It has been a few years since Twilight and her friends had given up the Elements of Harmony. They have been through so many adventures together with or without the Elements. Twilight knew even without the Elements, she and her friends would be able to come over whatever was thrown at them. Or so she thought...
I have made a group to post stuff related to this story, but I'm still working on building it up. If you would like to go ahead and join, feel free.
As many of you know, music can make a big impact in people's lives, including mine, so I want to share with you my inspiration list. (not all of it is complete yet)
Twilight and her friends lounged around the picnic blanket, chatting and having fun like always. It had been a few years since they had given The Elements Of Harmony back to the Tree of Harmony, and their friendship was as strong as ever.
A familiar call drew Twilight’s attention, Twilight looked over, finding Cadence flying toward them. She smiled as she got up to greet her sister-in-law.
"I'm sorry to drop in like this Twilight," Cadence said. "But, Shining Armor and I need to go to a meeting and we need someone to watch Flurry Heart while we’re away."
Twilight's smile grew even more. "I would love to spend some time with my niece!" She said happily.
Cadence smiled and thanked her as she took off. "I'll drop her off this afternoon before we have to leave!" Cadence yelled, flying off.
Luckily, the picnic was just about over anyway so Twilight helped clean up before returning home.
---
Pinkie Pie was helping Twilight set up a room for Flurry Heart. They had decorated it with all types of things they thought a foal would find fun. As they worked, Twilight heard a knock on her door, she excused herself and went down to answer the door. She smiled when she found Cadence standing there levitating Flurry Heart's bag and holding her foal in her baby carrier, asleep.
Twilight welcomed Cadence in and carefully pulled Flurry out of the baby carrier. Noticing the movement, she opened her eyes slightly. When she saw her aunt's face there she let out a coo and reached out her hooves. She was old enough to almost communicate properly, so she would babble "Autii." Twilight smiled and brought her close. Flurry Heart poked her face a little, but she didn't mind.
Flurry noticed Pinkie Pie standing in the entryway and reached out for her. Pinkie skipped over and tickled her before walking out the door. Flurry Heart let out a soft whine.
Cadence leaned over to kiss Flurry Heart on her forehead. She shut the door behind her after saying her goodbyes. Twilight then set her down on the floor to explore a little bit, but she only whimpered. Flurry Heart looked around with curiosity, looking for the pink pony. When she couldn't find her she began bawling her eyes out.
Twilight picked her up, unsure what to do.
"What's wrong, Flurry?" Twilight asked. "Are you hungry?"
Flurry only wailed more.
"Need a diaper change?" Twilight sniffed her diaper. Clean. "I'm sure you're not tired, you just woke up..."
Flurry Heart only continued her whining. Twilight walked over to the room she set up for Flurry Heart, showing her the toys that were in the room. Flurry looked at them a moment but continued her whining.
Flurry Heart noticed a picture of Twilight's friends and pointed, trying to say the name. Twilight, trying to understand, only looked at Flurry, confused as she tried to speak.
"You wanna see the photo?" Twilight asked, picking her up. She walked over to the photo.
Flurry continued pointing at the photo.
"P... p..." Flurry stuttered.
"You want something, Flurry?"
"P... p... p..."
Twilight would summon things she thought she wanted, but only to find Flurry Heart stuttering the same thing.
"P... Pin... Pinkie..." Twilight looked at her niece, unsure if she was hearing her right. "Pinkie..." Flurry Heart pointed to Pinkie Pie in the photo, moving her hoof pointing to the others. "... Apjack... Warity... a shy... Dash..."
Twilight smiled at her niece.
"Twiwight."
Flurry pointed at Pinkie Pie again.
"Pinkie..."
Twilight thought for a moment. "You want to go see Pinkie?" She asked.
"Pinkie!" Flurry put her hooves in the air. Twilight laughed as she walked out to get ready for a trip out to Sugarcube Corner.
---
Flurry Heart giggled as she played with Pinkie Pie. Pinkie would make silly faces and play games with her. Rarity sat quietly at her throne, sewing up Flurry's blanket that had a small rip. Rainbow Dash and Applejack brought in some apples. Fluttershy was in the kitchen with Twilight helping her cook up some pie.
Rainbow Dash set the apples in the kitchen. She then looked around the room.
"Where's Spike?" She asked.
"He's upstairs taking a nap," Twilight answered.
Rainbow walked over to go and sit with her friends in the other room with Flurry Heart, while Applejack began slicing a few apples for Flurry Heart.
Twilight could hear the giggles from her friends in the other room.
Flurry was hugging her stuffed animal. It belonged to her mother when she was a foal. She gave it a tight hug, causing the head to pop off. She stared at the head before whining as tears welled up in her eyes. Fluttershy quickly flew over to Flurry Heart and picked her up in her hooves cradling her. She handed her another one, calming her down.
Twilight could hear snickering from Pinkie and Rainbow. She ignored them and got back to her work. She opened her cabinet, a bucket of water pouring onto her coat and mane. She stood there for a moment as Pinkie and Rainbow burst out laughing. Twilight, getting an idea, walked over to her friends. Flurry Heart stared at her aunt confused. Pinkie and Rainbow only watched her as she walked closer. Suddenly Twilight summoned a water balloon and threw it at them. They stood there motionless, all three now soaked.
Rarity tried her best not to laugh. Twilight gave a devious smile and Pinkie burst out laughing, along with Rainbow Dash and the others. Flurry Heart giggled too.
While they calmed down, there was a knock on the door. Twilight went to open it and found Cadence standing there once again, she stared at Twilight for a moment, confused as to why she was soaking wet. Flurry Heart cooed when she saw her mother and made her way to her, reaching out her hooves. Cadence grabbed her and thanked Twilight for watching her before taking off.
Strange... Twilight thought. She dismissed it and went back inside, Cadence was probably just tired from the meeting. She was getting ready for a sleepover with her friends.
"Don't even think about it, Pinkie," Twilight called out, knowing that her friend was behind her with a leftover water balloon. Pinkie let out a soft giggle.
Twilight greeted everypony as they walked in and helped them set up their beds in the throne room. When they finished, it had become night and the throne room felt like a library jungle. Twilight wanted the rest of her friends to have a similar experience to that of her first sleepover with Applejack and Rarity, relive the memory.
Twilight had made some refreshments for her friends. She set up the drinks, Apple cider, sasparilla, and punch, as well as the snacks, apples, candy, and chocolate among all her friends’ favorites. Finally, she joined her friends in Truth or Dare.
“Twilight!” Pinkie began. “Truth, or dare?”
Twilight put a hoof to her chin. “Truth.”
“What's the most ridiculous thing you ever said to someone you liked?”
Twilight gave Pinkie a surprised look.
“Well…” Twilight said, rubbing the back of her neck. “I may or may not have had a little too much to drink on my last date with Flash… and, well… I may or may not have recited the entire dictionary… from memory… as a song.”
All of her friends went silent for a moment before bursting into laughter. Twilight let out a giggle as well. Then it was Twilight’s turn to choose.
“How about you Rainbow? Truth, or dare?”
Rainbow Dash smiled. “Dare, of course!”
“I dare you to wear a frilly pink princess dress for the rest of the game.”
Rainbow Dash looked at her friend in mock horror. “What?! No way!”
Pinkie let out a gasp as Rarity and Applejack hid their laughter.
“You have to, it’s in the rules.” Says Applejack.
Rainbow just glared at her friend as Pinkie Pie dashed away and back with a dress for Rainbow Dash. Rainbow snatched the dress from Pinkie and walked out of the room to change. When she returned, Rarity and Applejack couldn’t contain their laughter any longer. Everypony else joined in. Rainbow only growled.
“Rarity,” Rainbow said. “Truth or dare?”
“Oh, why not? Dare.” Rarity shrugged.
Rainbow dash’s face grew a devilish smile. “I dare you to do the not my hooves challenge with me as your hooves.”
Rarity reluctantly agreed and allowed Rainbow to sit behind her and do her makeup after she had removed what she came in. Rainbow of course did a terrible job and everyone had a great time.
Rarity then dared Applejack to kiss Rainbow, which caused the cowpony to blush to the tips of her hooves.
Applejack then dared Pinkie to hold as many cookies in her mouth as she could. Rainbow Dash wanted to join in, up for a challenge. Pinkie managed to hold twenty cookies, Rainbow Dash almost beat her, with 19 but she squeezed an extra in. Truth or dare spiraled into everypony trying to beat the high score. Or suffer the consequences, said consequence being getting the punch dumped over your head. Fluttershy held the current record of eating 10 muffins in a minute. Rarity tried to beat it, but only ate nine.
Rainbow and Applejack grabbed the punch.
"Maybe we shouldn't pour the punch after all!" Rarity said, trying to get out of getting a drink in her mane. She backed up against one of the walls in fear.
Rarity let out a shriek when she felt something wet pour on her.
Pinkie burst out laughing, holding a bucket of warm water above her.
"We would never pour punch on you Rarity!" Pinkie giggled.
"You should have seen the look on your face!" Rainbow laughed.
Rarity's face went red. She levitated the fruit punch and chased Pinkie Pie, who just squealed and ran around the room until the punch poured onto her coat. She stood still for a moment, but then let out a giggle. She was on the ground kicking her legs, eventually hitting a pillow, causing it to fly into the air and hit Rarity right in the face. Rarity looked at the smiling blushing Pinkie Pie, chuckling nervously.
"Oh, it is on!" Rarity uttered lifting a pillow and chasing Pinkie once more.
[center---Pinkie Pie hid behind her throne, trying to hide from the attackers. She peeked up a little, then went back down to ready her weapon. She turned to Applejack with a huge smile on her face. Applejack let out a soft giggle.
Twilight and the others were hiding too. They decided to go into three teams. Earth, Magic, and Pegasus.
Pinkie Pie snuck her way over to Team Unicorn's territory, sneaking behind Twilight. Before she could attempt her attack, Twilight burst a pillow in Pinkie's face, making a gun firing noise.
"I've been hit!" Pinkie yelled dramatically, "Avenge me!" She plopped onto the floor. "Avenge me Applejack!"
Applejack rolled her eyes and attempted to hit Rarity and Rainbow Dash. the two of them teamed up to attack Applejack. Then Twilight kamikaze’d with ten pillows at once, filling the throne room with feathers.
They all fell to the floor laughing, everyone's manes filled with feathers. Pinkie Pie tied pillows all around herself and stood on top of her throne's armrest.
"Cannonball!!!" She yelled.
Everypony screamed and dodged, scattering out of the way. Pinkie let out a giggle, the rest of them laughing right alongside her.
"Oh, Pinkie!" Twilight laughed.
Out of the whole group, Pinkie was by far the most random pony.
"Pillow fight, check!" Twilight giggled, checking off a box in her book, "looks like next on the list is..."
Rarity took a look at the list. A smile grew on her face. Twilight and Rarity stared at Spike and Rainbow Dash.
"Makeovers." Twilight finished with a devilish grin.
---
Twilight giggled when she saw Rainbow Dash with her mane in curlers.
"I never agreed to this!" Rainbow Dash grumbled, pouting.
"Neither did I," Spike said with his spines in curls.
“The dress was one thing, but this is too much!”
Rarity used her magic to remove the curlers and held up a mirror.
"You look, beautiful darling!" She exclaimed. "And Spike, you're just adorable!"
Rainbow's hair was almost like Rarity's while Spike's spines were just curled. Rainbow Dash let out a groan in apparent emotional agony while everyone giggled. They quickly helped each other take out the curlers, even Applejack was enjoying herself. Spike, on the other hoof, ran out of the room as soon as he got the chance to do so.
Pinkie Pie's mane managed to hold Rarity's curl for a grand total of five seconds and poofed back to her curly style. As Rarity watched her hard work return to its original state, she let out a soft groan. Twilight's hair didn't show any changes barring some small curls and Fluttershy's mane was just her regular style. Applejack's mane was the same as normal as well, though it had been braided by an insistent Rarity.
Twilight levitated her book in front of her along with a pencil.
"Makeovers, check!" She said with a giggle. They decided to skip scary stories mainly for Fluttershy's sake.
Twilight let out a yawn. "Well, that's the last one. How about we go ahead and get some sleep?"
Everyone yawned in response. Even though they were having tons of fun, they still needed to have some rest.
Everypony said goodnight before Twilight put out the lights.
- - -The next morning- - -
Twilight stretched and yawned as she woke up. She opened her eyes, expecting to see her friends sleeping on the floor, but found their beds empty. Confused, she got out of her bed and looked around the castle. Even Spike was nowhere to be found. She decided to get ready for the day, and when she arrived at her room, a note appeared in front of her. She opened and read it, a feeling of terror came over her as she took in the scrawled words. She galloped out of the room dropping the note behind her.
Twilight ran out of the castle and quickly made her way towards the Everfree Forest. She could hear her friends shouting, causing her to run faster.
After what felt like hours but could only be minutes Spike came into view. He was flying, trying to fight off a changeling. Twilight remembered the first time she had held Spike, and she pushed herself further, determined to not lose him. Her friends were already being dragged away by other changelings.
Twilight glared at the changeling as it flew into the air with Spike in its hooves. Twilight shot a blast of magic at the changeling, making it turn back and try to attack.
"Leave him alone!" Twilight yelled.
"Twilight!" Spike exclaimed, falling from the Changeling's grasp.
"I got you, Spike!" Twilight said as she caught him.
The Changeling, charged, slamming into Twilight’s side, causing her to drop Spike. It caught him again and began flying away again, Twilight desperately giving chase.
---Flashback---
Spike sat in his bed crying, rousing Twilight from her sleep and bringing her to his side.
"What's wrong, Spike?" She asked, patting his head.
"I..." Spike sniffed. "I had a bad dream..."
Twilight hugged him. "Would you like to come to sleep with me?"
Spike nodded and climbed into the bed with her.
Twilight held Spike close.
"I was falling..."
"Hmm?"
"In my dream..." Twilight wiped the tears out of his eyes. "I was falling, and you tried to save me... but when I hit the ground... you... I..." Spike couldn't finish his sentence.
Twilight hushed Spike. "It was just a dream, I will never let that happen to you, Spike. Whenever you fall, I will catch you." Twilight kissed his forehead.
“Promise?”
“Cross my heart.”
Spike smiled. "Thanks... Mommy..."
That word struck Twilight's heart. Mommy...
"I love you."
Twilight smiled at Spike. "I love you too."
---
Twilight growled, flying faster. That night, when Spike called her "Mommy" for the first time, was the most touching night of her life. She wasn't going to lose him. She followed the changeling, she had to keep her promise.
---
Twilight attempted to be stealthy as she followed the changelings. Allowing them to think they lost her and following them to the hive. She stared at the hive, its entrances opening, and closing at random intervals. She carefully made her way into the first opening she reached and tried to find a way to her friends.
She searched as much of the hive as she could, the changelings seemed to gloss over her presence, which confused her, but she brushed it off in favor of her mission. Finally, she came to a door with a familiar sound coming from inside and entered to see what was happening.
