Chapter 1- Starshine's Plan

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Starshine, the Princess of Redemption, sat at a stone table within a small chamber. Sconces on the wall flickered, as a dry hot breeze blew through the air. Sweating profusely she reached up a hoof to wipe away the perspiration. She blinked and focused on the figure before her sitting on just the other side. The Creature before her stared back and grinned, clearly amused. Starshine opened her muzzle and began to speak, in an ever patient tone. "Can you tell me what your name is?"

"Forgotten already? Oh princess, haven't we played this little game of yours long enough?"

Starshine rolled her eyes in amusement. How much time had passed? Days, months, or perhaps even years? It was hard to say, time didn't exist in Tartarus. She had sat here with this creature every free moment since she had arrived. An egotistical centaur and self proclaimed master manipulator, who went by the name of Tirek. Of course she knew his name. However, asking his name seemed to make him open up each time just a little more, though it did require a special trick. "Oh silly me, I do believe you are right. Tommy, was it?"

Tirek glared at her, his calm amused demeanor gone from his face. He replied angrily, putting emphasis on his name. "It's TIREK, your high-"

Starshine grinned wolfishly, causing him to halt mid-sentence. She began to giggle like a schoolfilly and said in a singsong voice, "I win~."

For a moment the centaur stared at her mouth agape, before laughing as well. "Well played, your majesty."
Tirek bowed his head in respect. Starshine did a mock curtsie and spoke softly. "Thank you, so shall we get started, your grumpiness?"

With that her horn began to glow as they both headed into the ethereal realm, for the hundredth, or perhaps was it the thousandth time?

***

It was much later that Starshine stood before the divine alicorn, Faust. The princess hung her head in shame as she reported her progress. "I can't seem to make them understand. Am I doing something wrong?"

A White wing gently wrapped around her in a hug as a gentle, calming voice replied. "Oh Starshine, my child, what you have done has far exceeded my expectations. Those five are just, well, put simply they will never change. Their souls are far more corrupt than even my power can influence. The time has come to...let them go I'm afraid."

Starshine's mind raced. We can't give up, surely no creature is beyond redemption? Starshine went through scenario after scenario. There has to be something I haven't tried!

Faust continued speaking, her voice tinged with slight sorrow though radiating warmth. "You have done your best, my child, you have brought so many of my children back to me. I hereby declare your liaison in Tartarus at an -"

Starshine's eyes shined. She opened her muzzle and did the unthinkable. She interrupted Faust. "Wait I've got it! I know what we haven't tried yet!"

Faust stood there at a loss for words, never in the history of existence had any creature dare interrupt her. She thought for a moment and calmly decided to hear her out. She could always punish her if it turned out to be a waste of time, after all. "Tell me."

"Let them roam cageless around Tartarus."

Faust's voice conveyed dangerous annoyance as she replied softly, "what good would that do? Tartarus is a prison for eternal punishment, why should we have guards then?"

Starshine spoke hurriedly, excited by the thoughts in her head. "Let me have control over Tartarus, send the guards home and give me complete control over every aspect of Tartarus."

Faust eyed the brazen alicorn before her. "Surely, you are not serious."

"My Queen, please hear me out."

The divine alicorn, slowly nodded, those opaque teal eyes glistening in interest. "Continue."

"Separate Tartarus from the realm of Equestria and give me absolute control over it. Allow me to show them the light in my own...special way. I promise you. I will not fail."

Faust smiled. She was amused by this turn of events, and part of her wanted very much to see where this would lead. well, why not, after all we've nothing but time. Why not see what this might bring. She thought. Looking Starshine in the eye, she replied in a very playful tone. "Alright, you've peaked my interest child of mine, show me what you can do. I shall grant your request. Even if that means talking to my sister once more."

"A sister? You have a sister?"

Faust frowned slightly as she read a scroll that had appeared as a response to the one she sent while talking. "I do, though I would just as well make sure ponykind never knew. I don't like to talk about her."

Starshine's eyes sparkled in curiosity. "May I ask why?"

"She can be a bit, uncouth, for lack of better word my daughter."

Starshine looked appalled at such a thought. "She must really dislike you to be so rude, my Queen."

Faust hesitated. Should I tell her? She thought. Faust decided against it and instead simply stated, "We are going to see her, you can judge for yourself. Just promise me you will be on your absolute most respectful behavior in her presence."

Starshine lowered her head in a bow. "Yes my Queen, you have my word."

Faust sighed in relief. Of course Starshine wouldn't let her down. Why had she been worried? "Alright, we are ready. Let's go say hello to...her."

With a flash they appeared within a long hallway within Taratarus that Starshine had never seen. In front of them were two giant ornate doors adorned in gold and cast from solid silver. The designs on them depicted a blood red pony with a unicorn's horn and... Are those dragon wings? Starshine thought to herself as she stared at the image. The pony was standing upon a mountain of the skeletal remains of many creatures. As Starshine stared at the image, one of the eyes on it glowed an emerald green, though only for a moment. Did that carving just wink at me? Starshine thought to herself as Faust flung open the doors with the magic in her horn.

Starshine stood at the doorway in shock as a red blur raced past her. "Fausty!"

Starshine blinked. A blood red mare with obsidian colored dragon's wings was grabbing Faust in a rather suggestive embrace. Faust had a look of pure annoyance on her face. "Ugh, get off me."

Using her magic, Faust forcibly removed the red mare and held her levitating at a hoofs length. The mare whined in a rather childish way. "Awwww Faust-y! You haven't visited in so long, I got so excited when I heard you were on your way. C'mon let your mane down. Have some fun, sis!"

Faust glared at her in apparent anger. "As rude as ever, aren't you? I've said before do not call me Faust-y."
Completely ignoring her, the mare had turned her attention towards Starshine and had a very sugar-sweet smirk on her face. "Oh my! Faust-y, who is that adorable little cutie, I see?"

The red mare's horn glowed and within a second she was in front of Starshine speaking to her in a honey-filled voice.
"What's the matter sweetie, dragon got your tongue?"

Starshine was at a loss for words and could only stammer. "I-I-I"

The red mare had begun gently running her hooves through Starshine's mane as she stood frozen. Starshine began to blush.

Faust sighed in frustration and used her magic to once again pick the mare up and hold her apart from Starshine. "Starshine...this is my sister, Hazel Eclipse. The Warden of Tartarus."

Chapter 2- An Alicorn Reborn

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Starshine stared at Faust. Hazel Eclipse, who at the moment was embracing her in a warm hug and slowly drawing a hoof down her spine, was making her shiver. "T-t-this is your sister?"

Faust glared at Hazel and delivered a hoof smack to the back of her head. "Stop that, now."

Hazel whined in that almost schoolfilly sounding voice. "OWowowowow what was that for Faust-y? You meanie."

"You need to act your age."

Starshine decided to introduce herself but as she locked eyes with Hazel she found her legs slightly quivering unexpectedly. "M-My name is Starshine, nice to meet you Madam Hazel."

The dragon-winged pony laughed. "Oh pish-posh, call me Hazy, little one after all, we are going to be working together."

That roguish wink sent to Starshine seemed to infuriate Faust as she stormed out of the chamber shouting angrily, "you-you-YOU ugh, STARSHINE YOU HANDLE THIS, I NEED TO COOL OFF FOR A FEW."

Once she was gone, Hazel gave Starshine a gentle kiss making the alicorn blush before speaking to her in a very different voice. "Oh good, Miss Fussy is gone. Now then little one, I hear you wish to be given power over my domain?"

Starshine's eyes opened wide. This Hazel seemed very different and almost dangerous. Her childish demeanor had vanished instead she now strutted around Starshine in a very sultry strut. "Um..I."

"Are you surprised, little alicorn?"

Hazel Eclipse now was tugging on Starshine's wings, shaking her head in disgust and muttering to herself. "Rotten feathers. Such a wasted opportunity."

Starshine somehow found her voice. "I am, why would you put on such an act?"

Hazel stopped prodding Starshine's flank and gave it a sharp smack, causing Starshine to wince. "Because it amused me, and it annoyed that high horse of a sister of mine. That's why, sweetie."

"I've n-never seen her so-so mad before."

Starshine had found it hard to talk as the mare suddenly had turned around and flared her wings causing her to inexplicably drool. "Oh, that well let us just say we all have our gifts, little one. She just happens to be rather angry she cannot fight mine, as it were. Give her, oh let's say, a good couple hours. She will be calm as ever by then. Now enough fun. There will be time for that later."

The wings folded in and Hazel sat down on what appeared to be a missionary bed instead of a throne and pointed before her. "Sit right there. Now. Let us discuss your idea, sweetie."

Starshine felt compelled, as it if she was not in control of her own body to sit as instructed. She looked up and saw the horn of Hazel slowly stop glowing and gulped, lowering her head immediately. I literally couldn't stop her, such power Starshine thought nervously.

Hazel Eclipse gently used a hoof to hold her chin up and looked into her amethyst eyes, saying in a very confident almost dominating voice. "I am intrigued by the letter my sister sent, tell me...more."

Hazel's muzzle was mere inches from Starshine as she finished speaking having been slowly lowering her head down little by little never wavering her stare into Starshine's eyes.

Starshine felt her heart beat rapidly completely mesmerized by those emerald eyes as the words poured from her completely on their own. "I thought I could run Tartarus and in doing so could run a sort of educational situation for the five remaining residents, so they could go home to the otherworld and escape their eternal punishment."

Hazel let her hoof drop, causing Starshines head to hang down with the sudden movement. Starshine lifted her head once more and watched as the mare slowly stroked one of her dragon's wings in silent thought for what seemed like forever.

Finally the thestral mare spoke, her voice indicating no room for debate. "I like it. It is crazy and chaotic, perfect for a mare like me."

Hazel flipped her mane around her neck and continued. "However, I have two conditions young one. First, I will be allowed to monitor your progress and help you as I see fit along the way. I will do so as your secretary."

With the word, secretary, Starshine watched Hazel ever so slightly draw a hoof down her own thigh. Still she continued and these next words awoke Starlight from her almost trance-like state. "Second, the Warden of Tartarus cannot be some namby-pamby feathery alicorn. I will not have it, no, you must become a thestral like me!"

Starshine shook her head rapidly. "But-but-but Faust just entrusted me with these wings, I can't just-"

Hazel's face took on a saddened puppy-eyed look. Her eyes began to water as she cried out in an anguished tone. "Oh, do you hate thestrals, Starshine? Do you think we are ugly? Is that it? Do you not like my wings? Do you find me...hideous?"

As she had spoken the thestral proceeded to slowly stand up and with Starshine's eyes locked on her, began to slowly twirl and sway. When she had finished her slow, deliberate rotation, she was wearing a lacey black gown. Slowly she leaned forward and whispered in a soft voice, her eyes now warm and inviting. "Tell me Starshine, am I hideous to you?"

Starshine slowly shook her head from side to side. "N-no not at all!"

"Then you'll do it?"

Starshine spoke to her frantically. "I don't want to let Faust down! I think I should reconsider."

"That sounds like a yes to me!"

Starshine responded. "Nonono I think you may have misheard me"

Hazel gently stroked Starshine's mane. "Tell me little alicorn, when is that last time Miss Fussbudget let you have any fun. I believe she even sent you to Tartarus, herself. Did she not?"

"That was for the sake of my job she assigned."

"Yes, and tell me something. Aside now, has she once bothered to check on you? To ask you how you are doing? Do you really think she cares about you?"

"She-"

Hazel gently nuzzled Starshine's neck. "She what sweetie? She loves you? No, you aren't loved by her. She sees you as nothing but a pawn, a tool, a toy to do with as she desires. Then what does she do? She ignores and abandons you until she wishes to use you again. Disgraceful. Join me, let me show you what real love is, become a thestral."

Starshine wanted to say it wasn't true, that she would never let herself be tempted. Instead of using her brain, she answered with her heart. Staring into those shining emerald eyes, there was only one thing her heart wanted at that moment. "Please love me."

Hazel leaned close and whispered softly in Starshine's ear. "With pleasure, sweetie."
Upon saying these words, Starshine watched as the thestrals horn glowed before the room went dark, except for the glowering of the candles in the nearby wall. Down the hall a shower seemed to be going full-blast, as it had for the past few hours.

Much later, the candles had long since died out. Starshine panted heavily as she looked into the eyes of Hazel in shock. "What just- did we- I mean you- me-"

The thestral laughed and leaning her muzzle to Starshine's ear, whispered her reply in a soft and silky tone,. "Let's see you spread your wings for me, my beauty."

Starshine slowly opened her wings and gasped. This can't be! Are these mine? I need a mirror! Her mind screamed as she ran to the mirror beside the bed. Looking into the mirror, she was shocked to see herself. It wasn't just her wings. Her body was now a shiny silver, her cutiemark was no longer a ghostly green. Instead, though the same design, it was crimson red almost like a brand. Her eyes were no longer amethyst, they were a crimson red as well. Then there were her wings. A majestic five hoof-lengths wide, a pair of two, silver dragon wings with red inlays, were spread wide before her eyes.

Hazel laughed from the bed. "I do believe you look much better now, possibly cuter than before."

Starshine squeaked. "Faust is going to kill me."

Down the hall the shower could be heard turning off at that moment. Hazel laughed as Starshine began to cry in outrage. "This isn't funny! What do I do?"

The thestral stared amusedly at Starshine and said, "Nothing. It will be fine."

"Huh?"

At that moment Faust returned with a once more calm demeanor, and spoke softly. "Phew, alright sister, Starshine I am back so let's discu-"

She stopped midsentence upon seeing Starshine standing in front of the mirror. Turning her head she glared at her sister. "Why?"

Hazel grinned mischieviously. "Why what dear sister?"

Faust said softly though her tone carried a trace of rage. "You know 'what' sister. Explain. NOW!"

"She wants to rule Tartarus? Fine I accept that, I will not have an alicorn as the head here, however. That is why."

Faust glared at her once more before turning to look Starshine in the eye. She spoke, though suprisingly she sounded comforting. "It isn't your fault Starshine. My sister can be very...persuasive as you may have noticed."

Starshine felt strangely better, enough to speak."I still don't understand, why did this happen? How?"

Faust sighed and shooting one last nasty look at Hazel, who stuck out her tongue, replied in a motherly tone. "When a thestral loves a pony, that pony becomes a thestral."

"I am so sorry, I -"

Faust sighed in annoyance. "That is enough my daughter. What's done is done. We will sort this out later. Proceed in your task...and YOU, make sure to guard her with your very existence sister. You did this. She is your responsibility until I return. I will have your head if anything happens to her. Anything at all, I will show you no mercy. Am I clear?"

Faust's eyes were ablaze with a scarlet light that startled even Hazel. The thestral shivered as she replied. "C-Crystal, Faust."

After she had left, Hazel turned to Starshine. "Now then sweetie, let's get you situated. I was thinking-"
"will she ever forgive me?"

Hazel stopped and stared at her. "I..."

Why was it so hard to speak? Hazel found herself saying strange words. "Maybe you should focus on that task she assigned sweetie. I bet completing it would make her happy for sure."

What a stupid thing to say, why should she be comforting Faust's pet? After all she got what she wanted. Shouldn't she be happy? Why did she feel a pang of regret? She shook her head to clear her mind of such silly notions and gently said. "Let's make her proud, let me show you to your new office, Warden."

Starshine slowly folded her new wings in and looked at Hazel, a reassured grin on her muzzle. "You're right, time to get to work."

Chapter 3- The Guantlet Is Thrown

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Tirek stood up as his cage, vanished. Wha..is this some trick? Hmmm... Tirek's mind raced. Looking up he shook a bony, gaunt, malnourished finger at the ceiling crying out in anguish. "If it is it isn't a very subtle one!"

When no guards came running after what felt like hours, Tirek made his move. Slowly, he crept off the slab of stone where his cell had stood upon. Every now and then he looked around, half expecting the guards to come running Fascinating... Tirek wasn't sure what to do, when a hallway appeared before him and a strange voice seemed to echo down it. "I freed you, follow the passage, I am waiting."

The voice sounded ominous, almost dripping with malice, not that Tirek was concerned. After all he was Lord Tirek and he feared nothing. The mere thought of his name caused ponies in Equestria to have anxieties, causing flashbacks to his destruction of their entire society. After all, he went hoof to hoof with Twilight Sparkle, imbued with power from Celestia, the embodiment of the sun, herself. Surely nothing could possibly subdue him as she had, right? After all, if her rotten pony friends hadn't helped her, I would have won. Tirek told himself, as he had every moment for the past century or so. His denial intact, he started down the mysterious hallway to see where it might lead.

The hallway went on for a while, with candles glowering in nooks carved into the wall going out one by one as he passed them. Finally Tirek emerged into a dimly lit room and his eyes opened in surprise. Before him already seated at a stone table were two other creatures. He asked in annoyance at one particular one, "What are you doing here?"

The small filly, who was somehow drinking apple cider from a juicebox, rolled her eyes and said in a sickly sweet voice. "We were summoned here, same as you. How have you been? Anything I can get you, friend?"

"Cozy Glow, leave him be. That washed up centaur is scared."

Tirek yelled. "Who said that; I'll gut you! I am Lord Tirek."

The voice of a feminine creature could be heard as she stepped from the shadows. Queen Crysalis sneered at him and slowly approached. Stopping before him the once changling ruler raised two blackened hooves over her nose, as if stopping a bad smell. "Ugh, the scent of fear on you is enough to make me want to die of starvation, you repugnant waste of space. Lord Tirek? Don't make me laugh, your 'highness' You are lord of nothing."

Slowly spreading his arms in a disarming fashion, Tirek grinned. "So I am, and what of you, your majesty? Where is your hive now? Why have they left you, to rot in here with the likes of me? Oh, that's right, didn't your own son betray you and usurp your throne? Truly you are a Queen of far greater power than myself."
Chrysalis glared at Tirek about to respond when a new, gravely voice chimed in from the hallway entrance. "I do love the taste of hatred, though..."

Looking at Chrysalis, the speaker; a black pony with green eyes and an aura of darkness grinned wickedly. "He has you pegged hasn't he, bug queen?"
Chrysalis slowly walked over to the speaker and shaking with rage, smacked him across the muzzle with her hoof. "Stay out of this Sombra."

Cozy glow had been happily drinking her apple cider in silence. It continued that way until an outburst from her signaled it was gone. "Why is the cider always gone?!"
Turning her head, she vented her anger at Sombra, in a rather snarky manner. "YOU you think you are so great don't you Mr. Darkness Edgy Shadow pon-"

Cozy Glow stopped for just a moment. Something is off She thought. Sombra was about to retaliate when her voice took on a calmer yet somehow nervous tone. "Wait a minute; why are you still here? I read all about you in Twilight's classes. Your powers come from shadows, why do you stick around when you can just shadow-walk out of here now that the cages are gone?"

His answer caused the entire room to completely feel more chilling in atmosphere. "My shadows have been suppressed by something or somecreature far stronger than me, child."

Every creature stared in silence at each other, before the creature next to Cozy Glow handed her another juice box and said in an almost goofy tone,"I wonder who that could be."

The tone grew deadly serious as he narrowed his eyes. "For that matter, why were we summoned and by whom I wonder?"

***

Sitting on the bed in the throne room and watching the scene with an almost icy smile sat Starshine, her newly acquired dragon wings flared wide. She laughed and turned to look at Hazel, with whom she had spent the past few hours. "Mmmmm...What do you think? Is my plan perfect?"

Hazel sat up in the bed and gently began nibbling the tip of Starshine's ear in thought. She opened her muzzle and responded in a soft tone. "That idea is horrible."

Starshine frowned and felt a hoof press against her open muzzle to keep her quiet, as Hazel continued. "It is despicable, truly devoid of morality, chaotic, atrocious and...I love it, sweetie."

Starshine laughed in a way that gave even Hazel shivers. "I guess it is time to get to work then."

With those words and a warm hug to Hazel, her horn glowed red. Before the eyes of the former Warden, her appearance changed from thestral to her original alicorn form once more. She then vanished with a wink at the thestral on her bed.

Hazel stared longingly at the scene still on display as she re-appeared within that room. "Please hurry back."
With a blast of purple light, Starshine appeared before the five creatures. "Hello, all you lovely creatures, today I thought we would try something new. Behind you are five separate hallways. Please choose one, any will do, but one creature per hallway please. Once at the end of the hallway, the evaluation will begin."

The five creatures groaned and grumbled; this again. When would she learn? They did not wish to be reformed. They knew better than to argue, lest the warden (to their knowledge still Hazel), find out. Shuffling to do as they were bid, each of them chose a hallway and started down it. Starshine watched them go with predatory eyes and gave a rather sinister grin. Her eyes shifted to their new red once more before changing once more to the amethyst she had in the past. The game had begun.

Tirek arrived at a unassuming wooden door at the end of the hallway. Sighing, he opened the door. With that cage no longer suppressing my magic draining that foolish princess of her magic and escaping here will be a moments work. He thought to himself. He then stepped through the doorway.

At a cozy looking table she sat, her purple feathery wings gently flaring open to greet him as she gestured with her hoof. "Sit down, let us begin."

Tirek glared at her and sat down, as he had many times before with the annoying alicorn. I'll bide my time and strike when her guard is down. He told himself as Starshine sat there smiling cheerfully. "What is it this time, princess, more foolish attempts to make me seek forgiveness? Perhaps a picnic where we can discuss our feelings?"

Starshine slowly spread her hooves wide and shook her head, still sporting a very cheerful smile. "Oh my, no. I thought you might like to play a little game with me, Tirek."

His eyes opened wide. Did he just detect malice in her voice as she said the word game? Starshine continued, still speaking in a gentle voice. "You see, the Queen, Faust herself has told me to give up on trying to make you see the error of your ways. That is, after one final attempt. This will be my last attempt to reunite your soul, with Faust."

Tirek sat there dumbfounded. "Surely, you are joking, princess."

"Not at all, the rules of this game are extremely simple, pay attention so you don't get confused. I am going to set a timer with the equivalence of a few hundred years in Equestria. In front of you is a card saying the words, 'forgive me'. To win all you have to do is manage to get to that door you just entered and exit. Should you read or even think the words on that card before the time is up, with remorse in your heart you will lose. Simple right? Surely even you can understand these rules, Tommy."

Tirek stood up enraged at his name being mocked and said softly. "That's it princess, you are a fool to trifle with me, eating your power will be so satisfying!"

Starshine's amethyst eyes opened wide with surprise and she gave a gasp. Tirek had opened his mouth to absorb her magic. However, that gasp soon turned to a giggle, which began to grow louder. Tirek's mind raced. Why isn't it working? He stared at the alicorn before him as giggling, she stood up slowly clapping her hooves. "My my, well-done Tirek"

This isn't right! She should be kneeling before me, drained of all her strength! What is going on? Tirek thought desperately. Starshine stopped her amused laughing. With a rather malicious tone in her voice, as she looked at the centaur, she spoke the words that made his blood run cold. "No, my dear Tirek, you are the foolish one here."

The words had been silky, seductive and carried just a hint of a sadistic tone. As she had spoken these words, the illusion of her previous alicorn form fell away. First her eyes had flashed to crimson. Her fur changed from lilac to silver as her cutiemark blazed with a bloody crimson and her wings slowly unfolded, revealing the shiny scales and the inlays of dragons. Her cheerful smile had been replaced by one of sheer coldness. She spoke in that silky voice, calmly yet clearly capable of raising it at a moments notice. "You shouldn't bother trying to absorb MY magic you insignificant centaur. Now then I forgot just one little detail. You will be made to relieve your greatest and most dastardly conquests. All 268,000 of them. Just remember all you have to do is exit this room without begging for forgiveness, in order to win. Enjoy!"

With those words, from her glowing red horn a swirling darkness came forth and Tirek's vision went black. For hundreds of years to come, the legends in the realm of Equestria would speak of terrified screams of a male echoing up through the very floorboards and the sounds of a very sadistic feminine laughter accompanying them.

Chapter 4- A Switch Is Flipped

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Tirek slowly opened his eyes. His head was pounding in agony. His vision was hazy, almost red. Slowly he reached up a hoof to rub his eye. Wait, a hoof? Lowering his head to look at it, his muzzle opened in shock. He had a hoof where his hand would be, and it had blue fur attached and it was dripping in crimson red where he had touched his eye. What sorcery is this? He thought angrily. He still wasn't sure what was going on but he began to look for the door to his freedom. Soon as I find that door, she will pay for this! He silently fumed as he spotted the door. He tried to stand up and head towards it.

He rose to his hooves but rather than head to the door, his head suddenly turned, unbidden by him. He found himself facing a fallen mare who was buried under a pile of rubble. She looked at him and screamed. "Forget about me son! Run, don't let him catch you!"

What's going on? Let who catch me? Who was this mare? Tireks felt his heart racing as his thoughts quickened. Was he afraid? Him? Lord Tirek the mightiest of centaurs, superior to every pony ever, was afraid? I am not scared, this is all some trick! He thought to himself, just before the entire side of the wall exploded inwards and a huge red hand grabbed him by the neck pulling him through the gap in the wall. Tirek's eyes went wide at what he saw. He wasn't afraid, no, he was absolutely terrified.

***

Hazel was grumpy, to say the least. It had taken quite a bit of time and even more magic, still she managed to complete the rooms that Starshine had requested for the five. Her wings drooped and dragged on the floor as she trudged into the throne room, completely exhausted and fully prepared to vent her grumpiness from being forced to work upon Starshine.

As she entered, however, she saw a sight that made those thoughts die. Starshine was curled into a ball snoring away, on the bed the two had been sharing. Walking over to her, hazel gentle dragged a hoof across the snoring thestral's thigh. It's devoid of warmth. Hazel thought to herself. It seemed the new Warden of Tartarus still wasn't used to her new abilities just yet and had expended all of her energy in her task. Hazel smiled warmly as her eyes adopted a soft look seeing the happy smile upon Starshine's muzzle. Adorable. She really does look like an angel curled up like that. Her thoughts were warm and fuzzy.

Hazel's eyes hardened once more. She was the sister of Faust, the darkest of the dark. She had no soul, let alone heart for some pony she had only just met. Hmmmph, she is only my plaything nothing more! She told herself as she gingerly draped a blanket over her and leaned down and licked her cheek affectionately. Still no reason not to give her a little comfort. It has nothing to do with feelings, though I am sure she will be hungry when she wakes up. I can make her something, not because I care or anything but to help her get back energy. With these thoughts in her mind and having reassured herself she wasn't getting soft, the former Ruler of Tartarus headed for the kitchen to whip up some fresh haybacon and dandelion greens for the sleeping princess with a soft blush on her face. Meanwhile, Starshine snored away, completely oblivious to the entire scene. Dreams of a picnic with three very special ponies filled her mind.

***

Tirek stood, his mind recoiling in fear as he couldn't move. His now carrot colored fur bristling in terror. There was nowhere to run, that monster was coming for him. Twenty thousand times, so far, this scenario had played out before him in various pony forms. What have I done? He felt a strange emotion. I am a monster, why did I do this to them? His heart began to beat violently as once more he felt the fear of the pony whose eyes he was staring through as a massive hoof smashed down upon his head. To think they were made to feel this way. He was thrown through a nearby wall as his host defended his son. I am so sorry BAM he was punched in the face after his magic was drained. I'm sorry! SNAP The sound of his throat being crushed as he wheezed out his last breaths in the body of a mare who had been picking flowers for her mom. I'm sorry! Please...no more... He felt himself being held aloft in front of a classroom as he was helpless drained of magic while the children watched as he heard himself scream. "Please spare the children!"

I'm sorry, everypony, everycreature...please forgive me! Faust please forgive me! I'm sorry! As these thoughts occurred there was a bright flash and he stood in his centaur form once more before an alicorn in a sea of eerie light. Faust stood before him and gazed at him in warmth. She flared her wings and spoke softly as Tirek watched in awe. "My child, you have strayed far from your home making your mother worry. You committed rather dastardly acts as you ran from my guidance. Yet here you stand before myself willing to beg for forgiveness, tell me, what did you learn my son?"

Tirek smiled a genuine smile, the first in a long time. He finally understood. He finally saw what Starshine had so desperately wanted for him and silently he thanked Starshine for never giving up. Looking Faust in those opaque teal eyes he spoke, from the heart bearing his soul before the divine alicorn. Not as his normal egocentric self, but rather as a child would confess to their mother. "I saw my crimes from their side. I felt their pain, their terror, and for the first time I felt guilt. I learned empathy, Mother, I made a connection to the ponies I so hated while I walked Equestria. I humbly ask you for your forgiveness, and that I be allowed to walk the Path of Harmony once more, rectifying my mistakes and ensuring in the future Ponyville and the rest of Equestria is protected from such vile acts. Please, allow me to walk amongst them once more."

Faust eyed him carefully. His heart had no malice, and his words were true as a morning song, she smiled and nodded. "My son, I shall wipe your slate clean, now go. Make me proud."

Her wings flared wide and Tirek was blinded by the light radiating from them. He shut his eyes and when he opened them again he was in ponyville, standing before Celestia and Luna as well as Twilight. All three had their hoofs extended in friendship. He smiled. For the first time, Tirek placed his hands against each hoof curled up in the form of a fist, in the universely accepted form of a hoofbump.

Faust watched from above, her wings slowly folded back down. That's one down. She thought. Perhaps Starshine really can do it Her thoughts drifted back to the image of her sister when they had both been working together to make Creation. Only time will tell, won't it?

***

Down in the depths of Tartarus, Hazel had been watching the scene unfold on the projection screen, having finished cooking. The plate lay next to the snoozing Starshine, still steaming hot. Starshine slowly opened her eyes as she smelled the delicious aroma beside her. She glanced at Hazel who still looked extremely tired. "Good morning sleepyhead."

The familiar seductive voice carried with it a hint of admiration as the blood-red thestral grabbed Starshine in a playful embrace. "Are you hungry? I made you something."

Starshine looked at the plate and at the mare currently stroking her mane. "That was so sweet of you, thank you."

She began to munch on it happily. "It's delicious! Oh, you are too kind to me!"

Hazel blushed and said hastily, "Not that I like you or anything. I just thought you might want some nourishment to get back energy, is all."

Her energy still extremely low, Starshine collapsed once more into slumber but not before uttering a soft, "I love you Hazy."

Hazel lay down on the bed next to the sleeping alicorn-turned-thestral. As she snuggled closer to her, completely sure her mare friend wouldn't hear her, Hazel whispered in her ear in a tender voice. "I love you too, Starshine."

Chapter 5- A Night She Would Never Forget

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Starshine slowly blinked and wiped a hoof across her eyes sleepily. She sat up pulling back the warm blanket she noticed draped across her to reveal a sleeping Hazel next to her. The positioning indicating that Hazel had been nuzzling her while sleeping. Smiling, Starshine gingerly placed a hoof against Hazel's side. She gently began nudging her, rocking her back and forth softly until her eyes opened sleepily. "hrmph...five more minurtes..."

Hazel's voice was slurred and it was clear she wasn't fully awake. Starshine giggled, leaned down and tenderly gave her a kiss on the muzzle. Hazel's eyes shot wide open, only to slowly close once more in ecstasy as she melted into the embrace. "Mmmm..."

Starshine slowly pulled away and looked Hazel in the eyes, her own crimson red eyes radiating her feelings. Hazel blushed and gladly obliged. Laying back down together, Starshine showed Hazel what it truly meant to taste a rainbow as a chorus of angels rang inside her mind.

It was much later that the singing had died down. Starshine and Hazel lay next to each other panting and sweating far more than usual. Starshine looked at Hazel and spoke softly to her as she gently nibbled on her wings. "Tell me, my lovely secretary, how has the Tirek's condition progressed?"

Hazel felt strangely enchanted by those eyes, she felt almost compelled to answer. "I almost forgot! I was told to give this to you by Faust."

From the dresser she passed Starshine a scroll that was tied with a pink ribbon. Starshine unrolled it as her horn glowed and began to read: "My dearest daughter, I must commend you. I was just visited by a centaur asking forgiveness for his transgressions. Even now he is helping to guard Ponyville and the whole of Equestria. Apple Pie even seems to have been able to get him a job bucking apples in Sweet Apple Acres for a part time affair when he isn't on guard. I am proud of you keep up the good work. "

"Signed, Faust"

Starshine rolled her eyes and sighed in disgust. Placing the scroll down on the nearby end table, Starshine slowly rose and walked over to the dresser. Hazel watched in interest as the slowly swaying form of Starshine opened and shut the drawers, one after the other muttering to herself. Hazel could only understand parts of what was said. "No...not lacey...satin needs...no...new...add black...needs more red."

Finally Starshine turned around, slowly yet deliberately, with a warm smile upon her muzzle. "Hazy, let's go shopping!"
The blood red thestral stared in disbelief at what her bedmate was saying. "W-what?"

Slowly starting towards her, with an almost predatory stare, Starshine quickly leaned in close causing Hazel to lose her breath. Stopping just inches from Hazel's lips, Starshine lifted her muzzle and whispered softly and tenderly in her ear. "I want to take you clothes shopping in Equestria. I want to dress you up like a pretty pretty princess and I want to introduce you to a pony who means a lot to me, just as you do. Consider this my request for a date."

Starshine grabbed her in a heated embrace and kissing her began to speak in a silky do-as-I-say tone. "Now be a good pony and say yes for me, Hazy."

Hazel wanted to say no. She opened her mouth. She wanted to say it was a waste of time. Her voice and tone was timid yet said exactly what was on her heart. "I would love to Starshine."

Starshine smiled mischievously and her horn began to glow red once more. "That's my good girl."

The two of them vanished and reappeared inside Rarity's boutique. Hazel's eyes went wide with worry when she thought about how they would be seen. A quick look in the nearby wall mirror told her Starshine had given them illusions to hide their thestral forms. Starshine smiled at her as the store owner came out of the back.

Inch for inch she resembled her grandmother. Her creamy white fur, that unicorn's horn and those gorgeously coiffed curls in her purple mane were the spitting image of the fabled fashionista, Rarity. Spotting Starshine she broke in a grin and ran to hug her, nearly knocking her on her hindquarters in the process. "Starshine! How have you been? I heard you were given a special mission and-"

The unicorn turned her head and saw Hazel. The blush on Hazel's face and the nervous look she gave at the sight of this unicorn hugging Starshine, made her smile. Looking back at Starshine, she winked and said simply, "I want all the details, dah-ling."

Starshine laughed and looked at Hazel. In a reassuring tone she spoke to her. "This is a friend from my childhood, Hazy. Her name is Ruby Rayon. We are close but not as close as you and I."

Turning her attention back to Ruby she leaned in close and whispered for almost five minutes detailing her relationship, avoiding the parts of Faust and her sister being the former warden. Hazel could only hear some of it. "First we met...then we...her tongue...my...rubbed...her..next licked... we ended up exhausted and now we are here shopping for clothes."

Ruby's eyes went wide and her white face flushed with a bright shade of pink. "Oh, you naughty mare! I am so proud of you. Tell me what I can do for you both tonight? Perhaps some lace for further misadventures you twisted mare you?"

Hazel's disguise was that of a peach colored unicorn. Right now however, her fur seemed to be channeling her emotions and it had turned completely pink with embarrassment. Starshine gently hugged her and said softly, "relax Hazy, trust me."

Turning towards Ruby once more, Starshine spoke in a soft, mellow tone. "No, not right now at least maybe later. Right now I wish to find her a star-filled evening dress, if you catch my meaning."

Ruby smiled. "So it is that serious is it?"

Starshine nodded. Ruby said to Hazel in a joyous tone. "Hooves up dah-ling let me take your measurements, and I will have a dress made just for you. One sure to impress any pony."

At a nod from Starshine, Hazel did as she was told and hours later both walked out with hazel in a diamond shimmer blue evening dress. "I feel silly. Starshine."

Starshine smiled and whispered, "you look positively radiant, Hazy. We are here and remember, best manners."
Here? Where was here? Why did she need such a formal gown anyway? They were standing at a large door made of crystal. As Hazel watched, the door swung open slowly to reveal a lilac colored alicorn with a rather knowing smirk on her face. Who is this? Hazel thought as she heard the words that made everything crystal clear. "Mom, allow me to introduce Hazel Eclipse, my marefriend."

Sitting on the sofa in Twilight's private study, Hazel felt strange. For the first time she could recall, she genuinely cared what an alicorn thought of her. Twilight glanced at her for a moment, almost appearing to see through her, before asking Starshine to please go fetch some tea from the downstairs kitchen. Once her daughter was out of sight Twilight spoke in a soft and friendly voice. "You don't have to hide from me; I won't bite."

Hazel's eyes opened wide. Does she know? Her thoughts began to race trying to think of an excuse as Twilight spoke once more, in a very commanding voice. "Show me who you truly are. I promise you have nothing to fear from me; I am well aware what you are."

Hazel did as she was told. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't want to upset this particular alicorn by refusing. Her illusion faded slowly away, revealing her blackened hooves, her blood red fur, her draconic wings and finally her emerald eyes. She slowly raised her head afraid for a reason she could not explain to see Twilight's horrified reaction. Instead, she was greeted with a smile. "There that's better isn't it?"

Hazel sat there stunned and speechless. Twilight laughed. "Do you really think I would deny my daughter's happiness simply because you are a thestral? I have never seen her eyes sparkle so much, even though they now are no longer amethyst."

Hazel stared slack-jawed at Twilight. "Y-you knew?"

Twilight just smiled and instead of giving an answer asked Hazel one question in a softspoken voice. "Tell me something, do you love her?"

Hazel's mind screamed say no, be done with this! Instead her heart won and the words she truly felt came forth."More than I could ever say, Ma'am."

Twilight slowly leaned forward and gave her a warm hug whispering to her in a flowery voice. "Then no more needs to be said, does it? My daughter is returning, why don't you 'hide' yourself once more hun."

As the illusion was recast, Starshine appeared carrying the teapot. Twilight, "Well how is it go-?"

Her voice stopped midsentence as she saw Hazel halfway covered by her illusion. Terrified, Starshine turned to look at her mom, who was giving her a rather reproachful look. "Mom I-I-I can explain!"

Twilight's wings flared out as she rose gracefully and raised a hoof, causing her daughter to close her muzzle. Twilight slowly walked over to her and using a hoof lifted her chin until they both made eye contact. "Young lady, tell me the absolute truth, do you love that thestral?"

Starshine gulped and said in a shaky voice, "I-I love her more than life itself, mom."

Twilight grinned. "Then maybe you should show it by removing your illusion spell and hers as well in the company of your mother, sweetie."

Starshine blushed. "How did-"

Twilight spoke in a warm, hospitable tone. "Sweetie, I gave birth to you. I raised you. When you were scared of the dark, I was there to soothe your fears and give you a blanket. When you scraped your knees, I was there to kiss away the pain. I have seen every aspect of your life. Tell me, did you truly believe I would not recognize my own daughter no matter what disguise she may be wearing?"

Slowly, Starshine's horn glowed red and the alicorn illusion fell away revealing the silver sheen on her fur as well as her blood red brand of a cutiemark, her dragonic wings unfolded to reveal the scales on them. She stared into her mother's eyes with her own crimson-colored ones. "I'm sorry mom."

Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship told her daughter words she would never forget at that moment. "Everypony has their skeletons, sweetie. I am not flawless either. Please never be afraid to tell me the truth."
Hazel watched the scene in her true form, Smiling warmly. Twilight said in a loud voice, "How about we make this party more fun?"

At once a pink blur rocketed into the room wielding none other than her signature party cannon. "Did somepony say party?"

