemed to root Twilight to the spot. Disappointment and anger laid in them. Without any greeting or friendly advice Celestia said three words: „My office. Now!“ Then with a strong flap of her majestic wings the Princess flew out of the room.
Twilight dropped her head on the ground and sighted. She closed her eyes and put her ears back. Oh, what have I done? She could understand that Celestia was angry. She had every right to be. After all Twilight had attacked her and threaten the kingdom with an eternal night. Her mentor had been angry with her before, but there here crimes had not been as worse. Now she would get punished, that was for sure.
Twilight came to her feet. She looked at her friends. „Goodbey, girls“, whispered the purple alicorn as she slowly made her way towards the exit, „If you care to visit, I will be in the Canterlot dungeons. Or even on the moon.“ The mane five gasped in shock and looked at her. Nopony spoke a word. Twilight sighted, lowered her head and trotted through the double winged door. 

***

„But I let myself corrupt by dark magic!“ Twilight was sitting in the office on the ground. Several shelves surrounded them and there was a large table, full of parchment rolls at the window. Celestia and Luna were both standing in front of it. Their calm, emotionless eyes rested on the purple alicorn, which was lowering her head and stamped her hoof on the ground. Twilight had never looked more miserable.
The mare stammered: „Out of all ponies this has to happen to me! I am sorry. I failed you. I tried to attack you. I tried to shatter Equestria in an eternal night. I got curropted by this force! How could I let this happen. I am a bad student! I am a failure!“ Twilight whined and lowered her head. She whispered: „If you want to punish me or send me to the moon, go ahead. I know, that I deserve it.“
Celestia and Luna shared a glance. What were they thinking? Were they mentally discussing which punishment was the best for her? Twilight did not knew. She tried to imagine, how it was to live on the moon. Always picture the worst case scenario first! It had become an habit with her paranoia. Together with the all so familiar question „What could possibly go wrong now?“ or in other words „It can't get any worse“-situations. So it was natural that Twilight pictured this punishment first. After all Nightmare Moon had been sent to the moon for her crimes. So why should Celestia make any difference?
Finalley Celestia rose her voice: „You are a great student, Twilight Sparkle.“ 
„But I....!“, stammered the purple alicorn in protest. 
Her mentor lifted an hoof to silence her. „As you have stated it yourself, you had been corrupted. Those crimes were not yours, but Hidden Spark's.“ 
Luna added: „My sister has forgiven me for my time as Nightmare Moon. So why on earth should we....?“
They were interrupted as the door went open with a loud bam and the mane five stormed inside, leaded by Pinkie Pie, who shouted: „Wait!“ With two jumps she landed in front of Celestia and added: „You cannot punish her!“ 
„It wasn't her faulth!“, added Rainbow Dash hastly. 
Fluttershy sat down besides the Princesses and lowered her head as she asked in her shy manners: „Please, your highness.“
Celestia blinked. She again looked at Luna. They both seemed to be surprised by this sudden act. Finalley the Solar Princess said: „I am listening.“ 
Pinkie Pie started: „We all knew that something was off about Twilight.“ 
Rainbow Dash added: „And of course we told her to get help. Spike told me, he even asked her to write a letter to you.“ 
Applejack went on: „But when Twilight told us, that she was alright, not a single one of us cared to inform you. Despite seeing how much Twilight suffered from her disease.“ 
Rarity finished the explanation: „As Twilight's good friends, we should have taken her status seriously and informed you, despite the fact, that she probably did not want it. Then all of this could have been prevented.“ 
Fluttershy whispered: „Please do not throw her in a dungeon or send her to the moon, because it was us, you should blame, and not her.“ 
Celestia smiled. „I am not blaming anyone, my little ponies“, she said, „But I see, you all learned a valueable lesson during this tragic adventure. As my sister was about to say: Just like Luna, Twilight had not been at safe mind during her time as Hidden Spark. I have shown mercy once already. It would be foolish to did not do it twice.“
Her shadow fell on Twilight and the alicorn looked up. She slowly came to her feet. Celestia explained: „I won't punish you for what you have done. But I think, you will know be quite busy.“ The mare flew over them and opened the door. The mane six turned around. 