Opening the door revealed a large hall, decorated in various green pods. She appeared to be on a balcony above the floor far below her. She could see her friends inside of the pods, not moving at all. A short distance from them, Cadence was yelling something about letting her family go.
As she yelled, Chrysalis got up in Cadence's face.
“You are never going to see them again, little Princess,” She said with a menacing chuckle and shot a blast of magic at her, Cadence fell with a cry of pain.
Twilight quietly stepped back, she needed help, but she also needed to act fast... She frantically thought, who would be willing? And available. She began running as a plan slowly began to form in her head.
---
Twilight flew toward the Crystal Castle, she was exhausted, but she couldn’t stop, not while her friends and family are in danger. She landed, none too gracefully, in front of the entrance, finding Flash Sentry standing at the door.
"Your Highness." He bowed.
"Flash, I told you that you didn't have to call me that." Twilight blushed. "Just Twilight is fine, but I'm not here to discuss that right now. I need your help."
Flash looked at her with a frown. "What is it?”
"First, tell me how we met."
Flash looked at her confused, but the look in her eye gave him the impression that he should answer.
"You bumped into me, on one of your first few days in the Crystal Empire as a Princess."
Twilight smiled in relief, then looked around. "It isn't safe to talk here," She whispered.
With that, she flew off into the sky, a very confused Flash trailing behind her.
"What's going on?" Flash asked.
"The changelings are back, and I need your help. They've taken Cadence and my friends."
Flash gives a slightly panicked look, "I suppose that means that the pony here isn't Cadence..."
"I have a plan, are you in?" Twilight asked.
Flash smiled at her, he would always be willing to help out, before flying off the cloud and back to the changeling hive with Twilight.
---
Twilight leads Flash to roughly the same place she had been before, the room looks backward to Twilight but they are still on a balcony. Cadence is ragged-looking from the last time, barely able to stay standing.
"We have to do something, and fast," Twilight whispered to Flash. "I'm not sure how much longer Cadence will be able to hold on."
Flash nodded his head. "What's the plan?" He asked.
Before Twilight could answer, she heard a crack in the floor. The combined weight of the two of them was too much for the balcony, leaving Twilight falling through the air. She hit the ground hard, Twilight landing on her wing. Flash reached out to her, but she waved him away to hide in the shadows and avoid getting caught.
"Twilight!" Her friends called out, concerned for her.
Chrysalis turned to her with a menacing chuckle. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?"
Twilight glared at Chrysalis. "Where are my brother and Flurry?" She snarled.
Chrysalis gave out a soft chuckle. "Somewhere you and Cadence will never find them."
Chrysalis fired a blast of sickly green magic. Twilight tried to fly away, but her wings burned with pain. Twilight cried out and barely dodged away in time, crashing into the pods.
"Twilight!" Pinkie yelled, weakly banging her hooves on the hard green shell.
Twilight let out a groan of pain. Chrysalis walked up to Twilight, her horn lighting up.
"Once I get rid of you and your friends, nothing will be able to defeat me! I will be unstoppable!" she laughed and let loose the building spell, hitting Twilight. She felt the spell take effect, the world wobbling and flickering.
"Twilight..." Cadence whispered. She reached out to Twilight, an offering, and a plea. Twilight stared at her, tears blurring her vision. "Don't give up on us..."
Twilight reached back, looking up at her friends. Desperately holding on to her memories of their adventures together. They made it through then, and Twilight knew that they were going to make it through now. Twilight slowly rose to shaking legs, glaring at Chrysalis.
Flash landed in front of Twilight flaring his wings in challenge, ready to defend her. Twilight put her hoof on his shoulder.
"No Flash, I need you to go get help," She said.
"I won't leave you," Flash said.
"Go."
"But-”
"Go!" Twilight had to shove Flash to get him to move. He flew as fast as he could out of the room, a horde of changelings chasing after him. They grabbed at him, but he slipped away just in time.
Good luck, Flash... Twilight thought.
Twilight heard Chrysalis charging up another blast. She barely managed to jump out of the way. She grunted when she landed on the ground, growing tired from the repeated blasts. She tried to continue fighting the spell Chrysalis cast on her.
The pain in her wing had subsided during the conversation with Flash, giving her a way to get her friends out. She soared into the air, trying to help her friends get out of the goop, but Chrysalis grabbed her before she could attempt the rescue.
Chrysalis glared into Twilight's eyes. Her horn ignited like a flame, making the pain in her wing come back worse than ever. Twilight screamed out in agony. She felt as if she was being broken in half. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to break free.
Shining Armor and Flurry Heart were sitting in a small cell. The only things they had to look at were the plain stone walls and the barred door, though Shining didn't care for the scenery.
Flurry Heart let out a whimper, upset about the distance she had from her father. He tried to reassure her, hoping to at least calm her down.
"It's okay Flurry," he said. "We'll be fine..." He hated lying to his daughter, but he was willing to do anything to keep her calm.
They heard the door open; Shining looked up to find Queen Chrysalis walking in.
"Chrysalis," he growled.
"Give me the spell," she growled back.
"Never!" Shining yelled. "You'll never find the spell or the elements! You'll never get me to talk! Do what you wish with me, Nothing will break me."
Chrysalis's grin grew even wider. "If you say so." She levitated him out of his cell and into the air, and with another sadistic smile, she threw him at the steel wall. As he fell, she ignited her horn and shot seemingly endless blasts.
Flurry watched in horror with the torture she was witnessing. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to understand why her father was being harmed like that.
"Dada!" she cried. The screams from her father echoed in her ears.
"Give up?" Chrysalis uttered.
Shining Armor stared at Chrysalis. "Never," he grunted.
Chrysalis continued her torture as Flurry continued her crying, unable to help her father.
Twilight slowly got up; she had been unconscious for some time. Pain was the first thing she felt. She tried to move her wing, but it only lead to more pain coursing through her body.
She looked around her, finding herself in what appeared to be a type of small cell with a barred door. She could hear Shining Armor talking to Flurry Heart. She tried to say something, but her voice was unusable.
The door opened, and Chrysalis walked in. She walked over to Twilight's cell and opened the door before promptly dragging her out, bringing her in front of Shining Armor.
Twilight burst into tears when she saw her brother, he was covered in scratches and bruises. She turned to Chrysalis.
"What have you done to him?" she growled, just about able to speak again. More tears were falling from her face.
Chrysalis ignored Twilight and only dragged her out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Twilight could hear her brother scream. She turned and tried to fight away Chrysalis's grasp. After a short struggle, she managed to break free and ran back into the room.
She stood in shock as she viewed the scene before her.
Green flames had enveloped Shining's cell, and as Twilight watched, they shrank back down to the floor. When they disappeared, Shining Armor wasn't there.
Twilight stared at where her brother used to be, the only thing to prove his existence being a large black smudge. Satisfied, Chrysalis left her in there, locking the door behind her.
Twilight just stared at the empty cell, and after a long while, she hung her head and cried once more.
"Twilight." a voice whispered.
Twilight looked up; She found Flash's face a few feet from the cell. He motioned her to come forward.
"Follow me," Flash whispered.
Twilight followed flash to a trap door on the floor. When she passed through it and fell into a hidden chamber, her face grew a huge smile.
She ran up to her brother, hugging him.
Shining let out a grunt, all the injuries he had gained did not fare well against his sister's crushing grasp. Tears of joy fell from Twilight's eyes as she looked up at him.
"I'm so glad you're okay." she cried, hugging her brother tighter.
"We don't have much time." Shining wheezed out, "We have to hurry if we want to save Cadence and the others."
Twilight nodded and let go of him before walking towards the door, a staggering Shining in tow.
Celestia had always found the day court to be boring. It was nothing but stuck-up nobles expecting extra privileges from the crown, simply because they had money.
As she sat waiting for the next noble to enter, a note appeared in front of her. She quickly opened it and read what was on it, eager for something to take her focus from the dullness of the court. She stared at it for a moment after she finished the last sentence, her face bearing a grim expression. She rolled it back up and called out for her sister.
After a short moment, Luna walked into the room. She looked like she had just woken up, which was likely at that time of the day.
"Yes, sister?" Luna asked.
Celestia handed Luna the note. She gave it a quick read over, and when she had finished, all traces of exhaustion had faded. She turned to look at her sister.
"We haven't much time, if we want to help Twilight and her friends," Celestia said.
Luna only nodded her head in response.
Twilight slowly peeked up from the trap door that lead outside, trying to find any changelings in the immediate area. When none could be found, she looked down towards the two stallions.
"All clear," she whispered. She stepped out of the door, along with Flash and Shining Armor.
To her utmost surprise, no sooner than two steps later, Princess Celestia and Luna landed in front of them. A few of the royal guards were with them to take Shining Armor to safety.
Overjoyed, Twilight filled the princesses in on their plan.
Twilight walked into the room where her friends had been restrained.
Wasting no time, she used her magic to get rid of the goo that bound their hooves, starting with her sister.
She helped her up, hugging her. "I knew you wouldn't give up on us," Cadence whispered.
"I would never," Twilight responded.
Twilight then rushed over to help the others get the goo off of their hooves.
"I know where Shining Armor and Flurry Heart are," Twilight said. "We have to go and get them."
With no reason to stay longer, Twilight led them out of the room and made their way into the cell room.
Everypony stood in the cell room and stared at Flurry Heart, sitting alone in her cell. None of them seemed sure on how to start.
As they stood there, the door suddenly slammed shut, and a swarm of changelings flew down from the ceiling to attack the others below. Twilight was the only one who wasn't being attacked.
"Twilight, help!" Cadence yelled, but instead of moving, Twilight gave her an evil smile. "Twilight!"
Twilight was shrouded in green flames, and when they dissipated, a changeling took her place.
"No..." Cadence whispered as the changeling struck her.
Twilight ran as fast as her hooves could go. She should have known better, of course, the princesses were changelings. Flash ran at her side, desperately trying to keep up.
"Over there!" Flash yelled pointing to a bush. They made the turn, just before the two changelings trailing them could see.
Twilight panted, catching her breath. She looked at Flash and smiled.
"Thanks," she said, still catching her breath.
Flash stared at Twilight with a smile. He brought her close with his wing.
"How's your wing?" he asked.
Twilight pulled it out slightly, revealing it bent from Chrysalis's magic.
"Painful," Twilight said giving out a soft chuckle. Her head grew dizzy again, causing her to lose her balance. She fell into Flash's side and rubbed her head.
"Maybe you should rest," Flash said. Twilight shook her head, opening her eyes again.
"We don't have time for that..." Twilight shut her eyes as the pain in her body grew stronger.
Flash helped her up, Twilight putting her foreleg around Flash for balance.
As soon as they stepped out of the bush, a swarm of changelings dropped in front of them.
Twilight heard a sudden loud ring. She let go of Flash and fell to the ground, trying to block out the noise. Anything she heard sounded faint in comparison.
Twilight? What's wrong? Twilight? Twilight!
She watched the changelings surround Flash, her eyes slowly closing.
Twilight!
The changelings pounced onto Flash as she blacked out.
Flash and Twilight were dragged unconscious into a new cell room.
Twilight opened her eyes slightly, looking at Flash, and promptly closed them again. The ringing in her head stopped once she heard a door shut.
She opened her eyes once more to see Chrysalis staring at her. She stared right on back, waiting for her to make her move. She saw Flash behind her, being dragged to a cell, along with her friends. They looked almost as weak as Cadence was.
Chrysalis smiled at Twilight. "Soon," She said.
Before Twilight could ask what she meant, the door opened, and a changeling dragged in Shining Armor, throwing him to the ground when he reached the cell.
He looked even worse than the last time Twilight saw him.
Twilight tried to fight the spell and walk to her brother's side, but it was too powerful.
"Tell me the spell," Chrysalis yelled. "Now!"
Shining's face was covered with tears. He looked at Twilight.
Chrysalis growled and slammed the door behind her, leaving her minions to lock them in their cells.
It had been nearly an hour since the Queen had left the cells, Twilight had tried to reach her brother's hoof through the cell bars but couldn't reach him.
"I'm so sorry Twilight..." he uttered, finally gaining enough strength to talk, "I tried to stop her..."
"We can defeat her," Twilight said. "We have gone through so much without the Elements of Harmony; we can make it through this."
"You don't understand...."
Chrysalis walked back into the room. "Have you come to a decision, yet?" she demanded.
Shining Armor gave up, wanting to bear no more pain. "Yes," he grunted. "I'll take you to the Tree of Harmony..."
Chrysalis let him out of his cell and used her magic to make sure he wouldn't try anything. She slammed the door shut behind her.
Twilight could hear a faint crying from her sister's cell, next to her. She tried to reach out of the bars.
"Don't cry, Cadence, we can make it through this," Twilight said. "We have always gotten through our challenges.”
"But you don't even understand what's going on..." Cadence whispered. "What she is planning..."
"We can do this, Twilight..." Rainbow grumbled. "We have never lost before."
The others murmured in agreement.
Twilight let out a chuckle. "You girls remember The Gala?"
That got a soft laugh out of everypony as they all took a trip down memory lane, reminding each other of all their days together and all their battles.
Cadence hung her head. "You don't even know what she's doing..." she wiped a tear off her face.
Shining Armor hung his head, he walked beside Chrysalis, chained by her magic, guiding her to the Tree of Harmony.
He stopped when they reached the tree and ignited his horn, struggling from all the injuries he had from that day. He pushed himself as far as his tired body could go.
A beam shot toward the star in the tree, causing it to glow and remove the gems from their sections. Now unbound from their perch, they clattered at Chrysalis's hooves.
She brought up six necklaces that looked similar to the ones Twilight's friends wore and put them to her side.
Shining Armor fell to the ground, exhausted from the job and all the pain his body was in. Unable to move, Chrysalis dragged him with her magic.
Tears fell from Shining Armor's eyes as he wept softly.
I'm so sorry, Twiley... I'm so sorry...
They returned a few hours later with the Elements of Harmony. Chrysalis locked the door behind her to make sure nopony would try to escape and began walking towards the cages that held the various captives.
The changelings threw Shining Armor back into his cell and walked away, leaving him lying there.
"I'm so sorry Twilight…" he whispered.
Chrysalis laid out the Elements of Harmony in front of her, then brought out the necklaces and put them in. They made the gem's natural colors glow green. Satisfied with the result, she opened Pinkie's, Applejack's, Rarity's, Rainbow's, and Fluttershy's cells, levitating them out.
She put the necklaces onto their necks, they all screamed out in agony when they made contact with the jewelry.
"No!" Twilight yelled, trying to break out of her cell to help her friends.
Her friend's coats colors glowed around their bodies as they screamed out. Twilight banged harder on the cell, feeling the bars come loose.
It finally broke free. Twilight ran out, hoping and praying that she could reach them in time. Flash ran beside her, apparently also escaping from his cell.