The rest of the legendary mane seven as well as a few others began to make their appearance. First Applejack and Rarity walked in side-by-side. Rarity's mane and tail were fabulously styled, while Applejack seemed to be carrying a strange keg upon her back. Next Rainbow Dash zoomed in carrying a blushing, terrified Fluttershy in her arms. The cyan pony calmly explained."She was taking too long!"

Starlight and Discord along with Trixie walked in laughing at a joke. Starlight glanced at Twilight, seeing the thestral and didn't so much as flinched as she asked,"Sorry are we late?"

Vinyl Scratch and Octavia, two of the most sought after pony musicians sauntered in and as Vinyl set up her Dj Stand, Octavia poured herself some cider and flirted with her. Then none other than Celestia and Luna themselves showed up at the door. Luna immediately went for the pudding while Celestia headed towards a cake that she had been watching Mrs. Cake bring in.

When asked how they knew, one answer was given by all. "Pinkie Pie."

Hazel asked in a confused manner, "Pinkie Pie?"

At once, every pony in the room responded loudly, "don't question it."

Twilight laughed and introduced her daughter's marefriend as well as her daughter's new form. Party games erupted and soon all seven were dancing as well as drinking home-brewed cider. "Please don' tell Celestia about this, sugarcube."

Twilight shot a glance at the celestial princess, completely three sheets to the wind with the special rum cake. Currently, the princess was dancing crazily out on the dance floor that Vinyl had asked Pinkie to set up. She just grinned as she drank from a hoof-tall stein, savoring the forbidden taste, and taking a moment to whisper to a grinning Applejack. "Have I ever, Aj? Cheers!"

As the night went on, they partied, dance sang and ate extravagantly inside the crystalline castle of Twilight. Hazel had a huge grin pasted on her face in such company. She was dancing with Starshine amidst Ponyville's craziest ponies, looking into her face, she saw it too. Starshine's crimson eyes were sparkling, shining with the light of true passion and they were looking directly into Hazel's own emerald eyes. Tomorrow she would have to go back to work in Tartarus with Starshine. Tonight however while it lasted, was one she would enjoy and never forget.

Chapter 6-The Alicorn She Left Behind

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Ex-Queen of the Changlings; Chrysalis, Hated this whole scenario. It was nothing new. She had a perpetual hate for everything, really. This however, was truly loathsome in her eyes. First, her legs began feeling suddenly insanely sore, as if she had been walking for days. Secondly, as she opened the horribly cutesy pink door, she found herself staring at the true bane of her existence.

Starshine sat at the stone table, her alicorn wings tucked into her side as she slowly sipped a cup of coffee and smiled at the approaching subject. She waved and said cheerfully, "Hello there Chrysi!"
That wretched alicorn. She's just like her damned mother, Chrysalis thought to herself as she regally strutted over to the table trying to look dignified as she slowly sat down. What is it today? Daisy chain making while we sing the praises of that Celestia forsaken alicorn, Faust?

Chrysalis watched as Starshine slowly rose and walked around the table, mesmerized. Did her hips always sway like that when she walked? The alicorn's feathery voice carried the tone of happiness. "Oh Chrysi, so wonderful to have you join me here, once again."

The insect-like Chrysalis watched her carefully. This blasted princess. She thinks she is all that Spare me your blasted pleasantries you goody-two shoes of an alicorn! "

"Oh, Chrysi...aren't you happy to see me? Why so grumpy?"

Chrysalis glared at the alicorn beside her as Starshine stared down at her. "Let's get this over with! I have made it as clear as I possibly can, I have no remorse for my actions. I will not change who I am for the sake of your little mission from that wretched alicorn."

Starshine swiftly reached out a foreleg and raised Chrysalis's chin to look into her eyes as she crouched down. She whispered softly almost sultry-like, "Oh sweet Chrysi, maybe I'm not here to reform you, maybe I like the way you are. Maybe-"

Starshine slowly drew a perfectly manicured hoof slowly across the thigh of the angry Ex-Queen, causing Chrysalis to shiver as Starshine leaned close and whispered tenderly in her ear. "It could be I'm here to give you the love you starve for...Chrysi."

"What are you-"

Chrysalis found Starshine's hoof pressed against her lips. "Do not speak unless asked, there's a good Chrysi. Now then as I was saying. As absolutely enticing as you look to me, however-"

The Exiled Queen found herself blushing profusely as Starshine paused midsentence. The alicorn princess slowly moved her hoof from chrysalis's mouth to slowly draw down her throat. What in the name of- Her thoughts were intterupted as Starshine continued. "my plans, for you, sadly aren't on the table at this moment, sweetie. Instead, I have to do a rotten assignment. I understand how you hate me and every pony else. I am very much aware of your self-induced misery you wish to eternally inflict. However, I also wonder...would he have wanted that?"

Chrysalis looked at her. She can't possibly mean... "I have no idea what you mean, daughter of Twilight."

Starshine gently wrapped a feathery wing around Chrysi and leaned close. "Oh come now, Chrysi. You know very well you can't hide details of your past from me, sweetie."

Chrysalis glared. "You wouldn't dare."

Starshine's eyes stared into Chrysalis's as she circled round and grasped the regal changling's head in her hooves. Chrysalis thought to herself are her eyes red? Were they always this alluring? "Oh sweetie, you know I would love to just skip all this nonsense and skip right to the fun parts...but sadly every princess plays her part and mine happens to be to help you see the light, by any means necessary. Now why don't we take a stroll down your memory's lane?"

Chrysalis was angry, rising quickly, she slammed her hooves onto the table. The force of the blow chipped the edges and cracks radiated across the surface of the nearly indestructible stone. "You think you can do whatever you like? I no longer am bound by those silly magic draining cages you damned alicorn! I'll devour you and your silly values!"

Starshine laughed. Her voice changed into a silky and dangerous tone, as her the illusion fell away to reveal her thestral form. "Oh, that sounds absolutely wonderful, but that can wait. Plenty of time for fun later on, but for now Chrysi, it's time to relive that night, the choices made and maybe even learn the truth of both points of view."

Chrysalis's eye went wide at the transformation she just witnessed. Ba-bumpWait was that my...heart? as a cloud of black energy was released from Starshine's horn, she screamed in frustration. "What is going on?! I am Chrysalis! I am not some pathetic alicorn, I do not need friendship! I am not to be trifled with! I will destroy you! I am-"

Then her world faded to black as she heard the sinister laughter and saw those eyes of red crimson glow brightly. "You sweet Chrysi are mine."

Chrysalis blinked. ugh, my head, where am I? That wretched princess...she was cute though, ugh why am I thinking like this? It's her fault I'm here and there's nothing cute about that...silver body, her lean but strong frame and those alluring gorgeously red crimson eyes of hers oh those eyes. So deep, So stunning...Stop it Chrysalis get a hold of yourself. Looking around Chrysalis's eyes widened. She was floating above a garden and in that garden was a mare. An alicorn mare. No. The alicorn was tending the garden with a tiny watering can. No, no, it can't be... Chrysalis could hear the words of melody issuing from the alicorn's lips. "This is the garden.

where I tend the trees,

Communing with nature,

the birds and bees,

when life in my castle,

causes me such stress,

I head outside,

in my flowing sundress.

I dance through the herbs,

I sway with the trees,

here in this garden,

I am eternally free.

My babies they grow,

from just tiny seeds,

flowers of all kinds,

planted by me.

I am a Queen,

and life is so rough,

and is sometimes more than i can stand.

when I've had enough,

the flowers of this land,

they call out to me,

I give them love,

here in my garden, I am eternally free."

NO, sweet Hazel, NO, please...not again! Chrysalis's thoughts were racing in utter panic. Then she heard a soft familiar voice whispering in her ear. "She has a beautiful voice, doesn't she? You know this place, as well as that alicorn down there, don't you? Look at that flowing mane, those gorgeous wings, that stunning tail."

No...I can't...please, no Chrysalis let out a whimper as the voice continued softly and seductively. "The queen of a sovereign nation just on the borders of Equestria, you know her don't you?"

No...Nononono...Hazel promised! Chrysalis found herself staring into the alluring crimson eyes of Starshine, as the thestral grabbed and turned her head before speaking. "Tell me sweet Chrysi, what is that mare's name?"

Hazel promised I would never feel that again...No...please! In the name of Tartarus please...don't.... Starshine smiled and gave Chrysalis a gentle kiss on the lips before asking her the same question only this time in a more commanding voice. "TELL ME! What is her name?"

Chrysalis's eyes began to tear up as she said the name of the alicorn mare, she had never wanted to see again. "Chrysalis...H-her name is Queen Chrysalis."

Chapter 7- Supporting Her When She Needs It Most

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Chrysalis was mortified. This can't be happening! Starshine and her were hovering watching the one day she wanted to forget, play out once more. The alicorn in the garden. In another lifetime, that was her. That was her garden. Her knees began to shake. She was surprised when Starshine gently wrapped a dragon's wing around her. For some reason she drew comfort from it. Starshine's voice was warm and comforting, no longer seductive or malicious. "Chrysalis I know you want to forget this. Watching this may make you hurt, the pain will be unbearable. Unfortunately, all your self-destructive behaviors have stemmed from this one moment in your history. It's time for you to face this demon in your past."

Chrysalis watched the alicorn below. Look at her twirling around and smiling, if only she had known. A soldier in armor approached her. A castle guard. So, it begins. "Your majesty, you have a visitor requesting an audience."

Queen Chrysalis looked at the guard who was kneeling before her in an apologetic manner. "Rise, my subject, there is no need to feel such uneasiness in my presence. It has been a while since a pony would seek consultation with myself, let us go and see this visitor."

Chrysalis watched herself from above. That dialect, ugh, this may have been eons ago, but did I really sound like that? Starshine's horn glowed red and then both her and Chrysalis were in the throne room watching the meeting occur. The visitor was rather adorned for some random pony. He was a gray unicorn with gentle eyes of green. His attire was that of royalty, ornate silver and gold armor graced his hide. He looked royal, though his speech was humble and almost submissive. It's really happening, isn't it? A tear rolled slowly down Chrysalis's muzzle. The day everything started going wrong. The day I fell in love. The day...I first met him. "Your majesty, I came in hopes of brokering a bond between our two nations."

Queen Chrsyalis smiled at the unicorn who was on bended knee before her. "Come now, no need for such formalities, please do not be afraid of me. A bond should be brokered on friendship not fear, should it not?"

The unicorn rose slowly with a delighted grin. "Forgive me, Queen Chrysalis, I come from the lands beyond your borders to the East. Allow me to introduce myself. I am King Sombra. It is my honor to meet you."

Starshine looked over at Chrysalis, her eyes widened at what she saw. Chrysalis was shaking, not in anger but in sadness. Tears had built up in her eyes. Starshine made a decision seeing the normally enraged bug queen suddenly breaking down. Her horn glowed a bright crimson, and the scene faded away. Chrysalis looked around in surprise. She was at a stone table with a cup of tea in front of her. She sniffed at it, Chamomile. She glanced up to see the thestral sitting in front of her gingerly sipping a cup herself. "Wh-"

Starshine raised a hoof which caused Chrysalis to halt mid sentence. "I thought perhaps you would be willing to talk now, is all. Please drink your tea."

Chrysalis didn't bother to argue, she picked up the tea cup using her magic and took the smallest sip. It smelled of chamomile but it tasted of - "I know you cannot stomach normal food, hun, It took a bit of coaxing but I managed to get some unfiltered love energy from Princess Cadence. You are welcome."

Though she felt grateful for a chance to calm her mind, she still felt suspicious. "Why are you toying with me, daughter of Twilight?"

The thestral snorted. "My name sweet Chrysi is Starshine. Now be a good girl and say it with me, Star-shine."

Chrysalis felt a huge wave of pressure pressing down on her. She wields great power, but this seems different then before. It's almost warm and inviting. "Forgive me, Starshine. Still why would you end my torture so early?"

Starshine smiled and tucked in her dragon wings. Looking at Chrysalis, she spoke softly, not with malice but with empathy. "I saw my past when I saw you crying, Chrysalis."

Chrysalis nearly dropped the cup of tea in surprise. Her eyes narrowed. "How could you possibly relate to what happened to me, Princess?"

Again Starshine's wings unfolded, and she said in a silky tone. "You will refer to me as Starshine, Chrysi, do not make me remind you again. Understood?"

Chrysalis saw the fire burning in the thestral's eyes. It showed her pride in her name, and to anger her any further would not be wise. "I apologize Starshine."

Starshine slowly folded her wings once more and spoke in a calm even tone. "That's better, now then this might surprise you. Even us, princesses, have our battle scars sweetie."

Chrysalis sat there, slightly stunned. She said to Starshine in a slightly sarcastic tone. "Are you telling me, daughter of-"

Starshine glared at her in such intensity that Chrysalis quickly rechose her words. "I mean Starshine. You mean to tell me the immortals of Equestria aren't flawless? Say it isn't so."

The thestral before her took a single sip of her tea before saying in a gentle voice. "It's true. You would never know it by looking at me, but I single-hoofedly caused the destruction of the universe's boundaries involving time and space; all to bring back somepony who meant the world to me."

Chrysalis was completely slack-jawed. She didn't know what to say. She continued sipping her delicious tea and listened as Starshine told her tale. What do I say to that? Chrysalis heard as Starshine shared with her, her own misadventures in the name of love. As she finished her tale, Starshine looked at Chrysalis and said softly, "perhaps we are not so different as you would have thought, sweet Chrysi."

Her tea now gone, Chrysalis felt strange after hearing that tale. Almost as if... Why do I even care? Why did it feel like Starshine wasn't taunting her but truly reaching out to her? "Starshine why are you going to such lengths for somepony like me?"

"The reason sweet Chrysi is I already know what you did. I understand what it means to try and save somepony at any cost. You like me became blind-sighted by such a narrow view. Your actions caused your kingdoms to fall. I also know you want nothing more than to suffer for eternity for it. I however want you to understand others have been there too. The only reason I sit before you a princess, is because my purity of heart was rewarded by Faust and my slate wiped clean. Something to think about. Have some more tea and think about what you want to do. If there is even a small chance to have it all washed away shouldn't it be worth chasing?"

A slight chill rippled down Starshine's spine. Ah, finally. Starshine thought as she smiled at Chrysalis. The former Hive Queen looked at the thestral before her. Why? Chrysalis thought. Why does she care so much about me moving on? She took a slow deep breath and decided to take a risk. In that moment Chrysalis did something she swore she would never do again. She made herself vulnerable as she revealed her deepest insecurities to the one before her. "Starshine, I...I'm afraid that some of us aren't quite so...brave. I ran from what I did and lost everything because of it. My hopes, my dreams, my love. I lost them all. I am not so sure I deserve the chance to start over."

The chill had spread to bring forth goosebumps upon Starshine's forelegs. "Mmmmm I can understand that, sweet Chrysi, looking in a mirror can be a bit....overwhelming sometimes. Perhaps however you don't need to do it alone."

At that moment, all light in the small stone room went out. The sounds of labored breathing and heavy hoofsteps could be heard. A low gravely voice was then heard to speak. "She is right, bug queen. You were not alone in going wayward. Even in the darkness I can see that princess there has a light to give us a chance we may never have again. Perhaps, we should take advantage of it together."

Starshine smiled. Was wondering when he would show up. Chrysalis was slightly taken aback. Was the shadowmancer himself attempting compassion? What was his angle? "S-Sombra?"

The black head nodded. "Hello again, bug queen."

Chrysalis glared. "What are you doing he-"

Her words died mid-sentence. His voice was still gravely, and brooding but did she detect a trace of.... Regret? That can't be right, how could he possibly feel regret? Starshine slowly unfolded her wings and said simply, "It is time. Chrysalis, Sombra, eons ago before the formation of the Crystal Empire the two of you were prominent heads of your own little empires. Are you both ready to truly understand the truth of what occurred the week your empires fell?"

Chrysalis looked nervously at Starshine, "I'm not sure I'm strong enough, Starshine."

Her eyes grew wide as she felt Sombra grasp her hoof. His voice devoid of soul but tinged with emotion. "No alone you are not. Together however the two of us will be."

Chrysalis felt a smile long since forgotten creep onto her muzzle. Turning towards Starshine once more after a appreciative glance towards Sombra she stated boldly, "Let's go."

The royal thestral's horn began to glow and as the darkness grew brighter, she thought back to right before she joined Chrysalis in this room. "what are you doing here?"

Sombra stood in the corridor outside of the room for the next subject. Next to him stood Chrysalis, frozen in the time spell still. "No reason in particular, princess."

Starshine smiled softly, her wings folded back down. "She really means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

Looking at her, Sombra spoke in his gravely voice, the tone dark and brooding. "Don't be ridiculous I just felt like being here."

Starshine gently pat him on the head as she whispered, though no pony else could hear, "We both know you can leave Tartarus in an instant should you wish it. Your powers came at a rather...high cost did they not? A cost that prevents you from being tethered here like the rest. So why stick around?"

Laughing hollowly Sombra spoke once more. "There is a promise I made, that I plan to keep. Even if it takes an eternity for it to happen, Princess."

As she slowly walked passed him her horn began to glow and her voice rang in his mind like a broken record. "If you want to help her, join us. She won't be able to do it without you."

***

The bright flash of light enveloped the three and they vanished, on their way once more to the ethereal plane. Starshine grinned to herself, happy her plan was on track. My hunch was right.

Chapter 8- Gazing Into A Nightmarish Mirror

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The garden materialized before her eyes once more. Chrysalis stared at the alicorn in the sundress. She closed her eyes and winced. "You really did look beautiful in that thing, bug queen."

Chrysalis's eyes opened wide and she turned to look at Sombra in surprise. Unsure of what to say she turned back to the scene playing out. This seems a bit different than before. Wait, I remember this! The alicorn's ears perked up as a gentle voice called her name from the entrance. "Chrysi! I thought I would find you here!"

It was that afternoon. A gray stallion in a dashing blue tuxedo trotted towards her as the alicorn raised her head and laughed. "Oh don't you look regal today, Sombra!"

The stallion blushed and spoke in a frantic way. "That's not- I mean- I-"

As she smiled warmly at him, the Sombra of the past presented her a bouquet of uniquely colored roses. "I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed last night."

Our first dance. The alicorn grabbed him by the hooves and began to sway, soon both were laughing and twirling in the garden as the birds issued forth a harmonizing melody. Chrysalis turned to look at Sombra as they both watched the scene side by side. His eyes were soulless as always, but she saw the hint of a smile on his face. We were so happy, it was so magical...and then I destroyed everything. Tears began to form in her eyes as the scene shifted to reveal what she had long since tried to forget.

"Chrysalis, the time has come for you to recognize and admit to yourself the truth of your actions. You need to walk us through it. It may hurt but you cannot be silent any longer."

The voice of Starshine from behind her made the Ex Queen's head turn to face her. Chrysalis's eyes watered, silently she begged Starshine, pleaded with her to let all this end. The thestral's stance and hardened glare told her that there would be no avoiding this. Please...please don't...I...I... Her thoughts were erratic and she was scared, shaking in fear. She felt a stone cold object grab her hoof. It was Sombra. His hoof had no warmth as always and his eyes were eternally cold and merciless, but she felt in his grip the tenderness they once shared. She was not alone. That's right, together we can do this.

Turning back to the scene, Chrysalis began to narrate the painful memory in full detail. "We had been seeing each other for a couple of weeks. Our kingdoms had formed an alliance. Sadly, Sombra was unable to stay by my side and so he went back to his own kingdom. I grew lonely, miserable upon him leaving. I decided to ask my royal advisor what i should do to cure myself of this sadness."

A figure in armor stood before the disorganized, unkempt form of the royal alicorn, pacing back and forth. The armored pony flexed its wings as it stated in a feminine voice. "Your majesty, you haven't eaten any of the royal food that has been prepared for days. It has been painful watching you trudge through each day while you refuse to sleep. I can't recall the last time I have ever had to say this but, the cleaning staff refuses to enter your chambers, especially after one of them passed out and was sent to the infirmary from mere contact with your sheets. I must say, I am quite concerned for your well being at this point."

Starshine's eyes went wide, but she held her tongue. For the love of Faust don't tell me...That can't be.... The alicorn spoke a response in a frantic voice. "I know! I'm a wreck! It's his fault! It's him! I can't stop thinking about him!"

The armored pony lowered her helmed head and spoke, "Who?"

Is...she trying not to laugh? Damn it all to Tartarus! Starshine's nostrils flared in bitter annoyance. This complicates things The alicorn queen spoke just one word as her voice grew louder and louder as it turned into a scream that shook the very stone walls of the castle hall they stood in. "SommmmmmmmmMMMMMMBRAAAAAA!"

The armored pony began to shake as laughter began to come from her. The alicorn glared at her, "how dare you laugh at me in my time of uncertainty? You could try to be more supportive you know!"

Waving her hooves in a disarming fashion, the pegasus removed her helmet and looked at the alicorn with a large grin. I knew it! Starshine was very angry now. Why didn't she tell me? Those damned emerald eyes! Yeah, it's her. "Your majesty, I meant no disrespect I am just relieved. I was worried you were suffering from some strange disease, but really it isn't anything to worry about after all!"

The alicorn stamped her hoof in anger. "What is it then, tell me or I'll...I'll...um...make you cook me dinner!"
Those deep green eyes showed amusement. "Your majesty..."
"FOR A WEEK!"

Still shaking with mirth the armored pegasus spoke in a strangely seductive manner. "Your majesty, what you are suffering from is the one of the oldest ailments in recorded pony history. A plague that has infected ponies since time immeasurable. It has caused kingdoms to fall and wars to be fought. A blessing and a curse to all who experience it. Sweetie, you are in love."

Starshine and Sombra both stared at Chrysalis with shocked looks until she angrily shouted at them, "WHAT?! I was new to the whole ruler thing. I was still little more than a young whelp forced into my role. I simply didn't have the heart to cause my subjects to suffer, regardless of crimes. Our kingdom was not one of punishment but encouragement."

Starshine preened her wing in thought before asking, "What happened to change that?"

Chrysalis looked haunted as she replied in a grave voice, "I grew up."

The scene changed once more and Chrysalis began her narration once more. "My advisor had suggested I go and visit Sombra that perhaps a dignitary vacation would be the ticket to remove the despair I had felt. The only problem was, I wasn't the only one who went to see him."

The alicorn's caravan approached the mighty castle of King Sombra. The gates were opened to allow her entrance. As she approached the throne room, she noticed quite a few strange looking guards outside the entrance. One of them raised a spear and spoke harshly. "Halt. The king is busy! Come back later."

The alicorn looked surprised and said gently, "I am here to see my fiance, stand aside, please."

The guard just repeated what he said earlier and in a deeper tone. ""The king is busy! Come back later."

The alicorn sweetly looked the guard in the eyes and said in a slightly lower tone, "I came here to see my fiance, I am Queen Chrysalis and I am going to enter that room. Please move aside"

The guard shook his head and brandished his spear aggressively. "Beg your pardon, your majesty, but the king does not wish to be disturbed now. Please come back later!"

Queen Chrysalis was very annoyed and after the five day trek through the desert was not in the mood for this. She was hungry, she was hot, she was tired, her hooves were sore and this blasted guard was trying to turn her away? "Either open that door with your hoof, or I'll help you open it with your skull!"

The voice of Sombra came from beside Chrysalis. "Ah that explains what happened next, always wondered about that."

Starshine looked at Sombra in surprise. Was that a...joke? The doors flew inward as Queen Chrysalis levitated and threw the unfortunate guard through them. The angry queen stepped over the fallen guard. "Sombra! I have arri-"

Her voice died as she saw a pink alicorn standing beside Sombra both appeared in deep conversation. The alicorn looked at her in surprise. Queen Chrysalis frowned. The pink alicorn glanced at Sombra who now was prodding the very still form of the guard whose neck had clearly been snapped. "Sombra, who is this?"

King Sombra glanced at the enraged Queen before responding. "A very frustrated mare who needs pampering it seems."

Chrysalis glared at the alicorn. She spoke in a rather agitated tone. "I am his fiancee, who are you?"

The alicorn's emerald eyes sparkled as she spoke. "My name is Amore, Princess of the Crystal Empire. Sombra and I were just sharing some time alone before you barged in. Some very personal, alone time."

Starshine was in disbelief. Are you kidding me? This whole thing...I think I may genuinely try to kill her for hiding this now...

Chapter 9 - It Was Paved With Good Intentions

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Starshine stared in disbelief. Chrysalis had witnessed her fiancee cheating on her with another mare. Worse still, Starshine had a pretty good idea of who that mare was and it definitely wasn't the real Amore. What possessed her to do something so twisted? Thought Starshine. Knowing she couldn't interfere, Starshine held her tongue about that emerald-eyed 'alicorn' she had gotten to know far too well. Starshine saw the insectoid mare shiver and quake as the scene played out. Silently cursing her partner's outlandish actions, Starshine urged the former ruler to continue. "What happened next?"

The Former Hive Queen closed her eyes; she didn't need to see what happened next. That moment had haunted her since that day. Taking a deep breath she began her narration once more as the scene shifted. "I grew enraged with Jealousy and I..."

She faltered, the shadowmancer at her side slowly lowered his eyes to the ground as if to find an escape route. Starshine observed the two of them and took note of their actions as she inquired, "You what?"

Chrysalis of the Changlings, gasped for breath as she tried to speak.The words simply would not come "I...I ah..I..."

Starshine flared her wings and her eyes burned bright with a crimson glow, there was no mercy or pity in her gaze. Stamping her hoof she spoke in a firm voice, one that would accept none other than the truth. "Open your eyes and tell me, Chrysi, what did you do?"

Choking on her words, Ex-Queen Chrysalis finally shouted it out as her frustration and anguish reached their peak. With Tears streaming down her muzzle she roared. "I ASSAULTED SOMBRA! I WAS ANGRY AND IN MY RAGE I USED MY MAGIC TO GRAB THE FALLEN GUARD'S SPEAR AND I HURLED IT AT SOMBRA PIERCING HIS ARMOR!"

Sombra looked at her incredulous. What is this? This feeling? He thought to himself. The Former Queen continued her rant as her voice grew more and more distressed. "IT WAS ALL MY FAULT! WHY COULDN'T I CONTROL MY TEMPER IF I HAD ONLY..."

From beside Starshine, a rough, gravely voice barked. "THAT IS ENOUGH CHRYSALIS!"

Starshine took notice of how he had said 'Chrysalis' and not 'bugqueen' like normal. Perhaps these two still had feelings for each other. She smiled to herself. Both of them were eternally fated to walk amongst the living. Both of them were forced to carry their past. Both were forced to feel the one burning emotion they felt at that time. Jealousy and Wrath. Yet, love finds a way around all obstacles, doesn't it? The only question was, could they themselves admit the truth? Feigning annoyance, she turned to Sombra. "Something you wish to say, Shadowboy?"

Starshine found herself staring into some very enraged green eyes. Sombra was angry. This is cruel and I'm sorry but I have no choice. She thought to herself. Sombra closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them as he spoke. "Stop this. Did you ever consider we don't want to be forgiven? That-"

The thestral warden smiled at him. "We?"

Sombra gulped his resolve visibly wavering. "What I meant is she-"

The wings of Starshine flared wide, revealing their dazzling scales. "No, you said 'we'. That must mean you too have a secret in regards to that day."

The shadowmancer stumbled over his words as he hurriedly rushed out, "N-no! I just felt b-bad for h-her, is all."

His heart is in the right place, but lying to me will not save him. How to handle this? Hm. Starshine's thoughts raced. After a moment she folded her wings completely confident as she casually spoke. "Perhaps if you were to give your side of these events, it would give our lovely Chrysi a chance to gather her thoughts."

As Starshine pointed her hoof at Chrysalis, Sombra realized he was trapped. The Ex-queen stood shivering and crying, completely broken, she needed the rest and he owed her at least that much. He had no choice. The time had come for the one secret he vowed to eternally keep to himself, to be revealed to the one mare he never wanted to know.

Sombra made up his mind, regardless of how it turned out she needs to know the truth of that moment. "Very well, Princess Starshine. I am ready."

Starshine smirked as she said teasingly, "Oh I seriously doubt that Mr. Shadows. Few ever are when it comes to me."

Before Sombra could retort, her horn began to glow once more and the scenery around them changed to the throne room before Chrysalis arrived. His gravely voice began narrating the scene. "I stood in my throne room, completely unsure of what to do next..."

King Sombra stood in the throne room, pacing back and forth muttering to himself incoherently. Every now and then a few words could be understood. "She...I don't...what do I...how to make it special...first...amazing..."

An armored guard stood to one side as the Founder and ruler of the Crystal Empire; Amore slowly trotted through the door and started towards where Sombra was pacing. Her voice was melodious, with a tone of sugary sweetness. "You requested my assistance with something, Sombra? Your letter seemed quite urgent."

Having known her since childhood, Sombra told her what was on his mind. "I met a mare."

Amore's eyes glittered with an emerald hue as she responded with a surprised tone. "Oh, so you finally found a mate? Where is she? Who is she? Come, tell me everything! Spare no details."

Sombra stopped his pacing, and his voice was full of uncharacteristic passion. "Her name is Chrysalis, an Alicorn in charge of the kingdom to the west. Her eyes glitter with the brilliance of a thousand emeralds. Her mane, smoother than the finest silks. Her laugh makes even the gloomiest of days shine as though the sun were above beaming down. Her touch as firm as iron, but as delicate as a rose."

Amore smiled warmly. "Oh my, it seems you have it bad for her. I am so proud of you! Still I wonder, though, why did you summon me here? What help can I possibly offer or did you just desire to tell me in person?"

Sombra shook his head in a frantic motion. "You don't understand, her and I are betrothed!"

Amore's eyes went wide. "Oh, I see, yes that would make sense to hire a specialist then. I take it you want help planning the ceremony then?"

Sombra nodded with a shaky grin. "Yes, who better to plan the perfect wedding than the Queen of Love herself?"

Chapter 10 -When The Light Begins To Burn

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"Are you telling me you did that for-"

Chrysalis froze in midsentence. Sombra looked at her perplexed as he too became still as a statue. Starshine, breathing heavily, had used the last reserves of her magic to cast a spell to freeze time. She needed a rest; the use of her magic had caused her to become exhausted. She was on the precipice of collapsing from the fatigue of maintaining the projections. Starshine headed back home, leaving both Chrysalis and Sombra frozen in time. She needed Hazel and while she was it, maybe get some answers.

Starshine staggered into the bedroom, at the point of collapse from exhaustion. Hazel watched as her partner fell to the cold cobblestone, her body limp and still. In a panic Hazel dropped her feather duster and rushed to Starshine's side. Gingerly scooping her up in her hooves, the Queen of the Thestrals carried her marefriend to their bed smiling sweetly. It would seem she still has not mastered her energy output, poor dear. After tucking her in, hazel shook her head with a frown upon her muzzle. How is it this one mare out of the hundreds if not thousands of ponies I have seduced...seems to matter to me?

With the feeling of days of recovery, Starshine awoke to the warm tongue of hazel roaming across her neck. "mmmmm, ohh that feels so wonderful, love."

With those words Hazel found herself pinned to the mattress as a hungry look appeared in Starshine's eyes. "You really do push all the right buttons don't you?"

Hazel uttered a squeak as Starshine showed her the realm where Faust dwelled. Hours later, Starshine gently caressed Hazel's mane. "That was so wonderful, baby. By the way, how long was I out for?"

Hazel panted as she lay her head on Starshine's lap, still engulfed in the whirlwind of their lustful passion. "Th-three days Eq-equestria time, sweetie."

Starshine slowly dragged a hoof across Hazel's flank causing her to shudder in excitement. "I see, right on schedule then. Tell me something, because there is a question I need you to answer for me."

Hazel moaned as Starshine gripped her flank. "Anything, ask me ohhhhh anything you desire."

Starshine's eyes twinkled. Gently caressing her partners flank she halted suddenly as she raised her hoof. "Tell me why is it..."

she brought her hoof down with a sound SMACK across Hazel's flank, causing her partner to flinch with a whimper. "You were there messing with Sombra and Chrysalis..."

Hazel's mind raced. Oh no, don't tell me she found out about the...damn her that barely hurt!

Again another sound spanking landed across Hazel's flank. Once more hazel whimpered like a lost dog. " and yet you failed to tell me when we were discussing my plans for those five. That was very naughty of you..."
The only thought in Hazel's mind was why was she holding back? Surely such a strong thestral could hit harder?
Once more a firm THWACK of her hoof across the rump of her playmate. Tears welled up in Hazel's eyes. That was more like it! "Wasn't it, dear?"

Hazel winced as Starshine's hoof came down once more. "I...I just forgot! It happened thousands of years ago! I promise I was hiding nothing!"

Starshine halted in mid-spanking to lick her hoof and gently rub it upon hazel's incredibly sore rump. Hazel moaned in agony and ecstasy as the cool feeling of moisture met with the heated sensation on her backside. "oooooh mmmm..."

Starshine's voice was soft and tender. "Tell me then; why did you instigate such an event? Why were you there?"

Hazel's tongue lolled to the side as Starshine's hoof slid a little lower on her hindquarters and she found herself being teased relentlessly by her partner. "Ungh...OH..oh that's the spot....mmmm...it was Faust."

At once she felt a stinging blow land on her rump once more. "Don't you dare lie to me, Hazy."

Hazel felt the tears drip down her muzzle as the blow landed. Yes, make me pay for lying!"ARGH! I-I swear Starshine! Faust told me it was necessary for her daughters to rule in the future! I-I was only doing the assignment she gave me! Ooommmmmnfmmm those hoofs are yours, are like magic."

Starshine had once again begun teasing her partner. "Shush and enjoy my magic Hazy, no more words."

Why would Faust order such a thing...one question answered...two more arise As starshine thought about it she realized right now she needed some relaxation before dealing with those two again. She wanted to be treated like a queen and her lover was very ready judging by the soft squishing sounds everytime hazel moved. The problems of Tartarus could wait...at least for a few hours, right now was her time. Her horn glowed a crimson red as the lights went out all around them and Hazel was flipped upon her back. Seconds later in the pitch darkness Starshine and Hazel put the sonic rainboom to shame with the hues they saw immersed in lustful euphoria.

Many hours later the lights in the candles flickered to life once more, as Starshine's horn glowed a bright crimson. Now fully energized through their passion the young thestral sat in the bed and looked down at her partner who was snoozing away whilst sucking her hoof. Starshine smiled to herself as she watched the scene and draped a warm blanket upon her sleeping marefriend. She is so adorable in that position, and I could watch this scene content forever. Placing a small stuffed dragon within Hazel's grasp, Starshine gingerly gave her a kiss and slid out of bed.

I would too, if not for some unfinished business. I need answers, and only one alicorn can give me them. I promise love, I'll be back soon. These were the thoughts of Starshine as she headed for the gates of Tartarus after making sure Chrysalis and Sombra were still frozen by her time spell. It was time to visit the Alpha and Omega. It was time to talk to Faust.

Starshine shielded her eyes with her scaly wings as she entered the heavenly realm and appeared before Faust, from which life in the realm of the mortals had begun. The light was blinding, radiating from the heavely queen herself. As the glow surrounding the majestic alicorn faded, Starshine heard the soft voice of Faust address her. "Starshine, why have you come to me, my child and in...That form, nonetheless?"

Starshine looked upon her and was engulfed by conflicting emotions. Reverence for what she was and had done and disgust for having been used by such a goody two-shoes. Starshine found herself locked in a mental conflict. She wanted to bow in respect but a voice within told her different. I need to show my love.

Don't you dare. Have you forgotten? She used you! Abandoned you...all because of a mistake!

Starshine shook her head as she tried to clear it. No. Shut up! She deserves my respect!

Would you turn your back on Hazel so easily? After she freed you from that holier-than-thou pompous alicorn?

She has done so much for me!

You are a thestral of Tartarus what place have you kneeling before one such as that so-called goddess?

No, I am an alicorn!

Are you? You possess wings of scales not feathers and an insatiable lust for the queen below, are you truly an alicorn anymore?

Faust had a look of concern upon her face as she watched Starshine twitching and shaking her head as if in a seizure. "Starshine are you okay? Starshine?"

Starshine's eyes hardened in hatred. She couldn't think! She hated Faust, she hated this place! "AAAAARGH!"

She screamed in rage, violently shaking her head in confusion. No! she didn't hate anything! This wasn't her! She had to control her emotions! Suddenly a wave of nausea washed over her. At once the world before her eyes began to swim."STARSHINE! My child!"

The voice of Faust panicking reached the thestrals ears as her vision dimmed and her head slammed into the ground causing her to black out.

Chapter 11- A Lover's Tears

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Hazel stood by the bedside, her brow furrowed in conflict over the current situation. She hated Starshine for visiting Faust without letting her know. She was shattered watching her partner lay unmoving in that bed. Her emotions roiled inside her. She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry. Unable to decide she continued standing there as she had for the past five days. The conversation with Faust echoing in her mind when her sister brought Starshine home on her back.

***

"She can't walk in my realm anymore Hazel."

Hazel sat at the stone table with a cup of herbal tea in her hooves. She looked concerned. "I forgot to warn her; I'll make sure she understands thestrals don't mix with Celestials."

"Hazel, I'm not sure she is a thestral."

Hazel gave her sister a teacup and responded calmly. "What are you talking about you high horse? You think she is still yours, an alicorn?"

Her sister took a slow, thoughtful sip of her tea. "No, she is yours...Though not entirely."

Hazel felt her jealousy and possessive nature begin to rise within her. She snapped back with malice."Whatever you are plotting back off! She is mine!"

Faust, quite used to these scenarios with Hazel kept her voice level. "Yes, I agree, she is. Her body and instincts as well as mannerisms are those of...your kind, sister."

Hazel sat back down and did her best to keep her anger in check. "Why do I sense a but, Faust?"

The next words out of Faust's mouth shocked her. "Because her mind, soul and will are those of an alicorn."

***

She stared down at the still sleeping Starshine. A peaceful grin upon her muzzle and her dragon scaled wings fully splayed wide open as if she owned the bed. The way her legs were spread, the position of her well defined hindquarters. That pose would make most stallions and mares swoon with desire. Hazel, quite flustered, angrily turned and slammed her hooves into the two feet thick red stone wall. Of course she is a thestral. How dare my rotten goody two shoes sister dare insinuate otherwise. Still...

Hazel couldn't deny it. Starshine had done something no thestral ever had; survived a trip to the Otherside. Thestrals by nature were not pure creatures. Their souls craved depravities, exploiting other's souls with their powers in order to further their ideals. Of the flesh, the mindset of a thestral was anything but that of an alicorn. Any thestral would instinctively avoid that realm, knowing certain destruction lay within should they venture into the light. Yet Starshine lay before her, snoozing happily, having just visited the very realm that should have destroyed her.

Standing there, Hazel went over everything she knew about Starshine. The more she thought about the more confused she found herself. No self-respecting thestral would care to redeem another or even care about another. Though no self-respecting alicorn would be caught dead in bed with the likes of me. Your dominant seductive side is thestral, but your desire to fulfill her duty to Faust is definitely an alicorn trait. Your magic can create, yet destroy...I...hate to admit it, but what if Faust is right and you are neither alicorn nor thestral...then I have to wonder. Starshine what are you?

"H-Hazy?"

Starshine had sat up in bed and was yawning as if nothing happened. "How long was I asleep?"

Hazel felt the momentary relief of seeing her wake up fade into almost instantaneous rage. Her normally emerald eyes, turned darker than the void. Her voice was not seductive nor malicious. It was of pure rage. "HOW DARE YOU!"