„Busy?“, repeated Twilight confused. 
The two royal sisters looked at one another. Celestia chuckled. „After all, Twilight“, she said with an amused tone, „You have got a true Summer Sun Celebration to prepare.“
Twilight laughed and hugged her friends in a big group embrance. Her violet eyes shimmered in joy. „You can count on us, your Majesty!“
	
> Epilogue: The Summer Sun Celebration
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Applejack had no idea, how they managed to prepare the Summer Sun Celebration within one day. Thanks to Twilight's organication skills, the mane six had worked furiously as if there was no tomorrow. The farmer and Pinkie Pie had finished the buffet, which had used more baskets of apples then Applejack wanted to count. Fluttershy had helped Rarity with her dresses and cleaned up the decoration with Pinkie Pie.
Now whole Ponyville was standing in the mayor's house. Candles glowed in the darkness. The warm, orange light showed several bows of velvet, sticking on the balconery, sims and columns. Red, blue, violet, yellow, orange, green. They were working perfectly together and celebrated the life.
Applejack's eyes rested on Mayor Mare, who stood in front of the balconery. The light of a lamp shone on her brown fur and her greyisch mane was cleaned. She even was wearing a bow tie, which suited her perfectly. „Fillies and gentlecolts“, called Mayor Mare and looked at everyone, „It is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the real Summer Sun Celebration.“ The ponies sheered and laughed at one another.
„In just a few moments our town will witness the magic of the lowering of the moon and the raising of the sun.“ With a fast movement of her hoof, Mayor Mare pointed at the windows, which gleemed in the darkness like a pair of eyes. „And now it is my honour to present you the rulers of our land. The two sisters, who give us night and day, the bringers of harmony, the good, the wise, the brave, the loyal, the great Royal Sisters: Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.“
Fluttershy gave her birds a wink and they started to whistle a triumphic melodie. Celestia and Luna slowly stepped out of the balconery. Applejack whistled and poked Rarity in the side. „Good dresses“, she whispered. 
Celestia was wearing a long, red dress, which made a nice colour gradient from yellow, to orange, to red. Rarity had added a long, shimmering scarf, which laid over the Solar Princess' back as if the sun itself had made the fabric for it. Firerubies, tiger's-eyes and yade shimmered on the dress in small dots. Princess Celestia was wearing her crown and a pair of golden boots.
Luna's dress seemed to be a piece of nightsky itself. It was black as inc, but on the edge laid a colour gradient from black, to violet, to blue. Thousands of silver shimmering lines were forming stars and constellations, which followed the Moon Princess' movement. On her collar was a line of amethyst.
Applejack shot a short glance at Rarity. She seemed really proud. The farmer smirked. She looked up at the two Princesses, who looked at one another, before Celestia adressed the crowd: „Citizens of Ponyville, we are gathered here together to celebrate the Summer Sun Celebration as a sign of the defeat of Nightmare Moon, a sign of the return of my beloved sister Princess Luna and now in this case as a sign of the light of friendship, which cannot be killed. Even by complete darkness.“
Celestia lifted her head and declared proudly: „Fillies and gentlecolts, my student Twilight Sparkle has suffered a terrible fate. But thanks to her friends, she has survived it. Therefore I now would like to welcome her, the Princess of Friendship, by my side. And to the good-will of all moral hearts, bear no ill-will against my student for she was not herself at that time.“
Celestia bowed shortly and stepped aside. Twilight carefully walked out of her hidden corner. Applejack's maw dropped. Rarity, you exelled yourself! Twilight was wearing a long, beautiful, rippeling and sparkeling dress, made out of purple velvet. Just like the dresses of the royal sisters, it had a colour gradient: From dark inc violet, to purple, to red, to pink and to a flaming orange. It was as if Rarity had did her best to catch the impression of the sky during the time, where the day died and the night began. Twilight was wearing a few, purple ribbons in her mane, which were decorated with small, violet stones.