Twilight ran as fast as she could toward her friends. They all fell to the ground, their coat's colors fading and their screams stopping.
"No!" Twilight ran to her friend's sides, sobbing into their coats. "Girls! I'm so sorry!" she cried repeatedly.
Flash stood a few feet away from her, hanging his head, but because of this, he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings.
Twilight stared at him her distraught face turning into one of shock. She quickly bolted up and ran as fast as she could towards him.
"Flash, look out!" she yelled. But she could not reach him in time.
She watched in horror as Chrysalis shot a blast of magic at him.
Flash hit the ground with a grunt. She ran and held him in her arms, tears falling from her face.
"Flash, no! Please! Don't leave me!" she cried. She held him close to her. "I love you! Don't leave me! Please! Don't go!"
Twilight stared into Flash's eyes. They looked clouded. He weakly moved his hoof to Twilight's. She held it tight.
"Don't leave me."
Flash's grip grew weaker and his eyes slowly shut.
"Flash, don't do this to me, please! I can't lose you too!"
Flash went limp in her arms and shut his eyes, his hoof falling to the ground.
"No!" Twilight yelled. "No, nonononononono, Flash Please!" Twilight held Flash close to her again. "Don't go!"
She tried to use her magic, but the spell Chrysalis cast on her only made it worse. She felt herself grow even weaker by the second.
It didn't take long for her feelings to change to that of unbridled anger. She rose slowly and turned to face Chrysalis.
She tried to run and attack, but her anger clouded her actions. Her attack was quickly blocked by the Queen and was only tossed aside.
Nothing could stop the changeling... for once in her life, Princess Twilight Sparkle... lost.
She just gave up and looked limp, shutting her eyes. A tear fell from her face as she prepared herself for the necklace's cold embrace.
She didn't have to wait for long. Twilight let out a scream of agony as the necklace attached to her; the necklace was forcing the spell to work faster, causing more pain throughout her body.
She slightly opened her eyes.
She saw Spike in front of her, held tight in Chrysalis's grasp. A pink aura floated out of his body, causing him to scream out in pain. He managed to find enough strength to look at Twilight, reaching out his claw.
"Mama!!!" he yelled.
Twilight stared at him as Chrysalis dropped him onto the floor.
"Spike!" Twilight yelled with every ounce of strength she had.
Spike slowly got up from the ground, almost unable to gather the strength to do even that. But before he could fully rise, he was levitated in front of Chrysalis. The dragon struggled, trying to figure out a way out, even though it was hopeless.
The spell grew faster on Twilight. Her eyes grew heavy.
"Spike..." she mumbled. She slowly closed her eyes staring at Chrysalis as Spike continued struggling.
"Spike..."
Darkness surrounded her, everything going cold.
"Spike..."
Twilight could hear the screams of her friend as the darkness grew deeper and deeper into her mind.
She managed to open her eyes, but found nothing but darkness around her. It grew closer to her. She tried to run, but her body wouldn't move.
The darkness wrapped around her and smothered her body. Slowly but surely, it made its way up to her head.
Twilight whimpered, trying to get away.
It tightened around her and made a shape that slithered its way into her ear. She tried to move her head, to keep it away, but her body wouldn't move.
It slowly crawled into her ear and then wrapped around down to her face.
Her vision gradually grew darker.
Celestia flew toward the scene, igniting her horn and firing at Chrysalis, Luna flying beside her.
Chrysalis let out a shriek. All the power she had been using was causing her to grow tired. She quickly retreated to regain her strength.
Celestia landed beside Twilight, not concerned about the Queen enough to give chase. The small alicorn was shaking with fear, and her coat's color was slowly fading.
"I'm afraid we're too late, sister." Luna hung her head.
Celestia levitated Twilight with her magic. "Not yet," she said. She flew off back to the castle with her sister flying right behind her.
Twilight could hear faint voices; she had been asleep for a while, trying to clear her mind of the pain she was feeling.
Stay with us, Spike...
Hang in there...
Twilight weakly opened her eyes. She stared at her brother, who was on another bed a few feet away from her. As she moved around on the bed, she felt something wrapped around her wing.
"We're losing him!"
Twilight opened her eyes wide. She turned her head in the direction of the voice and saw a crowd of ponies. Over the clamor of voice, she heard a heart monitor beeping.
"Spike?!" Twilight uttered. Twilight tried to walk toward him, swaying slightly, but only managed to see his head for a moment until another pony blocked her view.
She felt somepony put a hoof on her shoulder, and she looked up to find Celestia there.
"Come with me," Celestia said quietly.
Twilight walked outside of the room with her, shutting the door behind her. She tried to block out the conversation in the other room.
"What's going on?" Twilight asked. "What's wrong with Spike?"
Celestia hung her head. "He tried to save you from the attack. Chrysalis..." Celestia didn't need to finish her sentence; Twilight knew what Chrysalis did.
"Is he going to be okay?"
Celestia stayed silent.
The sudden silence in the other room answered Twilight's question.
"Spike!" Twilight burst into the room and ran towards the table.
The ponies were spread out and hung their heads, causing Twilight to stop dead in her tracks.
She was too late...
She looked at the one pony who remained standing over by Spike. They turned to Twilight with a look of sorrow in their eyes.
Twilight walked slowly toward the dragon and stared at him, tears falling from her eyes.
"Spike..." she whispered as she took hold of his claw.
"Princess, I'm sorry. We did our best." the pony said.
Twilight glared at the pony. "You should have tried harder!" she growled.
"There was nothing else we could do your highness..."
"You could have saved him!"
"Twilight, please!" Celestia yelled, causing Twilight to stop and turn around. After a few moments of looking at her mentor, she burst out of the room crying.
Twilight sat outside in the rain, sobbing. As she cried, Celestia came out and stood next to her, putting her hoof on her shoulder.
"I know this is hard for you," she said.
Twilight stared at her with tears in her eyes. "I raised him from an egg..." Twilight cried. "I loved him... he was my... my..."
She couldn't finish her sentence, choking on her words.
Celestia put her hoof around her.
"It's time to say goodbye, Twilight,"
Twilight stared at her former teacher.
"But..." Twilight stuttered. "I... I don't want to say goodbye... Spike's my friend."
"So is Pinkie, and Applejack, along with all of your friends. But we must let go of some things in our lives."
Twilight looked away. "This was all my fault. They died because of me..." Flash's face came to the forefront of her mind. "Flash..." she whispered.
"Died trying to protect you and your sister." Celestia finished her sentence. "He was a part of the royal guard; it was his duty."
Twilight hung her head and shut her eyes. "But... I... I love him..." Twilight muttered. "I wanted to be with him." Twilight opened her eyes and looked at Celestia. "And Spike was still only a child... My friends weren't even middle-aged."
"Twilight Sparkle," Celestia uttered. Twilight stared into her eyes, feeling small in comparison with Celestia's height. "I understand the loss of your friends was very hard for you, as was for me on losing such good ponies of Equestria. But we must let go before any more harm can be done. Do you understand?" Twilight hung her head. "Do you understand?" Celestia repeated.
"Yes, Princess..."
Celestia put her wing around her as they walked back into the room.
"Your brother was very brave, helping to save you and Cadence like that." Twilight looked at her brother, still unconscious. "He almost died trying to save you."
Twilight walked up to her brother's side, watching his slow breaths. She stared at him with anger for what he did, but regardless of how much anger she felt towards him, she still loved her brother.
How could you, Shining...? Twilight thought. How could you do this to my friends and me?
A few hours passed. Twilight lay in her bed, trying to get some sleep, but to no avail. So many thoughts were running through her mind, and none of them welcomed. She sighed and turned over, hoping to stop the memories and thoughts from continuing.
As she struggled, Celestia and Luna were talking in the other room. They had thought that she had fallen asleep.
"Chrysalis is far stronger than the last time we faced her," Luna said. "Her magic has changed somehow..."
"What have you learned from the spell she cast on Twilight?" Celestia asked.
"Poisoned Darkness. When cast, it causes the victim to grow dizzy and slowly kills them through their mind. The spell cast on her Element appears to be the same spell, but was made to have the work done faster."
"Can you stop it?"
"That's just it. The spell is so strong that if we try to remove it, it will put her life on the line. It's still in her and is a part of her, so it's connected in a way to her soul. I can slow down the spell, but it can't be stopped."
Celestia hung her head. "We must figure out a way to stop it. We must."
Tears fell out of Twilight's eyes as she listened to the Princesses. It was connected, she could feel it.
"The best thing we can do for her right now is to try and help her."
The day of the funeral came, and it was one of the worst days of Twilight's life. It was the day she had to say goodbye to her friends, and the stallion of her dreams.
Tears fell from her eyes as she watched the coffins being walked over to their graves.
Spike, Pinkie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Flash, all of them had been given their own colored coffins and headstones.
They were slowly lowered into the ground. Twilight put a flower in each of them and left notes for each of them.
For Spike, she wrote...
Spike,
A dragon who would always be there for you.
A friend,
A son...
The rest of them read...
Pinkie Pie,
A pony of many words,
A pony of many parties,
One who would always put a smile on your face...
Applejack,
A hard-working and honest pony,
You could always trust she would be honest with you...
Rainbow Dash,
The pony who would always be there for you,
Who could always be relied on...
Rarity,
A pony who would always be willing to help,
A pony who would always be generous...
Fluttershy,
A pony who would always be kind to friends,
A pony who would always know the kind thing to do...
Flash,
The stallion of my dreams...
The love of my life...
She slowly put each note into each hole and watched them fill up with dirt. She walked back over to her friend's graves when they had all been filled.
"Thanks a lot, girls..." She whispered. "Goodbye, Spike..." Twilight walked over to Flash's grave. She left a small bouquet of roses on top of his grave. She kissed her hoof and put it on the gravestone. "I love you..." she whispered, before walking away from the graves, sobbing as the rain poured down her mane.
Celestia put her wing around her and brought her close.
"How could Shining Armor do this to me...?" Twilight whispered. She had felt many things at this moment, but the most prevalent feeling was that of betrayal.
Twilight hadn't been the same since that day. She would hardly eat or sleep. It had been a few weeks since the incident but the time had not altered her thoughts.
Thankfully, however, Shining Armor was okay and was back on his hooves within a few weeks after the funeral. She was still upset with him, wishing not to speak with him.
Twilight walked down the halls of her castle alone. She walked into the throne room, staring at the empty thrones of her friends, though she was unable to look for more than a few seconds, and promptly shut the door, quickly moving into the next room. She opened the kitchen door and grabbed something from the cupboard to eat.
She sat alone at the table, poking at her food's leftovers that had been left from the night before.
She could hear the faint giggles of her friends from that last night they had together.
Slamming her fork down, she left her seat and moved back into the throne room. She looked up and stared at the roots of the old Tree she lived in when she first moved to Ponyville. The memory gems hung from it like stars, each displaying moments of their past friendship. Tears began to form in her eyes as she watched the gems work their magic. Regretting coming back to that room, she moved into the library.
But peace would not be found there. As soon as she opened the door, her eyes fell upon an old photo album of her adventures in Ponyville. Her mind couldn't take it anymore.
She picked up the photo album and put it in an old box, along with other things from her adventures with her friends, and locked them into the basement, teleporting her friend's thrones into the basement as well. She then went into her room and sobbed into her pillow.
Chrysalis slammed the door to her throne room shut, growling to herself in frustration. She was trying to process the fact that she had been almost able to finish her scheme, and had even killed the majority of the Elements, only to be foiled by the princesses. She sat at her throne to rest herself more comfortably. Thoughts would run through her mind of the events.
She remembered back when Twilight and her friends first defeated her. Chrysalis thought small and poorly back then, she knew that they were out of the way now, but she still had to deal with the others.
She knew Twilight would be done for soon and would be out of the way, thanks to the spell.
She finally regained herself and walked around the throne room to help herself think of a way to get rid of the others.
An image appeared in front of her, showing two of her spies.
"Report?" she asked.
"Everything seems to be going to plan, besides the attack from today. The Prince seems to still be the same."
"Excellent." Chrysalis smiled. "Keep an eye on them until we receive word from the others."
The image disappeared after they gave a nod with another image appearing, showing a changeling disguised as a pony at the funeral.
"Are they still there?" Chrysalis asked.
"They had just left with the Element. Should we intervene?" The changeling turned to look at Cadence holding Flurry Heart walking with Twilight back to the Castle.
"No, we just need a little... distraction. For now, we wait. Then we will strike." Chrysalis watched them walk back into the castle. "I await your return. We're done here, for now."
The image faded. Chrysalis walked over to a table with a small object shaped similar to a beetle sitting on top of it. She levitated it in front of her face to view it better. Her face grew a smile.
After a few minutes, the changeling entered the room. "Is it ready yet?" he asked.
"Do you have the final ingredient?" Chrysalis asked, levitating the small object in front of her. The small object glowed green.
The changeling pulled out a piece of purple hair handing it to the Queen.
Chrysalis ignited a small flame, causing it to turn to ash and float into the small object.
Wings spread out from the object, allowing it to fly throughout the room, fast enough to hardly be able to see it. It shrunk smaller to the point that you wouldn't be able to see it and flew out of the hive.
Chrysalis pulled up an image with her magic, showing the object flying toward Twilight's Castle.
She smiled when it came into view, flying into the castle through an open window into Twilight's room, showing the young alicorn sobbing into her pillow.
She handed the changeling a scroll. "Deliver this to Shining Armor and Princess Cadence. Now, is the time." The changeling took the scroll and flew out of the hive. She turned to the other changeling in the room. "Fly out and fetch her, you know what to do from there," she uttered glaring at the image.
Twilight heard a knock on her door.
"Come in." she sniffed, wiping her face.
Shining Armor, Cadence, and Flurry Heart walked into the room. Flurry let out a giggle when she saw her aunt.
"Hey Twilie, we just wanted to visit and come check how you're doing." Shining Armor uttered.
"Flurry Heart misses you. You hardly come out of the castle anymore." Cadence added. Flurry Heart let out a whine, reaching towards her aunt.
Noticing this, Twilight walked over to hold her niece. "I'm fine..." she lied, putting a fake smile on as she took Flurry Heart into her hooves.
"We also came over to ask if you could watch Flurry Heart for a few days while we are out of town for some business?"
"Sure..." Twilight muttered. Although she knew it would remind her of Flurry's last visit.
Later that night, Twilight had Flurry Heart sleep in her nursery in the room next to her.
She woke up hearing something banging against the wall, but went back to sleep, figuring it was just Flurry.
But as she closed her eyes, she heard Flurry crying.
She rushed out of her bed and ran into her room, finding the room in an absolute mess. She turned to her crib.
"Flurry Heart?!" Twilight lifted the blanket, but her niece was nowhere to be found.
The crying continued. Twilight turned to the window that was wide open and looked out.
A changeling could be seen in the distance flying off with Flurry Heart.