***

The entirety of Equestria in the mortal realm heard it. The nightmarish screams of pain erupting from the ground. The very soul of every living creature was filled with an extreme chilling sensation. Meanwhile, in her crystalline castle, Twilight calmly ignored the chills and sipped a cup of Sweet Apple Acres "special" cider courtesy of Applejack. That daughter of mine... Twilight's horn glowed a rich purple as she sat eyes aglow. Calmly sipping her cider, she smiled. Reminds me of myself when I was younger.

***

What seemed like hours later, Starshine, stumbled down the hallway. Her silver flank now a glowing red and keeping her balance was incredibly painful. As she limped towards where Chrysalis and Sombra waited, frozen in time, she thought about what happened earlier.

***

"YOU ARE THE WORST!"

Smack

"OF ALL THE HEARTLESS..." Smack

"CRUEL..." smack

"THINGS I HAVE EVER DONE..." Smack

"YOU MAKE THEM LOOK LIKE PARLOR TRICKS BY COMPARISON!" Smack

Smack "DO YOU UNDERSTAND? CAN YOU EVEN FATHOM WHAT YOU'VE DONE?"

With tears in her eyes, Hazel had decided to spank Starshine over her knee. Her rage was only overshadowed by her pain. Starshine screamed out in pain as blow after blow hit. Strangely though she wasn't feeling the physical pain. Thestrals by their very nature don't experience physical pain rather, they relish being hit as natural masochists. No matter how hard Hazel had hit Starshine, she would never have been able to hurt her. The two often worked out their anger in this manner. The partner felt pleasure and the punisher got rid of her stress. This time, however, was different. Hazel was crying and those tears were truly causing her pain.

This time the pleasure was gone. Starshine's hide looked like it had been sliced open by a sword. "H-Hazy p-p-please...stop..."

Starshine's voice was weak, and it seemed to snap Hazel out of her anger. Blinking she looked down at Starshine. The silver fur was matted in crimson dripping from lacerations that now riddled her hide. "Starshine!"

Starshine sat up slowly, ignoring her wounds and gave Hazel a kiss. "H-Hazy, I-I'm sorry. Please don't c-cry."

***

Pausing in the corridor, Stashine painfully opened her scaly wings to reveal the scarred tissue from those wounds. Slowly she smiled and thought to herself. To think sadness cuts deeper than the sharpest talon. I guess I deserved this, after all she awoke to find me gone. I didn't exactly leave a note for her, either.

She knew, though, that wasn't why Hazel was angry. Oh sure, Starshine had caused her sadness at being alone without warning, but her rage came from something else. Starshine had done something horrible and unforgivable. Something in all of eternity had never happened, should never have happened. Starshine had made Hazel care about something other than herself and in doing so, gave the cold, soulless thestral the ability to show compassion and love.

Her eyes glowed crimson as her horn once more began to glow perhaps she isn't a lost cause after all, Faust. She painfully limped through the door with a rather content smile on her thestral form as her body began to shimmer until at last she stood an alicorn once more. She would bear the scars with honor, for progress had been made. Soon her plan would bear fruit. Glancing at the two frozen in time beside her, Starshine's grin turned to amusement. Back to work.

Chapter 12- A Shady Meeting

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Sombra blinked, feeling himself forced to his knees as the time spell was removed. Glancing up he found himself staring into two very sinister eyes of glowing crimson. That sickly sweet voice, it was her again. "Wakey, wakey."

His gravely voice showed his frustration. "What do you want you she-demon?"

Laughing, Starshine grinned. Her smile was filled with fangs and suddenly Sombra felt a chill. "What I want, little colt, is to have a simple talk with you."

Turning his head to look at Chrysalis, still frozen in time, he asked softly. "What of her?"

Starshine took a step closer and gently pat Sombra on the head as if he were a house pet, while using her feathery alicorn wings to gingerly caress the neck of the frozen Changling. "You behave, she gets to continue as if nothing happened."

Narrowing his eyes, Sombra growled. "And if I refuse?"

Flaring her wings wide, and lowering her head until she made eye contact once more, Starshine answered. The illusion faded, showing her silver fur and her scaly wings. Her voice was silky and gentle as though a mother were lecturing a child. Her words, however, made Sombra feel utterly helpless. "There are things far worse than Tartarus, though I don't think it will come to that."

As he looked on in stunned silence, Starshine's horn began to glow and the illusion of her alicorn form slowly crept across her, hiding her true self. The wings became feathery and her fur returned to that lavender hue again. She smiled at him with sparkling amethyst eyes. Once more she stood, a regal alicorn. Her voice was warm and soothing. " Now then, follow me and let's have a nice chat."

***

"What are you planning, Princess?"

Sombra sat at the red, stone table glaring angrily at Starshine. Sitting across from him and nonchalantly sipping some tea, Starshine slowly set down the cup and stared at him, her amethyst eyes twinkling brightly. Placing her hooves under her chin, her eyes flashed to their natural crimson. "You tell me, Sombra. What do you think I am planning for two beings who could never see the Otherside."

Sombra's eyes went wide with surprise. "What do you mean 'two beings'?"

Sombra's mind raced. Surely she can't be saying Chrysalis is... The Princess of Redemption spoke in a tone of mixed teasing and pity. "It would seem dear Chrysi has quite the secret she has kept from you as well, Sombra. She too decided to make a..."

She looked thoughtful for a moment and then spoke with certain emphasis. "Shall we say...ill conceived agreement, just as you, yourself..."

Pointing a hoof at him, she concluded in a soft tone, "Did."

Sombra was taken aback. His eyes narrowed in disbelief. She can't be serious! Chrysalis would never do such a thing. His gravely voice had a waver to it, as though he dreaded hearing the response. "Do you mean to tell me-"

Interrupting him with a smirk, Starshine nodded. "She like you, Sombra, has no soul to redeem."

Sombra shook his head as if refusing to believe it. "If that was true, she would have left this place long ago! Manipulating me will get you nowhere you witch."

"Such hurtful words from such an emotionless shadow. It wounds me you think so little of my power, that i would not do my research. Like you, she sold her soul to Hazel. Unlike you however, rather than wish for powers from the underworld, she desired to never feel the emotion of love ever again. Now then Sombra, choose your next words more carefully, or I will remove your tongue. Understood?"

Sombra's frame began to tremble. Fear? No, not fear but then, what is this feeling? "Oh my, it looks like the helpless little shadow colt is intrigued by the idea of being punished by a big bad princess. How fascinating."

As Starshine slowly sauntered around the shaking shadowmancer, Sombra roared in anger. "That's not it at all you b-UGH!"

Quick as a flash, Starshine's horn had lit up and the alicorn illusion had fallen away. Sombra found himself unable to shut his mouth as a pair of garden shears appeared. The thestral flared her wings as her eyes glowed with the fire of Tartarus itself. "Listen here. You were warned once before. Now, I pride myself on my understanding and gentle nature, so I shall give you one last reminder."

Sombra's eyes went wide as Starshine caused the pair of shears to embed itself in between his thighs on the stone chair. "You WILL show me proper respect. Am I understood, little colt?"

His tongue popped back into his mouth as he nervously gulped, shaking. His gravely voice was clearly in a tone of fear. "Understood P-Princess!"

Starshine smiled warmly and her alicorn form appeared once more. "I am glad you can be civil. Now then perhaps we can have our talk now."

As Sombra opened his mouth to speak, he found his head turned, forcing him to lock eyes with the princess as she grinned with the iciest smile he had ever seen. "That is unless you wish another demonstration of who's in charge, shadow colt."

Completely outmatched, overpowered and helpless before her. His gravely voice was steady once more as he accepted the situation. "Alright Princess, what did you wish to talk to me about. I'm listening."

"What would you do, if given the opportunity to begin again?"

Sombra looked across at Starshine as the alicorn folded her feathery wings and sat down upon the stone chair opposite of him. "What do you mean, Princess?"

"What if you could have it all reversed? To begin again, to completely have all the blemishes, you have incurred upon the pages of history..."

Gesturing at him with her hoof, with an extremely serious look on her face, Starshine concluded. "Erased from everypony's mind? Removed and forgotten from the annals of time itself. Forgiven by Faust as well as set free by Hazel. A fresh start. Tell me, what would you do if given that chance?"

Sombra scoffed. "And let me guess, your majesty, you are going to be the one giving this golden opportunity?"

Starshine laughed and her horn began to glow, though this time something new occurred. Her left side showed an alicorn; regal majestic and the warmth of kindness. Her right side was that of a thestral; dominating, commanding and maliciously seductive. In front of her out of nowhere appeared two scrolls. Her voice was motherly with love yet filled with spite and loathing. "That's right."

Using her horn, she slowly turned to extended scrolls around, so that Sombra could see what was written. His eyes went wide in disbelief and his cold demeanor suddenly vanished, replaced by shaky fear. There on the top lines of both scrolls Sombra read the names written in a dark crimsom out loud."King S-Sombra. Qu-Queen Chrysalis."

Starshine laughed in excitement though it carried with it a foreboding tone as well. Sombra slowly and shakenly glanced at the creature before him. "W-what are you?"

Her reply terrified him. The voice was warm as a hug, but venomous as a snakebite. "I am your final judge, the last jury you will ever know, I am your savior or I am your executioner. King Sombra, I am either your last hope or your final nightmare. The choice, however, is yours."

Sombra glanced at the scrolls once more. The cursed contract he had signed written in his own blood, and beside that was Chrysalis's. Looking up he saw a sparkle in her amethyst eye and a flash of red within her crimson one. This was no game, the look in her eyes made it clear. She isn't messing around. "What would you ask of me?"

Chapter 13- To Open Their Eyes

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One...Two...

Sombra stood outside the door counting to ten in his head. Just moments ago, he had asked Princess Starshine what she would ask of him. Her reply had simply been "Step outside that door and count to ten in your head for me. When you reach ten, re-enter that door."

Eight...such a strange request...Nine...Ten. The door swung open as soon as he reached ten and he stepped through to a very confusing sight. Chrysalis sat at the stone table sipping a cup of steaming tea. Sombra looked behind him at the door. The only door. How did she get here? I was only gone for ten seconds. Chrysalis laughed and looked at Starshine. "You were right! It did take him fifteen minutes for him to finally get here!"

Sombra began to object. "I was only-"

However the glint in the alicorn's amethyst eyes immediately made him backtrack hesitantly. "I mean, I'm sorry I'm late Princess."

Starshine smiled in amusement as she took a sip of tea. "Mmmm, yes, time in Tartarus can get away from you if you aren't careful. However, you are here now, so let us begin."

Chrysalis sat in silence, mulling over what just occurred in her mind.

***

"This isn't Tartarus, Chrysalis."

Chrysalis just stared at Starshine. The princess sat before her a half-thestral, half-alicorn hybrid calmly sipping some tea. "I don't understand, what are you talking about daughter of-"

Chrysalis halted mid-sentence. A sense of imminent doom suddenly traveled down her spine as Starshine's eyes narrowed. She quickly corrected herself. "Er forgive me, Starshine. Starshine what do you mean this is not Tartarus?"

Starshine's voice was cold as ice and yet warm as a hearth's fire. "Don't misunderstand me, this place we reside in is indeed called Tartarus by the ponies and creatures of Equestria, but this-"

Gesturing around herself, she continued. "Is not the eternal punishment you believe it to be. This Tartarus is nothing more than a prison for the lost. Those who lost their way but have not yet committed to either the path of harmony or the path of malice. All this place is, is a gateway to the next destination. Be it the Otherside or the Underworld. Where the lost soul goes however, is the convicts choice. The key that sends them there, however, is me. Understood?"

***

Chrysalis took a sip of the special tea she had watched Starshine brew for her. She could taste the exquisite taste of Cadence's crystallized love magic. Delicious, but why go through such trouble for us? That can't have been easy to obtain. Her musings were interrupted by Starshine's voice. She was sitting in her alicorn form, and her voice was so lovely, Chrysalis could almost taste it. "You are probably wondering why you are both here rather than my typical Realm of Recall. The answer is simply I have decided to try another way to reach you. You see, I am here to judge you, no not your actions but your literal soul. Or rather I would be-"

Starshine shrugged and continued. "But neither of you possess one. Normally that would conclude this lovely tea time. The problem is I am as stubborn as I am patient. I have decided to show you where you; your bodies as well as souls, currently in my partner's possession, will be sent should your path of self torment continue."

As she continued speaking, Chrysalis noticed the room slowly changing and growing dimmer as the horn on the alicorn's head began to glow. As the eternally burning candles in the walls went out one by one, the sound of crashing thunder was heard. Afterwards, a rather unsettling laughter issued from within the complete darkness, followed by a voice that caused Chrysalis and Sombra to shake uncontrollably. "HAHAHAHA! Come, follow me as we descend into the real Tartarus!"

***

Chrysalis blinked at the scene before her eyes. Shadowy forms were on all sides of her. She seemed to be at some sort of concert judging by the stage in front of the massive crowd. "Where am I?"
That smell. It's as if a supply of love had been tainted and left to fester in it's own malice. Her nostrils were aflame with the scent of rotting meat. It made her want to vomit. There was no sky and looking down, she saw no floor. Just an endless void. Excuse me can you-"

Chrysalis shouted at the strange figures around her.It was no use, no matter how hard she tried she could not get the attention of any of the strange creatures. A silky, sultry voice whispered in her ear, causing her to jump. "This way sweetie."

Chrysalis turned and found herself staring into the crimson eyes of Starshine's thestral form. The princess seemed to be enjoying herself as she said. "Watch the stage. I've made sure none of these...things...can see us."

Turning her head to glance at Sombra, she saw him standing wide-eyed, mouth open in astonishment staring at the stage. Slowly she too turned to look at the stage, and what she saw startled her. There on the stage stood an alicorn. Her alabaster colored hide bore the mark of an inkwell, her wings were fully flared wide, reaching an impressive seven feet in length. Her mane and tail were a rich burgundy, and her eyes were an opaque teal. "Faust"

The crowd spoke her name in unison, not in anger but in a tone of absolute sorrow. As the alicorn stood there before a strange creature upon the stage, Hazel appeared and stood beside her. It was a strange sight to see but as Faust began speaking, suddenly Chrysalis understood. "My child, you have committed the most atrocious of sins. For the thousands of years since your death, I have tried to reason with you. I have begged for you to repent, pleaded for you to feel remorse. Sadly though, you insisted upon your being in the right. Now it has come to this. I can no longer help you-"

Her words were soft, yet boomed across the sea of figures. Tears slowly fell from Faust's eyes as she wrapped the strange creature before her in a motherly hug and concluded her statement. "You are no longer my child; you have been Forsaken."

Her words conveyed her judgement and her tone conveyed her sorrow. As she turned to leave however, a voice sounded from the crowd. "Please Faust forgive me!"

It was then that Hazel who had wrapped a supportive draconic wing across her sister's back, stepped forward and showed why she was known as the Queen of Destruction. "HOW DARE YOU!"

Her voice was so loud and filled with venom that figures in front of the stage were knocked down by it. Quickly, every figure tried to move away from the speaker. "YOU, WHO REFUSED MY SISTER'S KINDNESS. YOU, WHO COMMITTED CRIMES AGAINST NOT THE MORTAL REALM BUT AGAINST MY SISTER AND I! YOU ARE NOT HERE TO LEARN A LESSON; YOU SCUM! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU IS HERE BECAUSE YOUR VERY EXISTENCE HAS BEEN DEEMED A BLOT ON THE PAGES OF THE MORTAL REALM ITSELF! "

Chrysalis turned to ask Starshine a question but stayed silent as the light of adoration sparkled in those crimson eyes. What Hazel said next really stunned the former ruler of the changlings. Her voice was like a whip and every word she blasted throughout the scene felt like being slashed with thorns. "YOUR TIME FOR REPENTING AND REMORSE HAVE PASSED. YOU HEATHENS FAILED TO HEED HER WORDS AND NOW THAT THE CONSEQUENCES FOR YOUR DISPLAYS OF CELESTIAL TREASON HAVE BEGUN YOU WANT FORGIVENESS? IT'S TOO LATE! YOU LOST YOUR CHANCE, NOW YOU WILL SUFFER FOR IT! THIS IS THE END OF YOUR STORY! NOW REAP WHAT YOU HAVE SEWN!"

Chrysalis felt a stinging pain with each word spoken. A warm feeling spread from where the pain was felt. Raising a hoof to her cheek, she pulled it away and discovered it was covered with a dark crimson hue. Quickly she turned her head to look at Sombra. The shadowmancer had been eviscerated and was bleeding from many cuts upon his hide. Screams of agony arose from the crowd confirming to Chrysalis that it wasn't just them. Meanwhile, a glance at Starshine revealed her smiling with genuine happiness, not a single cut upon her thestral hide.

Starshine spoke softly, the flush on her cheeks showing her pleasure. "That felt sooo good."

The thestral quickly took note of Chrysalis and Sombra's wounds. "Oh right. Well, I think you understand now."

Her horn began to glow and the three were suddenly sitting at the stone table once more. Chrysalis looked around and noticed Sombra staring at her. "Stop staring at me!"

"You aren't bleeding."

Sombra's words sounded so surprised for something so obvious. Well of course I'm not...Wait a minute I'm not bleeding! Neither is he! It was true, as Chrysalis stared at Sombra, she recalled the wounds he had suffered, and yet there wasn't a mark on his hide. Quickly she examined her own self. All the pain and cuts were gone, as if they never happened. That's when the sound of wincing caught her attention from beside her. The ex-queen turned her head, and what she saw took her breath away.

Starshine sat in her alicorn form, completely eviscerated from muzzle to hooves, smiling weakly as her wounds dripped a dark crimson onto the table and floor. Her horn was glowing as she winced and tears fell. Her voice was a bit weaker and unsteady as well. "She really...got you...both...didn't she?"

With a groan, Starshine's eyes closed. A small smile of warmth and love appeared upon her muzzle, as her head fell onto the table unmoving. As the two at the table watched in frozen shock, the surface of the table slowly began to turn a much darker red from the blood oozing from the still form. Strangely enough however, the horn was still aglow.

Chapter 14- Plans Brought to Light

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"STARSHINE!"

Chrysalis rose from her chair with such great speed that the stone chair was knocked over backwards. Her words echoed off the walls of the brightly lit room. Sombra had risen as well, though both were unsure of what to do. "Chrysalis let's get out of here, now's our chance!"

Those were the words he had meant to say. We can finally escape this nightmare! She can't stop us! Those were the thoughts in his mind. However, when he opened his muzzle, very different words emerged. "Is she okay?"

Chrysalis ears picked up a familiar sound. BA-BUMP So, that was it, she was messing with them! She quickly lay her ear upon the form of Starshine. To her dismay, the form was ice-cold to the touch she has no heartbeat. Wait if she has no heart beat...then what was that sound just now? "She's...Sombra she's cold, the blood has stopped flowing...I can't hear her heart beat. I can't explain it, but I think she's dead!"

BA-BUMP the sound rang in her ears once more. There it is again! "Sombra did you hear that?"

Sombra stood there, unable to move, just staring at the form of the deceased princess. Those cuts weren't there just a few moments ago...ugh..why is my chest hurting? BA-BUMP "S-Sombra?"

Chrysalis's voice sounded muted and far off as Sombra slowly pieced together the mortifying scene before his eyes. our cuts are gone. BA-BUMP Reaching up a fore-hoof, Sombra grabbed his chest as it tightened. Ignoring the pain he slowly made his way over to the still, stone-cold body. Reaching out, he slowly ran his hoof across her wounds. This cut is in the same place as the one I had.. "Som-"

Again Chrysalis's words failed to reach him as he pointed at Starshine and in a whisper spoke. "Chrysalis, look."

Chrysalis turned her head to look at Starshine and that is when she saw it too. "Her horn is glowing."

BA-BUMP "Chrysalis...Do you think she healed us? By transferring the..the wounds inflicted upon us to-"

Turning his head to stare Chrysalis in the eyes, Sombra concluded. "Herself?"

Chrysalis couldn't believe her ears. Sombra's voice had changed; it wasn't arrogant like normal. It wasn't gravely or soulless. It was... It's just like it was when we first met. Those eyes, that voice. That almost considerate, sorrowful tone. BA-BUMP And where is that heartbeat coming from? Looking all around frantically, she blinked as the realization hit her. It's him! I don't understand! How is this possible?

***

Standing in the ethereal realm, Hazel's crimson fur was bristled, her wings were folded and her emerald eyes were surprisingly soft. She had been observing the scene happening within Tartarus, from the moment Sombra had sat down at the stone table. Her own voice was alien to her; it conveyed tolerance. "Are you sure about this?"
"They don't belong there, Hazy."

Hazel glanced down at her hooves where two unfurled scrolls lay. At the top of these scrolls were the names; King Sombra, Queen Chrysalis. Hazel's horn had stopped glowing after the crimson words of the two contracts had faded. Her mood should have been anger, or maybe annoyance. Instead, Hazel felt... Excited. I am told to nullify two, millennia old, soul contracts and I am excited about the idea. What have you done to me, Starshine? How did we even get to this point? As she stood there, she felt a smile creep onto her face, as she recalled the events that led to it.

***

Hazel had been laying in her bed, watching the Tirek situation on repeat again for the 70th time. She still couldn't believe it; Starshine had made this power hungry centaur come to his senses and even gave him a new beginning. Never in a million years and her time down here, would she ever have thought it was possible. Starshine was lying next to her, having been asleep for what felt like almost six days. Wonder when she'll get up... "Hazy, I need a favor."

A voice called out. "The biggest favor I could possibly ask."

It was Starshine's voice, who had just woken up and was now sitting next to her. Hazel had been worried for her, and now her first words were to ask her for a favor? It better not be for those two... "Starshine..." Hazel sighed a bit. "Why in the name of your gorgeous wings would I..."

Her voice slowed to a stop as she saw the worry on her partner's face. It seems that she's not talking about Sombra or Chrysalis, not with that kind of expression. "Hazy, this isn't for them..."

Starshine looked at the larger thestral in front of her in the eye as she whispered just audibly enough, "It's for you."

Have my ears deceived me? For me? What could she possibly give me? Huffing, Hazel turned around on her bed, laying her head on her pillow. She whispered to Starshine with a voice just loud enough to show that she was just slightly upset. "Help me? Sweetie, I am the all-powerful QUEEN of this realm. The only reason you're still living with me is that I told that goody two-shoes sister of mine I would allow it. I have the ability to get EVERYTHING I desire and the power of the underworld itself. I even have possession of YOU. What could you give me that I DON'T have?"

Hazel stared her in the eyes waiting for an answer, and unexpectedly, Starshine answered with a firm and proud voice. The single word that she said echoed in Hazel's ears. "Freedom."

Staring at her Hazel thought to herself. How infuriating! Faust's little 'chosen one' thinks she can manipulate me? Me of all creatures? Though I should be absolutely livid at this upstart, Can't help but admire her guts, though. How far will she take this little bluff of hers, I wonder? Adopting the face of an alicorn in shock and hesitation, she spoke; her voice wavering. "I-I don't understand, W-why would a welp like you c-c-care about one such as me?"

Grinning internally, Hazel's mind raced. I'll break her, just like I did my sister. After all, I was an alicorn once, and I know what buttons to push. Starshine's voice sounded genuinely warm and...loving? "Because no one is beyond redemption Hazy! Imagine if you could live amongst all living creatures with me, in the sunshine as well as the moon's glow!"

Now that is interesting, a fledgling thestral thinks she can appeal to my 'goodside'. Make me change my ways. How adorable, perhaps if I go along with her 'plan' I'll get a nice laugh out of it. "Alright, Starshine, tell me, what is your request?"

Smiling innocently as her mouth adopted a steely malicious grin that Hazel had to admit made her excited. "I request you completely disregard the Laws of Creation and royally screw over Faust by bringing Chrysalis and Sombra back to life while in Tartarus, by nullifying the soul contracts for both."

Hazel's eyes widened in absolute shock. Her calm demeanor became unraveled in the split second. Is this the same goody-goody my sister proclaimed the 'chosen one'? The calmness in her voice, her pleasant tone. It sounds like her, but disregarding Faust's Laws...that's not even a line I would attempt crossing. How curious. Narrowing her eyes of sparkling emerald in great interest, Hazel stared at her new bedmate. There's something different about her. "Alright Starshine, you have my attention-"

Her voice was dripping with excitement at the prospect of potential malice. "Tell me what you have in mind."

Nodding, Starshine began to explain her thoughts in great detail. Hazel had found herself feeling pride in Starshine. She clearly has thought this through. However, I hope this 'King Sombra' and his estranged fiancee 'Queen Chrysalis' are ready for this impending nightmare. "And then I drag them into the Underworld..."

After all, even I'm not this twisted. "After I 'die' and the blood stops spreading..."

Hazel laughed internally. I think I might actually have some fun with this one.

Chapter 15-With My Last Breath

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Sombra and Chrysalis stood there in complete silence, staring open-mouthed in disbelief. Moments ago, the only doorway in or out of that room, had vanished before their own eyes. A grating sound behind them had been heard as they examined the lacerated corpse of the fallen princess, its horn still aglow. Turning quickly they had time to observe the door just wink out of existence. It was there and then, just as simply, it was not. They were trapped, with no way out.
Chrysalis turned to Sombra. "Get us out of-"

Her voice died as she witnessed his horn glowing not with shadow magic, but with an azure glow. The same azure glow he had, when they had first met and he produced a rose for her. BA-BUMP Her chest began to hurt. No. Her eyes widened in fear as she felt something she had long forgotten. The former Queen of the Changlings slowly raised her forehoof to her chest, trembling in trepidation. BA-BUMP No! No, it can't be. My... BA-BUMP "ARRRRRGH!"

The screams of both Sombra and Chrysalis echoed their anguish in unison. The chamber, however, merely mocked them; echoing their enraged and pained tones back at them, before falling silent once more.

***

Tick, Tick, Tick "Curse that infernal -"

Looking around frantically, Sombra found himself unable to find the source. "Clock?"

Shaking his head as if to clear it, Sombra sat on his haunches and looked around at the four solid stone walls encasing them. After what felt like the hundredth time, Sombra attempted and failed to produce his shadow magic. Nothing but his azure blue unicorn magic manifested itself upon his horn. Hanging his head in defeat, he heard the thoughts of his co-captive, voicing her thoughts out loud. "How long? HOW long? HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN HERE?"

Sombra glanced over at her. It was impossible to say just how long they had been there. Minutes? Perhaps. Then again it could have been years, decades. The laws of time simply didn't apply in this realm. He wasn't sure what to say, so instead he quietly watched as she ranted, screamed and cried.

Chrysalis stood trembling, tears falling down her muzzle to drip onto the floor. Her eyes were dilated, her breathing erratic. I need to do something, but what? "LET ME OUT OF HERE YOU DAMNED THESTRAL!"
GURGLE What the... Sombra's eyes widened. He understood now, that rage, that stance; Chrysalis was starving. As Sombra watched, Chrysalis ran at and began bucking the rough-hewn stone walls causing her hooves and legs to drip with the viscous green hue of her innards.

Her furious pounding became weaker and weaker as more and more green pooled on the floor and dripped down the wall. Her forehooves were mangled and bruised from the sharp stone. Sliding down onto her haunches, she began to whimper and curl into a ball. This had occurred over quite some time, or perhaps none at all, but for Sombra watching her act this way had seemed like a painful eternity. I have to help her. Was the only thought in his mind.
Ignoring the stabbing pain in his side, Sombra willed himself to limp over to her. I couldn't do it back then, but even if it's the last thing I do I have to let her know. As he approached her, he gently wrapped his hooves around her and gave her a warm hug. "I'm here for you."

His voice was tender, and Chrysalis felt his warmth and energy filling her. She opened her eyes and stared at him. It was like that night, oh so long ago. Though she was in pain, though they were in this Faust-forsaken place, he was still the same gentlestallion as that night. That's when he spoke to her in a slightly weaker if not gentle tone. "C-Chrysalis, would you dance with me?"

It was like a dream come true. Her chest pounded rapidly and though it hurt she stood shakenly upon her hooves, watching as Sombra rose to his own. There was no music, and this was no fantasy. Yet the two of them shakenly and slowly began to waltz, replaying in their minds the tune they had danced to, back in the royal court of Queen Chrysalis. Neither had changed and yet in both their eyes, all they could see was what the other had been. In Chrysalis's envy-green eyes, Sombra had the posture of a royal and the charm of a suitor. In Sombra's eyes the blackened carapace and insect-like appearance of Chrysalis's changling body was gone; replaced by the alicorn he had fallen for many centuries ago. Chrysalis felt stronger with each turn and movement. Sombra smiled weakly as the two swayed to and fro. His steps slowly began to become a bit clumsy, yet he kept smiling. This is my last gift to you, Chrysalis, please enjoy my love.

Chrysalis watched as he faltered and still smiling, closed his eyes before going limp. No. She listened for that once awful sound she had dreaded. Her expression changed. The tears welled in her eyes. No, this isn't fair! There was no heartbeat. She slowly set his limp form upon the stone floor. The pain creasing her face as she let loose the flood of emotion she had been holding back. "Sombra! Don't leave me!"

She sat down in complete shock and began to sob. "Please! I just got you back!"

As the tears pooled on the floor beneath her, she glanced at the still form of not Sombra the Shadowmancer, but her love from ages past; King Sombra. He looked the same and yet on his face was a smile. Why didn't I notice? Like her, Sombra had been brought back to life, and like her Sombra had been starving. He had sat quietly and kept it to himself. When he saw there was no way for him to eat, he had made a decision. He sacrificed himself, for me. She slowly lifted his still form and placed his head on her lap. "You've always sacrificed for my desires... my well-being."

Chrysalis calmly chatted to his corpse. She no longer cared about what would happen to her, instead she would use her time to tell him everything on her heart. Everything she had been so afraid to ever say.

***

Time passed, and everything on her heart was revealed. From that night to her opinion of his 'stupid royal ensemble' she left nothing unsaid. She slowly over this period of time, felt her strength fading. The pain wracking her body was intense, and yet she no longer felt it. She smiled and closed her eyes for the last time, saying the final thing that was on her mind, as her heat beat slowed. BA-BUMP "I always loved you, you know."

BA-Bump "Even after my deal with Hazel, even after my hatred of ponies manifested from that night."

ba-bump "I never was able to let you go. I'm coming, my king."

ba-

***

"The time has come, awaken my child."

Chrysalis's eyes fluttered open. Her voice conveyed her shock at what she saw. "I- Wha? Who are you? Where is this?"

A soft and gentle voice with a slight gravely tone was heard beside her as she was helped to her hooves. "It's alright Chrysalis, we're finally home."
"Home?"

Looking around Chrysalis saw nothing but felt the warmth of love. She felt safe, secure and then she saw it. A Female alicorn that shined with an almost blinding brillance. The Alicorn spoke once more. "Your journey has brought you many places, my darling Chrysalis. You've seen much and experienced far more than most of my children."

Chrysalis was confused. The tone the alicorn spoke with was that of amusement, not anger nor sarcasm; which Chrysalis had been expecting the instant she recognized the being. "Faust, I-"

Flaring her wings out in a swift motion Faust's voice boomed across the void they stood in. "SILENCE."

Cringing, Chrysalis shut her muzzle. Here it comes However, instead of a lecture, the creator of existence simply wrapped her wings around both Sombra and Chrysalis. Her voice was gentle and caring. "My children, you have suffered enough for your crimes. Though tell me, with your interactions with my daughter, what have you learned?"

Chrysalis exchanged worried glances with Sombra. "Your daughter?"

Both were silently pleading Please don't say Starshine! Please don't say... Preening her wing to hide her mirth at the two, Faust replied. "I believe you know her as Starshine, daughter of Twilight Sparkle."

Swallowing hard Chrysalis began. "Er- about her, I don't know how to say this but she's dead."

The celestial alicorn stared at her for a moment and began to laugh. "Oh yes, I am aware, don't worry she'll be back in no time. Trust me, she is perfectly fine and far from gone."

A portal appeared and through it, Sombra and Chrysalis watched in dumbfounded amazement as the horn of Starshine stopped glowing. Shortly after the eyes of the princess snapped open and yawning, she stood up as the wounds covering her body faded away.

Smiling at their reactions, Faust giggled."Now now, close those muzzles and let's continue. My children what have you learned from your time in Tartarus?"

Sombra and Chrysalis looked at each other and began to laugh. Together the two, taking each others hoof, smiled and said as one. "The past doesn't make us who we are. What we've learned is to let go of the grudges and pains of yesterday, because when tomorrow comes, does it really matter? We destroyed and conquered kingdoms, and yet back then it was a necessity. We hated ourselves and punished ourselves over nothing but trying to survive."

Faust nodded and said softly. "So tell me what you want to do. Are you content to cross to the Otherside? Or are there perhaps other ideas on your hearts?"

Their voiced tones were full of peace. They were happy; for the first time since they could recall. Smiling Chrysalis gave Sombra a tender kiss and turning to Faust she spoke for both of them as Sombra smiled and gave a nod of approval. "Faust, we beseech thee, please give us another chance to live our lives, to be the creatures we were meant to be, children you can be proud of."

***

Many years later, on the outskirts of Ponyville, a pair of young, adolescent mares; a pink pegasus and her earthpony companion, pushed open the saloon-like doors of the most popular bed and breakfast in Equestria. Looking around the pink pegasus began nudging her friend and pointing out the rather humble furnishings she spotted. "Isn't this wonderful?"
The interior was rather homely. It was warm, inviting and as the two watched a young filly, who had been waiting tables trotted over to them. "Good afternoon, ma'ams. Can I interest you in a booth by the window? We call it the sunset zone."

The pink pegasus smiled and said sweetly. "That would be wonderful. Thank you, sweety."

After being seated the two ordered from the very minimalistic menu. "Biscuits and gravy for two please."

Once the food had been brought out and eaten the peach-colored earthpony asked in a southern country accent. "Ah rekon that was th' best tastin' meal ah've had in years. Ain't that right darlin'?"

The pink pegasus smiled and nodded. Looking at the young smiling filly, she spoke once more. "Sweetie, would you mind getting the cook for us? We would very much like to thank them for the meal."

Running swiftly to the back, The peach earthpony giggled as the filly could be heard shouting. "DAD! A customer wants ya!"

As the cook approached the table, the pink pegasus's eyes flashed crimson. "Long time no see-"

As he smiled at her, she finished with a wink. "Sir."

In no time Sombra and the two mares stood in front of his wife, a brown alicorn with an apron on. The peach earthpony smiled. "Good afternoon Mrs. Chrysalis."

The two mares slowly began to transform revealing the smiling forms of Starshine and Hazel in their thestral forms. Chrysalis laughed. "I was wondering if Derpy really could deliver to Tartarus. Glad you both got our invite!"

***

For the next few hours Starshine and Hazel sat in a booth by the window and while watching the sun being lowered, listened to the couple's story of since they left Tartarus. The diner was closed for the night, and the door had been locked as the nighttime fell. "You can't be serious!"

Starshine stared slacked-jaw at what she had just heard. Chrysalis laughed and her song-sweet voice spoke up. "I swear by the wavy mane of Celestia it's true! Sombra startled them by getting down on bended knees and asked me to marry him in the middle of our request."

"Oh how romantic, right Hazy?"

Hazel seemed lost in thought and spoke at seemingly random. Her voice conveyed her interested tone. Sigh "Your daughter is so adorable, sometimes I wonder..."

Starshine followed her eyes to the daughter of Sombra and Chrysalis as the tiny filly swept the floor using the magic from her unicorn horn. "Hazy what are you-"

KNOCK KNOCK

Chrysalis glanced up in surprise at the sound of loud knocking on the locked front door."Oh? Who could that be? I'm not expecting anyone."

Sombra quickly murmured to her. "Oh sorry, dear, I forgot to tell you."

Looking him dead in the eyes, Chrysalis conveyed her surprise."Tell me what Sombra?"

Scuffing a hoof on the oak table, Sombra sheepishly explained."Erm- well earlier today while shopping in the farmers market I ran into Apple Pie and she looked exhausted. Though it wasn't just her. Ruby Rayon, Serenity, Claire, and even Twilight looked like the trotting dead. I offered to watch their kids tonight, so they could get some rest. Sorry that I forgot to tell yo-"

Sombra found his wife's hoof covering his muzzle. Her voice was gentle and filled with love."Shush. I'll allow it this once, Sombra, those poor mares must be fatigued, Celestia knows I would be. Imagine running a country and watching not one but five screaming foals? I agree, surely we can watch them for one night."

The door was opened to reveal the half-dead mares carrying their sleeping kids upon their back. Twilight shakenly smiled when she saw Chrysalis and spoke in a rather grateful tone. "You are a bucking life-saver Chrysi!"

Starshine watched Hazel's eyes widen as she saw the small filly asleep on Twilight's back. Hazel leaned over and whispered to her. "Is that your new sister? She looks just like you."

Starshine grinned and whispered back in a playful tone. "I would hope so, Hazy that's my daughter. Soon to be yours as well when this is over."

Hazel's eyes grew wide and then, her chest beginning to pound rapidly. She found it hard to breathe as she processed this information. Her...daughter? MY daughter? I...a mom? ME? Her legs began shaking as she watched her vision go blurry. Right then, her heart stopped. The last thing she heard before her body hit the floor was Starshine's voice. "Hazy..Hazy are you...HAZY!"

Chapter 16- Starshine's Sire

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"UrrGh! Why does my head ache so much?”

Hazel’s emerald eyes blinked open as she slowly woke up. Strangely enough though, she found herself unable to move. Her chest felt heavy, as if it were being held down. Try as she might, she simply could not budge from her current position. That’s when she heard the all-too familiar gentle tone of her sister. “Welcome back to the realm of the living, little sister.”

Hazel’s expression changed from confusion to rage. “Faust what have you done to-?"

“Relax, sister. This was not my doing. If not for her, you might not be here at all.”

Hazel blinked, instantly diffused. “Her, who Faust?”

Hazel had finally been able to turn her head to stare at the alicorn of creation. Faust simply smiled and pointed a well-manicured hoof towards Hazel’s chest. Slowly Hazel lifted her head to see just what it was. Her heart began pounding rapidly at the sight that greeted her.

There, on the chest of the goddess, lay Starshine’s head. It quickly became apparent why Hazel couldn’t move. Starshine had wrapped hazel in a lovingly warm embrace before falling asleep. “You are a very lucky mare, Hazel.”
The comment was quiet and was that a hint of jealousy? Hazel looked at Faust. “What are you talking about you overblown deity?”

Taking it in stride, Faust just smiled. “It’s not everyday, a thestral’s partner would go to such lengths as to visit my realm, sister. Even knowing she could simply perish at once did not stop her from seeking an audience with me to save your crimson red hide.”

“Make sense or Stay silent! What are you even doing here?”

Starshine began to stir, causing Hazel too lower her voice to a hiss, so as not to wake her. Faust sighed and calmly stood up and trotted over to the bedside. Leaning down, Faust whispered softly. “Sister, you died. When Starshine told you of her daughter, you went into coronary arrest. You died from a heart attack. It’s because of her resolve that I am here, and more importantly that you still are as well.”

Hazel's eyes narrowed. "Don't be stupid, you know very well we cannot die."

Faust whispered gently while attempting to hide her amusement. "True, neither you nor I can ever die. At least you and I know that. This one on the other hoof was so worried about you; I decided not to disregard her heroism. So yes, Hazel. YOU DIED. Got it?"

Her tone told Hazel arguing was pointless. Sighing, she resigned to the demands of her sister, as she had for the past indiscriminate years. "Alright, got it, crystal clear. If she says anything I died and you brought me back with your holier-than-thou magic. I am of course kissing your flank eternally, grateful for you sparing my unworthy hide. I get it. So what happens now, your majesty?"