Twilight stopped. Applejack could see the unease in her movements as she waved and smiled shyly. The purple alicorn had not forgotten, what she had done towards her nation as Hidden Spark. She was begging for forgiveness and was not sure, how her own kind would react to her. Applejack winked as Twilight's glance grazed her. Stay brave, sugarcube! This is over now.
Twilight dropped her hoof and looked at Celestia, who once again rose her voice to speak: „That Twilight is standing here besides me, is a true miracle. Therefor we are gathered here to honour the heorism of five ponies, who have once again proven their true friendship, freeing Twilight from Hidden Spark's toxic influence and saved Equestria from an eternal night.“
The mane five carefully stepped forwards. Applejack pushed her hat in a better position, while she looked around. The citizens cheered and clapped ther hooves. But as Celestia rose one hoof, the cheer died down. The Solar Princess explained: „But those ponies could have never done their great act, if they were not saved by three young fillies and one small dragon. I would like to give Ms Sweetie Belle, Ms Applebloom, Ms Scootaloo and Mr Spike an honourable mention for their bravery had proven: We all can make a difference to change our fates. Even if that difference is small.“
Someone, who stood outside, might have thought a bomb had exploded in the mayor house, because the noises now became even louder. Applejack looked at her younger sister. The three Cutiemark Cursaders seemed to be speechless. They just looked around in awe and surprise as thousands of ponies cheered their name and praised their act. Spike too looked rather nervous.
The mane five wore big smiles on their faces as they too rose their hooves and clapped. Applejack caught Applebloom's glance. „Good job, lil' sis“, she said. The yellow filly smiled shortly and turned red around her nose in embarassment and joy. The three fillies looked at one another and seemed to enjoy their honourable mention even more then the mane six had theirs. One day, little sister, you three will become heros in your own right. Ah am sure of that. And yah have made a small step forwards.
Applejack turned her head back towards the balconery. The cheer and claps died down and the audience rested their attention on the two Princesses. Luna sighted low, before she jumped upwards. Her wings softly moved back and fort. Her horn started to glow blue. Through the windows the ponies watched the change of the sky's colour. The dark turned violet, then red, then pink.
When it had this dye Celestia slowly rose into the sky as well. Spread wings and closed eyes. Both Princesses staid there as sun and moon met on an equal basis. The celestial bodies seemed to form a line. Applejack watched Twilight, who suddenley flew forwards. It looked as if she was jumping through the lack between sun and moon. A flash of purple light, shaped like a star, filled the room. 
The mane five closed their eyes and smiled. As Applejack opened them again, she saw Twilight landing next to Luna. Princess Celestia flew higher and higher, until the sun had reached its final position. The bright light filled everything. The Solar Princess landed on the ground. The ponies cheered and clapped in awe and joy.
Applejack looked at Twilight and winked, smiling. Her friend and lover responded the small sign, before she gave them a nod to came on the balconery. The mane five did it. Applejack snuggled against Twilight, who rose her voice and started to sing:
„Day in Equestria shimmers.
Day in Equestria shines.
And I know for absolute certain
that everything is certainly fine.“
The mane six looked at one another and all made a wonderful chorus as they not just praised the Princesses, but everyone in the room:
„Life in Equestria shimmers.
Life in Equestria shines!
And I know for absolute certain
that everything, that everying,
yes everything is certainly fine.“
Twilight hugged Applejack and kissed her on the lips. Green emerald eyes locked with violet amethyst. The alicorn smiled. „Yes, everything is going to be just fine“, whispered Twilight and Applejack pulled her best friend into a hug. „Ya're right, sugarcube. Oh yes, you are.“