"Flurry Heart!" Twilight yelled. She flew after her and the changeling. She was not going to lose anypony again. She shot a blast of her magic toward the changeling.
"Give her back!" Twilight yelled.
The changeling dodged the attacks and continued flying, not even hesitating. They flew into a tall forest, leaving them unable to fly.
Twilight landed on the ground. She heard a soft buzz and looked up to the branches of the trees, finding a swarm of changelings covering every branch within sight
"Oh, crap..." Twilight muttered. Before she could properly react, the changelings pounced for her.
Twilight ran as fast as she could, but they managed to grab her by the tail, pulling her back. She tripped from the friction and let out a grunt.
Queen Chrysalis stepped in front of her as the alicorn struggled against the other changelings that held her down on the ground. Twilight glared at her captor when she noticed the new presence.
The Queen, however, wasted no time with talk and her horn shot a blast at Twilight, knocking her out.
Twilight opened her eyes, finding herself in the same pod her friends had been captive in. Flurry Heart was in another one next to her.
She watched the foal being taken out as Chrysalis levitated her with her magic. Flurry Heart's coat glowed.
Twilight's horn ignited without her even thinking about it and the pod melted into a green goo pile. Another blast flew out and hit Chrysalis, causing her to drop Flurry Heart.
Twilight caught her with her magic before she hit the ground. She levitated her close to protect her as best as she could.
Chrysalis glared at Twilight, her horn igniting like a flame. She fired yet another blast of magic toward her.
Twilight threw Flurry Heart into the air to avoid her getting hit. She spread out her wings and caught herself in time, slightly unstable on her wings but able to stay in the air.
She turned when she heard her aunt cry out in pain.
"Twiwight!" Flurry called.
She tried to fly to help her, but Chrysalis shot another bolt inches away from her. She flew back to safety, trying to figure out a way to get past the dangerous magic.
Twilight slowly got up, her legs weak. Chrysalis shot another bolt, leaving Twilight sliding across the floor.
Twilight managed to find enough strength to finally stand. She stared at Chrysalis as another beam hurtled toward her.
Twilight spun back onto the ground. She looked up as Chrysalis walked toward her.
The changeling's horn ignited once more.
Twilight braced herself for the attack but felt nothing. She opened her eyes, finding her brother levitating a shield.
"Twilight, what are you doing!?" he yelled. "You're going to get yourself killed!"
Twilight stared at her brother with horror in her eyes. She watched as Chrysalis stuck her horn into his chest, dropping his body like a ragdoll.
"Shining!" She yelled, running to his side. She picked him up into her arms, as she did with Flash. Tears fell from her eyes and onto his coat. "No... no... Shining Armor... please, not you too... I need you here..." Flurry Heart landed next to her.
"Daddy...?"
Shining Armor put his hoof to Twilight's face. "It's okay, Twilie..." he whispered. Chrysalis stepped in front of Twilight, finding that moment optimal to strike.
Twilight glared at her. "I have had enough of this!." she yelled, lighting up her horn and running to attack.
Twilight limped, carrying Shining Armor in a bubble with her magic, Flurry Heart flew beside her. She kept tripping over her hooves trying to bring him with her.
"I won't leave you..." she muttered exhausted.
The battle had left her injured more than the one before, and her body couldn't take it anymore.
Twilight fell to the ground unable to keep up with the weight and pain. She shut her eyes as Shining Armor's leg lay on top of her.
She panted, tired from the battle. She stared at her brother, watching his slow breaths, then shut her eyes once more.
She could faintly hear Flurry calling her as she fell into the abyss.
Twilight stood in front of her brother, glaring at him.
"Why?" she said. "Why did you do this to me?" Shining Armor wouldn't respond, instead giving her nothing but a look.
"Answer Me!" she demanded. "Why did you take Chrysalis to the Tree of Harmony and did what you did?"
"Twilie, it's not my fault... I was weak, and-" Shining Armor said, trying to put his arm to her chin, but found her pulling away from the gesture.
"Yeah, you were, and didn't care about me or my friends, you did it to save your own flank!"
"Twilight, that's not true-"
"Then why did you help Chrysalis?"
"It wasn't my fault!" Shining shouted.
Twilight stared at her brother with tears in her eyes. "'Wasn't my fault?'" she uttered, "You knew that I loved my friends more than anything, they are part of the reason why I am here now!"
"Twilight, if you would just let me explain!"
"You KNEW how much I loved them! Why did you do this to me?" Twilight sobbed into her hooves. "You're my brother, you shouldn't be doing something like this to me... you should be looking out for me, not betraying me..."
Shining Armor walked closer to his sister.
"I... I don't know how to say it..." Shining Armor did nothing but hung his head. Twilight glared at him more.
"I hate you." she uttered. Sobbing, she ran out of the room, ignoring his calls for her to come back.
"Twilight, please! Let me explain!" he yelled, trying to convince her to come back.
Twilight opened the door to her room and sobbed into her pillow. She didn't hear the hoofsteps of a new visitor, nor did she hear her door open.
Cadence gently patted Twilight on the head in an attempt to provide comfort. Twilight looked up at her sister, tears filling her eyes.
"Why...?" she cried. "Why would he do this...?"
"Maybe if you would just let him explain." Cadence said with a smile.
Suddenly, there was a loud scream coming from where her brother was, grabbing Twilight's attention.
"Twilight, help!" Shining Armor cried.
Twilight could faintly see her brother getting ambushed by changelings, attacking and pouncing on him.
Twilight slowly opened her eyes. She heard a heart monitor beeping as she sat herself up, feeling sore all over. She had casts on two of her legs and wore a neck brace, along with her wing wrapped up.
She saw her brother next to her in another bed, motionless.
"Shining Armor...?" she uttered. He wouldn't respond to her calls.
Twilight noticed his slow breaths and let out a sigh of relief, but before she could find any peace, she heard his monitor beeping rapidly.
She turned back to face him.
"Shining Armor?"
Doctors rushed over to his side.
"It's even worse than the last one..." one pony said.
"Stay with us, Shining Armor." another said.
Tears fell from Twilight's eyes as she watched ponies crowd around her brother. She tried to stop them, but her body was too sore to move.
One of the nurses came to the side of her bed with a wheel chair.
"It's okay, Princess. He'll be fine." she said.
Twilight stared at the nurse with tears falling from her eyes. "He needs me!" Twilight cried. "I'm his sister!"
The nurse ignored her objections and helped her into the wheel chair.
Twilight gave up, the pain in her body was too much. She stared at her brother as the nurse took her out of the room.
The nurse walked her down the hall for an hour and then brought her back into her room, helping her back onto her bed.
Twilight woke up to the sound of Shining Armor's monitor beeping again. The same thing happened again as before.
Ponies rushing into the room, taking Twilight on a walk, coming back an hour later. This lasted for almost a week.
Thoughts would go through her mind about her brother.
One night, Twilight laid in her bed. She kept moving around with all the thoughts clouding her mind.
"No!" Twilight yelled, waking up in shock, panting. Sweat dripped down her head, but she ignored it and shut her eyes.
After a couple of minutes she discovered that she couldn't go back to sleep after that dream she had.
She managed to pull herself out of bed and into a nearby wheel chair and roll over to her brother's bed. She put her hoof on his arm, tears falling from her eyes.
"I'm so sorry..." she whispered. "I never should have gone out alone."
Shining Armor would mumble every once in a while, showing response to Twilight. Twilight tried to hug her brother, without hurting her or him in the process.
She cried herself to sleep that night.
The next morning, the nurse found her sleeping there, on top of her brother. She softly tapped her on the shoulder, helping her back into her bed. She fell asleep as soon as she hit the pillow.
Twilight sat her bed, thinking of what action to take, whether or not to save her brother. Thoughts ran through her mind, ones of her friends.
Finally, she ran back to help him, firing her horn and shooting the changelings. One by one, they disappeared.
After she took care of the changelings, she saw her brother laying on the ground. She stared at him, all of her mixed feelings for him surrounding her mind.
She wanted to hate him, to be angry for what he did, but she loved him.
"Why did you do this to me, Shining?" she asked with a tear falling from her face.
"Twilight..." Shining Armor let out a grunt, trying to get up to face his sister.
Suddenly Twilight's horn ignited, and without her input, began firing at her brother, throwing him back to the ground.
"No!" she screamed trying to stop it, but was unsuccessful. She watched in horror as her horn kept firing at her brother, and listened as he screamed out in pain.
A magical beam formed around him, engulfing him. It disappeared as her horn slowed down, revealing the spot Shining Armor was before, empty. She sat, tears falling from her eyes. As she cried, an faint voice echoed through her mind.
You can still save me. it said.
Twilight opened her eyes. She found herself in the wheel chair with the nurse a few feet away from the door out of the room. She tried to ignite her horn, teleporting herself to her brother, along with the wheel chair.
She grabbed his hoof, touching his horn with hers and ignited it with her magic. The nurse ran back toward her.
"No!" Twilight yelled. "I can save him!"
Twilight pushed harder fighting against Chrysalis's spell, hoping to be able to help her brother, but she only made him worse...
Shining Armor opened his eyes and stared at his sister, then shut them again.
The heart monitor let out a long beep.
Twilight stopped her horn, and sat there in shock. Tears fell from her eyes. She sobbed into his coat.
A chuckle echoed and filled the room. Twilight looked up, finding herself surrounded by darkness once more.
Queen Chrysalis's face appeared in front of her, chuckling loudly, echoing in Twilight's ears.
Twilight tried to run, but when she put the weight onto her hoof, she felt a sudden pain, causing her to fall toward the ground.
She tried her other hooves, but only had the same attempt end as the first. The darkness quickly grew from the floor as it wrapped its way around her hooves.
Twilight tried to pull it away, but she couldn't move. She slowly sank into the ground, pulled in with the darkness. She tried to reach out her hoof of the hole as she slowly sunk into the ground, hoping for somepony to grab her.
Darkness and cold surrounded Twilight, causing fear to be the most thing to be in her mind. She couldn't cry out for help or do anything to find her own way out of this pit of darkness. She knew it was hopeless to even continue on with her hope, feeling her hoof slowly sink into the darkness.
But suddenly, she felt a something trying to reach her hoof, leaving her attempting to push herself to reach farther, in the hopes of being able to grab the object and hold on tight. Her only thoughts were on trying to get out of this nightmare.
She was slowly rose out of the darkness, it trying to grab her back, but unable to due to the height she was at as she was lifted to a place full of light, slowly landing onto the ground.
Twilight panted, her eyes half open, tired from the event and actions. She looked up, only seeing brightness, watching it grow and surround her as she slowly shut her tired eyes, feeling the warmth and light around her. She slowed her breath, feeling more calm, and for the first time in a long time, felt safe.
Luna grunted, almost falling over. Celestia caught her before she hit the floor.
"Are you alright, sister?" Celestia asked. "Did you save her?"
Luna got up with her sister's help. "Yes..." She said. "Twilight is safe, for now..."
Celestia looked at the sleeping princess. Her coat was dim, but slowly receiving color again.
"It looks like it's worse than we thought." Luna whispered. "Are you sure we can stop it?"
"We have no choice if we wish to save her."
Twilight let out soft mumbles as color returned to her coat.
Twilight opened her eyes, finding herself in the same brightly lit room. Her brother stood in front of her once more. She reached out her hoof to his face.
"I don't hate you..." Twilight whispered shutting her eyes tight in an attempt to hold back her tears. She had regretted what she had said more so than anything she had ever felt before. "I didn't mean that, I wish I could take it back..."
Shining Armor grabbed onto Twilight's hoof and held it tight, but before he could say anything, his coat began to fade, turning to dust. Twilight noticed this as she opened her eyes.
"Shining Armor, don't go!" Twilight cried. "I need you! Please!" She reached out her hoof once more as he continued fading, the dust flying toward the sky.
"Shining Armor!"
Twilight tried to run after him, trying to keep him from leaving her. She didn't want him to leave her, not with the way she had left him.
"Shining Armor!"
She watched the last few pieces of her brother finally fade away completely. When nothing remained, she sat on the ground and sobbed into her hooves.
Twilight opened her eyes tears streaming down her face and turned to Shining Armor, staring out the window next to him as the night sky glowed.
Shining Armor laid in his bed motionless. Twilight tried to get up, but the pain forced her back down. Before she could try again, she felt a hoof on her shoulder.
Twilight looked up to find Celestia giving her a soft smile. The solar princess helped her into the wheel chair, and wheeled her to her brother's bedside. She stared at him, tears falling out of her eyes.
"I'm so sorry that I did this to you, Shining Armor." she cried. Her face became wet with tears, but she was unable to do anything about it with her inability to move. "This was all my fault."
Twilight understood now why they would take her out of the room when his monitor would go off. It was because she was killing him through her mind, and when she tried to save him, it only finished the job. The nurses would try to stop her, but she wouldn't allow them.
Twilight turned her head away from her brother and shut her eyes tight, unable to continue staring at him any longer.
After a few minutes, Celestia and Luna had to go back to Canterlot for some preparations and left Twilight there.
Dinner time came for Twilight the next day, and she couldn't get her magic to work, so the nurse had to help her.
Halfway through the meal, there was a knock on Twilight's door. The nurse went to go open it, smiling as she greeted the pony at the door.
Cadence walked in, carrying Flurry Heart in her hooves. Twilight gave her own smile when she saw her niece, happy to see the one little bundle of joy she still had in her life.
Flurry Heart giggled when she saw her aunt, but appeared to grow curious about what was going on.
Cadence sat herself and Flurry in a chair nearby Twilight's bed.
"How are you feeling, Twilight?" Cadence asked.
Twilight just stared at Cadence in response. Memories were playing through her mind of her brother. She turned her head the other way, unable to look at her sister.
"Please, get out..." Twilight mumbled.
"I'm, sorry...?"
"Get out!" Twilight yelled, facing her with a cold look on her face.
"Was it something I said-"
"Leave!"
Flurry Heart let out a cry from her aunt's outburst. She clung onto her mother's coat. "Twilight, you're scaring her. What's-"
"Leave!"
Cadence stared at Twilight for a moment, then rushed out of the room carrying Flurry in her hooves, trying to not show her face. Twilight knew she was crying.
Tears streamed down her face.
"I miss you..." Twilight whispered.
Twilight ran as fast as she could. The darkness kept chasing her. It would grab her hoof, but she used her magic to shoot out a blast and dispose of it.
Hooves grabbed Twilight by the tail. She turned, letting out a shriek. The sight of her friends greeted her, each one trying to drag her into a dark pool.
Join us, Twilight.
"No!" Twilight yelled. She pulled her tail, the hooves letting go, and continued running. She saw her brother, trying to grab her, but she dodged him before he could reach her.
Twilight stopped when another pony was in front of her.
"Flash..." Twilight whispered, tears falling from her eyes.
Flash stood in front of her. He walked toward her, bringing her close. He felt warm, and safe. Twilight held him in return.