Shaking in actual anger, Faust leaned in close and narrowed her eyes, now burning with the fires of the underworld. She lowered her voice and spoke in a hiss. "Listen here little sister, your anger towards me is blinding you to what is before those gorgeous eyes of yours. That mare literally risked her life to save yours. It isn't my flank you should be worshiping, you sarcastic wench. It's hers can you not see what she did for you out of love? Can you not see what price she paid?"

Hazel's muzzle opened in shock, she had never seen her sister so fired up over a mortal. Glancing to Starshine again she saw what she had missed and her heart plummeted. Why are there gashes in her hide? Starshine? "What..what happened to her?"

"Finally see it? When a thestral even a half thestral such as herself steps into my realm they vanish. She just happens to be a bit more resilient than the others."

"I see...wait...what do you mean half thestral?"

Faust preened her wing while answering smugly. "Don't you know?"

Hazel's eyes narrowed in rage. "Faust I swear if you are insinuating she is still partly yours, I will take and corrupt her even further while you are forced to watch it happen!"

Looking at her sister silently for a moment, Faust gave a small laugh. "No dear sister, she is neither mine nor yours, you could say she has always been somewhat of a joint custody between our realms. After all, didn't you wonder why Twilight was fine with a thestral dating her daughter? Or perhaps why she had the ability to see through your disguise?"

Hazel tried to piece the puzzle together but still was confused. "Sister spell it out, what are you saying? Enough with your cryptic riddles!"

Faust smiled and her horn began to glow opening a window in time. "Why not just show you, my younger sister?"
As Hazel watched through this window a scene began to play out. The princess of friendship, Twilight Sparkle stood alone in one of the many subterranean cells below Canterlot Castle. There of her own accord, she appeared to be glancing at some kind of book for reference as she used a bone to scrawl upon the ground.

***

Princess Twilight drew a summoning circle on the ground. The circle glowed a bright brilliant green and from the resulting emerald fire stepped a thestral. It spoke softly, yet with grace. "You who have summoned me, what is it you would desire so much that you would resort to dealing with my kind?"

Staring at the denizen of Tartarus for a moment, Twilight spoke. "I want a daughter, can you grace me with my desire?"

The thestral, a mare with silver eyes, looked slightly surprised at the request. "You are aware I am no stallion, correct?"

Hazel watched as Twilight blushed for a moment before stepping towards the thestral. "I am aware, I did a mare summoning after all."

The mare seemed somewhat confused and let Twilight know. "May I ask why you chose to bring me rather than say a more EQUIPPED thestral for the job?"

Twilight glanced around her nervously before replying. Her voice seemed somewhat distressed. "The stallions of the world seem to have been plagued with misfortune from the get go. The mares are far more athletic, successful and honestly have more personality. I..."

The thestral sat beside Twilight. "So you were looking for a sure way to have a daughter. I see. Let me ask you something, is your desire to just be...impregnated? My magic would allow me to do so after all or is there more to it?"
Hazel watched the scene as Twilight's blush was rather profusely displayed on her face. "I...would like a true romance to have this occur, if...if you wouldn't mind."

The silver eyes of the thestral flashed with interest as she smiled and nodded. "That does sound fun, if not a bit unorthodox. Usually, a desire is wanted instantaneously. Yours however, seems to be more than just for gratification. Alright, your desire shall be granted, you and I shall have a proper courtship. Keep in mind, though; you will be the one leading this dance. It shall also fall on you to plan the...first date. Understood?"

Twilight grinned and spoke more confidently. "Wonderful. By the way, my name is Twilight Sparkle; Alicorn of Friendship."

The thestral returned the grin and replied in her silky seductive voice. "My name is Starshine, and you, Miss Sparkle, have peaked my interest."

***

The window in time closed, and Hazel stared in disbelief at Faust. "No way. You're telling me-"

Faust laughed and nodded. "Oh yes, your darling partner is the hybrid offspring of mine and your realms. Her 'sire' was a thestral mare by the name of Starshine. Her mother, Twilight Sparkle, a celestial entered into a contract with a mare from your kind, my dear sister. After many moons, the two shared a passion that resulted in a foal. That foal was named after her 'sire' by Twilight."

Hazel stared in disbelief. "You allowed a Celestial to form a contract? Then why does Twilight still have her soul if it was fulfilled?"

Faust seemed contemplative for a moment but then she spoke. Her voice carried a melancholy that Hazel had never heard. "It's true. I was against it from the start. However, the strange thing about it is I had gifted her with the free will to choose. That choice became hers and only hers to make. I would not interfere, though I was dismayed, I would not take away that which I had gifted."

Hazel saw the tears stinging her sister's eyes as the white alicorn spoke once more. "As to her soul, well, it would seem Starshine was quite taken to Twilight. After a long courtship, true romance blossomed. The thestral on her own accord altered the deal on the birth of their daughter."

The Queen of Destruction spoke in a hesitant tone, rather confused. "Altered it? Then what was the reward they took back to Tartarus with them?"

Faust gave a half-smile and said softly. "On that night, during the shining silver of the moon above, Twilight gave birth to a beautiful lavender-furred daughter. The thestral was overjoyed and made a rather fascinating decision. She told Twilight, that all she asked for in return, was that the daughter be named after her so Twilight would never forget what they had. Shortly after, they parted ways and the thestral having fulfilled the contract returned to her home realm of Tartarus.”

“So that’s what has happened. It wasn’t me, who changed her, was it sister?”

Shaking her head, causing her extravagant crimson mane to sway, Faust spoke. “No it was not you, Hazel, the blood of her ‘sire's courses in those veins. Though it was sleeping and you did however awaken that half of her, if that makes you feel better.”

Hazel turned from her sister to stare at the sleeping form of Starshine. Her voice wasn't angry but something else. As Faust listened, her normally confident sister sounded helpless. "I see. You know, I envy that thestral. It would be surprising to one such as you, sister, but for those of us in the shadows it isn't so hard to believe. To be remembered, to be loved, to be noticed. Though we walk where the light doesn't shine, we carry regrets, and cast even longer shadows on ourselves."

Hazel felt a warm wing wrap around her backside in a hugging embrace. "Sister, what has brought this-"

Hazel's words carried the sorrow of thousands, if not millions, of years. Pushing away the wing of comfort, Hazel continued. "You wouldn't understand, Faust. You celestials are graced with no regrets, perfection, I believe the mortals call it. For those of the shadows. I...We wear masks of our own creation to hide our emotions just to bear everyday events."

Faust stared on in amazement as Hazel's eyes shined with an amethyst glow. Sister? Is this your true self? Watching the thestral queen closely, Faust watched her turn to look at Starshine. "She doesn't deserve this pain. She shouldn't have to bear the weight of the underworld. What about her daughter as well? Starshine wants me to help raise her, for us to be together forever. What right have I to experience such happiness? What right have I to teach another morals? Such a life shouldn't have such a disappointment as a parent."

The celestial alicorn calmly preened her wing in thought for a few moments, before smiling and saying in a gentle tone. "Perhaps that is true. However, what if you could prove your intentions to her, to yourself? What if you could finally remove that mask you've hid behind for so long? If there was a way, would you do it?"

The crimson thestral hesitated slightly, but then spoke with severity in her voice. "I take it this is not a tormenting tease? That you know of such a method?"

"I do. Though whether or not you can do it, will depend on your own will to succeed."

Hazel thought about this for a moment. She loved Starshine. She wanted a daughter more than anything. If there was a way to confirm she truly belonged by her side then she would have to pursue the chance. "You claim there is such a task to prove I am worthy to be Starshine's partner and her daughter's 'stepfather'? Prove it."

Grinning Faust's horn glowed and a file appeared before her. Calmly she levitated the file to Hazel. "This belongs to a misguided filly, age 8, who now resides within Tartarus. Perhaps you can prove yourself by guiding her back to where she truly belongs. Her name is Cozy Glow. To fix this issue however, you'll have to be genuine, this filly is known for manipulation though she only acts as she has been shown. Gaze into the mirror and see your true intentions."

As Faust's horn glowed, Hazel asked her one last question. "Did you plan this?"

Vanishing from sight, the reply came back filled with honesty and love. "No, my dear sister. I did not."

Hearing these words, Hazel gave a shaky smile. Then perhaps it was fate after all. Looking down at her sleeping partner, she observed the wounds slowly closing. Such a thestral, though she holds a halo, sleeping so peacefully. What right have I to steal that from her? Glancing at the file once more, Hazel narrowed her eyes. To prove to Starshine, and herself, that she was worthy of raising her daughter; she would do it. Her voice was uncharacteristically soft. "So...Her name is Cozy Glow, huh? Let's get this over with."

Chapter 17- Let's Play A Game

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Cozy Glow fidgeted, nervously. Before her was a strange alicorn sitting at a desk, staring back at her with amethyst eyes. After a moment, the alicorn spoke, her ash colored wings rustling slightly as though annoyed. "Young filly, can you tell me where you are?"

Cozy's voice was sugar sweet as though she were being friendly. "Erm golly. Why, I don't know who you even are, let alone where this is. Erm, miss alicorn...Ma'am."

The ashen colored alicorn smiled in a warm manner. "You may call me Hazel, young one. Though perhaps before we continue I should let you know something important about me; I can see through every thought within your mind. Now, how about you show me the real you, sweetie."

Cozy Glow's eyes went wide with shock. She nodded slowly. She couldn't explain why but for some reason, she felt compelled to be more honest with this one. "We are in Tartarus, Mrs. Hazel."

"Very good. Now what is Tartarus for?"

Cozy pondered this for a moment, rubbing her hoof on her chin. Finally, she answered with a respectful tone. "It's for time-out, right? Like super-long detention for really bad ponies who break the rules of the school?"

Hazel sat there, considering what had been said. Starshine was right, she doesn't belong here. Perhaps she really can be guided, but how to do it? After a few minutes in silence, during which Cozy Glow rocked in her seat out of boredom, Hazel had an idea. "Tell me, Miss Glow, do you like playing games?"

Instantly, the rocking stopped, and the young filly grew attentive once more. "Games? What kind of games?"

“Games of strategy, such as chess for instance.”

Cozy Glow’s eyes radiated interest. “Oh I love chess! Can we play?”

Hazel smiled. Too easy. Lifting her right wing in a welcoming gesture, Hazel’s horn began to glow. At once a shiny new chessboard appeared before them. In a soft but sweet tone, one she had witnessed Starshine use around younger ponies, Hazel spoke. “Of course. White or black, Miss Glow?”

Cozy spoke excitedly. “White! White always moves first. Also call me Cozy, please.”

As Hazel’s eyebrow raised, Cozy quickly followed it up with. “I mean if you want, that is.”

Hazel nodded approvingly. “Very well, Cozy you will be white. Let’s see what you can do.”

A couple of hours passed as the two stalemated again and again. Neither gave any quarter, until Cozy Glow took the first blood. Hazel watched in amazement as the young filly navigated through her traps, sacrificing only the bare minimum to do so. Patient and cunning, I see. The game ended with Hazel tipping over her king in defeat. Cozy smiled. “Checkmate.”

Hazel nodded and smiled. “Indeed. It would seem to be your victory. Quite adept at strategy, aren’t you? Impressive for one so young.”

Cozy narrowed her eyes. “If you weren’t holding back you would’ve run that board with ease, Miss Hazel. Why did you go easy on me? Is it because I’m a kid?”

Hazel’s mind raced. So she noticed. Good. “No. Not because you are a kid, rather I did not know what your skill level was. Would you like to play a real game? I’ll even make a wager. If you win, I’ll give you a juice box. I believe apple is your favorite.”

Cozy wanted that juice box, though she remained cautious. “And if you win?”

Hazel spread her ashen colored hooves disarmingly. “You will agree to play a game of my design. What do you think? Do those terms sound reasonable?”

Cozy put a hoof to her chin and rubbed it in deep thought. After a couple of seconds, she nodded. “That sounds like fun! I’m warning you, though; I’m no pushover!”

Hazel grinned. “If you were, what kind of fun would that be?”

Once again, the board was set up. This time however, it ended in a much different way. 5 moves into the game, Hazel had lost her queen. Cozy pressed the attack and quickly took the left bishop, the right rook and the right knight. However, Hazel seemed unfazed. Cozy kept aggressively attacking and then in the 10th turn, it happened. A pawn crossed the board. And From that pawn, Hazel's queen had risen once more. Cozy seemed to be taken aback and quickly tried to rally her troops after the new power piece. On the 13th turn another queen was born. Cozy began to sweat. She was starting to lose pieces. First her left rook fell to the queens onslaught, then a bishop. Using her knight to defend, Cozy gave Hazel the opening she was looking for as another pawn became a queen, thoroughly ensnaring her king in an inescapable web. Hazel smiled. “Checkmate.”

Cozy Glow stared open jawed at the board and saw the image on it. The pieces had all aligned to form a giant spider’s web. She kept glancing at the board and then to Hazel. Her mind was running full steam. Who, what is she? Cozy’s voice was shaky though now filled with admiration. “W-wow, Miss Hazel, you’re…you’re really good at this!”

Hazel gave a smirk. “Eons of practice, Cozy. I had been playing this game since before the word ‘pony’ was created.”
"Golly, Miss Hazel you must be really old!"

Giving a slight laugh, Hazel joked. "Cozy to understand how old I actually am, you would have to assign a number to the years I've witnessed. The problem is, there is no number you could say from birth to end of yours and your kid's kids lifetime, that would be long enough."

As the tiny filly's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, Hazel snorted, trying to hold back a laugh and gave a wink. "I'm kidding Cozy. I'm actually 42 CE."

Cozy Glow tilted her head in confusion as she tried to comprehend this. "CE??"

Those amethyst eyes sparkled a brilliant emerald-green. "Celestial Eons. One CE is equivalent to an eternity to one of your realm. Now then, I do believe I won our little wager. Wouldn't you agree, young lady?"

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by this new information, Cozy Glow suddenly felt the weight of Hazel's presence. That would mean she... Staring at the ashen colored alicorn, she trembled and slowly lowered her king onto its side. I can't win. This isn't some princess. This is something far more. She didn't just win that chess game, I'm not sure she even tried. "Yes ma'am, you win, I surrender."

Hazel smiled and stood up offering a hoof. "Very good, that was fun, and a fine warm-up for our next game. I think you'll enjoy it quite a bit."

"It's not another board game is it?"

"Hahahaha, oh that's adorable Cozy Glow. No, this game will take place in Equestria. It will be played for keeps as you kids like to say."

Cozy Glow looked nervous. "For k-keeps?"

"Absolutely, you will partake in a rather special dungeon crawler I've created. It will take place in the school, that scorned you. You see, time will be rewound to before your sentencing. You will have a chance to change your fate. Sounds like fun, right?"

The little filly looked at the alicorn in disbelief. Her tone conveyed hesitant sarcasm. "R-right Fun."

As Hazels horn glowed, Cozy Glow let out a gasp. They were in the hallway outside of Twilight's office. Hazel calmly explained. "The game will start upon your enrollment. Your goal is rather simple; make friends with every pony and non-pony within this school by the end of a school year."

"WHAT?!"

Hazel laughed. "You heard me, sweetie, though it won't be as easy as you may think. Only genuine efforts of friendship will work. Any fake or empty manipulative gestures will cause mistrust. You'll find it harder as time progresses as well, should you decide to befriend one at a time.”

Before Cozy’s eyes appeared a strange bright visual display of herself and depicted slots in it as well as a list entitled ‘skills. Next to this image were four stats; Charisma (set to 100), Friends gained and friends lost (0/0), and Completion level (0%). As she reached out to touch it, Hazel continued. As You see, you will start with 100 Charisma, indicated by the word Charisma in bright blue on your display. Consider this your health. Should it hit 0 you will lose. Follow me for a demonstration of the ‘combat system’.”

Cozy watched in amazement as a student appeared in the hallway before her. Cozy noticed the nameplate was ‘????” and the level was 1. Interesting. Hazel calmly began to speak once more pointing at the student who seemed lost. “Introduce yourself.”

Cozy nodded and slowly approached the pegasus colt. “Hey there, you seem lost. My name is Cozy Glow would you like some assistance?”

The pegasus responded in a happy voice. “Oh yes please! My name is Bolt Blaze, nice to meet you! My family sent me here from Cloudsdale and I am having the hardest time finding my class!”
Cozy Glow’s eyes grew wide as she watched his nameplate on the display change to ‘Bolt Blaze’. Next to the colt she noticed a meter appear and fill halfway. Looking at Hazel, she asked. “What’s that?”

Hazel grinned. “That’s a friendship meter. Depending on your actions and whether or not they are compatible with the friend-type, you will receive points accordingly. The four types are: Athletic, Intellectual, Male, Female. When the friendship meter fills up, they will become your friend. Though beware, each friend you make you will lose one point of your Charisma. The higher the Charisma, the easier it is to impress others. Should you be found to manipulate others instead of being your genuine self, your charisma will fall as well as you will lose friendship points."

"Uhhh.."

Cozy found an ash-colored hind-hoof pressed against her muzzle. "Shush I am not done explaining. This is an RPG, so you will find helpful ways to boost your chances. These can be found in your classes. What you learn in each of your six classes will greatly increase your chances of winning. Doing well in your classes will grant you special skills to be utilized in the befriending of others. Any questions?"

Cozy found her muzzle free to speak once more as the hoof was lowered. "How is this even possible, w-who are you? You aren't just some alicorn, are you?"

Hazel nodded and flared her ashen wings wide. As Cozy Glow stared onward at her, Hazels ashen feathery wings changed to dragon scales. From tips to base the feathers vanished, revealing Hazel's shiny onyx black draconic scales. The young filly nearly fainted from fright as the rest of the alicorn body faded away to reveal the Thestral known as the Queen of Destruction. "There will be no second chances. You will have to make choices that will have real consequences. Now then, as I want you to show me a genuine you, it is only fair you see the real me. Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Hazel; I am the goddess that commands the dead. Queen of Destruction and sister to Faust. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Cozy Glow was speechless as her jaw-dropped and her face flushed with sudden unexplained embarrassment. Hazel smiled warmly. "If that's all for questions."

As Hazel stood there looking expectantly at Cozy, the young filly noticed a rather pleasant scent exuding from the thestral. The tiny filly found herself completely frozen, unable to do anything, her body simply refused to respond. Her heart was beating rapidly, and she couldn't stop herself from blushing.

Hazel's horn had begun to glow a bright crimson. Her voice echoed in Cozy Glow's ears as she vanished and the world came to life with students in the halls. "Let the game begin young one. Remember you have exactly one school year. Should you get stuck, seek out the nurse's office. Once a day I can give you a hint, you'll find me there."

Cozy Glow felt her head clear and the blush fade from her cheeks. What was that? Wait. What’s in my hooves? Papers? Sure enough in her hooves were her enrollment papers. Cozy’s eyes narrowed in determination. Another chance, huh? Better not waste it. Something tells me this game isn’t going to be so easy to win. Raising her head up she marched into Twilight’s office to enroll and start the timer.

Chapter 18- What Lies Beneath Her Mask Pt. 1

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Cozy Glow lay in her bunk bed in the dormitories as she lamented her position. Half a semester has gone by. Sitting up she opened her book bag and looked at her midterm report card. This doesn’t look good. One bad grade away from flunking out. Sliding the card back into her bag, she noticed her roommate staring at her, eyes narrowed. The strange yellow and orange dragon went by the name Smolder; level 35. Her bar was so far in the red if filling up the friendship bar required complete distrust, she would be Cozy’s friend. Cozy glanced from her to the display that appeared before her eyes. Zero friends, 35 friends lost. My charisma is down to 25. Is there any possible way to win now? I thought I was doing everything right, what happened? Tears flowed down her cheeks as she collapsed backwards into the bed, sobbing.

A loud knock was heard upon the door and the roommate ran to open it. There in the doorway stood two alicorns. One was lavender and her eyes shined with a hopeful amethyst. The other was an ashen gray, her eyes were also a rich purple. The dragon looked shocked and bowed. “Your majesty I…”

She was interrupted by the soft voice of Twilight Sparkle. “Smolder, that is quite alright. Would you mind coming with me so Ms. Hazel here can have a talk with her daughter?”

“Awwww but I-”

The ashen alicorn produced 6 bits and said softly, in an almost seductively singsong voice. “I hear Applejack has some cider in the lunchroom, why not go and grab yourself a cup?”

Nodding Smolder left, the bits jingling in her claws. Before the door was shut, Hazel had given Twilight a hug. Twilight whispered. “I’m proud of you. And I know she will be too, when she wakes up.”

The door shut and as she approached the bed Cozy lay on, Hazel’s ashen body returned once more to her thestral form. Hazel’s voice spoke softly. “Cozy, we need to talk young lady.”

Sitting up, and stifling a sob, Cozy Glow saw Hazel had sat down on her bed next to her. “H-Hazel? Here to laugh at me for being a miserable failure?”

Musing out loud, Hazel spoke softly. “Miserable failure? Hmmm, well perhaps. You lost 35 friends almost immediately upon making them. Your homework has been marked incomplete or unacceptable by even Fluttershy of all ponies…”

The sound of loud bawling next to her, made Hazel pause. Ugh, already ruining this moment. What now? What would she do? Hazel’s horn glowed bright red and a carton of apple juice appeared before her with a sipping straw. Passing it to Cozy Glow, Hazel said in a slightly awkward voice. “Here. For you.”

Cozy was hesitant, but reached out for the juice box.“Erm...thanks. Wait. Why are you being so nice to me?”
The young filly’s eyes narrowed in anger. “What do you want? What are you getting out of it?”

As Cozy watched mystified, Hazel’s horn glowed red once more and a stein filled with an amber liquid. Taking a deep swig, Hazel spoke in a sad tone. “I honestly don’t know anymore.”

Cozy was caught off-guard by the sudden shift in Hazel’s demeanor. Her eyes softened as she asked. “Are you alright?”

Her childish voice was gone, and Cozy sounded genuinely concerned. Hazel looked at her, in surprise. So, there is something behind that mask after all. Sighing in distress, Hazel answered her. “Yes. No, I don’t know.”

“What’s wrong? Anything you want to talk about?”

Hazel hid a smile. We are so much alike. Curse my sister; she was right. Perhaps if I talk to her for real, Cozy will open up. “I’m not sure how to help you. I came here to give a pep talk and encourage you, but honestly, I’ve never been good with children. Or encouraging others.”

The small filly pondered this for a moment before asking. “So why are you trying if you aren’t good at it?”

Taking another long gulp of her stein, Hazel responded in an anxious manner. “One day while I was laying in my bed chambers bored off my flank, a stupid and naive alicorn showed up accompanied by my sister. I set about to bewitch and ensnare her mind, heart and soul for my own. Though unlike countless others, she wanted to truly love me and it rekindled a flame that had been reduced to stone cold ashes within the depths of my soul.”

“Wow, she sounds amazing.”

That fire in Hazel’s voice, that sparkle in those crimson eyes, told Cozy Glow this alicorn must be extremely important to her. “She is…”

The thestral’s voice trailed off and her next words sounded hesitant. “But-”

“But what?”

As Cozy took a sip of her apple juice, Hazel’s voice went emotionless. It was almost as if the Thestral couldn’t decide how to feel about it. “She has a foal. Slightly younger than you, actually. She wants me to help raise the filly.To say the least I’ve never been the nurturing type. I wasn’t there for my own daughter, though now I wonder what if I had been? Oh listen to me rambling on about silly things-”

The young filly interrupted in a rather angry voice. “It isn’t silly!”

Hazel looked at the young filly. “You don’t think so?”

Cozy’s voice dropped. “Not at all.”

Fiddling with her straw using her hoof, Cozy Glow continued in a rather mature train of thought. “It’s rather admirable what you would put yourself through for her. Ponies, Dragons...etc, all will gladly do the strangest things for love. You however, take it to a whole other level. Endowed with untold wisdom and the power over the Underworld; you’ve wreaked havoc and devastation wherever you so desired. You’ve seen it all and done it all, yet you would change your perspective just to understand one you care for better. Can you not see how insanely awesome that is?”

Hazel stared at the little filly as she began to fuss over the emptiness of her juice box once more. “Why is my juice always gone so fast?”

Such a young age, yet such a grasp of understanding. Who would have thought I would ever find such encouragement from one such as this? “You may have a point.”

Hazel began to laugh as she downed the last of the amber liquid. Cozy Glow looked at her, brow furrowing. “What’s so funny?”

As her horn glowed red and a small cylinder of paper appeared, Hazel grinned. “This. This whole situation. I came here to encourage you and urge you to continue. Yet, here I am the literal creator of nightmares, getting counseled by a filly on how to have a positive outlook. A filly who can’t even legally order hard cider yet. Of all the things I’ve witnessed and or caused, this takes the proverbial cake.”

Cozy Glow thought in silence about this for a moment as Hazel touched the cylinder’s tip causing it to ignite. As Hazel placed it against her muzzle and took a slow drag, Cozy began giggling. “You’re right! It is rather silly. Hey, what’s that?”

Hazel blew out a smoke ring and noticed Cozy was pointing at the cylinder in her hooves. She thought about what to say. “This is something I created, Cozy. This is something made to cause others to perish in a slow and agonizing way they cannot stop. You don’t want this. Though I do have something you would much rather enjoy.”

With that, a lollipop appeared before Cozy’s eyes and she reached for it, with a big grin. As Cozy happily popped it into her muzzle, Hazel asked her. “Tell me about you, though. What’s your story, what caused you to take this path?”

Taking a moment to fiddle with her lollipop, Cozy Glow stayed silent. Turning she looked into Hazel’s eyes with a heavy sigh. “Truthfully? I took idolizing my heroes too far with some rather poor judgement. Though I guess saying that just makes it less clear, doesn’t it?”
Hazel just drew another long drag and gave an uttered. “Mmmhm”

Cozy Glow closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her next words carried the tone of a tired, exhausted soul. “I was in elementary school when it all began. 3 years old, nervous about meeting others, that was me. I was not very socially adept, no I was the type who would rather tinker with her idea in solitude. My family was loving so no, no sob story here. My mom and dad would tell me tales of seven amazing ponies; mares who had used the power of friendship to save the world time and again.”

Pausing for a brief moment, Cozy reached down into her book bag. After rummaging for a few minutes, she produced a sketch pad and a charcoal pencil. Hazel watched in amazement as she drew rather detailed sketches of the seven bearers of harmony in their heyday. Cozy explained her thoughts as the drawings began to take on the form of a classroom. “Let's start at the beginning. I was intelligent. This became rather clear when my grades caused a shall we say divide between my classmates and me. I was different. When they were scribbling with or rather eating crayons, as was often the case, I was drawing images such as these.”

She held up the sketches to show Hazel her drawing. One of them depicted a classroom in which the class had been sat before the teacher as she read a book. Hazel pointed to one colt who was more detailed than the others. Cozy Glow’s face flushed as she said softly. “More on that one later.”

Hazel nodded and gestured her to continue as she lit another strange cylinder. “Shortly I found myself in the local chess club. It was strange, it was almost like it called out to me. It felt so natural, the other members were amazed at how fast I learned the game. It felt amazing, my manipulation of the pieces earned me the nickname the ‘Queen.’”

“The ‘Queen? Do tell.”

Cozy grinned. “We attended tournaments all over Las Pegasus. My team took the ‘Rookie division’ by storm. Soon after we toppled the ‘Novices’, the ‘Apprentices’, and by invitation went up against actual ‘Experts.’

“Oh, I see. So what happened? It would seem you were doing rather well. What does this have to do with Twilight and her friends?”

Tears were in Cozy’s eyes as she mentioned something she seemed to want to forget. Slowly she turned the sketch pad page and began to sketch once more. The sketch was of her and that pony from before. “Remember that colt? This is where he comes into play.”

Chapter 19- What Lies Beneath Her Mask Pt.2

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Cozy Glow gracefully illustrated her story as she spoke. With every word she spoke two lines made their appearance as the drawing was brought to life. “I was adept at chess, even got my cutiemark at that tournament. It shocked everyone there; a three-year-old able to go against Expert ranked players who had been playing for decades. Naturally, an interview was requested.”

She paused to hold up the drawing. It depicted a news pony holding a notebook, writing. Cozy Glow stood before her answering the questions. Hazel stared at the image for a moment It’s so life-like. . Cozy turned the page and began again. “It was in that interview that my life changed. You see I was naive, and soon it became widespread knowledge how wealthy my family was.”

“I still don’t..”

“When ponies learn you have something to offer them, they tend to be a lot nicer. Those classmates who shunned me, were suddenly my bestest friends. Though none was more friendly than that colt.”

Pausing her narrative, Cozy Glow brought her hoof to her chin in thought. “Looking back, I should have noticed, how whenever I would have tickets to something or an extra juice box, he would be first in line. He would gush about how great i was only to vanish the instant the freebies stopped.”

Continuing her drawing, Cozy Glow once more began narrating her image. “At the time though all I noticed was how everyone was ‘so proud’ of me and how everyone ‘was my best friend.’”

Holding up the sketch pad, Cozy revealed a charcoal scene of her surrounded by many others as she patted on the back giving them toys and things. “After a few weeks of feeling on top of the world, I was sent crashing into the ground once more.”

Hazel’s horn glowed once more and a pair of boxed lunches appeared. “I hate to interrupt but I think now would be the perfect time for a nice lunch, don’t you? I know I am hungry, perhaps you are as well?”

Cozy stared at Hazel in surprise. Her horn glowed amethyst that time instead of that crimson it usually does. Strange. “Erm, oh yes! I haven’t eaten since this morning.”

Hazel opened her lunchbox with a smile and produced a strange food Cozy Glow had never seen before. Curious Cozy asked about it. “Mrs Hazel? What’s that?”

Hazel held up the strange food, which she held with two strange sticks. “This is a delicacy from a land Equestria may one day meet. It features rice, avocado, minced carrots, cream cheese and a splash of mango sauce. All of this wrapped in a specially dried plant in a style known as nori.”

Cozy Glow looked at it and her face scrunched. “Sounds weird.”

Hazel took a nibble on the strange food and laughed. “Perhaps, though, if you open yours, I am sure you will find something more to your palate young one.”

Quickly opening her box Cozy Glow was met with a glorious sight. Two perfectly seared, steaming carrots on a bun lay next to a box of apple juice. It was her favorite meal. Looking at the happilly munching thestral, completely startled, Cozy asked her. “H-how did you…?”

Hazel laughed and shook her head. “I didn’t. These are special boxes that produce the opener’s favorite meal once per day. Enjoy!”

The two sat there happily eating their meals when Cozy thought of something. “Mrs Hazel?”

“Hmmm?”

Cozy Glow was looking at her as if trying to analyze a new species. “You eat like me, talk like me, even have a material form. Are you alive? Do you have a heart? Are you flesh and blood?”
Setting down her chopsticks, Hazel smiled and said in a gentle manner.”Place your ear upon my chest to hear my heartbeat.”

Did her wings just flash to gray? Wait why are her eyes dark purple? Cozy was confused but intrigued and like most fillies and many grown mares and stallions, her curiosity won. She placed her ear against the chest of the thestral. She had expected a heartbeat or perhaps nothing at all but what she heard caused her eyes to widen to the size of dinner plates. The sound of laughter, crying, yelling, rage, love and sorrow filled the filly’s ears. Hazel spoke calmly. “As you can hear through my veins runs the emotions; desires and fears of all creatures in existence. Just as blood flows through your body and gives you life, this to is what emotions do for me.”

Cozy Glow pulled away looking up at her. “I don’t understand.”

Hazel thought about this as Cozy watched the thestral’s left wing seemingly change from black scales to gray feathers. How can I explain this to a child? Oh, I know! You asked if I am alive. Think of it this way. My blood is the emotions of all creatures; alive, in the Otherworld, or in the Underworld and Tartarus. When another cries in pain, I am alive. When you see a creature smile because of the pride they feel, I am alive.”

“Oh wow-”

“And when you cried yourself to sleep night after night because the others in this school shunned you for being different than them Cozy, when you screamed out why my sister had forsaken you, It was proof I am alive.”

Cozy’s expression changed to that of a unicorn in a windstorm. “You-uh-you know about that?”

Hazel nodded and as her horn glowed a deep purple, another cylinder appeared in her hooves which she at once ignited and began to smoke. “Let me tell you something few realize about my sister which no creature knows more than myself. She painstakingly created the life within existence. Hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of souls, all created by her very hooves. When a baby is born, another of her masterpieces has begun its journey in life.”

She really admires her sister. Cozy noticed the fangs in Hazel’s mouth had receded. Hazel continued as if nothing had happened. "She is a perfectionist, refusing to let a single flaw go. None could be like the other. All unique. Such a pain.”

She took a long drag on the cylinder. Silent for a moment she continued as if lost in thought. “Though I suppose that is because she cared for her creations. She even believed they should be free to choose their own destiny. Why should they all think alike? Why should they all do the same things? Creative and adventurous, that’s my sis.”

Grinning down at Cozy Glow, Hazel continued. “Though, unlike me she was never neglectful towards her ‘children’ as she called them. True life was theirs to make, free will to do right or wrong. However, she would never forsake another creature unless they specifically told her they did not need her. It is then and only then that she would leave. Though it was never without a heavy heart. She felt the pain and distress of every rejection. When I would ask why she took this kind of abuse from the creatures, she would simply say with a smile and broken-hearted tone, It was their choice. I was always jealous of her resolve to stick to those morals of hers.”

Cozy sat there staring in awe watching the fully ashen gray colored alicorn beside her. Those amethyst eyes twinkled as what was a thestral moments ago, spoke in a gentle voice. “Which brings us to you. It is your choice. Shall we continue with the game?"

Cozy Glow smiled. "Let's!"

Reaching down into her bag she pulled her notebook from it and lifting her head to begin her narration, she immediately dropped it in shock. She was standing on a stage in front of the entire student body while the teachers stood in the back, watching. "What the - ?"

Hazel stood beside her and smiled as her horn glowed and everything froze. "Cozy, I know you want to finish your tale. Perhaps though it isn't just me that should be hearing it right now."

"Mrs. Hazel what are you talking about?"

Gesturing to the students and teachers, Hazel laughed. "This."

"Why on Equestria would I ever share my life with them?"
"Right now the entire school is out for your blood. Perhaps if they understood you more, it might be a way to start over."

Cozy Glow shook her head in dismay. "And how would I even start?!"

Hazel's horn began to glow once more. A strange window began to appear. "Allow me to share something with you, take a look at this."

Cozy's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as she observed the scene in the window. An alabaster alicorn was bleeding profusely as wave after wave of energy slammed into her, produced by an ashen gray alicorn. "What is this?"

Producing another cylinder which she began to smoke, Hazel answered her in a casual tone. "Ragnarok, Rapture, The Apocalypse. It has many names."

"Wait, what?"

As the battle waged between the two alicorns destroyed their surroundings on a galactic scale, Hazel explained. "It's the first 'end of the world' conflict my sister and I had."

"Wh-why are you showing me this?"

"Keep watching."

Cozy Glow watched the insane fight until finally the alabaster alicorn, though her fur now was predominantly the color of a rose in bloom, smiled. "Sister, are you done with this tantrum of yours?"

The ash-colored alicorn began to cry as her sister wrapped a wing around her in a hug. "I-I I'm sorry, I should have paid more attention instead of blaming you, Faust."

Faust whispered gently to her sister. "Shh. Relax Hazel. We can just start over. I forgive you."

The window closed as Hazel commented to Cozy Glow. "Can't you see it yet? Listen to me Cozy, you would be surprised at how understanding others can be if you give a genuine apology and try to fix it after. I've caused the end of the world, my partner has erased entire timelines. We have been forgiven for those misdeeds, but you? All you did was misuse the friendship others had with you. You may have hurt them but it isn't too late to rebuild those bridges."

Cozy Glow looked out at the crowd before the stage she stood on. "So you mean-"

"That's right, you should start there. I mean you are looking at the being who created plague, famine, pestilence, and the ability to die themselves. If even somecreature as vile as myself can be given another chance, you can as well."

Cozy Glow nodded as the light went on in her head. "Hazel?"

Blowing out a smoke ring, the ash colored alicorn spoke gently. "Hmmm?"

"I'm ready."

Dropping the cylinder to the stage and crushing it out with her hoof, Hazel smiled. "You got this."

With those words, Hazel's horn coursed with magic and everyone in the auditorium started to move and talk again. Cozy Glow took a deep breath and sweating profusely, spoke into the microphone that had appeared in her hooves. "Everycreature, I have something to say."

Chapter 20- The Pain Worth Having

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The auditorium was as silent as a tomb, all eyes upon the small filly pegasus on the stage. Cozy Glow began to shiver as the silent stares penetrated the very core of her being. The words that had been on her lips seemed to have been lost. Her lips ran dry. She was scared. Her heart began to race as she stared out at the crowd. “What is it?!”

A voice called out from before the stage, a griffon named Gallus. His voiced conveyed the tone of the room; hurry up. She began to talk but faltered as she saw the judgemental glances of her peers. “I-I jus- I”

Murmuring erupted throughout the room. Cozy Glow could catch glimpses of what was being said. “Why are we here?”

“Why should we listen to her?”

“Yeah, Let’s go she’s wasted enough of our time already.”

“Waste of time.”

Cozy Glow’s eyes closed and she took a deep breath. This is it, now or never girl. It was then that Cozy stopped thinking and spoke straight from her soul. “STOP! PLEASE everyone... listen to me.”

The crowd had begun making it’s way to the doors as these words were shouted. Gallus paused upon hearing them and slowly turned, calling out. “Why should we?”

Beside him Smolder whispered. “Why did you stop?”

He ignored her and stared into Cozy Glow’s eyes from across the room. “Tell me why we should listen to anything you have to say?”

“Because, I-I’m SORRY!”

Every creature froze, Cozy Glow had used her real voice, not the sickly sweet childish one they were used to. I knew there was more to her! Gallus thought as he slowly approached her and yelled out loud enough for every creature there to hear. “You are sorry? For what? Your plans won't be going your way?”

A voice over by the doors shouted out. “I bet she’s just using us again, the little creep!”

“NO! I’m sorry for...for exploiting you all. All of you extended a branch of friendship and instead of cherishing it like the precious gift it is..I-I tried to use it as a tool to achieve my own means.”

Those at the door turned around murmuring slowly in disbelief, listened as Cozy Glow continued her tone carried her anguish, though the words seemed hard for her to say. “I was wrong! Friendship is… It’s not a trophy... or conquest.”

Twilight and her friends had stood at the back in silence watching the display. Fluttershy leaned over and whispered in Applejack’s ear. “I’ve never seen this side of her before. Can you tell? Is she being honest?”

Applejack was smiling and nodded. “She sure as sugar is, Flutters.”

Twilight silently observed the entire scene as Cozy Glow continued her apology, confidence building as she saw them pay attention. She gave it everything she had. “Friendship is powerful b-but-but not because of what it gives you but by how it makes you feel inside. Please, I am begging you; all of you, please can we start over?”

The room went silent once more as Gallus got onto the stage and before every creature’s eyes approached the young pegasus. “You say you want to start over?”

Yona, a yak whispered to Smolder. “Is nasty pony not so nasty anymore, or is it just Yona?”

Smolder crossed her arms and looked fierce but whispered back. “ I don’t know but she looks terrified, right now. Quite vulnerable.”

An earthpony with a turtle cutiemark remarked next to Yona. “That must have taken everything she had to say given the amount of pride she always has.”

A hippogriff next to him had tears in her eyes. She could hear what the others couldn’t; Cozy Glow’s heart was crying out. The pale pink, Silverstream sniffed. “You have no idea how scared she is. I wonder what Gallus will do.”

All eyes were on the stage as the gryphon held out a talon and said in a firm and uncharacteristically intimidating voice. “Go ahead, take my talon, that is if you trust me enough to do so.”

As Cozy Glow reached for his talon with her hoof, Gallus smiled and grasped it. He began to shake it up and down and spoke lightly. “Nice to meet you, my name is Gallus. What’s yours?”

The entire auditorium erupted in laughter, the ice had officially been broken. Gallus was known for his critical yet fair observations of others. Everycreature ran to ‘greet’ the young pegasus for the ‘first’ time. Cozy Glow smiled and glanced towards the door where Hazel stood nodding approvingly before turning to trot through the door. Cozy was about to go after her when suddenly a loud voice shouted. “THIS CALLS FOR A PARTY.”

No creature present had noticed but somehow inexplicably the Professor of Fun; Pinkie Pie had set up decorations and balloons as well as a full spread of food on a buffet table. Cozy Glow began to cry, all the anxiety and nerves catching up to her, and stumbled only to find herself braced by Yona. “Little pony very strong like yaks!”

Out in the hallway Hazel was using the wall to brace herself. Her chest was heaving from erratic breathing, as her ears played the sound of her own dread, pounding in her veins. Her eyes were dilating. By my sister’s grace, how does Starshine do that everyday? Frantically she summoned one of her favorite vices, a single cylinder of deadwood ash. Try as she might to light it however, she found herself completely unable to focus upon the cigarette in order to ignite the tip. Tears began to flow down her muzzle as she hung it in defeat. Much to her surprise, she found her head lifted up as the cylinder was placed in her muzzle, freshly lit. “Would you happen to have a spare?”

Hazel was stunned as she watched the mother of her partner, Twilight Sparkle approach her, a gentle smile upon her face. Hazel blushed slightly and angrily snapped. “What do you want?”

The tone was harsh, yet Twilight ignored it. It was yet another outburst to her. Ruffling her wings as she stood shoulder by shoulder with the sinful thestral, she asked her once again. “Would you happen to have a spare I could have?”

Hazel was non-plussed. “Why would you-”

Twilight’s face took on a serious expression. Her response not only cut Hazel off but carried with it an icy chill that caused the thestral to shiver. “Do. You. Have. One. You. Can. Spare?”

“Er-Yeah…Here.”

Hazel passed a fresh cylinder to Twilight, who didn’t hestitate to ignite the tip and take a long drag. The lavender alicorn smiled as she blew out a small smoke cloud. “Ahhh, that’s the stuff. Thank you.”

Hazel shook her head in confusion. “I-I don’t understand-”

Taking a slow inhale of the ash-ladened cylinder, Twilight smiled. “You don’t need to.”

“Aren’t you an alicorn? What would my sister say?”

Twilight laughed and blew out a stream of smoke. “Probably something about how it’s bad for
me...or the like, I’m sure.”

“Then why would a celestial-”

Taking a slow deliberate drag on the deadly ash, Twilight said softly and in a rather somber tone. “Because this isn’t about her. This has nothing to do with the heavens above or the Underworld. This is between one other and me.”

Silence fell as they stood side by side, listening to the party in the auditorium. This lasted for about five minutes before Twilight whispered. “Not as easy as you thought, is it?”

Hazel’s head whipped around to stare at the alicorn. Her reply was rather abrupt. “What are you talking about?”

Twilight locked eyes with her and smiled. I can hear her sorrow, why is she so sad, yet able to smile with such a genuine warmth? Hazel found herself thinking as she stared into that melancholy gaze. Twilight’s voice sounded almost broken. “Lowering your defenses to reach another.”

The thestral scuffed a hoof nervously. “It hurts. A lot.”

Twilight laughed and dropped the cylinder of ash to the stone floor, crushing it out with her hoof. “Indeed it does.”

Turning to walk away, Hazel heard her call back. “Though perhaps it’s a pain we all should bear. We all have our skeletons, Hazel. Alone, the darkness consumes. With others however, that pain can be the greatest feeling in the world. Don’t give up.”

Hazel turned towards the auditorium doorway and peeked in. She observed Cozy Glow dancing with the others and having the time of her life. All the gauges of the game were back to full, and she even showed an increase in friends gained. She smiled and gave a small chuckle. Her chest was pounding in anguish, and her body ached all over. She was uncomfortable and completely out of her element. Yet there she stood smiling at the scene. “A pain worth having, huh?”

Calmly, she produced and lit another of her ashen cylinders and thought about what Twilight said for a moment before voicing her thoughts out loud. “I guess that’s a cross I can learn to bear.”

Chapter 21- The Final Exam

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The white alicorn stood before the tiny filly pegasus, wings fully extended to their massive Seven hooves in length. Her horn glowed a golden amber, and before her was a swirling pool of magic. A window to the past. It slowly went dim as Cozy Glow watched herself, surrounded by friends. The interface showing 51 friends gained, 0 lost. Hazel smiled and spoke to her. “You’ve beaten my game. Just one task remains; The final exam.”

The window vanished and Faust stepped forward to hug Cozy Glow, unable to watch, the tears forming in her eyes, any longer. The celestial deity spoke to her, as her wings wrapped around the prone form of the young pegasus. Her voice was soft, her words were true and Cozy Glow could hear them clearly. “Young one, in this plane of existence all are given their own destiny. Your actions and your choices determine what your destiny will be. It’s never predetermined though many claim it in my name. Nor do I make the choice for you.”

Lifting up a single, downy feathered white wing, Faust peered into Cozy Glow’s eyes. Her next words were chilling as she continued. “The only thing that is certain of my children is all decisions will be accounted for. Be it fair or perhaps unfair in other’s eyes, my role is to allow my children to grow and change as their choices so choose their path. Young one, you were sentenced to an eternal torment and sent there by my own daughter’s anger.”

Cozy Glow shivered. She saw the flashes of her last moments, and her eyes grew wide with fear. “NO, STOP! CELESTIA, NO!”

Faust gently nuzzled her neck. “It’s alright, shhh, you are safe now. what’s done is done. However, there may yet be more to your story.”

Feeling the gentle embrace of Faust, Cozy Glow came to her senses. The afterthought still caused her to shiver, “I-I-don’t un-understand.”

Smiling, the white alicorn spoke to the tiny filly. “Tell me Cozy Glow, do you honestly believe you deserve a second chance at life? Before you answer, I want you to think about it. Consider all the variables of what it could mean. You have all eternity and no time at all to decide. Time will not move forward anywhere in existence until you have an answer for me.”

Placing a hoof to her chin, Cozy Glow felt she was missing something important in those words. “Variables?”

Faust nodded and her horn began to glow. As Cozy Glow watched her curiosity rose as six books, thousands of pages thick appeared before her. “Containing the entire history; past and present of the six greatest offenders in existence, these books are your assignment from me.”

As she spoke, Cozy Glow notice the title of the closest one: Twilight Sparkle. As she cast her eyes across the others, she saw very familiar names. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity ...Fluttershy? No way. “Oh don’t judge their books by the names they carry, rather by the content inside. Read through them, learn the truth, learn what they did.”

Cozy Glow was still a bit shell shocked and stared straight ahead as Faust finished. “And when you have, there will be one more book, just one; yours.”

“Mine?”

Chuckling as she ruffled her wings in excitement. “Oh my, yes. Every single child of mine has a story. Looking at yours will show you what you left behind.”

Her eyes grew more somber. “However, regardless of your age in life, nothing shall be watered down here. You will see the most horrific of incidents; massacres, murders, wars...none of it shall be hidden from you.”

Her eyes softened as she finished her thoughts. “I have stopped time. Everycreature, everything throughout all existence have been frozen. It shall remain that way until you have no doubt as to what your answer will be. Do you move through my gates, or do you go back to try once more?”

Cozy Glow stared at the alicorn in confusion. Faust’s face was mysteriously obscured from her vision, though she stared at it directly. “Even now your heart is unsure. Otherwise, you would see my face.”

Glancing down at the books once more for a split second, Cozy Glow opened her muzzle to ask a question only to find Faust had vanished. After a few moments of trying to process what happened, the young pegasus turned her attention to the books. Why them, though? Taking the one labeled “Rainbow Dash” she opened the cover and began to read.

From the first word, Cozy Glow found herself watching the events. The entire life of Rainbow Dash played out before her eyes. Birth, to fillyhood, to adulthood. Though, she didn’t remember the coupe de te or the assassination of several nobles being in the history books. This doesn’t sound like her at all. Wait, why is this saying B.H? As she watched mesmerized, a grisly scene played out before her eyes:

***

Rainbow Dash, strangely having no cutiemark, snuck through the weather factory snapping pictures. That was before grinning like a madmare and tossing a burning jug of cider into the core. The explosions were thunderous, and the proud city of Cloudsdale slowly fell from the sky as pegasi screamed in terror. Those that couldn’t fly, were crushed upon impact and the town below was completely decimated. As the city fell, Rainbow's right wing was severed by the debris from the explosion and she found herself spiraling towards the ground.

“You’ve lost your way, my daughter.”

Opening her eyes, Rainbow Dash found herself staring at an ivory white alicorn; staring down at her with opaque teal eyes. “Who are you, what do you want? I’ll tell you nothing! Torture me all you want, Celestia I won’t betray them!”

A voice beside the alicorn was heard chuckling. “Oh how adorable. Look at how fierce she is. Even in the afterlife before her maker, she remains loyal to her friends. So cute, eh, Faust?”

“Faust?”

The cyan pegasus’s eyes blazed with hatred. “It’s all your fault!”

The ashen gray alicorn who had spoken glared at the pegasus. “Watch your mouth in my sister’s presence, you-”

“Shhhh, Hazel it is fine, let her vent.”

Hazel looked at her sister and upon seeing the small smile appear on her muzzle, Stayed quiet. Faust spoke softly and warmly. “Go ahead, my daughter. Give me your rage and pain; I will take it all.”

“You caused this war! It’s your fault she died! It’s your fault my life unfolded that way!”

Cozy Glow watched in utter disbelief as Rainbow Dash ranted for several hours, everything from her upbringing to her life choices. How it was all Faust’s fault. The entire time the smile on Faust’s face never once faded, her voice never raised or lowered. Her stance remained solid as her sister watched in silence. Finally, Faust calmly approached her and wrapped a wing of soft feathery down, around the mare. “Shhh, my child dry those tears. I’m afraid you’ve been misinformed as to my role in your life, however. I had no hoof in the pain that befell you.”

As she spoke Rainbow Dash was shown a window to her past. “From your birth, you had my wishes and blessings, as I left you to live and learn in your own way.”

The scene changed to Rainbow in highschool. “Though I always observed your progress, I never interfered.”

Scene after scene played. First date, marriage, her daughter and her daughter’s death. “I am always watching, but my children must learn for themselves. Your fate or destiny is never of my choosing-”

The scene of her dying played. “But of the actions you and others have chosen. Do you understand?”

“YOU STOLE HER FROM ME!”

The cyan pegasus pointed an accusing hoof at Faust. Hazel’s muzzle opened as her eyes blazed with hellfire, only to find a white wing covering her muzzle. The look Faust shot her spoke very clearly. “I will handle this.”

Turning back to Rainbow Dash, the celestial alicorn asked her calmly. “Tell me, who told you I took your daughter?”

“They said it was your fault she died.”

Slowly shaking her head as she eyed Hazel, who was stepping forward, Faust asked again. “Who told you this?”

“The high priests of the moon!”

Faust hid her smile as she turned to her sister. “Hazel, I believe this is your area of expertise. Would you be so kind?”

As Hazel stepped forward with a glare, Rainbow Dash began to cower. Faust’s eyes immediately ignited with a spark of rage, causing her sister to freeze in fear. “Civilly, if you would.”

At once, Hazel stammered and swayed in her position. “Y-yes Faust o-of course.”

Turning her attention to Rainbow, Hazel spoke in her silky style as a blush appeared on the cyan pegasus’s cheeks. “Tell me of this high priest you admire, sweety.”

Cozy Glow watched as Hazel mercilessly flustered Rainbow Dash to the point the pegasus could barely stand on her hooves until Rainbow screamed out. “I won’t betray my family!”

The gray alicorn narrowed her eyes and as her horn glowed, she growled. “Family would NEVER do this!”

As Rainbow watched, panting from exhaustion, the full scene of her daughter’s death played out. The high preist raise a stilletto and plunged it into the screaming, chained filly. “No, no that’s not-”

“You were duped, brainwashed into thinking we were the enemy. Betrayed by your so-called family and your daughter paid the price. Your daughter left that world crying into my wings you imbecile! It was I who guided that scared soul through the gates. It was my sister who comforted her and told her she was loved and all the while her mother, her selfish, stupid mother was all she asked about.You know nothing of family!”

Sitting there dumbfounded, Rainbow Dash watched as Faust stepped forward and gently raised her wings. “That’s enough Hazel. Please go get the others; they’ll need a guide.”

Hazel glared at Rainbow Dash. “She belongs in Tartarus, Faust. They all do.”

Shaking her head slightly, Faust turned her attention to the pegasus as her sister vanished from view. “Loyalty is an admirable trait, my daughter. A rather rare one as well in ponykind. While blind loyalty can be…”

Gesturing at the scene of her daughter’s lifeless form, Faust told the pegasus. “Destructive, as you have seen…”

As Rainbow hung her head in absolute defeat, the celestial alicorn used her hoof and raised her muzzle until they made eye contact. “However, that sense of loyalty you possess could bring light to another’s darkness. And that is why you have appeared before me.”

The cyan pegasus seemed confused. “Huh?”

Cozy Glow felt a twinge of pain as she watched Faust calmly explain. “Your daughter has passed through my gates. She is well, comforted and rather happy. I felt you should know. However, you won’t be able to see her again.”

“That’s my daughter, let me see her!”

The fire momentarily ignited in Faust’s eyes. Her voice rose, though only just. “You committed quite the hateful acts. You declared war not against the mortals but against me, the very one who gave you life. You ruined many lives and families under the banner of loyal to the cause. Were you to be judged as you are, you would be sent to Tartarus; my sister’s realm.”

Rainbow Dash shivered slightly and found a warm wing wrapped around her in a hug. “So that’s it, then? I’ve lost her forever? I failed her in life and even now in death.”

Faust’s eyes carried tears as her sorrow was convey in her words. “Sadly, one door must close for another to open. You may have lost her, but you have a chance to make sure others don’t suffer the same fate.”

“I don’t under-”

“The mortal realm is fraught with loneliness, pain, and dischord. What if there were those who carried the greatest traits a pony could possess? What if there were those who could protect the harmony of the realm and spread true wisdom of each trait? And Rainbow Dash tell me…”

As Faust spoke her horn glowed and a window containing five blurred figures appeared. “What if you could be one of those and prevent that loneliness? Even if only to help…”

The image changed and cause Cozy Glow to gasp. The mirror showed the form of an orange handicapped pegasus crying in despair. “A single broken heart, that lost their own mother.”

Pointing a wing at the image, Rainbow asked. “Who is that?”

“Her name is Scootaloo, though without some support and guidance her name may not matter.”

“What are you talking about?”

Faust hung her head as she whispered in sadness. “She is tired of living in loneliness, in despair, with no one else in the world to love her. Her thoughts are dark, her heart cries in pain. And the poor filly wants it to end.”

“You mean-”

Silently Faust nodded. Rainbow stared at the filly. “Can’t you stop her?”

Shaking her head from side to side, Faust responded.”I told you, I do not interfere.”

It was then Cozy Glow saw a side of Rainbow she never knew. The cyan pegasus’s eyes began to tear up. “Could I really make such a difference?”

Faust stayed silent for a moment and gave a shrug.”Maybe, maybe not. There is never a guarantee, though your presence could change everything. Tell me, Wouldn’t trying to help at least be better than watching as another falters because you didn’t?”

“I’ll do it.”

“You understand you may not suce-”

Stamping her hoof as her eyes blazed in determination, Rainbow Dash shouted at the celestial. “I don’t care! She doesn’t deserve to go through this! Never again! I won’t stand idly by again while friends and family suffer! I-I-”

Faust smiled warmly as the pegasus finished her sentence with absolute conviction. “Wasn’t there when my own flesh and blood needed me most. I won’t stand by and leave another behind, NEVER AGAIN!”

At that moment, a multi-colored lightning bolt striking from a cloud appeared upon her flank. Faust spoke in a motherly manner, though her voice carried her approval.”Then show me. Show me the true depths of your loyalty, Rainbow Dash!”

Suddenly, Cozy Glow found herself in Ponyville hovering as Rainbow Dash stood on a cloud looking down at a purple unicorn with a rather familiar cutiemark...Princess Twilight? Wait what? Where were her wings? Rainbow Dash was calling down. “I can clear this sky in 10 seconds flat!”

***

Looking at the page, she had just turned to, Cozy Glow saw the letters A.H in the title. “It was at that moment; she became the Element of Loyalty.”

The soft voice of Faust caused Cozy Glow to face her. Though the celestial creator’s face was still mostly obscured from her vision, Cozy Glow could now make out part of a smile. “Why are you showing me this?”

Instead of being answered outright, she was only given a rather cryptic response. “Hmmm, I wonder. Perhaps you would like to discuss what you’ve learned from her tale. Maybe then you’ll understand.”

Cozy Glow grew curious as Faust gestured towards a circular table adorned with a tea set and… Stuffed animals? “What’s that?”

“A tea party!”
Cozy Glow began to laugh, the idea of such a powerful being having rather childish tea party was too much to bear. “Are you serious?”

Faust stayed quiet, letting the young filly get her laughs out. As Cozy quieted down, Faust gave a small chuckle. “I am indeed. That very table is where my sister and I had a tea party eons ago to decide how to create the pegasi.”

The laughter and color drained from the filly’s face. Faust spoke in her gentle, soothing tone once more. “Shall we go there then and discuss your thoughts, my daughter?”

Cozy Glow still stunned by her previous statement, stammered. “Er-y--yes let’s F-faust.”

Together, the two trotted towards the seemingly filly-based tea party at the table where countless things were created long ago, by Faust and her sister; Hazel.

Chapter 22- Shattered Diamonds Can Still Shine Brilliantly

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Faust sat at the table and slowly sipped some of the divine tea as she watched Cozy Glow in amusement. The little pegasus sat across from her, launching a barrage of questions. “If her life began at that moment, why does everypony mention her being responsible for their cutiemarks?"

“Wait, does she even remember her previous life?” “

"Why can’t I see your entire face?”

“Is it bad that story made me feel energized?”

As Cozy Glow finally took a breath. The celestial alicorn laughed and set down her teacup. “How about we start with your first question. The answer can be summed up in a single word; Hazel. My sister is a master of emotions and memory manipulation. She takes great pride in it, actually.”

Stopping for a moment to sip her tea with a smirk, Faust continued. “She pretty much rewrote the Equestrian history everypony remembered.”

Cozy Glow’s eyes widened. Faust’s voice was flowery as she finished. “It was quite impressive to observe in action, to be honest.”

“As for the next question…”

The voice of Faust dropped like a stone. Her tone grew somber, and Cozy Glow felt the actual urge to cry hearing the deadpan words. “She does. Every moment, every action; she knows what she did and...what she lost.”

Cozy Glow took a relaxing sip of her juice box. The soothing taste of apple juice flooded her with icy comfort, relieving her dry throat, as Faust continued. “She will never forget, nor will the others. She carries her scars as a means to fuel her drive. Because of that, her conviction has not and never will waver. Every night…”

Cozy Glow found herself nervously chewing on the bendy straw of her juice box as the conversational atmosphere grew darker. “She relives her past, frame for frame, unable to ever forget.”

Gently using her hoof to muss her mane for a moment, Faust settled down and ruffled her wings before continuing. Her voice suddenly flowery and warm once more. “As for you feeling excited and ‘energized’-”

She gave a soft giggle as she continued. “From such a sorrowful tale, I wouldn’t see it as bad. True the tale is dark and depressing but to feel a surge of inspiration when she declared her conviction to help others, simply means you have made a connection with what Rainbow Dash went through. Cozy Glow, you have gained an empathetic respect for who she is as you know her.”

The horn of Faust glowed as a new juice box appeared before the young filly. “Here you go, my dear. Cozy never be ashamed to understand another, always seek to make a connection. Tell me, what of my face is visible to you?”

Pausing in her struggle to insert the bendy straw into her new juice box, Cozy Glow looked at the celestial alicorn. “Just the right side of your smile, your majesty.”

“Then there is still so much more to learn. When you have finished that juice box, head back over to the books. Your next lesson awaits, along with the greatest of rewards.”

***

Cozy Glow couldn’t explain it, but she felt a desire to know more about the others, within her. Once more laying on her side, she pulled a book out at random from the small stack and read the title: Rarity.

Cozy Glow found herself amidst a rather gruesome scene just a few pages in:

Her mother lay in the hospital bed screaming as she held the tiny foal tightly as if to shield it. Nearby her husband lay still upon the ground, his throat slashed and his eyes forever unseeing. The two masked intruders moved towards the hospital bed and in a raspy voice one of them snarled. “Give us the foal and we will forgive your debt-”

Gesturing to the mutilated body of her husband, the figure continued.”Or refuse and join him. Either way we WILL claim what you owe us, wench.”

Cozy Glow watched as the mare refused to hand over her daughter. “No! You can’t take her! I won’t let you have Rarity!”

The tiny pegasus watched in morbid horror as the mare had her foal snatched from her grasp and the masked figure rended her jugular in a spray of red. “You were warned, mare. Let’s go, we got what we came here for. Leave these fools for the worms. The boss is waiting.”

For the next few years, Cozy Glow observed the little unicorn grow into a fully trained assassin for the local mob. Tortured beyond her limits and then some, starved, beaten and degraded in every possible way; she grew to have suppressed emotions. She was cold, calculating, and a perfectionist. Once given her target from the age of four, she never failed to take down her mark. Life meant nothing to her, and she expressed no concern taking another’s.

After hundreds upon hundreds of victims, Cozy Glow made a curious observation. Rarity was a well-honed killer but when she was ordered to interrogate a captive, she would exhibit a strange habit. Trotting up to the latest captive to be interrogated, Rarity took one second to stop and observe the wounds, burns and scars adorning the struggling mare. One second later, Rarity leaned close and whispered into the mare;s ear. “You’ve suffered enough. Rest now.”

She then withdrew her beloved knife, crimson red from the mare’s insides, as the victim’s head fell forward and the light faded from her eyes. The boss who had been watching demanded to know why Rarity had terminated the witness. She spoke softly, but her words rang through out the darkened room chilling all present to the bone. “I was being generous, that’s all.”

As silence filled the room and the boss stared on in disbelief, Rarity spoke once more. “If that is all, I have a playmate to eliminate.”

She trotted towards the door, no emotion on her face, and no tremor in her step. Cozy Glow observed that this would happen each and every time. Years passed, and Rarity had quickly risen through the ranks till she was none other than the personal assassin to the boss; her abilities considered bar none the best. Knocking on the door, Rarity heard the familiar ‘come in’ that she was used to and began trotting through the door. “Target elim-”

Her knife had left its sheath as she stopped talking and quickly turned to block the slicing strike of a knife-wielder. Metal struck metal as Rarity glanced once again at the desk to see her boss, the stallion who raised her, lying there deceased and completely eviscerated. She had noticed it immediately as her first hoof had entered the room; this however was not what angered her.

Rairty didn’t have much in this world. With her knife, she had developed her own method and style of dispatching a target; she would carve a triple-diamond shaped symbol upon their right forehoof as a signature mark. She had seen the familiar symbol carved into her boss’s right forehoof as it lay draped across the desk, almost as if intentionally mocking her.

Cozy Glow watched as her emotionless state faded and Rarity began to tremble. The unicorn’s eyes glazed over with the crimson haze of uninhibited rage. The pegasus filly felt a pang of sadness for the wanton killer; the one thing she had in life that was hers and hers alone, had been stolen from her.

Her finesse was gone. Her swings were wild as she lashed out in anger. “HOW DARE YOU?"

Her attacker remained silent behind the mask, calmly parrying and dodging the swings. Rarity screamed like a wounded animal. “WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT?”

Cozy Glow watched, wincing, as a triple diamond appeared on Rarities foreleg severing the tendon and forcing her to drop the blade in pain. “ArrrggggGHHHH!”

The attacker stood over Rarity’s prone form as they plunged the blade into her. “You ask what gives me the right.”

As the light drained from Rarity’s face the assailant removed the mask. It was a female unicorn who was almost a mirror image of her, aside from the mane and being slightly younger. “You generously took my family from me while I cowered nearby. As a thank you, I am generously taking everything from you including your identity. Mine is the last name you will ever know, hear it well. Sweetie Belle!”

Suddenly both Cozy Glow and Rarity were in another setting; the void Cozy Glow currently called home. “Welcome home, my child.”

Immediately Rarity went defensive; she stood and took a stance as if preparing to counter any assault. “Who’s there? Where am I? Holding me hostage will get you nowhere! You’ll get nothing from me!”

The celestial alicorn slowly shimmered into view. “My name-”

As her wings materialized, followed by her luxurious burgundy mane and tail appeared she continued. “Is Faust, and you-”
Her wings flared dramatically as the rest of her appeared. “Are in the hereafter, my child.”

“Wait, what are you-”

The horn on Faust’s head began to glow and from it a window appeared showing Rarity’s still form in a puddle of crimson red, where the fight had taken place. Rarity’s face took on a look of pure defeat. Her voice reflected her hopelessness. “You mean...I lost?”

Lowering her wings, the alicorn nodded and spoke in a gentle tone. “That phase of your life has ended, though your story itself may not be over just yet.”

Still reeling from the sight of her own corpse, Rarity asked again, perhaps she thought she hadn’t heard right. “So that’s me and I’m-”

“Yes my daughter, you are no longer amongst the living.”

“Then that means you are the-”

“Yes, I am the one you cried to.”

Rarity narrowed her eyes in anger. Was this really her? And, being an assassin, why would she come to me, someone who had killed countless ponies in cold blood? These thoughts were stamped across her facial expression as She angrily slammed down her hoof and shouted out. “Whoever is behind this bad taste in humor, I will gut yo-”

“There is no joke here, assassin. Your time has ended and you now face judgement.”

The voice was not warm or gentle. It was filled with the harsh iciness of truth; brutal and unfiltered. A moment later the ashen gray alicorn who had spoken stepped into sight. “I suggest you listen to my sister, or you will face my wrath young one.”

Cozy Glow watched as Rarity glared at the alicorn in defiance. “And who are you? You don’t seem very intimidating.”
At once a harsh, grating laughter erupted from the gray alicorn. As Faust placed her hoof to her face in disgust, she said softly. “You shouldn’t have said that.”

“I’m not scary am I, I see-”

At that moment the alicorn’s horn glowed crimson red, and her body began to change, rapidly. Tendrils of flame erupted from her as she morphed into a fiery unholy creature. Fangs and glowing eyes, appeared on the flesh, as the unicorn before the creature froze in mortal fear. A flaming tendril grabbed her and held her by her hoof above one of the mouths. “TELL ME MORTAL, AM I SCARY NOW?”

“Sister…Enough teasing. Set her down so we can continue or….”

Cozy Glow began to tremble as Faust, still speaking in the same warm voice seemed to cause the air around her to grow icy. “You’ll face MY wrath, Hazel.”

At once, Rarity and Hazel were sitting side by side.The former was shaking from fear staring not at Hazel but Faust. The latter was in her alicorn form apologizing profusely. “Sorry sister, I -”

“Enough. It is over, let us move on. Rarity this being is my sister, Hazel, though you probably know her by less desirable names. As you can see, she takes pride in her ability to harness the darkness. Please be more mindful of that so we don’t have any more mishaps.”

Rarity took a deep breath and spoke in a more careful manner than before. “Forgive me, Hazel. I was wrong you are very horrifying.”

Spreading her wings in a curtsy, Hazel smiled. “Why, thank you.”

The wings of Faust slowly lowered once more and after a slight ruffle, she spoke once again. “Now then, Rarity I believe you have an understanding of your situation-”

Noticing the frantic nodding of the unicorn, Faust continued. “That’s wonderful so let us continue, preferably without any more-”

Suddenly she turned to glare at her sister, causing Hazel to shiver. “Silliness.”

Hazel lowered her head in shame, as Faust turned towards Rarity once more. “My daughter, you have ventured quite far from the Path of Harmony. As such, normally your path would lead you to her-”

Gesturing a feathery wing towards her sister, Faust continued in her warm, motherly voice. “Domain. However, I have observed an, shall we say interesting trait, during your misadventures.”

Shaking her head and mumbling as though still unable to fathom what was going on, Rarity asked her. “Alright...so I’m here and there is no way to get out of here...all right, Darling. I’ll bite, What kind of trait?”

Cozy Glow watched in anticipation as Faust eyed the unicorn disdainfully before opening her muzzle to speak. “That’s-”

At that moment Hazel rushed forward and slapped Rarity. Her voice was filled with venom. “You insolent little - Have you not yet understood your current situation? You are dead. You are deceased. You were stabbed in the heart! You, who have fallen from grace stand before the literal deities you, yourself cried out to. Show some- no, you know what? I’ve had enough...Faust I need to show our guest something, it won’t take long.”

The celestial alicorn spoke calmly, but her voice carried her annoyance. “One minute and not one second more Hazel. I shall await your return.”

As Hazel wrapped a wing around the rather confused soul, Faust slowly counted out loud “One..Two.."

Cozy Glow watched in growing curiosity as the counting continued while the two vanished from sight. “Four….Five…”

As she counted, the celestial alicorn created a a dining table and adorned it with some fresh brewed tea. “48….49….”

Decorating the table with three plates, she didn’t miss a beat. “56...57….”

As a large cake appeared on the table, her sister and Rarity reappeared. Rarity shivered as she glanced at Faust and slowly approached her. The alicorn noticed her and smiled gently. “I take it, we won’t have any more insolence, my daughter?”

“Did you really…”

Ignoring the question, Faust gestured to the table. “Sit. Both of you.”

As the two took their seat, Faust spoke once more as she had before all the interruptions. “I noticed a unique aspect to your...shall we say...wayward ventures. While presented with an unarmed adversary you-”

Her horn glowed and a window appeared showing a slideshow of every victim Rarity had claimed. “Would avoid inflicting any...unnecessary...injuries. I wish to know why. Please explain yourself.”

Rarity’s words were spoken more carefully than before. Cozy Glow listened to the subtle ‘need to please’ tone in her voice. “I was an assassin, not a torturer, my job was to swiftly eliminate another. Nothing more to it, really.”

Hazel and Faust shared a glance and Hazel smirked seeing her sister smile. As her sister reached for her slice of cake, Faust remarked casually towards Rarity. “And yet you spoke a blessing on their behalf.”

Rarity’s eyes widened for a moment, though she quickly regained her composure, continuing to chew her cake though more slowly. “And?”

“Words of sanctity reflect the soul and echo in my ears, my daughter.”

Without batting an eye, the unicorn replied tonelessly. “Words are just words.”

As she took a small sip of tea, Faust’s horn began to glow. “Indeed. Words are just words. Perhaps I was simply mistaken.”

Cozy Glow found herself next to Rarity standing before a tied up captive. The captive, the young pegasus observed, had been razed with electrical shocks and pounded by hooves to a bruised and battered form. Rarity leaned forward as she drove the knife into the tortured soul. Whispering in the unfortunate souls ear. “You’ve suffered enough. She never answered my prayers, but I hope when you see her, your suffering will be over. Sleep now and go to Faust.”

Beside her Cozy Glow heard a gasp and saw Rarity’s soul watching the flashback. “This...means nothing. Just empty words.”

In a flash both Cozy and Rarity stood observing a scene where Rarity stood before a gang. The unicorn was no more than 7 years old and in her hooves she held two knives. Off to the side her guardians lay battered, broken and barely breathing. “You WILL NOT hurt my family! As Faust is my witness I WILL KILL YOU!”

Rarity’s soul watched her first instance of dispatching her foes. Ducking, dodging, rolling and slicing; she was dancing with her blades as the tears fell. As the last gang member fell to the ground, spraying crimson from his chest. The tiny filly dealt the killing blow and immediately ran to her guardians to check them.

Cozy observed the soul of Rarity stammer at this display. “I-I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Scene after this type of scene played out, hundreds if not thousands of times until finally Rarity and Cozy Glow found themselves observing her final fight. As Rarity fell to the floor and lay still, the assailant named Sweetie Belle leaned down and whispered to her. “I don’t hate you. I thought I did, and I wanted you to pay for your crimes.”

Slowly, Sweetie Belle’s eyes traced the form of the scars on Rarity’s body.“Now, though, as I look at you, I can see your pain. Your scars and burns from being tortured, I see them and I hurt for you.”

Her eyes clouded over as she began to cry and held the still form to her chest. “I’ve taken your life in rage, but in your passing, I pray for your soul to be at peace. May you hurt no more.”

In a flash Rarity was back at the table once more as Cozy hovered observing nearby. Faust spoke softly to the wide-eyed alabaster unicorn. “Tell me, my daughter, are those words spoken from the heart ever just words?”

“I-”

The alicorn got up and gave her a warm hug whispering softly. “Did you ever really want anycreature to suffer?”

“No…”

Rarity began to cry and from her came a primal scream before she let it all out, unashamed. “I never wanted anypony to suffer! I was forced to take the lives of others. It was either that or I myself would perish! I told myself it was the only way, I told myself that if I had to do it I could at least make it painless as possible! I claimed to them and myself it was me being generous. I wanted to save those I could, I never wanted to inflict pain against anypony!”

As those feathers wrapped her in a warm and loving embrace, Faust whispered in sadness. “What if you could save another, even if meant losing everything?”

Rarity began to shake. “I w-would do it.”

Releasing her from the hug, Faust said calmly. “Even if you were raised once more only to perish again?”

Glancing down in anguish Rarity began. “I-I-I wou-would…”

Her voice faltered, and Faust leaned down to gently nuzzle her. “My daughter, generosity is a rare trait, though it shows much versatility how it is used. Talking to someone you don’t want to and listening to their side, or perhaps laying your life down for another. Both are acts of generosity. Giving something away for a discount or perhaps willingly parting with it for free. There are many forms of this element; though-”

Raising a wing to gesture at a terrified Sweetie Belle who had appeared within a swirling vortex, Faust continued. “Should I give you the chance to show such a generous side of you or shouldn’t I? That is something you must decide for yourself.”

Rarity stared at the figure fleeing for her life, within seconds she would be caught and easily overwhelmed. “What’s her story?”

Looking amused, Faust preened a wing as she said. “You both have quite a bit in common. Her pain wasn’t from torture to become desensitized, rather it came from torture until she...agreed to create life...shall we say. She had lost all hope of escaping, that she fell to loving her captors; that is until you showed up.”

Rarity was shocked. “Me...what do you mean?”

Faust’s eyes filled with tears as she explained. “Your targets as you call them, were her...slavers. That night as she cowered there she saw a light; a way out. True she hated you for taking her ‘family’ as she saw them, however deep down she also admired you. -”

The alicorn let out a sudden laugh. “In her own twisted form of admiration, she desired to learn your techniques, even styled her fur as well as mane and tail in your style.”

“I never wanted that style to be influential, though.”

Looking at her Faust asked gently. “Oh? And what style would you have rather been inspired by you?”

Rarity looked embarrassed as she spoke. “Whenever I would invade a noble’s house, I saw the most amazing of dresses and outfits. I always...fantasized about designing such...things.”

“I see, I’ll be sure to remember that. Back to the matter at hoof. That young mare saw you as a, somewhat, big sister to impress. Though she did...slay you...deep down and even now as she runs, she hoped you would be proud of her.”

Rarity smiled. “Well then, what kind of sister would I be not to help my sibling without a thought? Send me there, even if I die, I’ll protect my weird little sister.”

“That is the answer I was waiting for, my Element of Generosity.”

At that moment, Cozy Glow found herself inside a strange wooden building. The interior looked so familiar and then she heard it. She saw Rarity standing there designing a dress as Twilight and Spike stood before her. Cozy Glow noticed once again, no wings on the princess. “Dah-ling what happened to your hair?”

***

Cozy Glow turned the page and saw once again the letters A.H. Closing the book, she glanced over at the table. She saw Faust gesturing with her wing, calling her over with a smile. She could now see the teal of the alicorn's right eye. “Shall we review, my daughter?”

Chapter 23- To Break Through Arrogance

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“So that’s where her cutie mark came from?”

Sitting at the ancient stone table, Cozy Glow excitedly reviewed what she had just learned with Faust. “Oh yes, I thought it was a fitting symbol to remind her of her promise to me.”

Cozy Glow took a sip of her apple juice and replied. “Ohhhh, I always wondered why her cutie mark never matched her fashion sense.”

The celestial alicorn gingerly sipped her tea. Her response was warm. “Mmmm yes well, that would be because her talent for fashion was an act of goodwill on my part.”

“Faust, could I ask you a personal question?”

Setting the tea cup down, Faust replied softly. “About what Hazel showed Rarity, is it?”

“-Erm.”

Thinking about it for a moment, Faust blinked and nodded. “Alright then, I’ll show you. Hiding this from you would just undercut the lesson I am trying to bestow.”

Cozy Glow looked excited for just a moment before Faust’s voice adopted a toneless expression. “Understand this though; I am neither what you would call good, nor am I what you believe to be evil. I maintain the balance of the two within the entirety of the existence in which you ponies and my other children tread.”

After those words, Faust’s horn glowed a bright golden and a door appeared before Cozy Glow. “Go ahead, peek inside and see the result of the one and only time I let my arrogance and rage run wild.”

The door swung open and Cozy stared in disbelief. Inside the opening a swirling vortex of varying shades of black, orange, and green swirled. It was sickening, pulsing and bubbling like liquid magma. “What poor world is this?”

The young pegasus turned to stare at Faust, who gave a mirthless laugh. “World? No...this is no world. This is the very first sentient universe I ever created.”

The tiny pegasus stammered in mortified horror unable to believe such a thing could have been caused by the celestial alicorn. “B-But why? Wh-what happened?”

“Arrogance is a devastating flaw, my child. As you know I wield untold power, however, back then the wisdom of humility was lost upon me.”

Faust’s words carried no sorrow or guilt. Instead, she spoke warmly. “Even we sisters, needed to mature. I was the youngest of us two.-”

Cozy’s eyes grew wide. “Wait really? Hazel is older than you?”

Covering her muzzle with a feathery wing to stifle a laugh, Faust nodded. “Oh my, yes. By a few thousand years, actually. While we both came into existence at the same time, she opened her eyes before I did.”

Faust’s horn glowed and the door shut once more as she spoke in a balanced voice. “She was always rather protective of me, as you may have noticed. She has always been rather proud of my abilities. Though back then only one of us had wisdom, while the other simply had knowledge.”

A swirling window appeared showing two, very filly-like, alicorns. Cozy Glow watched as a simple argument turned into an ever escalating domino effect until...BOOM! “Oh wow…”

“Insane isn’t it? What arrogance and refusing to heed advice can bring? Because of that...all life perished.”

The window vanished as Faust concluded. “The unfortunate result was preserved by my sister, to remind me of just how much destruction arrogance can create.”

Cozy Glow seemed to ponder this as she sipped her juice. “But if Hazel is proud of you why are you two always fighting?”

Faust let out a loud snort of laughter. “Fighting? Oh my daughter, you’ve got it all wrong. We don’t fight, we simply can’t stand to be in one another’s presence.”

Slowly unfolding her wings to their full length, Faust smiled sweetly; though Cozy could only see part of it. “My Aura of Purity burns her flesh, while her Aura of Seduction causes me to...become rather incapable of controlling my actions around her.”