We can be together forever, Twilight... he whispered.
"Forever...?"
Forever...
Twilight felt her hoof slipping inside something. She looked down to find herself sinking again. She squirmed, trying to get out of Flash's grasp, but he had a firm grip on her and didn't let her go.
...and ever...
Her friends appeared next to flash, wrapping themselves around the two ponies. The added weight left her sinking faster into the darkness.
However, before she could sink too far, a bright light descended from the darkness around her. A beam shot toward the shadows on top of Twilight, destroying them with ease.
Twilight looked up, finding her sister. She reached out her hoof, hoping that Cadence wouldn't hate her for the fight they had.
Cadence grabbed her, pulling her up, landing her safely in the bright room once more. Twilight breathed heavily, looking up at her sister.
"Why...?" Twilight panted. "After what I said... why would you save me?"
Cadence didn't reply right away, but gave Twilight a smile and brought her close to her. Twilight held her tight.
"You're my sister, I will always love you no matter what."
Twilight felt safe and warm once more as her sister held her in her arms. Tears streamed down her face.
"I was so scared...." Twilight cried.
"I know." Cadence uttered, looking at her sister pulling her out of the hug. "We didn't want it to come to this, but it looks like we have no choice..."
"Come to what?" Twilight asked. She saw Cadence slowly fading away.
Twilight opened her eyes, finding Celestia, Luna and Cadence in the room. They stared at Twilight with a grim look on their faces.
"What's going on?" Twilight asked confused.
Luna walked forward to explain.
"The spell Chrysalis put on you, is worse than we thought." she said. "The Spell of Darkness is one of the worst fates a pony could have. We have done all that we can to stop it, but it looks like it's too strong."
"But there is a way to stop it, but there is no way of knowing if you'll... be able to make it..." Celestia finished.
"But desperate times call for desperate measures, but this is your choice, Twilight." Cadence said putting a hoof around Twilight's neck. "It's the only way to save you from this spell."
Twilight stared at her sister, thinking for a moment, a moment that felt like forever. She let out a soft sigh and shut her eyes.
"If it means getting rid of these nightmares, then let's do it."
Celestia, Luna and Cadence stood in a formation by Twilight's bed.
"Are you ready?" Cadence asked, taking hold of her hoof.
Twilight nodded her head with her eyes still shut.
"I need to hear you say it..."
Twilight took a deep breath and opened her eyes. "I'm ready." She knew deep down she wasn't, but she knew what had to be done.
Cadence backed up a few feet allowing Celestia to ignite her horn, along with Luna.
They fired at Twilight. Her coat glowed as she was slowly lifted out of the bed and into the air.
Celestia and Luna's eyes glowed white in response to the level of magic being used.
A dark aura levitated out of Twilight, leaving her screaming in agony. Cadence fired her horn, and as the bolt hit her, Twilight felt a sudden large crack in her back legs. Her screams of agony grew ever louder as the stabbing pain increased.
The princesses stopped, letting Cadence levitate Twilight in the air and softly land her back onto the bed.
Twilight cried, her face wet with tears. She was unable to do anything to help the pain in her legs, and so she just sat on top of the bed.
"I'll get the nurse!" Cadence said running out of the room.
Sweat dripped down Twilight's head as she tried to hold on, but the pain made holding on more and more difficult.
Celestia quickly fired her horn, refusing to let her student fall down the path that would lead her to her death.
"What's... going on?" Twilight grunted out loud. She let out a scream as the pain grew stronger.
Twilight sat in her bed, still screaming. Celestia was trying to help with the pain but had been unsuccessful so far.
Cadence ran back into the room with a nurse behind her. They rushed over to Twilight's side, Cadence grabbing her hoof tight, her mind entirely focused on the hope that they wouldn't lose her.
"Hang on, Twilight..." She said.
Twilight tossed and turned, the pillow becoming drenched with sweat from the event. She continued her screaming.
Her ears began to ring as she slowly opened her eyes, finding Flash flying above her, light surrounding him. She watched him slowly flap his wings and envisioned herself reaching out her hoof to touch his soft face once more.
"Flash..." she whispered. Her brother and friends appeared next to him, "Shining Armor... girls..." Twilight gave out a soft tired smile as she slowly shut her eyes, the ringing growing louder by the second. A small ball of light enveloped through the darkness forcing her to open her eyes.
After the brightness faded and the ringing stopped, a field of green grass with flowers appeared around her. She looked around with amazement, finding her friends in front of her on a path. She smiled as walked up to them, and when she had arrived beside them, they walked all together down the path toward a large beautiful castle that shone in the daylight.
---Meanwhile---
Cadence held Twilight's hoof, staring at her with concern. She had been waiting for the doctors to give her an update for nearly thirty minutes now.
"Well?" Cadence uttered. "How is she?"
The doctor looked at the results and took off his glasses with a sigh, causing Cadence to grow more concerned.
"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but..." The doctor muttered, struggling to deliver the bad news. "She's in a coma..."
Cadence let out a gasp, turning to look at her sister, laying there unconscious. Tears welled up into her eyes as she wrapped her hooves around her and cried into her coat.
Twilight followed her friends, giggling and talking about their old adventures together. They were talking to help pass the time, but a chuckle brought her out of her thoughts. She heard a familiar scream through the distance behind her.
"Cadence..." Twilight thought.
She tried to turn around, but with every step she took, she would move slower. She tried to run faster, ignoring the signs of change from the location.
Twilight found herself and her friends in Chrysalis's dungeon once more, her companions screaming out in agony. She tried to run to their side to help them but found her brother being swarmed with changelings. When she tried to move, she saw Cadence lying on the ground looking weak, just like she had before.
Chrysalis turned to face Twilight, levitating the necklace onto her neck. Twilight couldn't find any strength in her body to move as the necklace grew closer and closer.
She fought the spell hard, refusing it to take over once more, but she couldn't keep up once her friends appeared in front of her.
"We can be together again, Twilight," Flash said. "We can make the life we wanted, the life we deserved."
Twilight felt her vision grow dimmer as she stared at her friends, thinking about her choice.
Memories from Twilight and her friend's adventures appeared in front of her. She looked at them, tears forming in her eyes.
Twilight could hear a familiar faint giggle. She looked at the memory of when she first met Flurry Heart, the small alicorn spreading out her wings and giggling at her aunt.
"Flurry..." Twilight whispered, slowly shutting her eyes. The memories of her and her niece played through her mind, stopping at the first time she said her name when she was pointing to the picture of Twilight and her friends. Twilight gave a sniffle at that, tears forming in her eyes.
But before she could fall into the dark embrace that surrounded her, her ear twitched at a new sound. It almost sounded like someone was calling her name.
Twilight opened her eyes wide, finding her friends dissolving into nothing.
"No!" she yelled reaching out her hoof but was too late. Twilight found herself back at Chrysalis's hooves. She looked up toward her face, glaring.
Before she could react to anything else, Chrysalis ignited her horn, letting her begin to sink into the floor.
The darkness consumed her quickly. She shut her eyes tight, wishing not to find herself in the same routine.
Twilight felt herself slam hard into a wall, unsure of what was happening. Before she could think anything else, she was slammed into the wall once more, repeatedly.
Her head grew fuzzy as she felt something wet drip down her head, the distant chuckles echoing through her head.
My plan is almost complete! a voice whispered.
Twilight looked up with what strength she had left to find Chrysalis standing above her, on a floor that she couldn't reach and still in the same spot as before. She appeared to be talking to someone in the room with her.
Soon, you and the others will be done for! Chrysalis let out an evil chuckle.
She shot a blast at the pony, causing them to grunt out in pain as the blast hit them. Twilight tried to tune out the horror that was going on out there.
"Cadence..." Twilight whispered as a tear fell from her eye, hearing the sobs from her sister.
Twilight felt herself being flung toward the wall once more, giving up on trying to stop whatever it was.
She received a hard impact, feeling the warm liquid drip down her head more. Her eyes grew heavy as she saw the memories of her life flash through her mind in an instant. Her coat color faded and her eyes shut completely, floating motionless through the darkness.
She could hear nothing but the sounds of Chrysalis's laughter echo through her mind, the dying screams from her friends, and the sobs from her sister.
Suddenly, Twilight's horn sparked, flickering and dying. After repeating a few times, there was finally enough power to allow her magic to flow through properly, levitating Twilight out of the darkness, and toward the ceiling where Cadence was. Twilight opened her eyes slightly.
She poured all of her strength to move her hoof through the clear ceiling and reach out for something, to help her climb her way out.
While reaching, she felt something grabbing her, pulling her down into the darkness. She started to panic, adrenaline giving her the strength to attempt another push.
"Cadence!" she tried to scream but felt herself being pulled down, unable to breathe, as if she was underwater. A chuckle echoed through her ears.
You will never be able to accept it! Nothing will stop me now!
Twilight shut her eyes with defeat. She stopped struggling and allowed herself to be pulled down deep back into the darkness, landing hard with a thump.
She let out a huge gasp for air, coughing from the lack of oxygen and resting herself on the floor, panting heavily. She felt her strength and magic die away from her body, leaving her weak once more, and giving the attacks no resistance.
She was hit hard and slammed into the wall once more, grunting from impact and fall.
"You can't control me any longer, Chrysalis..." Twilight grunted. She was thrown again toward the wall, then beaten repeatedly. "I don't care what you do any longer, I've accepted that my friends are gone..."
The shadow that was attacking her morphed into the form she recognized as Chrysalis, glaring down at Twilight. The queen fired her horn at her, the green magic flying towards her at a breakneck speed. But instead of resisting, Twilight shut her eyes, accepting the attack.
She heard Chrysalis cry out, in another direction further from her. Twilight opened her eyes, finding her body glowing brightly, strength coursing through her very being.
She looked up, finding her friends in front of her, glowing faintly, but still bright. They all smiled at her, Twilight smiling back. She turned back to Chrysalis, lying on the floor but slowly getting up.
Twilight ran toward her, her horn glowing brightly. She fired an incredibly powerful spell throwing a beam of magic forward. Chrysalis responded with a beam of her own, letting the two beams slam into each other. The epicenter of the magic moved little, neither side gaining any ground.
Twilight grunted, growing tired from all the power she was using. However, before she could exhaust herself, her friends all appeared next to her, putting their hooves around her neck and allowing more power to flow through.
Twilight pushed herself harder, the beam growing closer to Chrysalis, finally making contact with her horn and throwing her to the floor.
Chrysalis got up yet again, that stare of pure hate still aimed at Twilight. She quickly cast a spell, bringing it around herself and generating a huge amount of light. Twilight braced herself against the glare, covering her eyes.
When the light dimmed, Chrysalis had disappeared, her hooves galloping echoed behind her. Twilight let out a sigh, turning around to face her friends smiling.
She hugged them all, tears of joy falling from her eyes. She had finally realized that they were always with her.
Take care of Flurry Heart for me, okay Twilie?" Shining Armor asked, pulling himself out of the hug. Twilight smiled.
"Of course, I will, BBBFF," Twilight said as Shining Armor put himself back into the hug.
Twilight backed away from her friends when the goodbyes had been given, allowing them to fade back to where they were needed. While they may have vanished, she could still feel their energy thrive through her body. She looked up toward the ceiling, trying to figure out how she was going to get up there. Steeling herself, she spread out her wings and flew toward the top, the pressure building and making it harder and harder to fly to the top.
She closed her wings, using her last resort, magic, to finish the way. She stretched her hoof forward, trying to touch the top of the ceiling, her hoof just barely making contact by an inch, allowing the message to reach her sister.
Cadence sat asleep in a chair next to Twilight's side holding onto her hoof, tired from the constant attacks that would cause her monitor to go off.
She woke up to the sudden feeling that something was wrong. She looked at her sister as the sound of her heart monitor beeping rapidly. Cadence jumped up and stared at her sister, clinging onto her hoof tight.
She quickly ignited her horn, her heart thumping hard as sweat dripped down her forehead, worrying she was going to lose her.
But instead of fading, Cadence could feel her sister regaining her strength, giving her the capability to awake.
Cadence ceased the magic flowing through her horn, panting and hoping that it was enough. The heart monitor returned to the natural heartbeat, displaying that Twilight was okay.
Cadence shut her eyes as she caught her breath. It wasn't long after that she heard a moan from the bed, prompting her to look over at the purple pony before her.
She watched as Twilight slowly started opening her eyes.
"Twilight?" She whispered, refusing to let her hopes raise too high.
Twilight finally opened her eyes, clouded, but open. Cadence enveloped her sister in a hug, tears of joy falling from her eyes. Twilight gave out a soft smile.
"What's going on?" Twilight asked, finding enough strength to speak. Cadence was silent for a moment before she spoke again.
"You've been in a coma for the past year..." she uttered hanging her head. "We got so worried that you weren't going to make it."
Twilight let out a groan, still slightly dizzy from all the events that had happened, and processing the new knowledge she had. Her eyes grew tired, barely able to stay open.
"You should get some rest, you've been through a lot."
Twilight nodded her head, and shut her eyes, allowing herself to sleep in peace, as she did once long ago, Cadence sitting beside her at her side.
Chrysalis screamed out in anger, frustrated that she had been defeated once again. She should have known the alicorn would have found a way to break her spell.
"What shall we do now, My Queen?" a changeling asked.
"We will have to reevaluate our plan. It must be made into one that Twilight Sparkle cannot fight." Chrysalis said. She sat on her throne, thinking. Images popped into her mind for new ideas, but she could do naught but shake her head at each one.
It was then that she recalled her almost successful scheme from before, in which she had captured Cadence. She thought of the spell which she had cast, hoping she hadn't found out about it yet.
She ignited her horn, pulling up Cadence's image. She smiled at the sight she saw. This new plan could work out.
---
Cadence sat beside Twilight, deep in thought, pondering on how she was going to deliver the bad news.
"Have you told her yet?" Celestia asked in a hushed tone, startling Cadence as she walked into the room and sat down beside her.
"No, not yet," Cadence whispered back. "I'm trying to think of how I’m going to tell her."
Celestia brought Cadence close with her wing. "It has been a year now, Cadence. We are at war. We have to be quick about our decisions.”
Cadence let out a sigh. She then turned when she heard the door squeak slightly, finding Flurry Heart there, clinging onto her blanket.
"Flurry, sweetie, it's past your bedtime," Cadence said. "Are you okay?"
Flurry slowly walked up to her mother and curled up at her side. Cadence put her wing around her gently.
"I had a bad dream," Flurry whispered, her voice still shaky.
"It's okay, I'm right here."
Cadence glanced out of the window, staring at all the tents of those innocent ponies who got themselves tangled up in this war. Almost immediately she pulled a tarp over it, the thought of those poor souls unbearable.
"When do you think Luna will be back?" she asked.
"I do not know, but maybe within the next few days," Celestia answered.
Cadence nodded and turned, trying to push away the sadness which threatened to overwhelm her. She didn’t have to think about it for long, however, when a sudden pain burst into existence in her head; she groaned and let go of Flurry, placing her hoof there tenderly with a wince.