“But the wars-”

“Wars?”

Looking confused for a moment, Faust laughed. “Ah you mean our arguments. Don’t siblings argue in your realm as well?”

“So, those tablets we learned from about the war between you two recorded by our wisest of sages back during the reign of Discord….?”

“Oh yes, we couldn’t agree on how the Kirin should look. My sister and I have rather similar aspects in our methods, though she was able to master the craft first. She just lost hope in our creations.”

Another window appeared as gruesome and horrific images of Hazel watching scene after scene of the worst crimes ever committed; tears coursing down her muzzle.“Her heart was broken.”

The window closed, and Faust glanced at Cozy Glow. “And so, with occasional advice from my big sister, the weight of managing everything fell to me.”

Her eyes brightened a second later. “Tell me, what of my face can you see?”

The tiny pegasus had found herself chewing on the bendy straw again in thought. “I can see the right side of your smile and your right eye, your majesty.”

Staying silent for a moment, Faust spoke in a warm voice. “Your spark is growing, how wonderful! Perhaps if you take a look at the story of the most notoriously arrogant of souls ever to have trotted through my gates, you’ll see even more clearly.”

"Just an arrogant soul, your majesty?"

Spreading her wings wide, Faust spoke in a rather amused voice. “Not just any soul, young one, but the only one to ever challenge my sister and I directly. You know her for her kindness and her affinity with animals.”

Cozy Glow stared in disbelief. No way, it couldn’t be. “However, she didn’t start out that way. Her name was Futtershy.”

The little pegasus was in shock. “You mean the same Fluttershy, the one with the bunny rabbit?”

Nodding, Faust’s voice took on an excited tone. “Oh yes, the very one. Now go, your next lesson awaits.”

***

Cozy Glow lay on her side, staring at the cover of the leatherbound book entitled Fluttershy. She was anxious to read it and learn but also nervous about it as well. What Lovecraftian horrors awaited her this time? The other two were touching but truly dark. She simply couldn’t bring her hooves to listen to her, and she trembled and lay there helplessly trying to will her hooves to open the book. It hurt. Cozy Glow didn’t know why but it hurt so much. These were her heroes. Equestria’s heroes. Yet now she found herself conflicted on that view. While it’s true she had taken their lessons to the extreme, she still deeply admired them, not these villains she was reading about. It was simply too much to bear. She began to cry and looked down in defeat. “I can’t do-”

She stopped as she felt something on top of her still outstretched hoof. Glancing up she saw a golden horseshoe attached to a white furred foreleg. Following it, she found herself staring into the semi-obscured face of Faust. “You can. Though, perhaps not alone.”

Cozy Glow opened her muzzle to speak only to find Faust shaking her head slowly. “No. No words.”

Faust continued in her pleasant tone. “Now is the time to listen, my child. I understand it can be rather unnerving to see some creature you’ve aspired to be like, suddenly become an enigma. It’s strange to find out that someone you know so well, carries scars you knew nothing of.”

Faust’s voice grew softer in tone, almost like that of a mother chiding her child. “Harder still, is seeing yourself within their flaws, wouldn’t you say Cozy?”

“S-seeing myself?”

Her tears streamed down her muzzle, causing her to stutter in confusion. The alicorn stared down at her young charge. She’s about to break, this needs to be handled delicately. Changing the subject quickly she asked her. “Why don’t you and I read this one together, my daughter?”

Cozy Glow’s tears stopped falling, the trail down her muzzle still visible as she sniffed. “R-r-really?”

Faust's horn had already begun to glow as the book hovered before the two of them. Lifting Cozy Glow to sit in her lap, Faust smiled. “As it should be, together. Mother and -”

Gently nuzzling the young soul, Faust concluded as the leatherbound cover slowly opened. “Her precious daughter.”

***

Cozy Glow’s eyes widened. The scene before Faust and her was rather explicit. The young filly glanced up and saw Faust eyes were averted from the sight. “Such a pretty young foal.”

In the hooves of the head nurse lay the tiny unicorn, crying and screaming. Nearby lay her ticket into this world, the unlucky mare completely cut stem to stern, thanks to an emergency C-section that had taken her from this world. The doctor had hung his head as the nurse turned her back on the scene; determined to spare the foal the sight of her now deceased mother. A nearby nurse calmly pat the doctor on the back. “You did everything you could, Doctor. At least you managed to save the child, sir.”

The doctor, a stallion with dark black hair and blue fur, began to cry laying himself across the form of the mare. “You’re right, we saved my daughter.”

As the nurse continued to console him, the other nurse was busy rocking the crying foal. “There, there, little one.Shhhh, it’s alright.”

“BUT WHY DID SHE HAVE TO PERISH?"

Cozy Glow’s cheeks flushed a bright red with embarrassment as Faust suddenly hugged her tightly and whispered. “I promise you; it’s her.”

The little filly had been staring nonplussed at the tiny filly and hadn’t been aware just how obvious those thoughts of hers had been. “I promise, Cozy, this is no joke. That really is her. Watch.”

The alicorn pointed a wing towards the nurse as Cozy heard the following, hours later. “Sir, would you like to hold Fluttershy?”

The head nurse stood rocking the peacefully sleeping unicorn foal in her hooves. The doctor didn’t seem to understand.He just stared at her expressionless. “What’s a Fluttershy?”

“Your daughter, sir.”

His expression changed to one of anger. “Daughter? You mean the reason my wife is-”

The nurse’s muzzle adopted a frown. “You know very well it wasn’t her fault.”

“YES IT WAS!”

With that outburst he stormed out the door screaming. “I have no daughter. Just a demon that took my angel away! Put her up for adoption; I refuse to be that thing’s father!”

Years passed as Cozy Glow and Her alicorn guardian watched the tiny unicorn be placed in an orphanage. She was very straight-laced. Polite and rule abiding, she was perfect. Except she never smiled. Many looked at her, but her lack of emotion always caused them to pick another. As time went on her eyes went dark from being swallowed by her own despair. Until one day a new filly arrived.

Fluttershy stood with the other fillies. A new addition to the orphanage was being brought in today and the grown-ups felt it important to welcome her. Everypony had been instructed to smile and they all did. Every single one except Fluttershy. “Welcome to your fam-”

The headmare was interrupted by the filly as she spat out. “Such fake smiles. Save your lies. Welcome? I never had a choice you hag. Where’s my room?”

The aged mare flinched as she was called a ‘hag’ though she kept the smile on her face as she said. “Adorable. Children, who would like to have this...lovely...young lady as their roommate?”

Nopony said a word. Then Fluttershy spoke up with a grin, surprising them all. “I do.”

She had been quietly observing the angry filly. She felt there was more to her than simple anger and rather offensive speech. The headmare looked at her in shock. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, ma’am. I am.”

The angry filly looked stunned and blushed in embarrassment for a moment as Fluttershy stared piercingly into her eyes with a smile on her muzzle. “My name is Fluttershy, or so I have been told. Nice to meet you.”

***

“Quit staring at me like that!”

The new filly sat cringing on her bed as Fluttershy stared into her eyes, as if seeing into her very soul. Fluttershy was quiet for a moment and then she smiled. “I like you.”

“You don’t even know me!”

Placing a hoof to her chin in deep thought, Fluttershy spoke her thoughts out loud. “You are right I don’t. And neither do the others here. Yet, I feel something from you that I don’t around them. I want to know more. Can you tell me about yourself, Bittersweet?”

The light yellow pegasus filly blinked, taken aback. “W-what? What are you talking about you stupid unicorn?”

Fluttershy’s eyes narrowed. “Alright then, let’s start by adjusting that attitude.”

As her horn began to glow a bright blue, Bittersweet began to tremble. “What are you going to do-Wait what’s that?”

Cozy Glow’s eyes were as wide as dinnerplates.Both Faust and her watched the ‘attitude adjustment’ unable to look away. Cozy Glow turned to Faust whose cheeks had taken on a crimson hue. “What are they doing?”
Faust simply responded. “Well- Currently Fluttershy is asserting her position as an alpha and the pegasus is being shown her ideal position isn’t the top.”

“I don’t understand, is this important in some way?”

Faust hugged Cozy Glow and nuzzled her whispering. “Your innocence is very refreshing, my daughter.”

3 hours later, the two sat on their respective beds once more. Fluttershy smiled at the now rather timidly shaking form of Bittersweet. “Let’s try this again, tell me more about you. Now.”

Sitting on her bed trembling, Bittersweet carefully measured her words as she told Fluttershy her entire past, afraid of upsetting her again. Fluttershy watched her intently staring into the eyes of the now cowed and submissive pegasus, listening to her every word. She stayed silent as the young pegasus spoke of her family disowning her for her disruptive behavior. When she had finished Fluttershy spoke to her in a firm, yet surprisingly caring tone. “I see. So you’ve been acting that way to protect yourself have you?”

“Er-yes…”

Fluttershy’s eyes narrowed. “Ahem.”

“I mean yes ma’am!”

Fluttershy’s eyes softened. “Come here. Now.”

Though her gaze had softened, something about her tone made Bittersweet uneasy and feel she would have to comply. As soon as the pegasus came close enough, Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around the trembling filly in a warm and gentle hug.

Fluttershy's tone shifted from earlier to a more sincere and sweet one. “I’m sorry.”

Bittersweet was a bit surprised and it showed in her voice. “What?”

Gently rubbing the pegasus’s back, almost like how a mother would to her children, Fluttershy spoke softly. “I know I can be very...commanding...when it comes to getting what I want."

She giggled, before her tone shifted once more.

"Don't get me wrong, I am keeping you under my hoof. I want you. And yes, you DO belong to me. However-"

She grabbed Bittersweet’s muzzle with her hooves and stared into her eyes. Her voice was remorseless yet filled with sunshine. “I don’t want your beautiful sky blue eyes to be filled with fear when they gaze upon me.”

Bittersweet’s eyes sparkled at the comment. Fluttershy slowly dragged a hoof down the side of her neck and whispered softly. “No, that would not do at all would it?”

Turning away, Fluttershy trotted over to a small box by a desk on her side of the room. As she leaned down to rummage through it, Bittersweet’s curiosity had gotten the better of her and so she asked. “But if you hate me so much-”

Taking a moment to raise her head Fluttershy responded in an icy tone. “If I didn’t find a redeeming quality in you, you would have ended up like the others. Now then...hmmm red? No...Maybe this pink...Who am I kidding that won’t match at all. Perhaps... yes green works best for your fur tone I do believe.”

As Fluttershy Leaned back down to nose through the box, Bittersweet spoke in confusion. “The others?”

The blue unicorn had turned and begun trotting towards Bittersweet levitating what looked like a green dog collar. “Disappointments. Failures. Fillies who wouldn’t change their attitude. Those- Hold still.”

The pegasus stood stock still as Fluttershy used her magic to place the collar upon her neck. Stepping back, Fluttershy smiled. “Good girl. Yes, green is definitely your color.”

As she admired the pegasus as if eyeing a prized trophy, Fluttershy frowned as Bittersweet spoke. “What happened to them?”

“Usually it is customary to show appreciation for such a thoughtful gift.”

Backtracking quickly, the young pegasus blurted out. “Thank you very much for the collar, I’ll-I’ll treasure it always.”

“I know you will. Now then you asked what became of those who failed to meet my standards. I can’t be certain-”

Fluttershy raised a hoof to her chin in thought. “I’ve heard they ended up in the local sanitarium, though.”

The sound of sniffling above her caused Cozy Glow to look up and discover that Faust was trembling with tears welling in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

The regal alicorn winced as if in actual pain. “It hurts, Cozy. It hurt me so much then and it hurts me now to rewatch it. I can still feel the searing, ripping pain it caused me.”

Cozy Glow was nonplussed. “What’s so bad about two fillies in love?”

Faust froze. Her eyes no longer filled with tears and instead ignited with a burning fire. “She wasn’t in love with that pegasus, Cozy! She was in love with her dog!”

Faust’s voice lowered and the tone became deadpan and soulless. “She never saw Bittersweet as anything but a mutt; to be disciplined and tamed.”

The horn on her head glowed a bright red and the pages of the book rapidly turned until Cozy Glow and Faust found themselves staring at the sobbing form of a blue unicorn mare standing over the still form of a pegasus mare, that had a dog’s tail, ears and paws. Cozy Glow watched in shock as Fluttershy slowly removed the ears, the tail and the paws from the dead pegasus. It was then she saw it. The demeanor of Fluttershy changed from one of mourning to one of rage as more and more of the pegasus began to show. “Worthless pony. Go ahead and rot.”

“No value for life other than the animals. That’s the only time she loved others. When they were animals not when they were sentient. She broke that poor pegasus and others. She made them into animals no longer letting them ever be themselves. She had no value for a life.”

Cozy Glow’s mind flashed back to what Hazel had told her: “Because you live, we live. Your kind was made of our flesh. Your emotions, our blood. My sister takes great pride in all of our creations.”

As Cozy Glow watched in shock, a rather stern-looking ashen gray alicorn appeared behind the hateful unicorn. “So much arrogance, from one so ignorant.”

The words were dripping with venom and caused Fluttershy to turn and tremble in fear as she looked upwards into the pitiless eyes of Hazel. “Who are you? How did you get in my house?”

“I go by many names, Queen of Pride, the Warden of Tartarus, or Empress of Lust, to name a few. Though, I suppose you may call me Hazel. I am one of two beings you owe the very breath you draw to. I am the sister of the one who brought you into this world. As to how I can be in this domicile of yours-”

Fluttershy began to shiver as the air around her turned icy. Hazel’s words conveyed her rage though her tone strangely never changed. “You made my sister cry.”

“Y-your sister?”

Looking her dead in the eyes, Hazel explained. “You know her by the name of Faust in your realm. The Mother of all Life.”

Cozy Glow looked up to see Faust smiling. The tears were gone and admiration for her sister shone in her eyes. Turning back to the scene, she watched the unicorn scoff. “So what?”

Hazel seemed taken aback by this response. “Excuse me?”

Fluttershy’s voice was of complete contempt. “You appear and claim to be a so-called Celestial. Sister of Faust, my plot!”

Hazel’s eyes narrowed. “How dare-”

Letting out a bout of derisive laughter, Fluttershy continued her mocking tone. “Honey, I don’t know what your little cultist friends have been telling you at whatever weirdo church you attend but-”

Flipping her mane, Fluttershy glared. “Faust doesn’t exist, and you are no sister of hers. Now get out before I call the authorities.”

Staring at the unicorn in silence, the amethyst eyes of the ash gray alicorn, momentarily flashed to crimson. The sultry voice of Hazel was then heard. “Alright then, let’s tell the authorities. I’ll even make it easy for you.”

With a flash of light, Cozy Glow found herself in a building filled with frozen ponies in police uniforms. Hazel stood before Fluttershy amidst the frozen officers. “Go ahead, report me, mortal.”

Looking around her in a frantic panic, Fluttershy saw the various positions of the frozen officers. It wasn’t just them; one had been pouring a coffee and the stream was frozen in mid-pour. “W-what’s going on?”

Hazel flared her wings, an amused look upon her muzzle. “Well child, I would say that this fake deity before you, stopped time. Or perhaps that is just what my 'cultist friends' have told me I have the power to do.”

Fluttershy stood stock-still, staring open-mouthed at Hazel. The alicorn’s amethyst eyes sparkled. “Perhaps now, mortal, you will listen to what I have to say.”

As Fluttershy just stared, Hazel continued in a soft, grating tone; as if trying to maintain her calm. “Now I may not be as…patient or kind...as my sister, though I do believe in her system of second chances. That said, this is what is going to happen.”

Pointing a wing at Fluttershy. “You are going to pull that arrogant head out of your flank and listen to the wisdom I’ve possessed for far longer than you have numbers for. And I-”

Pointing at herself with the same wing, Hazel continued in the same grating tone. “Am going to pretend you did NOT insult me or my sister with such an attitude.”

Staring pointedly at the blue unicorn, Hazel spoke in a dangerously silky tone. “Am I understood, child?”

“I understand-”

Hazel nodded. “Good now-”

Fluttershy’s next words though soft-spoken, cut through the air like a knife. “My position I mean, your majesty. I get it; you are real and I was wrong. Why, though? Why, if you’ve been around this entire time with all the power of the cosmos, didn’t you help us?”

As the blue unicorn spoke, she turned her head to look at Bittersweet’s corpse. “Why couldn’t you save her?”

Hazel’s horn glowed crimson and a stick of ignited ash appeared in her hooves. As she inhaled, she softly snorted. Her eyes flashed red and her fur slowly shifted from gray to black. “Here we go again.”

“You could have stopped this! You could have saved my dog!”

The crimson eyes narrowed in disgust. “Saved...Your...Dog?”

With those three words, the air went from frigid to beyond chilling. “How dare you.”

“It’s your fault she died!”

Cozy Glow watched as Hazel went from annoyed to actual rage. “You SELF-ENTITLED, INSOLENT LITTLE FOOL. How should I have SAVED her? Should I have TAKEN the whip from YOUR hooves, or perhaps GIVEN her ACTUAL FOOD instead of dog food? Perhaps I should have made her FIGHT BACK when you BROKE her FEATHER-FLIPPING MIND? Would that have helped, YOU FALSE MISTRESS? YOU stole her life. Not ME!”

Fluttershy shouted back in an outraged tone. “Dogs eat dog food!”

Cozy glow shivered as Hazel’s rage actually manifested itself as literal flames covering her body and felt Faust hold her close to her chest. “It’s alright, I’m here, you’re safe. I promise.”

Hazel’s body erupted in flames. Her voice was harsh and seemed to inflict actual cuts upon the flesh of the unicorn. “Dogs eat...COME HERE, YOU!”

The crimson magic of Hazel enveloped the blue unicorn, and she was flung to her knees.”You are without a doubt, the most vile, despicable creature in all my time alive I have had the displeasure of meeting.”

Using her magic, Hazel forced the unicorn to gaze at the pegasus’s corpse mere inches from her snout. “SHE ISN'T A DOG YOU ARROGANT SASSAFRASS!”

Using her wing to close the eyelids of Bittersweet, Hazel continued. “She was a pegasus. A PEGASUS! BUT NO! You couldn’t see the forest for the trees. SHE NEEDED YOU! Your only potential friend in life, she was crying out for help and how did you respond to her? You forcibly and AGAINST HER WILL demanded her submission. LOOK AT HER!”

Fluttershy’s fur was streaked red from the harsh words of Hazel. She raised her voice as if to overcome the pain. “If I’m the most vile anything it’s because you created me this way!”

Hazel looked as if she was about to destroy everything. Suddenly however, her flames went out. Her fur was bright red, and her wings were draconic in nature; no longer feathery. Her thestral form had emerged as her voice dropped to a sinisterly hateful and grating tone. “My fault. I...see. You existing, because my sister and I lovingly crafted your body is my fault.”

“Yeah it’s-”

Hazel’s eyes narrowed. “Shut up. The amount of garbage spewing from your mouth right now...Such insolence. Oh wait, that’s my fault. Letting you live your life according to your beliefs, your thoughts, and your desires is my fault. Your decision to push a poor pegasus past her physical limit with abuse because you saw her not as a partner but a dog, is my fault.”

A new cigarette appeared already lit in Hazel’s hooves to replace the other; having been incinerated upon Hazel’s fiery transformation. As she slowly inhaled the calming smoking ash, Hazel spoke softly. “You know it’s funny. My sister would surely listen to your rederick about it being my fault or hers, for centuries on end with loving patience.”

In a flash of light, Hazel and the unicorn known as Fluttershy found themselves in an empty space of stars. “I however, am neither patient nor as benevolent as she. In fact I can be quite petty and vindictive and you, my vile friend have triggered my inner malice.”

Her wings flared wide as Hazel continued before the flabbergasted unicorn. “And here we are about to play a simple game. You seem to think being all powerful is simple and easy to handle-”

“I never-”

“Speak again and I remove your tongue, viper. Now where was I? Oh yes, a game. You’ve shown such arrogance for a mortal that I am truly offended by your existence but I’ll let you see hooves-on why you are wrong.”

Hazel’s horn began to glow a harsh crimson as a maliciously seductive smile appeared upon her muzzle. A sphere of blue appeared in the middle of the space, the same size as the planet Fluttershy called home. She began to explain, Her words were spoken with a grating menace. “My sister and I had to learn, so we spent eons practicing. After hundreds of thousands of millions of combinations...we determined only one size of a planet would support our needs for life.”

With that the sphere increased in size. Hazel continued as the world became decorated with trees and soon sentient life-forms and animals.Too big, and the life flourished out of control….”

Time was sped up and cities grew and in just 10,000 years the trees were gone and the cities were gridlocked. Eventually, too many resources were used. And the planet…”

The life of the planet slowly declined. Food was scarce and then...there was none at all. The unicorn’s eyes widened in surprise. “Too small….”

The planet was reset and shrunk. Once again the planet had been decorated with resources. Time once more sped up and though they tried their hardest all sentient life was gone by year 250. “There simply wasn’t enough to sustain life.”

Once again the planet had been reset to the same size as Fluttershy’s home planet of Equestria. “This was, as we discovered the perfect way to maintain the life we desired to create. Though we encountered a problem. One that lasted through hundreds of millions of tries. You see we weren’t quite sure how to sustain the life on the little ball.”

The planet was decorated with trees and sentient creatures once again. “The problem was…”

Time sped up and the sentient creatures began die out. “Fully mature creatures that never grew...had a certain...attitude about them. They thought themselves the greatest…As did the others with them. And so they…”

The planet was lifeless. “Destroyed everything in their superiority complex trying to prove this to each other. Not very productive.”

Hazel turned to look Fluttershy in the eyes. “Oh my, will you look at me? Explaining the inner workings of your universe to a silly unicorn who doesn’t even believe my sister and I exist. How silly of me. Obviously you don’t wish to listen to anything I have to say. I clearly have no clue what I, the Goddess of the Underworld to you ponies, know what I’m talking about. Let’s get back to why you’re here.”

A template appeared before Fluttershy’s eyes. “You want control? You think you could do a better job? And yes, you ignorant being, I CAN read your mind.”

As The unicorn before her blushed, Hazel continued. “You have gotten your wish. You are going to be the goddess of your own little utopia. Amazing right? Start by designing 7 sentient species to inhabit the world of your dreams before I explain further. One male and one female of each. Use the template you see before you. And think carefully, every decision has a consequence.”

Watching the scene with great interest, Cozy Glow looked up to see Faust chuckling softly. “That’s my sis. Always the teacher.”

“Teacher? Her?”

Faust laughed out loud. “Oh don’t let that fierce snarl and pointed fangs fool you. She cares far more than anyone would expect her to. Just watch.”

Turning back to the scene with this in mind, Cozy noticed Fluttershy had finished with her designs. Hazel glare pierced Fluttershy. “Are you sure these are what you want?”

“Humph of course I am. Creating them wasn’t so hard, you are such a drama queen.”

Ignoring the insults, Hazel smiled and a replica of Equestria’s homeworld appeared minus any sentient life. Trees and oceans covered the expanse as well as deserts and mountains. “Place one race in each climate. We will call this…”

She looked at the clearly poorly designed creatures. “Your tutorial.”

After Fluttershy had placed the different species, Hazel spoke softly. “Are you satisfied with your placements?”

“Ha, this is so easy. I am!”

Hazel smiled softly after a single tear fell. “Indeed. Well then, the rules are simple. Your homeworld consists of 6 billion sentient creatures. The first sentient being appeared no more than 30,000 years ago. It all began with two of each; one stallion, one mare. One dragoness, One bull...You get the idea. The objective is simple, reach 30,000 years, with 6 billion sentients. The rules: You may not, alter the personality, free will or destroy any living creature. You may, however, help anyone at anytime. After all, you have the power.”

As Fluttershy cringed slightly, Hazel flashed her fangs. “Isn’t that right?”

Her horn began to glow and time sped forward only to stop seconds later. Just five years in, all 7 of the species had gone extinct. As the mouth of the unicorn dropped open in disbelief, Hazel spoke sikily. “Completely easy, isn’t it? Perhaps now you will lose the arrogance because the tutorial is over.”

Cozy watched as Hazel looked at Fluttershy. “This isn’t a race. Take as long as you wish, we are outside the realm of space and time here. Take centuries, eons, even eternities if you desire...This is a delicate-”

“Done!”

Hazel’s eyes darted to the template for less than a second before looking away.”You’ve chosen an aquatic race, have you?”

Eyes sparkling in excitement, Fluttershy exclaimed.“Yes!”

“Do you expect them to live on the landmasses?”

Fluttershy snorted. “That’s stupid, of course not! They live in the water.”

Hazel’s eyes narrowed. “And you feel that-”

Hazel pointed at the template with her hoof. “This is the best design for that?”

Cozy Glow tried to examine the design; streamlined for travel through water, eyes to see in the water with protective lids, cartilage to provide a strong pressure capacity and finned limbs for mobility. What’s so bad about it?
Irritation showed on the unicorn’s face and it showed in her words. “Of course I do! These are designed by an animal expert; you drama queen.”

Hazel lowered her muzzle in a loud huff. “I cannot allow this.”

Fluttershy’s tone was indignant as she attempted to respond. “How dare you! You said this was my creation and-”

The unicorn found her words interrupted as Hazel roared at her. “AND YOUR CREATION WILL DIE WITHOUT GILLS IN THE WATER, YOU IMBECILE!”

Hazel’s eyes were alight in anger. “I will NOT allow you to butcher innocents out of sheer stupidity! Add some blasted gills and stop arguing!”

“Why are you so mean? I’m doing my best!”

“NO. You aren’t! You are rushing, trying to show me up with such cockiness it has blinded you to the task at hand!”

Fluttershy began to cry. The tears streamed down her muzzle. “Then why are you asking me to do this, knowing i’ll fail? Why not just destroy me instead of torturing me like this?”

Hazel’s reply finally left the blue unicorn speechless. “BECAUSE I CARE!”

Everything vanished, as Hazel’s horn glowed a bright crimson, leaving Hazel and Fluttershy in a void of nothing. As Fluttershy stood there in silence, Hazel closed her eyes and appeared to be saying a prayer. Opening her eyes again, the thestral spoke in a gentle voice. “I don’t want you to waste your life and end up in my domain for eternal reparations for your actions.”

The voice of the Underworld Queen seemed to echo in the empty space. “My sister and I didn’t just throw you or any other together in moments; it took decades, centuries even. We considered everything we knew, we slowly built the you that you would become. Like every other living creature you were precious; nothing like the others and a vast, bright opportunity to grow, from the beginning. You mattered. You always did to us, and you still do. That is why I am harsh on you, that is why I still care.”

The look on Fluttershy’s face was one of pure embarrassment. She cared for her? Even after her disgust at her, even after her anger at her for making those... ponies her pets? Part of her wanted to say that she was lying; it's all just nice, but empty words. However, somehow, Fluttershy could tell that she was sincere. The thought that Hazel could just turn her to ashes right there, but didn't, spoke something to her. Her words are true, she thought. Somepony cared for her, for once... Her face was flushed, a bright red, while her fur seemed to go completely pale. Her tone had shifted, her attitude completely gone. “I-I am so sorry for my behavior, y-your majesty.”

Hazel gave a small smile. Dropping her newly materialized stick of ignited ash, Hazel crushed it beneath her fore-hoof as her voice echoed through the space; strangely warm and gentle. “That’s better, now we are getting somewhere.”

Chapter 24- Her Unlikely Supporter/ The Price Of Wrath

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As Faust and her young charge watched the scene unfold, it became quite apparent something was much different between the two. Fluttershy’s tone held nothing but admiration, and Hazel was more doting as she explained how every animal was made and all their components, instincts and habits. While it was a delight to watch Cozy Glow couldn’t help but wonder why. Glancing up as if to seek an answer she found herself staring into Faust’s teal eyes, as the alicorn stared down at her. “The answer is Kindness. Fluttershy had never been shown kindness in life growing up, and so she too grew cold and icy towards others. Hazel simply broke the ice by showing she truly cared.”

Between the two, everything had fallen into place. Hazel was smiling, and Fluttershy was listening with great interest. Finally, the two were at a table, drinking tea, for Fluttershy and Apple Whiskey of a brand the unicorn had never seen in a language she had never read, for Hazel. “Does this mean I have to start worshipping you?”

Hazel laughing, simply said. “No. You don’t have to do anything and in all honesty neither myself or Faust wish to be worshipped day and night. All we wish for our children is that you make the most of life, treasure every moment. Happy ones as well as sad ones, without the valleys how would we ever know when we reach the mountain peaks.”

Taking a sip of her tea, Fluttershy was silent for a moment, deep in thought. Looking at Hazel, she smiled and responded, her eyes sparkling with a strange light. “I finally get it. All life is precious.”
Hazel nodded as she began to down her bottle of whiskey. It was at that moment that the unicorn’s face had become creased with sadness. “And I took hers away.”

*BAM* The empty bottle was slammed down on the table with such force that it seemed to rock the immovable table. Fluttershy stared into Hazel’s eyes with shock. The thestral spoke softly and with a tone of no arguments would be tolerated. “You did. Out of selfishness and anger, you took another’s life. She is dead. She won’t be coming back and you WILL have to answer for it…”

Hazel paused, as if considering her words. “One day. Tell me, though; you are alive. Will her needless end be the turning point? Can you grow from this or will you let this lesson go by the wayside? That’s what it all boils down to. I shall leave you with a few words to consider, my daughter. Kindness isn’t something that should make you happy. It’s something that should affect others. One single kind word or action can be all one creature needs to blossom into their potential and turn their life around.”

After Hazel had left Fluttershy in her house next to her lost companion, Cozy watched the unicorn go on to become a shining beacon of Kindness; Fluttershy would never let anypony or creature suffer while she was present. With her new-found animal knowledge, she became a veterinarian for Ponyville and out in public she would go out of her way to spread the message of Kindness by doing anything she could to ease another's pain.

Sadly like all creatures Fluttershy found herself once more back where she started, standing before Faust, in the Realm of Celestials. “Your majesty, I’ve come home.”

Faust smiled warmly at the mare. “You’ve grown my child. From the spoiled brat-”

A window in time appeared showing Fluttershy’s childhood. The unicorn looked ashamed as her face went beet red. “To maliciously evil-”

The sight of the slain form of Bittersweet appeared in the window causing tears to flow as Fluttershy blurted out. “I am so sorry, I went too far, I wish I had a chance to make it right once more.”

Faust raised an eyebrow in interest as she continued. “To your, shall we say, heart to heart, with my sister of all ponies-”

The window displayed the scene once more as Hazel spoke of Kindness. “During which you were given an important message, from a rather unlikely source-”

Placing a wing over her muzzle to stifle a giggle, Faust cleared her throat and continued. “Ahem. That message, you then took to heart. Your eyes opened you made sure to let others know of the power of being kind. That spark in your heart ignited into a raging inferno, which has brought you to me this moment in time.”

Looking down for a moment, Faust raised her eyes to stare into Fluttershy’s. “You’ve blossomed into a truly beautiful rose. However-”

The alicorn’s horn glowed a golden hue as she continued. “Every rose has its thorn, and you are no different. The time has come for you to atone for what you did.”
“I am so-”

“Stop. You needn’t say these words to me, my child. A special somepony has been waiting 65 years to talk to you. Bittersweet, come here. It’s time.”

A pegasus whose fur was as black as the midnight sun appeared behind Fluttershy. Her mane and tail were radiating flames of bright orange and red, while her body itself had been encased in black flames. The voice that came from the mare was angry and spiteful. “So we meet again, mistress.”

Faust’s words were soft as she began. “As you can see her anger has-,”

Fluttershy didn’t hesitate. Turning around she began to run without a second thought towards the burning form of Bittersweet and wrapped her hooves around her in a big warm hug crying out. “Bittersweet! I missed you so much!”

It was very apparent to Cozy Glow the flames were scorching the soul of Fluttershy, as burns appeared upon it. Still the unicorn held on crying, with tears streaming down her muzzle. “Give me your rage, your pain. I’ll take them all. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you and hated myself since that night. You were in my mind every waking day. If only I had known how much you meant to me before you were gone! Make me hurt! I want to take your fury!”

These words were heard and answered as Bittersweet began spouting profanities and curses; raging at Fluttershy for all the torment, she had endured at her hooves. Fluttershy didn’t cry out once. Instead, as her soul was burned and scorched beyond belief by the hatred of Bittersweet, she wore a grateful smile. Cozy Glow watched in horror as the soul of Fluttershy hung limply, still hugging Bittersweet, completely and utterly destroyed by the flames.

The flames surrounding Bittersweet vanished as Faust spoke softly yet again. “Such a shame you couldn’t let go of that hate. Two of my children, lost to me. Report to Hazel-”

Faust finished writing on a piece of parchment. “And give her this for me.”

At once in a flash of light, Cozy Glow and Faust found themselves in Tartarus, observing Hazel staring at Bittersweet with Fluttershy’s still form on her back. Silently Hazel read the message presented to her and finally spoke. Her voice conveyed a slight sadness to it. “Place her on my desk.”

As Bittersweet did this, Hazel’s horn glowed and spectacles appeared on her face. Intently she began to examine the form as if searching for something. Occasionally she spoke to Bittersweet. “So you finally got your revenge, did you?”

Bittersweet stayed silent as she stared at Fluttershy in shock. Hazel continued performing odd taps and touches here and there on the charred soul. “Answer me. Child, was it worth it? Was it worth 65 years of miserable torture here in Tartarus? Starving, blistering in the heat, whippings? Was it worth enduring all that to nurture hatred for this one? You’ve sat festering in anguish for this one moment in time. Tell me, did it heal your broken heart?”

The pegasus shook her head in confusion. “No. It just hurts. It hurts even more than before. Why does it hurt so much? Shouldn’t it feel great?”

Hazel shook her head slowly as she continued to examine the burnt soul. “No. Many assume that but revenge is never an uplifting experience. The hatred that festers over time eats away the soul-”

Lowering her ear down to the chest of Fluttershy, Hazel stayed silent for a moment before smiling. Lifting her head back up she glared at Bittersweet. “Until nothing worth redeeming remains. And so-”

A mirror appeared before Bittersweet causing her to gasp at the sight. The words of Hazel continued. “The soul turns black, engulfed by the very hatred it embodies. My realm is filled with countless innocents who never overcame their rage at having their life cut short. Forgiveness is divine-”

Hazel’s horn glowed crimson, causing the form of the roasted soul to float before her. “To hate is the way of the underworld. It's sad that only now, you realize all you got from your hatred.”

Without another word Hazel smashed her forehoof straight into the chest of Fluttershy’s soul ripping into it as easily as a nutcracker breaks walnuts. Swiftly, she pulled back her hoof now holding a glowing, golden-yellow orb.

Slowly the orb was brought just an inch to the surface of the desk. Hazel’s horn glowed a bright crimson and with a grunt of pain, a dreadfully dark crimson hammer made of a shiny metal appeared. It looked all the world like… “Metallic blood.”

Cozy Glow looked up at Faust who stared back into her eyes. “You are borne of us and that tool is made from Hazel’s blood. We suffer to create every creature. Take note Cozy Glow of what you see.”

Turning back to the scene, Cozy Glow stared in awe as the hammer came down with immense force. The very air seemed to shatter with each blow. The golden orb began to change shape slowly with each carefully aimed hit. Hazel seemed to be happily chanting in time to her strikes. As she worked, the raw sinew of her muscles showed as she gripped the massive hammer in both hooves and brought it crashing down onto the orb. “Borne from horn, blood and fang,

I call on you to walk again, *CLANG*

My lessons that you took to heart,

You have earned a brand-new start. *CLANG*

A heart so pure, your form remade-”

As the two observers watched in awe as the small golden orb stretched out, to take the shape of a earthpony.

“-Makes me glad to you I came. *CLANG*

On that night your anger grew,

And yet, your eyes were opened too. *CLANG*

You led your life From that day on,

Promoting kindness Right from wrong. *CLANG*

Your wings you earned, your new form too,

Shall display this side of you.” *CLANG*

The earthpony form’s shoulders stretched and reached as Hazel sculpted feathery wings from the golden light.

“Fur of yellow like your golden soul,

Seperate the new from old.” *CLANG*

The golden lightof the now clearly pegasus form solidified into a buttercream yellow fur, enveloping the entirety of the form.

“Mane of pink, your tail too;

Shall show the kindness that flows in you.” *CLANG*

From off to the side, Hazel grabbed some pink clay and carefully, with delicate grace shaped and carved what looked like the mane and tail of a pony from it. She slowly pressed it into place at the form’s neck and flank areas as magic from her horn enveloped it. The clay then fell to the ground leaving behind a luxurious pink mane and tail respectively.

“And though it seems a bit reversed,

Three butterflies shall be your cutiemark,” *CLANG*

Hazel gracefully drew three butterflies of pink in the air, carefully lowering them down onto the flank of the pegasus, with a smile.

“Your love of animals to others eyes,

But to mine an effect none shall spy. *CLANG*

An effect caused by fixing your past,

By going to the future,

My daughter you made your mother proud,

As well as her little sister.”*CLANG, CLANG*

As she spoke these verses, the thestral delicately pressed down on each butterfly, causing the image to burn into the flank of the pegasus. Slowly lifting off the stencils she had made, Hazel quickly colored in the brand.

“And finally a quirky trait,

Lest humbleness be forgot,

A measure to help you trot straight *CLANG*

The gift of shyness, you shall carry,

With you,this moment on.*CLANG*

Grabbing some more clay, Hazel rolled two small round balls carefully inserting them into the empty eye sockets of the pegasus. After she had carefully colored in each pupil with an emerald green, her horn glowed and the clay became real eyes. Taking a step back, the thestral took a moment to admire her reforging of the soul and nodded, her horn aglow once more.

“And so my daughter time to rise,

Open up those emerald green eyes.

Flap your wings reach for the sky,

My darling daughter, Fluttershy.”

Stepping forward Hazel leaned down and gently exhaled into the open mouth of the pegasus, before standing back once more. The eyes of the pegasus blinked. Her voice was melodic yet rather timid. “Wha-where am I?”

Hazel locked eyes with Fluttershy and opened her muzzle to speak. “Fluttershy I am so pr-”

Her words faded into nothing as she stood there silent for a moment as if choking on the words, before smiling and shaking her head. Her tone changed from soft to all business once more. “Faust is waiting for you, no time to talk.”

Without another second passing, the Queen of the Underworld’s horn glowed crimson and Cozy Glow found herself watching a confused Fluttershy appear, sprawled at the hooves of Faust. Fluttershy looked up in anxiousness, her voice nervous and.softer than before with a slight stutter. “Wh-what happened?”

The answer from the celestial alicorn was a bit cryptic and almost angry in tone. “Certain knowledge is best left unknown, though often sought after. Flames of such nature are not my forte, that honor belongs to my sister. Go see her if you so desire to learn more. Understand, though, she is not as forgiving as I am. Begone, our time is over.”

It was then Fluttershy saw the strange feminine biped with wings and a tail before Faust. Those horns on her head and the strange shade of her skin made Fluttershy curious. And then in the time it took to blink, it was gone. “Your maj-jesty w-what was that?”

Faust turned to look at the pegasus with a glare that made it clear asking further would be dangerous. Fluttershy decided to change the subject. “Look mom, I-I have wings! W-what do...what do y-you think of them?”

The face of Faust once more looked warm and inviting. She smiled. “Those wings suit you far better than a horn of magic. Welcome back my daughter. There is something I wish to discuss with you.”

Watching with great interest, Cozy Glow observed Faust explaining about the Guardians of Harmony and how she was the perfect candidate for the role of Kindness. “Six from different points in time and different worlds scattered throughout the cosmos. Different backgrounds, different upbringings. All have tread the abyss between mine and my sister’s realms. To share the encouragement to continue when times get tough.”

As she spoke, Faust used her magic to show four figures clad in shadow walking side by side; a pegasus, two earth ponies and a unicorn. “Six individuals each with one of six defining traits. Alone they are mighty, together they can change the world.To give hope when there is none, having been there themselves. Currently, there are 4; honesty, laughter, generosity, and loyalty. Fluttershy, not as your creator, but as your loving mother, I ask you. Will you join these Pillars of Friendship as the Pillar of Kindness?”

As soon as Fluttershy’s answer left her muzzle, there was a flash of bright golden light from Faust’s horn and Cozy Glow found herself in Ponyville observing a scene where Twilight was speaking. “My name is Twilight what’s yours?”

And there in front of Twilight, was none other than Fluttershy timidly stuttering. “F-flutter-”

Leaning in close, Twilight tried again. “I’m sorry didn’t quite catch that.”

Blushing profusely the butter-yellow pegasus repeated herself. “I’m flutter-”

Her voice rose to a squeal. “Shy!”

At that moment, Spike, Twilight’s baby dragon popped his head over the shoulder of his guardian.The eyes of Fluttershy lit up and she spoke clearly and excitedly. “Oh my! Is that a baby dragon? Oh, he’s soooo cute!”

***

Faust slowly closed the book and gently nuzzled Cozy Glow. “Shall we review, what you’ve just learned, my daughter? I’m sure you have many questions, and I don’t know about you, but I could use some apple juice.”

At the words apple juice, the little pegasus rushed towards the giant stone table once more. As she did, Faust, chucking in amusement, slowly rose and trotted towards it as well.

Chapter 25-The Layers of Honesty

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As Faust trotted towards the stone table to her lesson with Cozy Glow her mind flashed back to just after Hazel’s game of teaching, and before all the lessons began.

***

…”Are you sure?”

The Celestial Goddess of Life; Faust, stood before the six Guardians of Harmony. The six sat at the crystalline table each within their own thrones. Five sets of eyes turned to face her royal highness, Twilight Sparkle, who simply smiled. “Mom, you of all beings know of our pasts. We were felons, one flaw away from being eternally babysat by Hazel herself. If it hadn’t been for you or Aunt Hazel, we six would never have risen to such heights. Am I wrong, Rarity? Perhaps being the assassin, you were, was your true calling. Though frankly I prefer the magic you work in your fashion pursuits; your speed with needle threading unmatched.”

Rarity laughed and spoke in her elegant manner. “Too true Dah-ling, not to mention my baby sister; Sweetie Belle or my own daughter. Faust knows where they would be now without my guidance. How about you Rainbow Dash? Still wanting to destroy the world?”

The cyan blue pegasus laughed as her rainbow mane shook. “Nah, that’s not cool. Besides how many could ever claim to be a Flight Commander of the legendary Wonderbolts? Or have a daughter that could break the Rainboom record speed? Especially if Cloudsdale fell? Plus Scootaloo needs me! Can’t let my number one fan down, right?”

Faust watched all six as a smile grew upon her face. “My children you overcame everything to get to where you are, but those records-”

Applejack took off her stetson and looked at it thoughtfully. Her words were almost sad, though they carried a gentle comfort with them. “We got another chance, when we had no hope or care in the world. Yer Majesty with all due respect shouldn’t she know the truth as well?”

The gentle farm pony looked around at all her friends before continuing. “None of us are proud of what we did, but without that fall we never woulda gotten to where we are. Ah’ recken ahm over-steppin’ my bounds but that filliy’s in the same boat.”

Twilight smiled and spoke sweetly. “Mom, you know our stories, you know our pasts. Perhaps that knowledge could strengthen Cozy Glow’s heart.”

“But-”

Twilight rose and gave her a hug. Her whisper was of a loving tone. “Mom, Starshine has a plan. Trust her, after all, she’s my daughter and your granddaughter.”

***

Faust found herself sitting at the stone table across from Cozy Glow. Pondering what it was her granddaughter had seen in this young one that she, herself had not. Hmmm. Her thoughts were interrupted by Cozy Glow’s soft voice asking her a single question. “Your majesty, I don’t mean to pry but why can Hazel change forms if she was an alicorn, such as you?”

The teal eyes of Faust stared into Cozy Glow’s with a blank expression on her muzzle for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, she spoke. “Neither Hazel nor I am an alicorn, my daughter. My sister’s form changes based on her emotions of the moment. As you can see-”

Faust closed her eyes and as Cozy Glow watched, the right half of the Celestial alicorn turned red. Her right wing changed from feathers to what could only be described as demonic. As the right side of her muzzle grew fangs she opened both her eyes. One of them was a soulless black while the other remained teal with warmth. The tiny pegasus sat speechless nearly swallowing her straw in shock. “I, like my sister, am both vice-”

Within seconds her form had changed to full alicorn once more. “And virtue. However, my sister is a bit more emotional than myself and so her form truly changes in a heartbeat.”

The tiny filly looked confused. “But aren’t you the Soul of Purity?”

Faust’s words came out in a broken, hurt tone. “No, well once perhaps.”

The celestial seemed to be seeing the scene before her once more. Here words were very strange, and her tone was of love and warmth. “Back when I was much younger, I was moved to jealousy. You see I watched the beings I created get together and perform the miracle of creation, a magic I could simply cast, but it wasn’t enough. No, I wanted a chance to feel true love too! And so under the guise of a unicorn mare with light blue eyes and gray fur, plus a glorious purple and gray mane, I engaged in a whirlwind romance.-”

Cozy Glow listened in silence aside the gentle sucking of her apple juice. Faust seemed to be excited about her next thoughts. “It was AMAZING! The passion, the grace! Much to my great pleasure I soon found myself in a medical facility with a young foal, mine. Oh, she was adorable, I gave her a name I’m sure you’ve heard once or twice: Twilight Sparkle.”

The eyes of Faust sparkled with an electric shock that Cozy Glow had never witnessed in any creature. She was normally so passive but as she spoke she seemed passionately charged. “She was born with my gift of magic; I couldn’t help it! I raised her teaching her the arcane and the pure. Oh, we bonded over forbidden spells and ones of piety. Then Hazel found out and lectured me on the dangers I put the existence of that world in. And so I had to say goodbye, she told me it wasn’t fair of me to just up and leave my own biological daughter with no answers. So I didn’t. I told Twilight everything. Though I was too scared to tell her father; a stallion by the name of Night Light.”

Her fur was shifting to a lovely shade of lavender. “I never told any creature this before, even my own sister doesn’t know. I created a pony mare who matched my persona in every possible way, minus the magic, to further watch after my daughter. I told Twilight, but to this day no creature other than her knows that secret. It was dirty, it was naughty and it was exhilarating the way it made me feel-”

Faust’s eyes closed suddenly, with a pained expression as soon as she spoke those words. Her fur shifted back to white minus the blush on her muzzle from embarrassment. She had done it. She had exposed her weakness to a mortal surely cries of outrage would follow. She could hear it all now; how dare you judge us when you have flaws of your own? But wait, there were no cries of anger or even tears. Slowly, Faust opened one eye and saw the smiling face of Cozy Glow. Her words reached the celestial’s ears: “Wow your majesty, that’s amazing!”

She didn’t understand, why was the pegasus filly so excited? “My daughter, aren’t you angry?”

Cozy Glow laughed and shook her head with a smile. “That you, the Goddess of Life, got the chance to fulfill your desire of truly having your own flesh and blood daughter? That you have a sinful side, like your own creations? Why should I be mad, when my own creator gave me her trust to show me one of her hidden secrets? No, I am not mad. I’m honored, you think so much of me to show that side of you.”

The young pegasus’s eyes sparked with a light that hadn’t been there. Faust covered her muzzle with her wing and stifled a laugh of relief. She smiled at Cozy Glow, understanding now what Twilight had seen in her. She could never be a pillar, but in her eyes as Faust looked through them, was the fluid grace of Empathy. The little pegasus grinned. “Seeing that side of you, was wonderful. You were so charged, so alive. You have emotions, fears and desires like the rest of us. I feel closer to you than I’ve ever been, your majesty.”

Pausing for a moment Cozy Glow tilted her head in confusion. “Though, what’s the story with Shining Armor then, you know; Twilight’s brother?”

Faust smiled, as she began to reply, Cozy Glow could have sworn she saw a spark of magenta in the Celestial’s right eye. A blink later though and no, it was the same opaque teal it always was. Perhaps it was my imagination, the pegasus filly thought to herself. The voice of Faust was still the same warm tone, but wait, was that a hint of sauciness reaching Cozy Glow’s ears? what was going on? “I was quite the wild romantic. One night, before my daughter was born, I...shall we say flirted my way into the Princess’s chambers, with Nightlight in tow. After a couple of glasses of chardonnay, Celestia and Nightlight…”

***

As the words of Faust came forth depicting the events of that night, Cozy Glow witnessed the heart of the Goddess; her hopes, her fears, her desires and temptations. The conversation soon branched into many aspects of life; everything from why to how. The entire time Cozy Glow watched the illusion cast upon the Celestial slowly fade and show both sides of her. Her motherly warmth had been joined by her mischievous side: a balance of the piety and sin that was Faust.

***

Cozy Glow gasped in shock. “You didn’t!”

Faust laughed and wrapped her right wing, no longer an appearance of feathers but truly thestral in nature, against her muzzle in an attempt to stifle the laughter. “Oh I did! Twilight never found out I- I mean Velvet, her mom, gave Trixie the bottle of Rainbow Dye!”

Her now visibly magenta eye twinkled as she spoke and Cozy Glow laughed as she sipped on her apple juice. The two had been conversing for what seemed like hours, which had soon became days turning to months. Soon those months had passed and years whizzed by. Decades, followed by centuries and millennia, still the two sat discussing everything. After what felt like an eternity, though no time at all had actually passed. Faust, in her true form of eternal balance, gave Cozy a hug and whispered softly. “I haven’t been able to let my mane down and just enjoy a chat with my children in a long time, thank you for listening.”

As she pulled away Faust looked down at her young charge. The young pegasus was staring at her almost starry-eyed. Faust spoke in a rather soft voice. “Tell me, what of me can you see?”

The tone of the young filly was mature as if she had grown into a mare as they talked. “Colors, your majesty.”

“Colors? Do tell.”

“Your mane of burgundy has become crimson and magenta, your wings show your thestral side on your right side. Your right fore and hind hooves are ablaze but your left is a pure calico encased in gold. Your left wings are angelic with the divine grace of feathery down.”

Faust grinned, her left half gleaming with a warm grin of pearly sheen. The right half was showing her fangs. “So you can see the real me now? How wonderful. Do you understand what that means?”

Cozy Glow pondered this for a moment and shook her head. “No, your majesty, I don’t.”

The Celestial looked thoughtful for a moment and spoke in a gentle, almost teasing voice. ”I promise my spell is in place; I have not removed it. Perhaps, you just need some more clarity. I suggest the history of a simple apple farmer; though known for her honesty now, things were once very different.”

Cozy Glow must have seemed confused. “But honesty is such a basic concept, even I understand honesty, your majesty.”

Giving a slight smirk, Faust shook her head. “Oh, but it has so many layers. It can seem so basic, yet be so complex. Tell me, what is honesty to you then, if you believe you have grasped it fully.”

The little pegasus filly began to explain. “Honesty is telling the truth and the events of what has happened and not hiding anything.”

Faust nodded thoughtfully, before responding. “A very textbook answer, you have there. Did Applejack herself teach you that?”

Cozy Glow shook her head. “Twilight told me that!”

Looking dismayed, Faust sighed. “My daughter, while very intelligent, tends to use Logic rather than her heart when describing things. While you are correct Cozy, there are far more subtle and intricate nuances to honesty. Things you can’t read in a book and have to experience first hand to truly grasp-”

Pausing for just a moment, Faust grinned wildly as her eyes sparked with excitement. “On second thought, why don’t we just do that instead?”

Staring in confusion, Cozy Glow asked in a slightly nervous tone. “Do what?”

Completely ignoring the question, Faust’s horn glowed. “What in Tarnation?”

Cozy Glow blinked. Before her stood the Bearer of Honesty; Applejack herself. “Um...Fau-”

Behind Applejack, Faust vanished. Applejack raised an eyebrow at Cozy Glow before lowering her head in a sigh. “Was it Faust or Hazel?””

Cozy Glow looked stunned at first before uttering. “Faust.”

Applejack scuffed the dirt with her hoof. “Dern it; I owe Twi 50 bits now. I gotta learn ta stop questioning those predictions of hers.”

Cozy Glow stared on in silence as Applejack closed her eyes, removed her hat, and muttered something that almost sounded like. “Twi, give me strength.”

Opening her eyes and brushing her hat of some random dust, Applejack breathed deeply and narrowed her eyes in a determined focus. “Alright then Sugarcube, let’s do this. Ah know why ahm here, but before we begin, Ah have somethin’ ah need ta say!”

Cozy stared into the imposing glare as Applejack stared down at her, body trembling. She’s still mad. I owe her an apology. Alright here goes, remember what Hazel said. These thoughts coursed through her mind as the tiny pegasus opened her muzzle to speak. However, the next second, Applejacks words stole her train of thought, and she just stood there in shock: ”Ah am so so sorry, Sugarcube! What Celestia did was wrong and we fought for you but-”

As Cozy watched in disbelief, tears streamed down the apple-bucker’s face as she finished her words. “We failed.”

As she spoke, the tiny pegasus had noticed the walls and floors appearing, reminiscent of stone floors, almost like the ones in the dungeons of... Canterlot. Looking around as the scene materialized around them, Cozy Glow observed Luna with a spear in her mouth glaring at Twilight who had an unnatural rage on her face. On the far side of the room stood Celestia standing next to an unconscious Cozy Glow; a halberd made of magic at the young filly’s throat. “Wh-what’s going on?”

Applejack just stared at Cozy in confusion as the young filly blurted out her words. Sighing, the farm pony began to wish she had some apple whiskey. “Listen Cozy; I’m trying to tell you something.”

Cozy Glow stood there, silently for a moment before responding. “I-Im sorry Applejack, please-”

Once more Cozy Glow looked at the scene which had seemed to progress as Applejack spoke. Wait, Cozy thought to herself. Can she not see it? “Continue.”

Now in silence, Cozy Glow watched the scene as it played out.

***

“Stand down all of you!”

Luna angrily spat these words at Twilight and her 5 friends as they stood in the archway to the prison chambers. Behind the six lay countless unconscious soldiers, still under the sleep spell that the Princess of Friendship had cast. As they lay strewn about snoozing peacefully, the six mares had simply trotted past them to observe the morbid scene. Twilight’s anger shown in her voice “This is too far! Celestia stop this at once!”

Luna began sliding backward as Twilight’s horn glowed. The voice of the Lunar Princess sounded distressed and panicked.“Celestia, do something! I can’t hold her off forever!”

Celestia stiffened, slowly she raised her head to turn and look at Twilight. Her eyes were narrowed in her own anger. As if trying to remain calm, Celestia’s voice trembled as she addressed the mares. “None of you should be here. My faithful student, friends of Twilight, please leave.”

Stamping her hoof in defiance, Twilight responded with a simple. “No, Princess.”

The audible gasp from every mare present echoed off the stone walls.

Celestia looked stunned for a moment as Luna said. “Did she just say...no...to you?”

In complete silence, Celestia’s eyes softened and her horn began to glow. Seconds later the light from her horn blasted forth, slamming the friends of Twilight and Princess Luna against the hard stone walls knocking them unconscious, or rather most of them. The sheer strength and durability gained from manual labor each day in her orchard, prevented Applejack from blacking out from the impact, like the others. Applejack lay on the floor and silently, if painfully observed what took place between the two next. Her eyes were narrowed into slits as she remained deathly still, pretending to be unconscious.

“How dare you, you celestial-”

The solar princess stood there and calmly spoke to her alicorn charge. “Relax, my faithful student.”

Twilight instinctively froze as she heard the pet name for her from Celestia. Seeing this, the white alicorn quickly seized this opportunity to attempt to calm her down. “ I promise your friends are still breathing, as is my naive little sister.”

Celestia wrapped Twilight in a warm embrace, gently wrapping her wings about the shoulders of Twilight and gingerly began nuzzling her as she continued. “Listen, Faust may have charged me with guiding your rehabilitation but you and I both know if you so wished, Equestria could be wiped from the map in a moment’s work. Neither I, nor my sister, have the power to stop you from doing anything. However,-”

Lifting her wings from her alicorn charge, Celestia trotted in front of her and used her hoof to force Twilight to look upon her face. The purple alicorn stared at her in shock. Tears of sadness coursed down the solar princess’s face as she continued explaining. Her voice had taken on a slight tremble.”This situation is out of my hooves, I beg of you, give me a chance to explain before you exact what you believe to be justice.”

Twilight responded simply with one word. “Explain.”

Celestia began to stammer. Her eyes were widened in fear, as if Twilight presented some monumental threat. The ears of the alicorn laying back made her distress quite visible to the young pegasus observer. As she spoke, Celestia seemed unable to make a coherent thought. “F-first off T-Twilight under-understand me when I-that is, I would n-never-”

The Princess of Friendship swiftly raised her hoof as if to strike Celestia, who froze as if in fear. Twilight instead gingerly wiped away the tears from the solar mare’s eyes. Looking directly into her mentor’s eyes, Twilight spoke in an almost tender yet firm voice. It was very clear which of the two alicorns was in control. “No more tears, no reason to be afraid, talk to me, tell me, why must you commit this act? Why is she being condemned in such a manner?”

Her tail still tucked between her hindlegs, Celestia began her explanation. Her tone resembling a filly telling her mom about taking a cookie without permission; guilty and embarrassed, Cozy Glow noticed. “As you know ours is a Monarchy of sorts. However, we as princesses don’t actually make the laws of our society.”

Twilight looked a bit confused though remained silent, waiting for Celestia to explain. Celestia scuffed her hoof. “Our jurisdiction in power would be more akin to diplomacy. We monitor the borders and foster relationships with nations and countries on said borders. We mainly prevent conflict between those of Equestria and the other nations.”

Twilight nodded, her tone displayed a slight curiosity to it. “Alright I can understand that, however, where do our laws come from if not you and Luna? And how does this affect the fate of Cozy Glow over there?”

As the purple alicorn gestured a feathery wing towards the prone, chained form of the unconscious Cozy Glow, Celestia continued. “Please bear with me, you see, there is a ruling council that many seem to forget about, the Parliament of Canterlot. They-”

Ruffling her wings slightly as she folded them, Twilight stared intently at Celestia, as if interested in learning more. And so Celestia continued. “Are consisted of two factions; the stallions of the House of Lords and the mares of the House of Commons. Together both halves form a council of ten ponies that make and issue the laws of our kingdom.”

Twilight seemed deep in thought and slowly pressed her hoof to her muzzle, until she let out a small gasp just a few moments later. “Ten ponies...would one be named Neighsay?”

Celestia’s response was followed by further explanation. “Yes, Neighsay is the head chair of the House of Lords and is very influential in the legislature passed in Equestria.”

Twilight looked down for a moment and once more raised her head saying to her. “Okay, so those ponies make the laws?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, I am following so far, now what does this have to do with her fate?”

Celestia’s eyes began to water once more. Her tone was one of pained acceptance. “She has been convicted of committing high treason, Twilight.”

Cozy Glow felt like someone punched her in the gut. While it was true Cozy Glow was executed, she had never known why. The little pegasus had always assumed it had been out of simple anger and rage. Never once had she considered that there had been a legitimate reason, after all she had been just a kid. Twilight looked down and scuffed her hoof. “So that’s it.”

“Two days ago, the private trial was held. Only the dignitaries and the bloodline of the Royal Family were allowed to attend. The council deliberated and it was declared that her actions of kidnapping a royal dignitary; chaining up Neighsay, staging a coupe; by incapacitating you and your friends and attempting to overthrow the royal family; declaring herself the Empress of Friendship, were acts of terrorism. And then it was revealed as she was a citizen of Canterlot and Ponyville. And so what would have been juvenile detention or reformation training (such as Starlight) for a non-citizen was then a death sentence for crimes against her own nation’s royal family.”

Twilight nodded as she voiced her thoughts. “Her age wouldn’t matter either, since treason has no limitation on age.”

As Celestia stood silently, and Cozy Glow still in disbelief observed the scene, Twilight asked another question. “However, that doesn’t explain why you are carrying out the sentence, Princess. Can you explain that for me?”

Celestia pawed at the ground with her hoof as she bashfully explained. “I didn’t want the innocent ponies and other residents of our kingdom to have to bear the weight of taking a child from this life-”

She was cut off by Twilight speaking once more, as the purple alicorn stared at the ground. “So you thought that you, being immortal would shoulder the weight easier than those with finite lifespans?”

“Yes, that’s-”

“Stupid. That’s a very stupid line of thought, Princess. You’ve never taken a life before have you, Celestia? My lovely mentor, you’ve taught me much over the years. The magic of Friendship, the truth of responsibility when given power. Now it is time for me to teach you something. Something you never should have had to learn.You’ve banished and exiled, shielded others on a battlefield but have never once drawn blood from another...have you?”

Celestia looked confused. “No, I’ve never-”

The purple alicorn continued to stare at the ground. Her voice was deadpan and soulless. “It’s the worst. At first you feel a rush. It’s exhilarating, adrenaline courses through your veins as you are hit by a slew of thoughts. Did I really do that? I’m invincible! And then the music dies. You notice the crimson stains on your hooves and you try to wash it off. Oh, how you try-”

Looking up into the eyes of the solar mare, Twilight continued. “But it never fades. No matter what you do, you see those stains. You took something that wasn’t yours to take. The excitement gone you begin to suffer anxiety. Can others see these stains? What do I do now? You try to move on. At night your dreams cause Luna to scream in terror and during the day you still see them, but no, they aren’t there anymore. Still they shout at you, and you go day to day; angry at yourself and searching for an answer where none will come…”

As her voice trailed off, Celestia tried to wrap her wings around Twilight in a hug. “Twilight I-”

“I will not allow this, Princess.”

“But the sentence-”

“Must be carried out, I know. I promised Mom I would never again take a life in cold blood, but this isn’t for my sake. You are still pure, Luna still innocent. To protect those I care about from carrying a sin that was never theirs to bear-”

Her words faded and the horn on her head began to glow, causing Celestia to grow alarmed. "Twilight what are you-”

Moments later in a flash of light, Cozy Glow watched as her head fell beside her chained body. It was over in a flash, though it had been done with such speed that it was only moments later that the gray stone wall behind the now deceased filly took on a crimson shade. Twilight looked down at the body and said softly. “Forgive me, Cozy Glow, may you traverse your nightmare to once more walk in the sunshine.”

As she turned away and began to trot towards Applejack and the girls, ignoring Celestia’s shocked face, Twilight whispered something else. “I’ll be waiting, Cozy Glow, for your return to my school.”

***

The scene faded away as Cozy Glow thought about what she had seen. Applejack had finished talking and stood there in the awkward silence as several minutes passed. After fiddling with her cherished stetson for a moment she tried to speak to Cozy Glow. “Sugarcube...are you alright? I know this is a lot to take in at once and-”

“It was my fault.”

Applejack looked up, a startled expression on her face as Cozy Glow continued, speaking out loud and to no one in particular. “I always thought it wasn’t. I would blame others. No, it was their fault, not mine...or so I told myself. I can’t believe I have been so delusional this entire time! It was MY actions that caused my downfall. MY actions forced the hooves of Twilight and Celestia to take my life, something they never would have done willingly. MY actions led me to Tartarus, no one elses.”

As the family-oriented farmpony observed this display, Applejack couldn’t help but feel a smidgeon of pride towards Cozy Glow. Surely, this was not the same arrogant and stuck-up would-be conqueror of Equestria, she had known all those years ago? She smiled and placed her hat back on her head and nodded. Something was different. It’s almost as if she’s grown with maturity. As AJ thought about this Cozy Glow called out suddenly. “Faust! I understand! Honesty is more than just knowing the facts. Facts mean nothing if you tell yourself they don’t matter. When you deny what is or was with justifications, Honesty fades into obscurity and you just hurt more and more as time continues on!"

“Aw Sugarcube, Ahm so proud of you. Honesty is a hard lesson ta learn fer some.”

As Applejack spoke these words, Cozy Glow observed something strange. It was still Applejack, sure enough, but she wasn’t just the farm pony of family values and honesty. No, what Cozy saw was that side of her and her other side as well; the dark-half that she kept at bay. Cozy Glow could see it all, the full picture of exactly what made Applejack; her convictions and her doubts. Her vice and virtue. Startled, Cozy Glow gasped in surprise. What’s going on? As she had these thoughts, the sounds of hoofsteps could be heard approaching steadily from behind her.

Chapter 26- The Conviction To Make Amends Part 1

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Turning towards the sound, Cozy Glow looked a bit shocked. Her eyes beheld a majestic scene. To the left roared the fires of Tartarus and among them stood Hazel with a sinister fang-laden smile, waving at her. Looking to her left, Cozy Glow witness Faust standing amongst the void of warmth that was her realm. She also appeared to be smiling, only her smile was filled with kindness. It was then that Cozy noticed her. Standing there in between the two realms, right there on the dividing split stood Starshine; her alicorn half stretching into Faust’s realm while her thestral half encroached on Hazel’s territory. “P-Princess Starshine?”

Nodding sagely, the Princess of Redemption spoke in a deliberate slow, yet warm manner. “You’ve come so far, Cozy Glow. You’ve learned of your treasure heroines and their roles-”

As she spoke, she gestured to the fiery depths of Tartarus, where a window appeared. In it, Cozy Glow observed scenes depicting her observing the pasts of Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity. Lowering her thestral infused wing, Starhine gestured to the Void of the Otherside with a feathery wing; her alicorn half. “Though the tales of their exploits taught you much, you taught yourself something as well; to accept what is or rather was.”

As she spoke a scene of Cozy Glow accepting the truth behind her own demise, danced before the young pegasus’s eyes. The wing of the Princess folded in as the images faded. “And so you have witnessed both sides of the conflict. What was, and accepting it for what it was. Unfiltered and-”

The eyes of Starshine sparkled; one magenta, the other teal. “Unchanged.”

Cozy Glow couldn’t explain what happened next. She wanted to respond and even gave everything she could possibly will to do so. Strangely however, the young filly found it quite impossible to do so; a seemingly immeasurable power was pressing down on her as the princess stood there, smiling. What’s going on, why can’t I- Cozy Glow’s thoughts were interrupted by Starshine who stated gently. “Relax, you will have your chance to speak. To speak, one must understand, but to understand; one must first listen.”

Cozy Glow stood frozen in place, unable to even twitch. Internally she had been panicking. That is until Starshine’s soothing voice confirmed and soothed her fears in a strange, yet comforting way. The Princess wanted her to listen and was making sure it would happen. She isn’t even using her magic; it’s like her sheer presence is forcing my obedience. “You see, listening is paramount, and your soul has told me much throughout your lessons.”

Standing stock-still, Cozy Glow found herself in the grip of a strange sensation; morbid curiosity. Though she knew she could be scared, she was in awe and curious as to Starshine’s intentions for her.

Cozy Glow didn’t have to wait long. Glancing at Applejack who had given a courtesy bow to Starshine, almost as if out of instinct, Starshine spoke in her never-raising or lowering tone. “Applejack, I appreciate you helping in this cause. It is time however, for you to return home.”

Almost effortlessly, Applejack stood up and nodded. “As ya say yer majesty.”
Cozy Glow was nonplussed. Why was it AJ could freely move whereas she could not? As Applejack vanished from sight, Starshine smiled warmly down at Cozy Glow. “That would be because she has accepted her past, and has pushed forward with the lessons in her heart guiding her leaving her completely unhindered by doubt.”

Taking a step towards Cozy Glow, Starshine continued in a gentle yet slightly playful tone. “What was, is and always will be. But what was cannot be what will be and always will stay as is. Time is a strange creature; untameable even by the goddesses or in the case of my fiancee, the demonic entities-”

Starshine paused to giggle at her joke. “Hehehe...ahem...who control the threads of existence. Neither Faust, Hazel or even my mom, let alone myself can change time.”

Her thestral nature seemed to take precedent for the time being; she dragged a draconian wing slowly and in an unbelievably seductive demeanor. “Your heart says it all, Cozy Glow. You desire to change your past and make a bright future for yourself using your redemption. It’s admirable, truly it is. Time, however, won’t allow it. Do you understand?”

Cozy Glow was surprised as her words once more came forth. “Not at all! What’s going-”
Her voice cut out and the tiny filly found herself frozen once more. “All in due time, for now just listen, because this is quite important.”

The wings of the Redemption Princess flared wide in an almost fluidly theatrical display. “Freezing time, rewinding it to view, even creating it; all are possible. But redoing it, is simply not. For the mares you’ve observed, Time was displaced or rather transferred. In Rarity's case it was simply jump started after she died, though in a separate reality. To allow you another chance is the flick of an eyelash, but actions taken cannot be taken back, Cozy Glow. This is the sad reality of redemption. Oh and just to see how you are following-”

Starshine winked at her with her magenta infused eye. “You may talk now. What are your thoughts? Tell me.”

Cozy Glow found herself spilling all her thoughts, unable to stop herself. “I really don’t understand. If I get another chance at life then why can’t i redo what i did? If you can freeze time like Hazel and Faust, then why can’t you rewind it? What did Twilight do anyway? What’s going on why can’t I sto-”

Starshine smiled gently. “I’ve heard enough, silence now.”

Instantly, Cozy Glows muzzle shut, and she stood unable to talk. Starshine calmly began talking as her horn began to glow. “To atone for what is done, in order to continue is not a reset, Cozy. Think of it as a renaissance or more specifically a rebirth of your soul, not your life.”

As the power began to manifest on her horn Cozy Glow noticed it was an abnormal shade of magic; a pure black, no sparkles or even the shine magic usually carried. The soulless magic began trickling down from Starshine’s horn to envelope her fore hooves. Her words were calm, but her eyes were blazing a bright magenta. “As for what my mom did. Only the universe knows, for Faust and Hazel locked up the story of my mom, many eons ago. Only recently, while you did, your lessons did my mother give me the key to unlock the seal of her past. Now then young Cozy Glow-”

Starshine grinned with pure menace, though her words were warm and comforting. She raised her forehooves and brought them both crashing down onto the floor of the void they stood in. The void shook and moments later, spiderwebs of many cracks began to circulate throughout it. The cracks grew and soon the sound became nerve wracking. It had started off slowly around her point of impact but soon the floor of the void shattered. What’s going on? Cozy screamed internally as Starshine laughed and finished her thoughts. “Let’s both discover the greatest crime ever committed and how it changed the life of my mother; Princess Twilight Sparkle!”

At that moment, both were pulled downward at an increasingly strong velocity as if a vacuum were sucking them in. As they fell, Starshine stared upwards and was speechless. As she watched, the void’s floor rebuilt itself rapidly, locking them in. Something isn’t right. These were her last thoughts before she slammed into something hard and her world went black.

***

Cozy Glow whimpered as she blinked slowly. Her eyes opened completely as she sat up nursing her throbbing skull and looking around in confusion. “Ugh my head! Where are-”

In all directions as far as she could see was white and empty. Beside her lay Starshine still unconscious. Cozy Glow reach out a hoof to nudge her and froze. Her foreleg looked longer. Why is...no time for this! Her thoughts seemed scattered. Forcing herself to focus she reach out again and gently pushed on Starshine. Her form was stone cold. “She won’t wake.”

Cozy Glow stiffened. She knew that voice. Slowly she turned to look behind her to see the smiling face of Starlight. The lavender-furred unicorn was calmly sitting behind her as though she had been waiting for a while. “Guidance Counselor Glimmer?”

Starlight laughed lightly. “Indeed, though, you aren’t a filly anymore. Please call me Starlight. I’ve been waiting for you both Cozy Glow.”

“W-why are you here? What do you mean she won’t wake? Why not? What’s going on?”

Starlight put up her hooves disarmingly. “Hey, slow down. There will be time for all that later. For now, understand that she is locked in a state of infinite dispel and her fate rests in your hooves. Come with me.”

Looking at her for a moment, Cozy Glow rose to her hooves and let out a gasp. She was standing on the ground and staring Starlight in the eyes. Starlight continued smiling at the now grown pegasus’s reaction. “That’s adorable. You’ll get used to it. Now then let’s go, we’ve much ground to travel and the others are waiting.”

Cozy Glow, who had begun to follow her, froze. “Others?”

Starlight sighed, as she too stopped. “Starshine ventured here with you, to learn of Twilight’s past. But it isn’t one story. Her redemption came after many encounters at the costs of millions.”

“W-what did she-”

Starlight stamped her hoof. “It is not my place to tell you. In all honesty, I have no clue why she even wants you here in the first place or why she chose me...of all ponies...to be your guide. Especially after what you did to me.”

“What I-”

Cozy Glow closed her muzzle as Starlight glared angrily at her. Placing her snarling muzzle dangerously close to Cozy’s, Starlight began to rage. “Don’t you dare think I forgot what you did, you backstabbing scum. I haven’t forgotten, nor have I forgiven you. I went through years of special council sessions with Twilight and the others just to recover from it.”

The pegasus mare’s face fell. She had forgotten, but now as she stood staring at Starlight’s angry expression, she recalled that night; when she had gone to see Starlight to claim the school.

***

“Oh Cozy Glow, thank goodness; I could really use some help carrying these.”

Starlight stood before Cozy Glow, tugging at one of the relics with her teeth. She seemed to be dragging it across the stone floor. Curious by the sight, Cozy Glow asked about it, her tone sickeningly sweet. “Why not use magic?”

Laughing wearily, Starlight explained. “Magic doesn’t work on these; they absorb and dispel magic, and I really need to get these down the stairs, Twilight said they belong in the basement...though I’m not exactly sure where.”

“Are they that heavy?”

“Not really, but physical prowess isn’t my forte, after all I’m not all that athletic like Applejack or Rainbow Dash. And they went to Tartarus with Twilight to talk to Tirek. Would you mind helping me out?”

Cozy Glow nodded. “Sure after all, Twilight assigned me to be your assistant. You can count on me!”

Hovering above the ground flapping her tiny wings, Cozy Glow picked up the same artifact that Starlight had been dragging with relative ease. So her weakness is physical. This might be easier than I thought. “We can do it, if we work together!”

After a five minute wait in the basement with five of the six, Cozy Glow watched Starlight stagger in dragging the last artifact. She was completely worn out and breathing heavily. Cozy Glow had been investigating the basement and stumbled across a set of strange notches forming a circular pattern. The notches looked to be the perfect size for the six artifacts. As she waited, she pondered her last letter to Tirek and how it stated to eliminate all seven if she was to succeed. Just wait for an opportune moment huh? This is almost too easy. “Vice Principal Glimmer! Over here!”

Trotting towards her and breathing heavily, Starlight inspected the notches. Smiling, Starlight nodded. “Good job Cozy, let’s get these in place.”

Together the two took 10 minutes to slide the artifacts into the notches Cozy Glow had discovered. Starlight wiped the sweat from her brow and gave a heavy sigh. With a warm hug she thanked Cozy Glow profusely for her help. “Thank you so much! Twilight was right, you really are a helpful filly.”

With that she turned to leave. “Alright let’s get back to the school; you need to hit the bed. That took far longer than I expected.”

“Wait! Miss Glimmer! What are these?”

Turning, Starlight looked where Cozy was pointing. Strange symbols were carved into the areas between the artifacts. “Oh, those look like runes! It’s been a while, so my translating skills may be rusty but let’s see if I can read them."

As she trotted towards the circle to read the runes, Starlight stood directly in front of Cozy Glow. Leaning down she began to read them as Cozy hovered behind her. “Magic within will be dest-”

It was at that moment Cozy Glow shoved her forward. Sprawling on the stone floor Starlight angrily rose and attempted to move only to find her body being wracked with pain. Out of instinct, Starlight cast a bubble shield around herself. This immediately proved to be a mistake as she felt the shield began to fail no matter how much magic she applied to it.

“ARRRGH, Cozy Glow why would you-”

“Stupid unicorn. It says “Magic within will be destroyed, including that which carries magic!”

Starlights eyes went wide as she realized what was going on. Cozy Glow laughed maliciously. “You better keep that shield up or you will find yourself drained of all life. You fool! Now with you out of the way, I can use these artifacts to drain all magic in Equestria!”

***

As these memories flashed through her mind, Cozy Glow trembled before Starlight. “Starlight I-”

Starlight lowered her muzzle to the ground. Her voice deadpan and soulless as she scuffed at the ground. “You used me. You abused me in a way no other pony ever could. Magic makes me special, magic is a unicorn’s gift. And You used mine against me.”

Cozy Glow, remembering what she had learned, reach out to give her a hug and apologize. “I am so-”

Starlight knocked her hooves away in disgust. Tears visibly welled in her eyes as she continued as if she had heard nothing. “I was in therapy for years. More than once Twilight and Trixie broke the noose I hung from. I wasn’t allowed to live alone after that. I was actually assigned Trixie as a bodyguard by Twilight. And now here you are; acting all friendly. Like none of it ever happened.”

Cozy Glow took on a hurt expression as she tried once more to hug Starlight. “I’ve changed. I-”

Starlight’s tone grew more aggressive as she shoved Cozy Glow to the ground. “You don’t get it, do you? YOU USED MY MAGIC AGAINST ME!”

The unicorn’s outburst was followed by tears streaming down her face. Slamming her left forehoof on the ground she continued to yell. “HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT YOU DAMNED PEGASUS? WHAT WOULD YOU THINK IF I RIPPED YOUR WINGS OFF AND USED THEM TO DROP YOU OFF CLOUDSDALE?”

Laying there defenselessly, Cozy Glow could only stammer out an apology, her voice breaking with fear. “I’m sorry-”

The jaded unicorn glared angrily down at Cozy Glow and looked ready to destroy her. She was about to smash Cozy Glow’s outstretched wing when she stopped just centimeters from it. Sighing, she took a deep breath and in a soft voice replied. “Stow it. Your apology means nothing. You not only violated my trust that night Cozy Glow. You violated me using my own magic. And for that, I’ll never forgive you. If I had my way, you would eternally burn for what you did. However, it isn’t up to me. Now get up, let’s go, and not another word. They are waiting.”

Struggling to her hooves, Cozy Glow galloped to catch up to Starlight who had started off once more in anger. As she caught up with her, Cozy Glow saw it. Starlight was aglow with rage and...Sorrow. Cozy Glow saw her anger was immense but her depression was greater. What did I do? I need to do something. Anything. “Starlight-”

Starlight’s voice was sudden and cut Cozy Glow off. “Don’t talk to me.”

Undeterred, Cozy Glow tried again.“Starlight I-”

Stopping but still with her back to Cozy Glow, her voice was tinged with heavy annoyance.”I just said DO NOT TALK to me.”

Cozy Glow’s voice took on a pleading tone. “Please listen to-”

Starshine couldn’t stand it anymore. Swinging around to come face to face with Cozy Glow, she angrily roared at her. The hot breath inches from Cozy’s muzzle. “DO YOU WANT ME TO HURT YOU?”

Her eyes shining brightly, Cozy Glow exclaimed. “Yes!”

Starshine continued as though she hadn’t heard her. It took her a moment to realize what the now-mare form of Cozy Glow had just said. “No, well just shut- wait...did you say yes?”

The pegasus mare nodded fervently. “Yes, Starlight. Hit me, with all your strength. Magic or physical I’ll take it.”