"Cadence, are you alright?" Celestia asked.
Cadence rubbed her head. "I think so..." she mumbled.
"Maybe you should get some rest. I'll take care of Flurry."
Cadence nodded, walking out of the room slowly, occasionally tripping over her hooves. A royal guard walked over to her side to assist her.
"What's wrong with Mommy?" Flurry whined. Celestia looked at the young alicorn filly.
"Mommy will be okay, Flurry," she uttered. "Everything is going to be fine."
Flurry watched her mother slowly leave the room, the guard still at her side, the conversation fading as they walked further down the hall.
Twilight slowly opened her eyes as she let out a soft moan, still slightly sore. She saw Celestia sitting beside a familiar young alicorn filly.
They turned, noticing the noise coming from her direction. The young alicorn burst out and flew into Twilight's hooves, clinging onto her with tears in her eyes.
"Flurry...?" Twilight muttered, but she didn't have to question who her niece was. "You've gotten so big, I almost didn't recognize you!" Twilight said, tears of joy and sadness forming in her eyes as she wrapped her hooves around her.
"I've missed you so much, Auntie Twilight! I thought I wasn't gonna see you again..." Flurry cried.
"I've missed you too, sweetie." Flurry clung onto Twilight as tightly as she could, never wanting to let her go. Twilight wiped the tears out of her eyes and Flurry's and then stared at her, smiling. "But nothing will ever keep us apart, ever. I won't let anything stand in my way to get to you."
Twilight stared into her niece's eyes. They truly sparkled like the Crystal Heart would after the Crystal Heart Fair.
Flurry lay beside her aunt, feeling comfortable once more so that she soon fell asleep. Twilight smiled at the sight.
"She sure has grown," she whispered, trying not to wake the young filly. "Have I really been gone that long?"
"I'm afraid so, and there have been quite a few changes since that time. And… well, there are some things you should know."
"Like what?"
Celestia hung her head, her face grew grim. "We're at war," she muttered. "Shortly after you left, Chrysalis and the changelings attacked."
Twilight looked at the young filly, growing concerned for her safety. She then looked back at Celestia.
"Tell me everything that's happened."
---
"Are you sure you're alright, Your Highness?" the royal guard asked as Cadence opened the door to her room.
"I'm sure I'm fine, thank you," Cadence said. "I'm going to get some rest for a while."
"I'm here if you need anything."
"Thank you." Cadence smiled as she shut her door.
---
Twilight hung her head, still hardly able to believe the news. "That monster has to be stopped," she whispered. "I've had enough, losing innocent lives of others who have nothing to do with this. I want to do everything that I can to make sure nopony will have to lose another family member or friend."
Twilight slowly removed the blanket from on top of her, setting herself on the ground, but when she tried to put weight on her legs, her body crumpled and she fell to the floor.
"Are you alright, Twilight?" Celestia asked, rushing to her aid.
"I..." Twilight stuttered, staring at her legs. "I... I can't feel my legs..." She looked up at Celestia, small tears forming in her eyes. She then took a shuddery breath and tried again to stand, but to no avail.
"I can't feel anything! What's going on?" Twilight cried, her voice shaking with fear. "What do I do, Celestia?"
The panic in the room caused Flurry to rouse from her sleep. She stared at her aunt, crying with Celestia at her side.
"Auntie?" Flurry said.
Cadence then rushed in the room, noticing the commotion, and she rushed to Flurry's side and picked her up.
"What's wrong with Auntie Twilight?"
Cadence ignored the question, walking her daughter to the door.
"Mommy...?"
"It's okay, Flurry, everything is going to be fine," Cadence said. "Aunt Twilight will be okay, just go to your room for now."
Flurry's eyes filled with tears as she watched the door shut, but she obeyed her mother. The conversation would later echo through her head when she curled up, trying—but failing—to get back to sleep.
---
Cadence rushed to Twilight's side, her eyes widened in shock.
“Celestia! What’s happened?” she cried, trying to keep herself calm.
“Twilight just awoke, Cadence, but her legs aren’t working,” she replied, her voice amazingly calm. “I think she’s panicking; she’s not thinking straight.”
Cadence took a deep breath before trying to force a smile on her face. She then rose a hoof to gently stroke Twilight’s mane, feeling the mare relax slightly under her hoof until she was calm enough to be lifted back into bed. Even then she trembled, though.
"What do you think it is?" Twilight said, finally able to speak.
"I do not know, but maybe Luna will," Celestia said. "Don't worry, Twilight. You'll be fine."
Twilight nodded and lay down, closing her eyes and trying to stop her hooves from shaking. Cadence and Celestia then shared a look; they both knew the truth. There was no factual basis for that lie; they could only wait and see what would happen.
---
Hours passed and Luna returned, guards from battle behind her with injuries. They all rested themselves on the extra beds in the room. Twilight just stared in shock.
Luna walked over to Twilight's side, handing her a bottle filled with a strange, odd-smelling liquid.
"Drink this," she uttered. "It will help."
Twilight took the potion with her hooves, unable to find any strength with her magic, and drank it down. She felt a sudden pain in her leg, but it quickly dissipated.
There was a type of energy she could feel moving through her, giving her strength. The numbness in her body slowly decreased as she regained her strength.
Luna held out her hoof, Twilight grabbed it as she still shook slightly. She slowly pulled her out of the bed, allowing her to stand on her own for a moment, but lost her balance. Cadence caught her before she fell, helping her back up.
"Well?" Celestia asked.
Luna let out a soft sigh as she spoke. "The spell is still strong enough to take effect, but it won't thrive as fast as it was meant to. Something has caused her to lose feeling in her hooves and wings, but it was caused by something while she was in her coma." Luna paused to think for a moment. "What exactly did you go through while you were gone, Twilight?"
Twilight thought for a moment, rubbing her head slightly.
"I can't really remember very well," she muttered. "I know I fought Chrysalis, but that's all I really remember."
"Did she do anything to you?" Cadence asked.
A sudden image appeared in Twilight's mind from the battle.
"I think she put another type of spell on me, but it's still a blur..."
"Try to explain what happened to us."
Twilight let out a soft sigh.
---
Flurry closed the door behind her as she entered her room, letting out a soft sigh as she slowly walked to her bed. She then heard a sudden sound, startling her. She listened closely, trying to figure out what it was, but when she heard a soft chuckle, she began to panic.
She tried to run but was pulled back by her tail and let out a cry of pain. She let out a grunt as she hit the floor, sitting next to a changeling smiling at her. He let out a chuckle.
Flurry recognized this changeling. She didn't know how she remembered, but she knew his face. Flurry made another attempt to run but was held back by her tale, falling to the ground once more.
"I wouldn't run if I were you." the changeling hissed, pulling her back.
Flurry tried to scream out, but the changeling covered her mouth as he dragged her, flying out the window.
Flurry watched the ground below her growing smaller, causing her to panic, and do the first thing that came to mind.
She managed to move her mouth away from the changelings hoof, and chomp as hard as she could. The changeling screamed out in pain, losing his grasp on Flurry. She caught herself as the changeling let go, and flew as fast as she could back to her room.
The changeling chased after her, causing her to fly faster. Her heart beat hard, panicking that she wasn't going to be fast enough.
Flurry crash landed into her room, letting out a grunt with each impact, but ignored it and rushed to her mother, screaming out her name.
---
Twilight heard a loud scream coming from down the hall, growing closer.
"Flurry..." Twilight thought.
She rushed as fast as she could out of the room, rushing to help her niece, finding her in the hallway, the memory of that night from long ago flashing in her mind.
Twilight tried to fire her horn, struggling to fight the spell as she ran up finding a changeling making attempts of harm to Flurry.
Finally, she found enough strength to fire her horn, shooting the changeling a few feet away from Flurry. The changeling cried as it was flung back away from the young alicorn filly.
Twilight picked Flurry up, putting her onto her back ignoring how tired she became from using her magic, and rushed back into the room and tried to lock the door behind her, catching her breath.
Twilight looked at Flurry sitting on the ground, looking slightly pale, still shocked from the event. She tried to walk up to Twilight and cling onto her leg, but let out a cry of pain, clinging onto her hoof.
"Flurry, what happened?" Twilight asked concerned.
"I'm okay, I just fell." Flurry said, trying not to show her pain. Twilight stared at Flurry's hoof, slightly swollen and red.
Twilight carefully picked Flurry up, careful not to cause more pain. Flurry tried to squirm out of her grasp, refusing to admit the pain she was in, but soon gave up.
Twilight set Flurry on top of the bed and set her leg onto a pillow as Cadence ran to grab a bag of ice for her hoof.
Twilight carefully placed the ice pack onto her hoof as Flurry would cry out in pain. She wiped her tears, trying to put a smile on her face to cheer Flurry up a bit by telling her funny stories of her and Shining Armor. Flurry chuckled as she heard the tales.
Flurry stared over at the wounded ponies on the other side of the room, a frown growing on her face as she hung her head. Twilight pulled her chin up.
"What's wrong, bug?" she asked.
A tear started to form in Flurry's eye. "Auntie Twilight..." she sniffed. "What if something happens to me, and I won't see you again...?"
Twilight carefully pulled Flurry close, causing a tear to form in her eyes. "I will never let anything happen to you Flurry, ever. I promise I will always be there to save you if you're in danger."
Tears streamed down Flurry's face, unable to keep it in any longer. "But... what if-"
"I promise Flurry."
Flurry carefully put her hooves around Twilight's leg, feeling comfort in her words as she trusted her aunt that she would keep her word.
A few hours had passed since the changeling’s failed foalnapping attempt, and it became night.
Twilight walked down the hall, slowly pacing herself, unable to find any sleep due to the slight pain in her wing and the new knowledge she had learned. They scattered through her mind, causing them to be the only thing she focused on. She wanted to figure out a way to help the other ponies with the war, and help end it. Her eyes and legs suddenly grew tired, causing her to slowly blink a few times, and once she reopened her eyes, she suddenly found herself on the floor, unable to have any feeling in her hooves or wing once more. She tried to get up but struggled to find any energy left. She felt it as it drained from her faster than before. She tried to get up once more but was still unsuccessful. Twilight plopped herself onto the ground, giving up.
"It's really happening..." she thought to herself as a tear streamed down her cheek. "What do I do now...?"
Twilight found herself soon weeping softly as she felt a new fear grow into her mind, but she refused to believe it.
Twilight poured every ounce of her strength into her legs, trying to get them to move. After a few minutes of struggle, she found enough strength to manage to crawl across the floor to her room.
Slowly, but surely, she had made it to the door and reached out her shaking hoof to the doorknob, pulling herself up to her hooves as it opened squeaking slightly. Twilight stared over at her sleeping niece, at the side of Twilight's bed. They had decided to put Flurry into her room with her to make sure she would be safe and to keep Twilight company since she felt lonely from time to time. Twilight let out a soft sigh as she rested her eyes for a moment.
Flurry let out a yawn, awakened by the door. She looked over to find her aunt, clinging onto the door, struggling to stay on her hooves.
"Auntie Twilight...?" Flurry mumbled still half asleep.
Twilight was slightly startled at the sudden sound in the room but quickly grabbed onto a nearby dresser to keep her balance, moving closer to her bed.
"Auntie Twilight?" Flurry asked.
"I'm fine," Twilight muttered, climbing into her bed, but she wasn't fine.
Flurry stared at the floor, her ears flopping back slightly.
"I had another bad dream... could I come and sleep with you tonight?" She whimpered softly.
Twilight smiled and nodded slightly allowing Flurry to climb in next to her, carefully moving close to her aunt, snuggling close.
Twilight shut her eyes to rest for a moment as her niece got comfortable. It had been a few minutes since either one spoke again.
"Are you going to be okay, Auntie Twilight?" Flurry asked, her voice whimpering slightly with fear.
Twilight smiled at her niece, kissing her forehead. "I'll be fine, Flurry." Twilight lied.
She hated lying to her. Twilight knew she wasn't going to be okay. Every day, the spell weakens her slowly, causing her to be less and less capable of taking care of herself. Fighting through her coma was only the first step, she knew that the last of her days were going to be worse, but she wasn't going to keep her niece from worrying about her.
Flurry smiled as she let out a yawn, shutting her eyes.
"Goodnight, Auntie. I love you," she mumbled as she fell asleep.
Twilight felt a tear stream down her face, landing on her pillow. Twilight held Flurry close, holding her like a teddy bear, silently sniffing to herself.
She didn't know how much time she had left, but she was going to waste it doing nothing. She wanted to help fight, to protect the innocent ponies who got tangled in this war. Memories of her adventures popped into her mind, reminding her of how she never gave up, no matter how bad the situation got.
Twilight let out a soft sigh, thoughts scattering through her mind, unable to find sleep once more.
Twilight managed to find enough strength in the night to be able to try another walk. She entered a large room, finding training manikins throughout the room, along with weapons and armor. She walked up to a sword, staring at it for a moment. She picked it up with her hooves, but then heard something fire out of the wall, hurtling toward her.
She dropped the sword and shut her eyes, curling into a ball. Twilight noticed she was holding something slightly heavy, causing her to open her eyes and find a shield levitating in front of her by her magic. She didn't even think of using her magic, considering how much struggle it was to use.
Twilight heard an arrow coming toward her from another direction, causing her to block the attack once more. Any pain that was in her body was soon forgotten. Arrow after arrow, she would levitate the shield, blocking the attacks.
Finally, it stopped, allowing her to rest for a moment and catch her breath. She opened her eyes, staring at a guard standing in the doorway, slightly shocked at what he has just seen.
Twilight stared at him, catching her breath, then picked up the shield and put it back where she found it.
"Hello, Chrystal Mane," Twilight uttered.
"Forgive my interruption your highness, but why must you put your weapon away?" he asked.
"Because..." Twilight said, her ears folding back slightly. "I'm weak," Twilight said, her ears folding back.
The guard walked up to her, putting a hoof around her shoulder. "You are not weak, why must you pull yourself down with false comments?" he asked.
Twilight let out a sigh, keeping her tears inside. She remembered seeing Chrystal Mane a few times while Flash was on duty, and knew he was good friends with the stallion.
"You are a strong mare, capable of anything you put your mind to, just like you did now when you were being attacked."
Twilight couldn't hold it in any longer. "But I..." She tried to say, her words choking her.
"You know Flash would say the same about you," Chrystal said, putting a soft smile on his face.
Twilight shut her eyes, feeling her face becoming wet with tears, remembering something that felt like years ago...
Flashback...
Twilight and Flash walked together, finding a place to have their picnic together. They walked towards the edge of the Everfree Forest nearby Sweet Apple Acres, thinking that it would be the best spot.
Twilight levitated the picnic basket onto the ground. Once the blanket had been placed onto the ground and took a seat beside Flash as he opened the picnic basket, pulling out a daisy sandwich for Twilight with some berry punch.
After a few minutes, most of their food was eaten.
"So, Flash..." Twilight blushed, fluffing her wings slightly. "How's it going in training and things...?"
Flash shrugged. "Nothing much, same old same old. How are things with you?"
Before Twilight could answer, there was a soft growl in the trees with an unbearable smell reached their muzzles. Twilight and Flash looked over with worried looks on their faces.
They saw green eyes glaring through the dark forest, growing slowly closer and closer, then a giant timber wolf burst out of the bushes, letting out a loud howl.
"Run!" Twilight managed to say as she rushed onto her hooves and trotted as fast as she could, but stopped when she noticed Flash was not beside her.
She turned around, finding him flying above the creature, throwing a rock at its face, only to aggravate it more.
The timber wolf threw its paw into the air, smacking into Flash, causing him to crash into the ground hard unconscious.
"Flash!" Twilight yelled, rushing to his side. She stood beside him, unable to figure out a situation due to all the panic in her mind.
"Oh, what would Rainbow Dash do..." she thought to herself as an idea suddenly popped into her head.
Twilight charged toward the creature, her horn igniting brightly, shooting out a blast. The creature let out a grumbled growl, shaking its head, then found the pony flying above its head shooting another blast from her magic.
She kept her mind focused, not allowing anything that was around her to distract her. Twilight ignited her horn once more.
Flash grunted slightly as he opened his eyes, feeling sore from the impact.
"Ow..." he mumbled, spitting out dirt from his mouth as he rubbed his head.
He then turned his head to view his surroundings but found Twilight flying above the creature, trying to defeat it, but it only growled and threw its paws into the air, hitting Twilight. She let out a scream of pain as the claws made an impact with her wing and descended towards the ground.
Flash took action and flew after her, flapping his wings hard, determined to catch her. He didn't let any soreness in his body stop him.
Twilight flapped her wings ferociously, trying to catch herself, but only was to no success as she plummeted to the ground.
Suddenly, she felt herself land into Flash's hooves, her screams muffled and flails stopped. Flash soared toward the ground, landing them both to safety.
"Are you alright?" Flash asked concerned. "How's your wing?"
Twilight turned to her side, trying to pull out her wing, but only responded with cries of pain.
Flash carefully pulled out her wing, finding a few feathers had been pulled out with a large scratch mark across the wing.
"It looks bad..." Twilight grunted, wincing slightly from the pain as Flash examined her wing.
The growl grew closer once more, revealing the timber wolf standing in front of them once more. The two ponies stared at the large monster in front of them.
Out of defense, Twilight shot another beam, impacting the creature, causing it to turn to a small pile of broken twigs. Twilight let out a soft sigh, relieved the creature was gone. She turned to Flash with a soft tired smile on her face. She slowly got up with Flash's help, then allowed him to hold onto her for balance as they trudged slightly back towards her home.
---
"Yeah..." Twilight uttered. "I know..."
She let out a sigh, thinking for a moment shutting her eyes. She then opened them, staring at Crystal Mane.
"Now, are you going to pick a weapon?" Crystal asked.
Twilight let out a soft sigh, thinking for a moment, then picked up the shield once more, along with a sword, carrying them with her in front of the guard and setting them onto the ground in front of her.
"Let's begin, I won't take it too hard on you since you're still healing."
Twilight took a deep breath, then nodded her head, saying she was ready.
Chrystal Mane made the first move without warning. He immediately took off, flying towards Twilight with his sword in his grasp, but Twilight's instinct lead her to her first move.
Her horn ignited once more, shooting toward Chrystal, but missed him by a few inches as he flew past the blast.
He then made another attempt for an attack, and another as Twilight would block each one. Finally, Chrystal ran towards her, his sword in tight grasp once more. Twilight quickly levitated a shield from behind her to her front, causing an impact between the two objects. Twilight shoved the object forward, pushing the guard away from her a few feet.
Twilight then ran toward the guard, holding onto the sword with her magic, charging toward the guard. Suddenly, Twilight lost her balance, causing her to trip over her hooves and slide across the floor. The guard jumped out of the way to prevent getting himself stabbed with the sword skidding across the floor, then rushed back to her side to help.
"Are you alright, Your Highness?" he asked as he helped her up.
Twilight shook her head, regaining herself, and slowly arose from the ground. "Yeah, I'm fine," She said. "I just lost my balance for a moment."
"Maybe you need something lighter. We can craft something new."
Twilight stared back over where the shields were, finding her brothers. It looked similar to his cutie mark, but without the giant spark on the center. She slowly walked toward it, trying to lift it with her magic. She then felt a sudden burst of energy as she lifted it into the air, feeling slightly stronger than before. As she held it, a sudden idea came into her mind.
She turned over to Chrystal Mane. "Is it possible to remodel a shield?" Twilight asked.
---
Twilight stared at her new shield, staring at the small gems edged onto the plate. She took a deep breath as she ignited her horn, focusing her mind on what she loved about her friends and what they meant to her. She let out a grunt, pushing harder, as the spell was tricky for her to cast, with how much power that was needed.
"Come on Twilight, you can do it!" Cadence said, trying to help push her sister further.
"I... can't get it... to..." Twilight grunted allowed.
"Yes, you can! Keep trying Twilight!"
Twilight's grunting grew louder, her horn's glow brightening. Small sparks flew from her horn. The gems slowly started to glow, slowly growing brighter and brighter as Twilight pushed harder and harder.
Twilight let out a scream from the pain of all the strength she was using.
"You're almost there, Twilight!"
Twilight finally let go, her horn's glow dimmed fast. She then fell to the floor, exhausted from all the strength she used, but she knew it was all worth it.
Twilight opened her eyes, staring over at the shield, watching the gems glowing slightly, she then looked up at her sister with a tired smile on her face. She felt the presence of her friends, thriving strong through the room. Twilight sat herself up, letting out a tired sigh as a small frown on her face.
"Cadence..." Twilight muttered, her voice shaking slightly. "There's something I need to tell you..."
---
Cadence held Twilight in a tight embrace, tears streaming down their faces. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner, I can be such an idiot sometimes..." Twilight sobbed. "I... I..."
Cadence held her sister tighter, letting out a few sniffs. "Twilight, don't do that to yourself! You're a strong mare and will fight through this!"
"But... I can't..." Twilight wiped her face.
"Yes, you can, I know y-"
"No, I can't!" Twilight shouted, pulling herself out of the embrace staring into Cadence's eyes, unable to contain her rage any longer. "Don't you see? Even though I've fought the spell, it's still inside me, killing me slowly every day!"
Cadence couldn't find her words, too shocked at what Twilight had said.
"I don't just want to just give up, and let innocents suffer because of me. I want to do all I can with what short time I have left..."
Twilight slowly walked over to her shield, picking it up with her hooves and strapping it onto her waist, then walked toward the door, but was stopped by Cadence's hoof. Twilight looked up at her sister.
"No, you're not," Cadence uttered. "Not by yourself. I want to help you."
Twilight put a soft smile on her face, then continued walking out the door back into the training room, Cadence at her side. She stopped when she found Princess Celestia and Luna in front of her, with small confused looks on their faces. She stepped forward, ready to speak her mind.
Twilight was exhausted from her first day of training, and she had struggled to do a whole lot since she had been out of commission for so long. She was sound asleep in her room with her niece sleeping beside her.
Suddenly, Flurry Heart woke up screaming at the top of her lungs. Twilight jumped out of her bed startled by the young filly's sob.
Twilight looked up at her bed, finding the young filly trembling with fear.
Flurry sobbed under the blanket, curling into a ball. Twilight slowly climbed back into the bed to help calm the young filly. When she felt the shifting on the bedding, Flurry clasped herself onto her aunt.
Ever since the war with the changelings started, she would have bad dreams of things that would happen, which was part of the reason why she wanted her Aunt to sleep with her in her room.
"Do you want to talk about what happened this time?" Twilight whispered, trying to ease the young filly. Flurry shook her head furiously, still trembling.
Twilight held her in a tight embrace, allowing her fears to settle. "It's alright, nothing will hurt you as long as I'm around, sweetie."
Flurry let out a sniffle, pulling her face out of her aunt's coat slowly, and rested her head. Twilight picked her up into her hooves, gently stroking her mane.
"I dreamed... that the changelings... they... they..." Flurry explained shakily, still frightened slightly. "fed off of my love... and then... I saw you and mommy... they..." Flurry sobbed, unable to explain another word.
Twilight hushed the young filly, gently swaying herself side to side. "It's okay, Flurry Heart. It was just a dream."
"It was just a dream, I will never let that happen to you, Spike." Twilight thought, remembering her promise to Spike.
---
"Mommy...?" Spike whispered, gently poking Twilight on the side.
Twilight mumbled to herself in her sleep but was roused when she felt a claw jabbing her. She turned around, finding Spike clutching his blanket, letting out a few sniffs.
"Spike...?" Twilight muttered, still half asleep. "Is something wrong?"
"I... I had another bad dream..." Spike sniffed. "Could I come and sleep with you tonight...?"
Twilight smiled as she lifted her blanket off the bed allowing the young dragon to come sleep next to her. She put her hoof around him, pulling him closer to herself, and gently wrapped him in his blanket. She then kissed his forehead before he fell fast asleep.
---
Flurry felt a tear fall onto her head, causing her to look up at her aunt, her face covered with tears.
"Auntie Twilight, what's wrong?"
Twilight sat her niece back down on the bed, rubbing her tears off of her face. "I promised myself that I wouldn't be such a crybaby in front of you..." she sobbed. "I guess that I just can't help it..."
Flurry coiled her hooves around her aunt, holding her. "It's okay Auntie Twilight, grownups can cry too."
"I guess that I just miss my friend, that's all..." Twilight sighed.
Flurry's ears dropped down, as a small tear streamed down her face.
"Auntie Twilight...?" Flurry asked. "Could you sing me a lullaby...?"
Twilight smiled at her niece, pulling her close to herself again as she pulled the blankets over the two of them and hummed Flurry a tune, allowing her to doze off slightly.
You're my little one, now and forevermore...
My little one, I'm here for you,
Always...
Twilight gently kissed Flurry's forehead as she gently rocked her to sleep.
The door suddenly swung open, revealing Cadence alarmed, but was hushed when she saw Twilight holding Flurry humming a tune.
Cadence slowly walked toward her sister. "Another one?" She whispered. Twilight nodded in response. "I see you have it all under control, I'll let you be." She said walking out the door.
Twilight stared out of the window, staring over at the battlefield, imagining what it would be like if her brother was fighting with her, along with her friends.
So much had changed since she had been gone, and she wondered how all so much could change in all that time.
Changelings were on the constant hunt for Flurry and other ponies, many ponies would die in battle, and nopony would know if they would be alive to see the light of tomorrow.
Twilight let out a sigh, knowing the answer to her question. "One thing's for sure... I can't give up on all these ponies..." Twilight thought aloud. "But it's not like I know how to lead them in this war, or where it's going..."
Shock then filled her mind, realizing she would have to help lead the ponies through this war, which was something she had no idea how to do so... Her thoughts soon caused her fatigue to show. She soon fell asleep.
---
Twilight opened her eyes, finding herself in her garden filled with flowers. Tears came into her mind, reminding her of the last time she visited this place. She sat on the ground, sobbing into her hooves.
Suddenly, she felt a hoof stroke her mane, causing her to look up. She stared at the pony in front of her, which felt like forever. Finally, she clung onto the pony, embracing him as he gently stroked her mane.
"Shining Armor..." Twilight muttered. "I..." Her words wouldn't come out through her sobs. Shining Armor hushed her and continued stroking her mane.
"You have to lead the ponies, even if you aren't ready. Think about other ponies who are like Flurry. Could they be scared that they'll lose their family too?" Shining whispered. "If you don't help them, their fears can come true. You have to be brave, Twilie..."
"But... I don't have enough strength..." Twilight said, looking into her brother's eyes. Shining Armor smiled.
"Knowing you, you'll figure out a way, you never give up on your family when they need you. I should know. Flurry needs you, Twilight,"
Twilight hugged her brother once more, crying into his coat. A soft wind blew through her mane, as if saying everything would be alright, but she couldn't see how it would.
Queen Chrysalis sat on her throne, watching an image of the day's fight, and how many of the ponies failed. She smiled in pleasure as her changelings succeeded in their part of the war.
"Everything is going according to plan..." She uttered.
"But what is the next step, My Queen?" A changeling asked. "Are we going to-"
"Not yet..." Chrysalis interjected. "We must have patience, and wait for the order..."
Another changeling stomped its hoof about to interject but was silenced by a glare from his queen.
"Calm, my child... Good things come to those who wait."
The changeling recoiled from his queen's comment and sat back down.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
"Enter..." Chrysalis hissed.
The door opened, revealing a changeling in armor standing in front of the door. "Report; the Princess is awake."
Chrysalis's smile grew wider. "Excellent..." She smiled. "Gather the soldiers, tell them to be ready, quickly. "
The changeling nodded as he exited the room shutting the door behind him.
"Ready for what, My Queen?" The changeling beside her asked.
Chrysalis chuckled once more as she put her hooves together and rested her chin.
"Our final attack... Now that Princess Twilight is awake, we can bring out our full attack. You are all dismissed."
After they left, an image of Princess Twilight appeared. Chrysalis glared at the image.
"Long live the princess..." she uttered as she ignited her horn, causing the image to dissipate into flames. She chuckled loudly, hearing it echo throughout the throne room.
---
The room was filled with ponies training with each other, swords making contact with others, and shields clanging against each other. It was mostly royal guard and the princesses, but a few other ponies were training as well, refusing to sit idly by and watch their friends and families die.
Celestia was training with her sister Luna. This wasn't the first war they had participated in, so they were using their experience to help the other ponies who couldn't help themselves.
Another pony was training with one of the guards but kept getting ahead of himself. Twilight was training with Crystal Mane with her shield close to her side. She could feel the power flowing through her body as her shield glowed slightly, allowing her to lift her sword, swinging it through the air as she made an attack.
Twilight ran toward Crystal Mane, her sword making a loud "clang" with the impact between his. It slid as the pressure grew harder and sparks slightly formed.
"Make sure to watch your form!" Chrystal yelled over the loud combat in the room. Twilight nodded in response.
Twilight was about to change her form but was blown off of her hooves as an explosion came into the room. Dust and debris were the only things visible.
Her impact on the ground was hard, causing her to lose her focus for a moment, but she quickly regained it after realizing what had happened.
She shook her head then looked around her to make sure nopony was hurt,
"Is everypony alright?" But before anyone could answer, a familiar chuckle echoed throughout the room. A scowl quickly formed on her face with a soft growl.
"Chrysalis..." Twilight muttered as the chuckle grew louder.
"My my Twilight... It sure has been a while since I've seen your face." Chrysalis chuckled.
"Show yourself, you monster!" Cadence said, walking up beside Twilight, but she stopped herself when her head grew a sudden pain, causing her to cringe to the ground. Twilight turned to her aid.
"Cadence, what's wrong?" She asked alarmed but was stopped by another chuckle.
"Really, Twilight?" Chrysalis uttered. "I would have thought you of all ponies would find out by now..."
"Find out what?" Twilight said, ignoring the continuing laughter.
"Oh, you'll see... soon enough..." Chrysalis said as Cadence's pain grew more.
Twilight's face changed to one of shock. "What did you do to her?" she growled, finding more laughter to be her answer. A sudden realization hit her at that moment.
"The spell..."
Twilight then growled at Chrysalis once more. "Oh, when I get my hooves on you, Chrysalis-"
"Come and get me then, Princess..." Chrysalis taunted.
Twilight charged out, screaming with rage, the other ponies running behind her, war cries shouting through the room. Twilight only had one thing on her mind, protect her subjects at all costs; including her family.
She focused her strength, causing her shield to ignite its magic as she charged toward the enemy allowing her to draw her weapon.
"Twilight, wait!" Luna tried to call out, but she was already on the battlefield. She hung her head and prayed that she would be alright.
Twilight hit the ground hard, once more covered with battle injuries. Her shield slid across the ground. She groaned, her body becoming weak once more. Chrysalis slowly walked out of the smoke, smirking down at Twilight. She looked up with a glare, trying not to show any fear in her eyes.
Chrysalis let out a chuckle, glaring down at Twilight. "You may be able to fight, but you're still weak!" she spat. "Cadence's spell has already defeated her, just accept it, princess, you've lost."
"Never!" Twilight hissed. "I refuse to let you kill another innocent as long as I still live!"
"Oh, that can be arranged..." Chrysalis chuckled as she lifted her hoof. Chrysalis let her hoof fall on Twilight's head. Twilight grunted at the impact. Chrysalis then lifted Twilight and slammed her down on her back. Twilight cried out. She tried to roll away, but couldn't find the strength.
Chrysalis kicked Twilight away. She rolled a couple of times, Chrysalis picked Twilight up in her magic before slamming her down again. Twilight coughed and tried to sit up. Chrysalis slammed her head into the ground with her hoof. “Had enough yet princess?” She snarled.
"I'm... not... giving... up..." Twilight choked as she felt another hard impact.
Chrysalis levitated Twilight in front of her face, putting her into a chokehold with her magic. She let out a sudden loud shriek as she felt a pain in her head, causing her to drop Twilight. She let out a huge gasp for air, then coughing ferociously. Chrysalis turned her head, finding the pony who did that.
"Leave my auntie alone!" A young voice squeaked.
Twilight flinched when she heard the noise, knowing who said it. Shock and horror filled her mind.
Chrysalis looked down, finding Flurry Heart. She let out a chuckle as she levitated her with her magic.
"No..." Twilight choked, reaching out a shaking hoof. She knew that she could do nothing but watch her niece be tormented by this monster.
Flurry whimpered, trying to make another attack, but was unable due to Chrysalis blocking.
"The little filly wants to save the day, hmm?" Chrysalis chuckled. "Well, I think that it's time for you to face reality!"
Chrysalis slammed Flurry into the ground hard, causing her to scream. She tried to call out her aunt's name but would be slammed into the ground again. She let out sobs as tears streamed down her cheeks. Chrysalis's laughter would grow louder with each sob the filly made.
"Chrysalis..." Twilight grunted. "You monster! She has nothing to do with this!"
Chrysalis stopped, turning over to Twilight, looking at her with annoyance.
"You know that she is perfectly a part of this!" Chrysalis yelled as she opened her mouth wide while Flurry's coat glowed.
"No!" Twilight yelled, watching in horror as her niece's coat dimmed and eyes grew heavy.
Chrysalis let out a chuckle and smacked her lips together before she continued.
Twilight stared in horror as Chrysalis threw Flurry to the ground like a rag doll. Twilight let out a sob as she reached her hoof out to Flurry, grabbing her tightly, Twilight pulled Flurry in close, trying her best to protect her.
Chrysalis stared at Twilight, chuckling to herself. Twilight glared, despite the tears in her eyes. "So, you gonna feed off of my love too?" She snapped.
Chrysalis broke out into laughter. "You fool, I am saving you for later. For something that is much more painful..."
Chrysalis suddenly levitated Twilight once more, causing her to lose her grip on Flurry Heart. Chrysalis brought Twilight close to her face, with a sly grin on her face. Twilight only glared back, refusing to let any fear stop her.
Suddenly, Twilight felt a pain crawling through her wing as if insects were crawling inside of her. The pain increased as Chrysalis's horn grew brighter. Twilight struggled to keep her pain inside, refusing to show herself as weak, but she could not resist any longer.
Twilight let out a blood-curdling scream of pain, causing Chrysalis's smile to grow. Tears fell from Twilight's eyes as the pain increased. A memory from long ago played through her mind, reminding her of the last time she had felt this pain.
Finally, Chrysalis dropped Twilight to the ground, watching her curl into the fetal position. She let out a chuckle as Twilight tried to reach towards Flurry Heart and bring her close.
Twilight looked up to see a battalion of pegasi, flying toward them. A group of unicorns surely followed on hoof, led by Crystal. They charged and fired blasts of magic, a few hitting their target, but most scattered around and kicking up dust. Chrysalis noticed this, turning to face the army head-on. Chrystal Mane rushed over to Twilight's side, giving her a bandanna to block most of the dust. Chrystal wrapped a bandanna around Flurry’s muzzle as well. Twilight helped Chrystal lift Flurry onto his back.
"Get her to safety, I'll be fine..." Twilight uttered. Crystal nodded and turned back towards the base.
Twilight turned over to where her shield was using the cover that the dust provided she reached toward it. She managed to drag it over to her side, waiting for its magic to take effect. She slowly regained her strength, allowing her to ignite her horn.
Crystal Mane hooved Flurry Heart over to a pegasus pony, telling him to fly as fast as he could back toward the base to get her to safety. He then turned back, drawing out his sword and charging toward Chrysalis.
She blocked the attack with her magic, throwing Crystal Mane to the ground. Twilight rushed over to his side. Chrystal rolled to his hooves then turned toward Chrysalis. Together they faced down the Changeling, the pegasi and unicorns surrounding her. Suddenly the bussing of a swarm of changelings filled the air. Thousands if not millions of bugs filled the air.
"Retreat, we can't take that many!" Twilight yelled, turning back, with the others behind her.
Explosions set off behind them as they ran, prompting them to go faster. Many of the unicorns were within range for some of the attacks but were quickly pulled out. The pegasi airlifting the injured back to base.
Twilight heard Crystal Mane cry out. She turned, finding him within the center of a ring of fire, probably resulting from an attack. She called over a few guards to help her get him out.
A pegasus carefully descended into the flames and lifted Chrystal out and over to Twilight. After setting Chrystal beside her the pegasus flew off to help another.
Suddenly, an explosion went off at the base. Twilight turned her head, her face filled with shock. She ran as fast as her hooves could carry her as she ran over.
"Flurry!" She yelled as she approached the scene.
Twilight suddenly heard Chrysalis's laughter, echoing through her head. Giant green flames ignited, surrounding the rubble where her niece was trapped. She ran faster, trying to save her before the flame completely blocked her out.
As the flame was nearly completely closed off, she managed to jump through the flame, not noticing any pain as the flames brushed past her.
She hit the ground, panic filled her face. "Flurry, where are you?!" She yelled. Twilight then heard somepony cough, she rushed toward the sound finding one of the guards. She helped him out of the rubble and get back on his hooves. Twilight frantically searched for any sign of her niece as the guard ran out of the flame to get help.
The heat grew stronger, causing Twilight to squint her eyes even more.
"You're never going to be able to save her..." Chrysalis's voice chuckled.
Twilight shook her head, pushing the voice out of her head, but struggled. She heard something off to her side, causing her to turn her head. She finally spotted her niece's hoof under a pile of rubble and ran to her side.
Twilight carefully pulled her out of the rubble and held her close. She turned around to exit, but the flame surrounded her with no chance for escape.
Twilight held Flurry close, trying to protect her as best as she could. The flames grew closer. She couldn't see another way of escape. Twilight could barely move and barely breathe.
Twilight cried out in pain as the flames licked her wing, burning it badly. Twilight had to think fast. There was no choice but to jump.
She held Flurry close and leaped as high as her legs would go at the apex of her jump Twilight spread her wings and thrust herself just high enough to clear the top of the flames. She glided down to the other side, still holding her niece tight for protection. The guards rushed up to her, gently grabbing Flurry from her, and flew off to the secret underground section.
Twilight cried out in pain once she moved her wing. Her head grew slightly fuzzy as she sat herself down, breathing heavily.
Crystal Mane rushed to her side to help. "Princess, are you okay?" he asked concerned.
"My wing..." Twilight gasped as she tried to stand once more, but lost her balance. Crystal caught her before she hit the ground. "I can't feel my wing..." Twilight's legs grew weak, going under her. Her head spun as she lost focus. She panted slowly and her eyes grew heavy.
"We should get her inside." another guard said. Crystal wrapped Twilight's hoof around his back and walked her into the base.
"Crystal Mane..." Twilight whispered. "I feel so cold..."
"Hang in there, Twilight," He uttered.
"It's so dark..."
Crystal Mane rushed through the entrance, guards helping him carry the unconscious princess. He rushed Twilight over into the infirmary, they lowered her onto an operating table. Medical professionals swarmed the princess the moment she was settled. Crystal refused to leave her side.
They quickly hooked her up, barely finding a pulse. They examined every injury she had, from her head to her hooves. They examined her wing closely. Flurry woke at the commotion and saw who it was.
"What's wrong with Auntie Twilight...?" Flurry asked after a long pause of silence.
Crystal Mane let out a sigh. "She risked everything to save you..." he whispered, finally backing up to leave the doctors to their work Crystal Mane walked over to Flurry. And sat between her and the sight.
"Crystal?" Flurry asked again. "What's happening...?" Chrystal struggled to find the words to answer her question.
Twilight mumbled as she noticed a bright light, causing her to move her hoof over her head to block the light.
"What happened...?" She thought to herself as the memory played through her mind. She then suddenly realized the last thing she did.
"Flurry Heart!" Twilight shouted, shooting up from the bed.
She then looked over to her side, finding her niece beside her in another bed, sleeping peacefully. She let out a sigh of relief that turned into a gasp of pain. She turned over to her side, expecting to see her wing, but was shocked at what she saw.
Where her wing should be, was nothing but bandage wrap.
"What...?" Twilight muttered in shock.
"Oh good, you're alright. Thank Celestia..." Crystal Mane said from where he was sitting by the unlit fireplace. He walked over to Twilight, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "How are you feeling...?" he asked.
Twilight barely moved, still trying to process what she was staring at, shock overwhelming her mind.
"Princess?" Crystal uttered, trying to grab Twilight's attention. Pulling his hoof back
"My wing..." Twilight mumbled. Her mind started to string together the pieces of what was going on. Of course! "I should have known, if I knew, maybe I could've... I would've... I..."
"Calm down, princess," Crystal uttered. "You'll be fine. We can-"
"I'll be fine?' What world are you living in, Crystal? I just lost my wing, a piece of me that will never come back! And you're saying that 'I'll be fine?"
Tears fell from her eyes as she lashed out at her friend. Crystal Mane just stood there, as if he was unaffected.
He stayed silent for a moment. When he finally spoke up, "I know you're angry, and in pain. But so is everyone else. You think you're the only victim here, well you're not!"
"Crystal, I didn't mean...-"
"Do you realize Flurry might be paralyzed?"
Twilight was caught off guard by the question.
"I...I..." Twilight sobbed. Her body began to shake as she wept into her hooves. "Crystal..."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled like that..." Crystal Mane sighed shutting his eyes and hanging his head.
Suddenly, he heard something thump onto the floor. He opened his eyes, finding Twilight on the floor. He quickly rushed over to her aid.
Tears rolled down her face as she wept. "I'm frightened, Crystal..." Twilight wept. "I'm so frightened... I know I have to be strong for Flurry, and the others, but they don't know how terrified I really am... I... I..."
Crystal Mane put his hoof on her shoulder as she clasped herself into his embrace. "I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" Twilight screamed. "I don't want to die Crystal..."
Crystal Mane just held Twilight in his arms letting her weep.
Twilight opened her eyes slightly, staring over at her niece still sound asleep. She had hoped that she wouldn't have to go through much more of this torture, but she knew that it was just the beginning.
Twilight limped around her old home, burned pieces of her castle still falling around her. Small pieces of the Golden Oak Library roots laid on the floor, covered in ash with the memory gems scattered across the floor, their color faded. She couldn't believe what she was staring at. She picked one of the gems up, staring at the image of her first slumber party as the image died slowly. She slowly put the gem back down, her head facing the floor.
Twilight then noticed an old photo on the ground slightly burnt. She picked it up to examine. Tears streamed down her face as she stared at an image of her with Spike. She stared at the photo with a soft smile on her face. It displayed her feeding Spike with his food in her mane. She held it close to her chest, treasuring the old photo.
A sudden thought popped into her head, remembering an old box she had left in her basement. She rushed down to where she stored it, opening it hoping nothing was damaged. She picked up the box carefully and opened it, her hooves shaking.
Inside, was her old photo album slightly burnt. She carefully pulled it out and gently opened the damaged pages. She saw images of her adventures in Ponyville with her friends, the memories flooding back into her mind. Twilight looked at what Ponyville has become now, unable to believe it was the same place as before. She looked at the box once more, noticing something underneath the other images. She gently sat the old album on the floor to examine the other items in the box.
She picked up an old picture frame that was mostly broken and slightly burnt. It was the picture she took with her friends the first day she moved to Ponyville. She put a hoof on the frame as she wept. Twilight remembered the times they had saved Equestria with their friendship, and how they knew good would have prevailed. But when she looked at what her home was now, she couldn't help but think, "Why wasn't I here?"
Twilight stared out into the horizon, horrified at what had happened to her home. Crystal Mane put a hoof on her shoulder.
"I could have stopped this..." she whispered as her tears raced down her face. "I could have saved my ponies... been there for them... I wish-"
"It's not your fault, Princess," Crystal uttered. Twilight began to weep even more into her hooves as her body quivered.
"So many ponies died feeling scared, and alone... They shouldn't have gone through this purgatory!"
"There isn't anything you can do about it now, Your Highness... I'm sorry."
"But I can still do something..." Twilight got onto her hooves, tripping slightly. Crystal helped her up.
"But you're not healed, you need time to-"
"I don't care about what happens to me!" Twilight interjected. "But I care what happens to other ponies, and I want to stop it." Twilight stared into the distance once more, but it looked different now. "I'm gonna fight with everything I have left, even if it kills me."
"But, what about Chrysalis?"
Twilight let out a sigh. "I may be scared, but somepony has to defeat her..."