The muzzle of Starlight took on a cringed expression as though she couldn’t believe what she had heard. “You’re joking.”

“No, please do it. If it helps you feel better, if it helps heals your wounds. Please, I am so ashamed of what I-”

Starshine’s expression hardened. Her tone was sharp and her glare pronounced. “You think that will fix everything? Just make it all sunshine and rainbows between us?”

Stamping her hoof determinedly, Cozy Glow stood her ground and spoke in a firm tone. “No, I don’t. I just want you to understand how much I regret what I did. I was a stupid filly. I can’t change the past, but I can show you my conviction to be your friend in the future!”

Starlight froze for a moment before looking down. “You’ve said that before: "Oh Starlight let’s be friends. Trust me."

"Sound familiar?”

“I am being-”

The corners of Starlight’s muzzle began to twitch as she muttered. “Sure you are. Being one hundred percent truthful, absolutely. After all-”

Staring into the eyes of Cozy Glow, the lilac unicorn’s eyes began to twitch. “You wouldn’t manipulate me...right?”

The pegasus just stood there and kept her wings folded. She didn’t say a word. After all, she wasn’t sure exactly what she could say. And so she kept her muzzle shut and returned the gaze.

Starlight turned her head and sighed heavily. “Alright then. Twilight said we should have faith in others. Fine. I’ll trust you are being truthful and will give you a chance to be friends again.”

Opening her mouth to speak, Cozy Glow sounded relieved.“Really that’s-”

Interrupting, Starlight’s head whipped around and her horn was glowing brightly. “Here’s your chance, Cozy Glow, SHOW ME YOUR CONVICTION!”

Chapter 27- The Conviction To Make Amends Part 2

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Cozy Glow froze as Starlight eyed her expectantly. “Tell me, still planning on experiencing my rage?”

The light peach-furred pegasus mare stayed still as a statue. She knew the magic building up on Starlight’s horn would hurt, probably more than any other pain she had ever faced. Yet she didn’t care or indicate any intention of moving. From her lips came just two words. “Do it.”

Starlight held nothing back. For the past 25 years, she had kept her emotions bottled up. Refusing to let her friends or romantic interests see her breaking. It had eaten away at her mind this entire time. She had wanted to lash out, to bury everyone around her six feet beneath the loamy soil of Sweet Apple Acres. But no, she had stewed with the rage instead. And now, she held nothing back. “ARRRRRRGH!”

The feathery wings of the pegasus erupted in flames, still she stayed stock still. Her wings remained folded though the pain was immense. “YOU THINK YOU’RE BETTER THAN ME?!”

The hooves of Starlight came down again and again. “YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME!

CRACK

The sounds of Cozy Glow’s bones snapping could be heard as crimson slowly began to drip down her muzzle. “I DESTROYED THE WORLD! I DEMOLISHED THE LIVES OF THOSE CLOSEST TO ME!

SNAP

The pain was immense, and still Cozy Glow stayed calm. More magical shots slammed into Cozy Glow with tremendous force, though she also managed to notice quite a few missed her as well. Cozy Glow took it with a warm smile. It hurt her, but not as much as the pain written on Starlight’s face.

CRUNCH

Starlight screamed in absolute anguish. “MY MAGIC WAS EVERYTHING TO ME! AND YOU USED IT AGAINST ME! IT WAS, IT WAS-”

Cozy Glow’s legs began to buckle from the impact. The cherished pupil of Twilight’s face changed from one of rage to one of despair; her ears lay back along her skull, and her eyes were shut tightly. Tears began to stream down her face. “It-It was-”

Saying nothing, the pegasus mare just smiled sadly. She could see it. The real Starlight emerging. “It was all I had. I had nothing else; I was abandoned, I was shattered...I started my own path, having no one to guide me. And I found a purpose. But then she showed up; the perfect princess of friendship. I lost everything against Twilight and the girls...and then I took her hoof.”

The voice of the lilac unicorn sounded hollow as if she had been going over it non-stop for the longest time. She half-heartedly stepped on Cozy Glow’s hoof, and the pegasus barely felt it as she watched the shift in Starlight’s mood. The unicorn’s eyes were wide and completely bloodshot. “She told me she understood. But how could she, I hear you asking? How indeed?”

Her tone altered in pitch while she spoke. Lowering and raising at random. Starlight had a crazed look in her eyes as she turned her head, this way and that. As she ranted hysterically, Cozy Glow watched as the crimson dripping from her jaw hit the floor of the empty void and vanished. Still Starlight continued in a deranged fashion. “After I had agreed to try her way of friendship, she took me aside and produced five scrolls. On those scrolls she had detailed each and every thing that would happen to her friends regarding me. Each was about a specific friend. It told of me stealing their cutimarks, though not how. Me capturing them, double diamonds betrayal of them...Everything was written down. The details were absent and when I asked about it…”

Stamping her hoof, Starlight laughed derisively. “She explained about while she knew what and she never knew how. She had shared these details with her friends before they ever reached my town.”

Whirling around Starlight stared mere inches from Cozy’s broken muzzle, into the pegasus’s eyes. “They had known, you know. They had known exactly what awaited them in my town. Yet they trotted in and just let it happen. Oh, I asked ‘em why and each one had the same response. “It’s not our place to manipulate your actions to open your eyes.”
But you! You are a special kind of pony, aren’t you?”

Cozy Glow froze as Starlight’s crazed expression filled her vision. She wasn’t sure what to do, though she noticed her breathing had gotten easier and she could feel her wings again. She attempted to speak. “I-”

“SHUT UP YOU! What was so bad about making me shield to give you a safety from my magic. Why am I so hurt by your betrayal...Oh, I’ll tell you why. You created a feedback loop of my own magic! Using my shield, you drew all magic to it, like a magnet; forcing me to disrupt and dispel it! But you know...that wasn’t so bad as it was clever and frankly I admire that use of cunning. No-”

Starlight smacked her with her hoof on the muzzle. “What really gets me...Is I knew you would. Just like before, her majesty, gave myself and the other five scrolls...each detailed what scummy things we could expect from...YOU.”
Stamping and snorting wildly, Starlight seemed lost in her monologue tirade. “You...You did this!”

Her horn began to glow once more and, as Cozy closed her eyes to endure another barrage, a slight popping sound was heard. Moments later, still eyes closed, Cozy heard the flutter of... Parchment? What? Cozy Glow slowly opened her eyes and was stunned to see a piece of parchment in front of her. “What is-”

“SHUT UP and read it, YOU Hazel spawn!”

Alright, I guess I asked for that one. Looking down, Cozy Glow’s eyes went wide in shock. She wasn’t kidding. It’s all here. My betrayal, trapping them in Tartarus, sealing Starlight. Even using her as a dispel against Equestria. Clearing her throat, which was strangely no longer crushed, Cozy Glow began to read out loud:

Starlight, in exactly 16 days a young pegasus filly named Cozy Glow will attempt treason. She will capture you and trap us in Tartarus. She has plans to use you to create a feedback loop using your own power against you. However, I have no idea how she plans to do this. Be on your guard. -Love, Twilight.

“She knew. We all knew. We just hoped like many other dissenters you would make the right choice. YOU...I...I knew what you would do...I KNEW! It’s your...no...No...It’s my...You Worthless...No...No, it wasn’t your..I was so...arrogant. Forgive...me. I couldn't save you.”

Cozy Glow looked up to Starlight glaring at her as tears streamed down the unicorn’s face. That’s when the pegasus mare understood. It wasn’t her Starlight was mad at. She isn’t getting revenge; she’s lashing out, she’s venting. She blames herself. She needed this meet-up to grant her closure. “Oh Applejack, Dah-ling, you were right, there they are! Yoo-hoo! Starlight Dah-ling!”

Whirling around Cozy Glow saw the five pillars of harmony standing there, grinning. However, there was something strange about their appearance. Applejack wore a holster on her left foreleg and a bandana around her neck. Rarity was wearing full on black leather, torn and stained crimson with splatter. Pinkie had on what looked like engineering goggle and had some strange devices in a saddlebag. Meanwhile, Fluttershy had a few cuts and scars scattered across her body, while Rainbow Dash wore camouflage and a sniper rifle. Aren’t those the outfits from their past lives?

“Looks like our little Sugarcube did a fair number on Cozy, there. Fluttershy, take care of those tears on her face, woulda?”

Before anypony present could so much as blink, Fluttershy had Starlight in a warm hug, causing the unicorn to stop crying in shock. “Hush now, you know better than to attack others. You and I are going to have a long DISCUSSION about your behavior, missy!”

Cozy Glow watched in stunned disbelief as Starlight stood still and lowered her muzzle to the ground as Fluttershy connected a collar and leash to the unicorn. Not knowing what was going on, Cozy Glow spoke up, defending Starlight’s reaction. “She wasn’t doing anything wrong! It’s not like she killed me! Look, it didn't even hurt me!”

Laughing as she and Rainbow shared a glance between them, Applejack nodded. “Yer right she didn’t, not that she could while here anyway."

“How...Why is Fluttershy angry? Why am I here? Am I still dead? What's going on? Why are you wearing the outfits from your past?”

“Hmm...how to answer that...Pinkie what’s yer take?”

Pinkie Pie had appeared to be talking to herself off to the side. Now however, she passed a strange flat and beeping device to show Applejack something. “We got the go ahead, AJ, Twilight says to tell her everything. Oh and also don’t bother her; she needs to and I quote ‘teach that spoiled child of mine a lesson in the dangerous reality of abusing magic.’”

Fluttershy flinched at those words and Rarity and Rainbow looked at AJ. Rainbow Dash’s sadness was apparent in her voice. “She hasn’t forgiven herself, yet, has she?”

Sighing, Applejack pulled forth her cherished revolver and stared at it for a moment, before holstering it once more. “Nah, she hasn’t. We just have to continue supporting her. Maybe one day.”

Smiling at Cozy Glow, Applejack continued. “Perhaps even sooner now. Rainbow how are her wounds, can she fly?”

Rainbow Dash had been examining Cozy Glow’s wings. “Not yet, they haven’t mended yet. I’d say five more minutes.”

As the girls sat to wait for Cozy’s wings to mend, Rarity whispered to Applejack. “Do you know why Twilight is so interested in Cozy Glow?”

Nodding slightly to where only Rarity could see. AJ responded. “She feels she’s the key to letting go, Rar.”

Together the two sat watching a very embarrassed Starlight be forced by Fluttershy, to explain the collar and leash to Cozy Glow; the pegasus listening and trying not to grin. AJ fiddled with her stetson as Rarity spoke, her critical eyes surprisingly soft."We can only hope, Dah-ling."

Placing her hat back on her head, Applejack nodded. “Time will tell.”

***

Starshine lay on her side, trying to understand her situation. An hour ago, Cozy Glow and Starshine crashed through the ceiling of a strange void after she had broken the seal. Alright, that’s why my muscles ache, but why can’t I move or even open my eyes?

Starshine had listened as Cozy Glow and Starlight went off and so now she lay unable to make her own body respond to her will. Her ears picked up the sound of heavy hoofsteps approaching. “I see you don’t listen very well, daughter of mine.”

Chapter 28- The Wisdom Of Disaster Part 1

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“I see you didn’t listen, daughter of mine.”
The words were gentle though the authority they carried could be mistaken for none other. It was the Princess of Friendship long considered the Queen of Harmony, Twilight Sparkle, and she sounded disappointed. “I told you not to enter with her.”

After a drawn-out sigh from above her, Starshine felt a strange warm feeling enter her, and spread throughout her frame. She carefully attempted to move her hoof, and found it flexed quite easily. Her eyes popped open as she shakily stood up. “It’s alright, mama’s got you, take it easy; Dispel Zones can be rather nasty to magic users.”

Starshine found herself gazing into her mother’s face, while the latter held her steady with ease. “M-Mom?”

Her mother’s voice was gentle yet slightly admonishing. “Starry just relax, your magic was drained. We can talk after you recover. Here have some apple cobbler; Apple Jack’s daughter, Apple Pie is quite the cook, like her mom.”

As Starshine took a bite of the newly materialized piece of cobbler on a plate, her mom softly laid her hoof on her daughter’s shoulder as she sat beside her. “Starshine, you carry a heavy burden. Not many others can make the bold claim of having the blood of the heavens flowing through them.”

Her daughter’s chewing slowed as Twilight continued, gently booping Starshine on the nose. “That does not mean however, that you should be in such a hurry to unleash that side of you. Just because you have a dominant will, doesn’t mean you should force it on others. Redemption is earned, never given free, my daughter.”

Starshine stopped chewing and frowned. “I’m not a filly anymore, mom!”

Twilight let the abrupt tone of the young adolescent princess pass by the wayside, as she still smiling replied in her maddeningly patient way. “Then why do you insist on acting like one, Starry.”

Starshine scuffed a hoof and muttered. “I don’t, stop lecturing me.”

Twilight sat thinking for a moment as she calmly pulled her daughter in for a hug with her feathery alicorn wings. Her words carried a surprisingly amount of non-judgement, as though she could understand the situation. “You are a mare of a celestial heritage. Young and headstrong with an unlimited supply of magical aptitude. I get it; you want to flaunt your abilities, hone them and even show off your mastery-”

Angrily, Starshine shoved her mom off her, shirking from the embrace. “I’ve been doing just fine without your advice.”

Twilight gave a dry chuckle. “Oh yes, you’ve done quite amazing. Brought the souls in Tartarus closure to their stories-”

Starshine interrupted. “See? I’m doing just fine and don’t need-”

Her mom ignored the interruption and continued her thoughts. “Awoken your abilities through sin by laying with thestrals against Faust’s expressed wishes. Scarred Tirek, Sombra and Chrysalis in sadistic, even if well-meant ways. And willingly abused a young filly’s soul manipulating the now-mare to follow YOUR ideals for her true path. You’ve done quite well...haven’t you?”

“I-”

Twilight’s horn began to glow and a window hole in the space before Starshine’s eyes. “You’ve done remarkable as far as reaching your goal goes, tell me though, what about them?”

In the space the images of Chrysalis, Sombra and Tirek appeared. Starshine’s arrogant smirk vanished as her eyes beheld a grim scene. All three were crying and drinking home-stilled cider while discussing their choices in life. “W-what happened? They were so happy when I left them.”

Twilight swiftly grabbed her daughter in a hugging embrace once more. Turning her to look Twilight in the eyes, Twilight’s words were chilling in the ears of Starshine. “What happened is you gave an earthpony an apple, but never taught them how to grow an orchard.”

Her words were cold, though her tone was gentle. The old expression amongst the ponies resonated within her daughter's ears. As she lay them back and trembled, Twilight continued. “You gave them a momentary relief from their pain Starshine, but didn’t give them the tools to further succeed. All because you decided to use your magic to control and solve their issues.”

“Why does it matter?”

Twilight nodded. “Indeed. Why does it matter?”

Stunned by her mother’s words, Starshine just stayed silent as Twilight continued. The voice of the Queen of Harmony was calm yet carried a curiously playful tone. “You solved the issue. The how and why shouldn’t matter as long as you accomplished the goal. After all, your part in the situation is over with, you do have a point. But you are not the first to make that point, my daughter. Countless eons ago, a Harbinger of Chaos made that same conclusion.”

Starshine stared in awe as without so much as a glowing horn, her mother used her magic to dissolve and rebuild their surroundings. Starshine stared in amazement as brick by brick, a quaint village of ponies was built before her eyes. “Welcome to the First Equestria, Starshine. Tell me, do you see the little unicorn over there, with her mother?”

Breathing in sharply, Starshine observed none other than a young Twilight Sparkle having just got her cutie mark. She was talking to what looked like none other than Twilight Velvet, her mom, as the two began to laugh at what was being said. “M-mom, is that you?”

Twilight ruffled her alicorn wings as she watched her own past. Her voice was soothing. “It is. That is me, unmeasurable time ago. Starshine, my daughter, I want you to observe the story, my story; my past. Only the girls have seen this side of me.”

Starshine turned back to the scene, her eyes wide with shock. The town had vanished, and now they stood in a dark stone laboratory. In the room stood a table. Starshine looked curiously at what looked like a small piece of parchment on it. Off to the side stood Twilight, who looked devoid of all hope; tears streaming down the young filly’s face. “Mom, what’s going on?”

“I had just visited a pony that was special to me, as she lay dying in a hospital bed, Starshine. Cursed with a sickness in her body that manifested plague cells, she was being eaten alive from the inside out. Still she smiled that ridiculous smile of hers.”

As Starshine stared in disbelief, the Twilight before her eyes, began to cast a spell. As it fizzled out, another was attempted. And another and another. Finally, Twilight lowered her head in defeat, before a determined look appeared on her face and she headed up the stone stairs. “Where are you going now, mom?”

“The library. Surely if my magic wasn’t enough, it was simply due to a lack of knowledge, right? That was my line of thought at the time. I had the power of the heavens and hells, themselves. Surely I could use them to save my friend. I just had to awaken my sleeping potential. That’s all it would take right? Little did I know just what result my magic would cause, and just what I would sacrifice to make my wish to save Pinkie, a reality.”

***

Cozy Glow sat on a seemingly random stone bench in the midst of a huge arena. Next to her sat Applejack. In front of them were Rainbow Dash and Rarity; only something was off about them. Rarity had a razor-edged skinning knife clenched between her teeth. Meanwhile Rainbow Dash, who had apparently set up a shooter’s nest in which stood a sniper rifle on a stand; lay staring down the barrel and aiming for Rarity. Both were stock still as if waiting for a signal. “And they can’t actually get hurt from this?”

“Don’t worry Sugarcube, it doesn’t hurt too long.”

“That’s not the point!”

Laughing, Applejack pulled her revolver from the holster. “Relax and just watch.”

Turning to the arena, Applejack’s warm southern accent was suddenly replaced by a booming sinister one. “Alright ya two, y’all know the wager! If Rainbow wins she don’t hav’ta wear that frilly dress Rar. And if Rar wins, ya have to immediately put on the dress she made ya, Rainbow and thank her. Combatants ready? And fight!”

What in Equestria is going on? Cozy Glow barely had had time to think before the revolver was fired in the air. The instant that the bullet left the barrel, Rarity began zigzagging her way toward Rainbow. Meanwhile the pegasus remained stock-still her eyes staring down the sight. “Hey AJ what’s your bet?”

Pinkie Pie who was carrying popcorn, from who knows where, sat down next to Applejack. “Ah say Rainbow this time Pinkie. Put meh down fer fifty bits.”

“Ha, Rarity never loses! I’ll take you up on that!”

Cozy Glow watched the whole scene as though it was a trainwreck occurring in slow motion. Rarity was crossing the field swiftly and had almost made it to melee range of Rainbow Dash, the latter of which hadn’t moved a muscle. The look on Dash’s face was abnormally focused. “That maybe Pinkie, but Rainbow has a gleam in her eyes Ah’ve only seen once before.”

It was over in the next instant. Cozy Glow glanced over at AJ and Pinkie before shifting her eyes back to reveal Rarity. Not moving on the arena floor amidst cheering from the spectators, Rarity had lost. “Wha-What happened!”

Pinkie laughed and produced a large screen. “Don’t worry I got you. They move rather quickly. Sometimes-”

Pressing a button on a strange black object in her hooves the word PLAY appeared on the screen. “We need to actually record and slow them down. Check it out.”

The images began to move on the strange screen as Rarity broke into a playful grin before dodging left at rather a fast speed. Rainbow’s eyes went wide with shock before narrowing and a sickening grin appeared on her muzzle. She grabbed her rifle and was in mid-turn bringing the barrel around to press the barrel square in the center of Rarity’s forehead as the latter was thrusting downwards to strike with her dagger. “Got ya.”

The shot went clear through Rarity as the trigger was depressed. “I win, this time.”

Cozy Glow’s eyes were wide with shock as everypony around her cheered and Pinkie paid fifty bits to AJ. “Are you all insane she needs help! Why would you shoot your friend?”

“Hey wait! Where are you- Rainbow stop her! Don’t let her touch Rarity!”

“On it!”

Cozy Glow had rushed down to the arena floor, where Rarity lay still, her head turned away from view. “Rarity can you hear me, are you-”

“Don’t touch her!”

Rainbow Dash frantically flew towards her as Cozy tapped Rarity on the shoulder. One second later she felt the most excruciating pain radiating down her spine while a roar echoed in her ears, before her world went completely dark.

***

“M-Mom What’s going on? Where are we?”

Starshine stared in disbelief at the windswept wasteland before her. Just a while ago, she had watched a younger Twilight learn how to use her divine magic to cure Pinkie of her illness. Now there were no trees, no rivers, and no life anywhere. Twilight took a deep breath and said softly. “This is Ponyville, Equestria. This was the result of awakening my Celestial magic. This my daughter, is my greatest shame. This was the moment I stole my friends futures and sealed their fates. You see, this is the difference between casting a spell and casting a miracle.”

Chapter 29- The Wisdom Of Disaster Part 2

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“Mom what happened? Did the spell backfire?”

Starshine was staring in horror at the scene before her. Everything was gone. Everything. Twilight’s voice was calm if not unfeeling. “No Starshine. I did not cast a spell. No, what I did was I cast a miracle.”

Her daughter ruffled her wings in confusion. “But isn’t magic, magic? I mean a spell is a spell right?”

Wrapping her wing around her daughter as the scene rewound to when Twilight stood in front of Pinkie about to cure her, Twilight explained. “It’s easy to think all magic is the same however, there are major differences between magical types.”

“Really?”

Laughing, the Ruler of Equestria continued. “Very much so. Take, for example, the magic of Equestrian equines. The Earthponies have a natural affinity to the land; they can hear the soil, and it’s requests for water. The crops they grow whisper to them, allowing them to hear what they require. The relationship between the Earthponies and the land is a magic that cannot be replicated by the Pegasi or Unicorns.”

“Oh, wow. I never thought about that.”

“Whereas the Earthponies have a kinship with the land, the Pegasi tame the beast known as weather. They can hear the mood swings of the sky. When it is sad, they gather the clouds to let it rain. When angered, the lightning is spread across the sky. The wind whispers it’s secrets to them. It’s quite fascinating to hear Rainbow explain it, however, no other race can do what they do.”

“What about the unicorns, mom?”

“Blessed with what is known as the tinker’s mind, the unicorns create new ways to live. Everything from something simple like wooden doors, to the power of illumination in the lanterns of the town at night. All were designed by the unicorns. They can see ways to use things that the others cannot. While it’s true unicorns use what Equestrians refer to as magic, it’s not really all that magical. You see, the Earthponies and the Pegasi are blessed with physical strength whereas the unicorn simply aren’t. Instead, they can move things by levitation. Or can arrive places quickly by teleportation. And that Starshine is my point.”

Her daughter thought for a moment before brightening. She understood. “They are doing what is possible just using another means to do it!”

“You got it. Well done. Now however, when it comes to miracles, that magical logic changes dramatically. A miracle-”

The scene before them began to play once more in slow motion as Twilight explained. “Is when the impossible is forced into existence. The alicorn’s gift is to hear the cry of magic itself; the harmony in Equestria. As a Celestial, the magic of the divine flows in yours and my veins. To force an impossibility disrupts the flow of Harmonic Magic.”

Her mother’s tone, while gentle seemed to indicate an ominous forthcoming. “Mom. What’s Harmonic Magic?”

Instead of a reply, Twilight gestured at the scene before them. Starshine’s ears pinned back against her neck. Her hackles standing straight up, as she stood trembling at the entire scene of what Twilight did, played out in slow motion. “Y-You didn’t! Mom tell me you didn’t!”

Her mother’s answer was uncharacteristically cold, making Starshine shiver. “Oh, I did it, Starshine. After all, all that mattered was I saved my friend. The method of which I used didn’t matter, isn’t that what you said, Starshine?”

***

“Fluttershy, how dare you? Unhand me; you ruffian!”

“You are getting a timeout, missy.”

Cozy Glow blinked. Rubbing her aching back with a hoof she shakily got up. “What happened? My entire body feels like an ant colony chewed me up and spat me out.”

An orange hoof appeared before her eyes. The familiar home-styled accent made her feel warm all over. “All right young’un, up ya go. Rarity has a habit of being a bad sport when she loses. Leave her ta Fluttershy...You an’ I have a lot to discuss Sugarcube.”

“Wait a minute Applejack! What’s going on? Why am I-”

That same orange hoof was now pressing a revolver square against her muzzle and Cozy Glow saw a dangerous glint in the normally warm Earthpony’s eyes. “Not another word. Just get up and follow. We don’t want to be here when Fluttershy talks to Rar. It ain’t gonna be pretty an’ I don’t like violence. Understood?”

Nodding and keeping her muzzle shut as she shook in fear, Cozy Glow stood up. In a flash the revolver was back in the holster, and Applejack had taken off. Glancing down as she was jerked off balance, Cozy Glow noticed a rope tied around her neck and was being dragged. “C’mon! Hurry up! I ain’t waitin’!”

Behind her Cozy Glow heard a truly sinister voice say “Oh Rarity; you’ve been such a bad sport. That’s alright, Mama will gladly teach you some manners.”

Scrambling to her feet, Cozy Glow spread her wings and took off. Catching up to AJ she cried out. “What in the name of Hazel is going on?”

Halting, AJ laughed and said. “Just another successful meeting of the Sinners of Equestria, Sugarcube.”

“But why, why do you do these things, why would you intentionally hurt each other?”

“It’s in our nature. Or rather it’s the half of our nature we do our best to move on from.”

With tears in her eyes, as Applejack undid the rope, Cozy Glow screamed. “Weren’t you redeemed?”

“We were.”

“Then why-”

“Because redemption isn’t reformation, Cozy Glow. Just 'cause we earned forgiveness fer our sins, don’t mean that half of us vanishes. Unfortunately, we currently have no path as well.”

Staring at Applejack in confusion, Cozy Glow ruffled her feathers. There was something strangely despairing about AJ’s tone. Still she had to understand. “No path? What exactly do you mean, Applejack?”

Behind the two, Rarity could be heard screaming off in the distance as Applejack responded; eyes hardened. “Many lifetimes ago, Twilight used a form of magic known as divine magic to perform what many would call a miracle. In order to save Pinkie from an unknown and rather contagious disease, Twi accidently removed us six. Cozy Glow, we currently have no fate or destiny; we can never die, but we can never actually advance in life either.”

“But the stories I read about-”

Scuffing a hoof, Applejack whispered. “Altered, th' events are true enough but the methods of our redemption were changed by Twi. Twilight’s greatest sin, Cozy Glow, was she tinkered with the books of our lives. She literally changed th' universe.”

“What? How is that-”

“It was agreed upon in advance. We trusted and still do trust her. She managed to save Pinkie, after all an' if Pinkie never got sick then she wouldn’t perish. Simple right?”

“So to save a friend, Twilight-”

“Yeah. She committed high treason against the heavens and Tartarus themselves and with our help altered the very existence of Equestria. Faust grew angry and in a unanimous decision, her and Hazel banished us, sending us to a Equestria where we could manually undo everything Twi changed. Each of our souls was branded with our only redeeming features; the Elements of Harmony. My honesty, etc. For hundreds of thousands of lifetimes, we have met here to discuss and rebuild what we have lost; every moment, every memory. The purest of intentions, paved the way for our eternal damnation.”

Chapter 30- A Truly Brutal Life Lesson

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Starshine shivered as she watched the scene shift from Pinkie being healed to Faust’s Realm. It was a room of infinite length, with hundreds of thousands of millions of books lining bookshelves cast from light. The young princess watched in absolute shock as the magic emanating from her mother had struck the Book of Pinkie Pie. The book flew off the shelf and began to tear apart as the pages changed. That’s when the ripple began; anypony or creature Pinkie had, or would meet, had their books altered as well as those that knew them. Book after book flew off the shelves and they broke apart. And amongst the chaos with truly the most chilling glare Starshine had ever seen, stood Faust; enraged. Her scream shook the very cosmos itself. “HAZEL!”

***

A swirling vortex through which stepped a sinister-looking Thestral who was not happy, appeared. “Yes sister, what is it? I am having a situation in Tartarus so this better be...”

Her words died in her throat as she looked around. Her tone dropped to an enraged whisper. “You too…”

Faust stared at Hazel in dismay. “What do you mean… ‘Me too’?”

Hazel smashed her hoof down in anger. “The books of sin in Tartarus are going crazy! The pages are getting rewritten and while I do enjoy chaos...I’m going to completely obliterate whoever ruined all my careful filing!”

“The books are...What about the inmates?”

“New ones arriving unannounced claiming to be from your realm and old ones set free. Do you know what is causing this?”

“I thought maybe it was you.”

Eyes narrowing as her form grew black with the sheen of obsidian. “No. It wasn’t me. How dare you even think I would do anything as the likes of this nonsense?”

Faust eyed her incredulously. “You can stand there and honestly say that, after you once reorganized my works of life starting with name and time deceased?”

Hazel laughed. “Fair enough.”

Her eyes narrowed in absolute rage. “This however was not my doing, dear sister.”

Faust looked confused momentarily. “Then who- oh no…”

Staring at her sister, Hazel questioned her. “What do you mean ‘oh no’? Do you know who did this sister?”

Faust spoke just one word as she pointed a hoof towards a window into Equestria. “Twilight.”
“And who in my nine circles, is Twilight?”

Faust looked down for a moment. “No...No one.”

Hazel lifted her sisters muzzle with her hoof, until the two were eye to eye. “Faust, who is Twilight?”

Faust whimpered as Hazel glared into her eyes. “Tell me. NOW.”

“My daughter!”

The Thestral looked stunned; confused even. “Your- What?”

Faust stamped her hooves in embarrassment. “Shouldn’t we focus on-”

Hazel laughed, shaking with a fit of hysterics.“ Wait a minute, hold up! My little sis gave into her temptations? Had a daughter? That’s rich! Little Miss Purity committed a celestial sin; of her own decree, no less?”

“Hazel if we could just-”

Grinning wickedly Hazel refused to let it go. “That can wait. This is far too juicy. I want details, Miss Perfection. Now, how was it? Everything you thought it would be?”

Knowing her sister would not let it go, Faust began explaining. “Well first we…”

***

“Um mom, I think your spell is broke-”

Starshine watched with widening eyes as Faust and Hazel suddenly began to move in rapid succession. As Faust bent over flank in the air, leading to the assumed demonstration of several hundred positions, many of which Starshine recognized as her having done with Hazel; several of them illegal in Equestria. Starshine heard Twilight mutter beside her. “Not what we are here for.”

Whirling through what could only have been hours of explanation later the scene, finally, once more slowed to a steady pace; Faust and Hazel were angrily standing in front of Twilight and her five friends in Ponyville. Time for all those around them had been frozen.

***

“TWILIGHT SPARKLE!”

The voice was one Starshine recognized all too well; an angry mother. Twilight looked up to find Faust looking down on her, a glare on her face. “You are in-”

As she spoke, she was interrupted by Applejack. “Beg yore pardon but who are ya and why are you yelling at Twi like that?”

Hazel looked at her in shock as the others joined in as well. “Yes Dah-ling and what is with that walking nightmare as well?”

“N-not to be rude but...That was a horrible first impression you made.”

“This is so not awesome.”

Hazel held up a hoof to decline a cupcake Pinkie decided to offer the newcomers. “You can see us? Wait, why aren’t you frozen in time? Faust...You did cast the spell right?”

“Faust? THE Faust?”

Faust looked just as confused, as she ignored the influx of ‘no ways’ from the young mares. “I don’t get it, Hazel. Why would the spell fail?”

A light went off in the Thestral’s mind. “I’ll be right back.”

And with that, Hazel vanished from sight once more. Once she was gone Starshine watched as Twilight’s friends began questioning Faust. “Are you really Faust? How do you know Twilight?”

Applejack however had quietly pulled Twilight to the side and was holding a whispered conversation. “Twi what’s goin on here?”

Twilight leaned close and whispered in AJ’s ear. “Don’t freak out, but that’s my...Well, she’s my mom, Applejack.”
Gulping from shock, Applejack blurted out in disbelief. “YOUR MOM?

Twilight face-hoofed as all her friends turned to stare at them. Just then the sky grew blood red and the ground shook. Starshine stared on in disbelief, as the ground cracked and split revealing an enraged Hazel, staring daggers into Twilight. Her voice seemed to cause the very air to explode with fury. And the worst part was, she wasn’t even shouting. “I’m going to kill you, Daughter of Faust, I’m going to rend your flesh from your bones, I’m going to-”

Starshine’s eyes went wide as time sped up once more and what could only have been several minutes of nightmarish threats and imagery passed before her eyes before stopping once more with Hazel roaring; her mane alight with the fire of Tartarus itself: “-With your own damned horn, you Cloven-hooved Serpent!”

“Hazel…”

“And after that-”

“HAZEL.”

“She Destroyed my Filing! She-”

“Sister.”

The word was barely whispered by Faust, but Starshine felt as if some incomprehensible doom had just presented itself. The soft whisper thundered throughout her mind as she stood there quaking, uncontrollably. Sweat dripped from her muzzle as she stared at the image of the past.

It was only a replication of what had occurred and yet, the fire in Faust’s eyes as the same soft smile graced Faust’s maw, terrified her. The Creator’s rage was evident, and turning to face her mom; Starshine was shocked to see the normally composed Twilight doing everything she could to stand upright as she too, quaked in fear. Faust spoke in the same warm tone as always, as she continued her words. “That is enough, big sister. I will handle this.”

The Twilight in the past was trembling and barely able to stand. The rest of her friends lay unconscious nearby; their faces twisted in fear. Faust slowly walked over to her daughter, and leaning down, gave her a hug. As Hazel behind her stood frozen in place from shock, Faust finished her thoughts turning towards the watchers, as though she could see them; her eyes lit with a fire Tartarus could never produce. “Though I’m sure you’ll have wished Hazel had disciplined you instead, when this is over, my daughter.”

***

“History repeats itself, lest we learn from it, my daughter. Watch and learn from those who came before.”

Starshine watched as Faust led Twilight away from the others; waiting for them to wake up and talked to her directly. She observed as Faust asked the young form her mother about the difference in types of magic. It was then it hit her. Wait, this seems familiar.

The Twilight from the past stood there, quaking and timid. She tried to make very familiar excuses. “It was an accident mom! I didn’t know-”

Faust nodded in agreement. “You’re right, you didn’t know it would happen.”

“Then why should I-”

Young Twilight stopped mid-sentence as her mother’s horn glowed brightly. As she watched, a skeleton appeared. The skeleton quickly filled in with organs and muscles; ligaments and marrow, veins and arteries. Soon a skin appeared on the skeleton as it crept up and wrapped around the strange display. Feathers grew upon the figure and finally with a loving kiss from Faust, the eyes of the creature opened. It was a bird. Starshine stared on in confusion as the bird hopped around, happily. What is this? Faust spoke softly. “Tell me what you see my daughter.”

“A-A bird, mom?”

Faust nodded with a slight smile on her maw. Starshine noticed a slight magenta tinge to her eyes as she cheerfully replied. “That’s right! This is a bird. A living creature, newly created, it has no knowledge of the world it has arrived in. The only thing the poor darling knows is it is hungry. Hmm, do me a favor. We’ll get back to your lesson in a moment. Be a dear and feed the little birdy for me, Twilight.”

“Feed it?”

In front of Twilight different piles of meat, berries, and seeds appeared. Her mother nodded and said. “Yes please. Pick one of these piles, feed the lovely bird.”

She looks as confused as I feel right now. Starshine watched the scene as the Twilight in the image chose some seeds. “I heard from Fluttershy birds like seeds. Here you go.”

The little bird gladly pecked at the seeds, cracking and swallowing them. It gave a happy chirp and Twilight smiled. That smile quickly vanished as she watched the tiny bird begin to twitch and cough, as though it was choking. Seconds later, the tiny bird fell over dead, unmoving and still. Faust watched the scene as her daughter began to cry. “Tell me, did you know that would happen?”

“No- I-”

Nodding, the Alicorn’s horn glowed and the corpse of the unfortunate bird vanished. “Exactly. You had the best intentions for feeding the bird. You even had everything you needed to succeed in feeding it as well. You made a choice and as a result, your choice killed the bird.”

Realization dawned in both Starshine’s and the young Twilight’s eyes as the Celestial Creator continued. “You didn’t know the bird would be unable to eat that particular seed type, yet the consequence of your choice still occurred.”

Gently nuzzling her daughter, the image of Faust spoke in a loving tone but her words sent chills down Starshine’s spine. This time the Alicorn was staring directly into her eyes, not her daughter’s. “Understand now? Mistake or not, you cast the spell, no one else. The freedom to choose does not mean the freedom to avoid the consequences of your actions. Your choice, though well intentioned was poorly thought out. Now daughter of my flesh, you will atone for what you have done.”

***

The scene faded away as Twilight stared into her daughter’s eyes. Like Faust, her words were loving, but still conveyed the seriousness of her thoughts. “Starshine, my friends and I paid a price for my use of Miracles. I was cursed, forced to rebuild the world as it had been, starting over every time it veered off track. My friends sent to other realities. They grew corrupted within Those realities. I gathered them, one by one, making them remember who they were. Still they are not as they were and never will be again. Each now possesses a side to them they never had.”

Twilight’s horn glowed as an image of her friends with Cozy Glow appeared. “I built this realm to allow them to be themselves, in this realm anything goes, and in this realm we have been rebuilding Equestria. Even now we have been at this for countless eons of time. We cannot die, we cannot live; we no longer exist on the bookcases of Life or Sin. Tell me. Was it really true that as long as Pinkie was saved, it didn’t matter the result?”

“I-I guess not.”

A new image appeared. Tirek, Sombra and Chrysalis sat drunk at a table in front of the sobbing creatures lay a revolver. Twilight’s voice seemed to take on a silky tone. “The answer is no. My choice brought pain and heartache to everypony and myself. Your mistake was nowhere near as shattering as mine was. However, if you truly are a mare, Starshine and not a filly, as you claim; you will fix your mistake.”

Starshine understood. Her eyes blazed with a deep amethyst, her mind clearer than it had been in a while. Her voice no longer carried that bratty whine, no, she spoke in a slightly deeper voice. “Mom-”

Her horn began to glow as she smiled at her mother. The illusion of her purely alicorn form faded. She proudly showed both sides of her. Her draconic wing sprouted forth, the obsidian design of her Thestral form came forward. Her other half displayed the Alicorn form; her hooves on the right took on a golden shine and her feathery wing unfolded. She stood there, hiding nothing as her magenta and amethyst eyes shined brightly. On her head rested a tarnished circular object; it shined with a dingy gold. “Thank you, I can’t believe I’ve been so foolish.I have some business I need to take care of as the Princess of Redemption.”

As the glow flashed brightly, Starshine vanished from sight. Twilight nodded, a rare, genuine smile gracing her muzzle. That stance, that conviction. She finally understands. She has finally accepted her throne. Standing there alone once more, Twilight felt something she had not felt in many eons. She felt pride as she watched Starshine appear amidst the three former villains: “Let’s work together to find a way to rebuild your lives.”

Giving a little sniffle, the Ruler of Equestria grinned. “My little filly has finally grown up.”

The Thestral With The Golden Halo

by DougtheLoremaster

Chapter 1- Starshine's Plan

Chapter 2- An Alicorn Reborn

Chapter 3- The Guantlet Is Thrown

Chapter 4- A Switch Is Flipped

Chapter 5- A Night She Would Never Forget

Chapter 6-The Alicorn She Left Behind

Chapter 7- Supporting Her When She Needs It Most

Chapter 8- Gazing Into A Nightmarish Mirror

Chapter 9 - It Was Paved With Good Intentions

Chapter 10 -When The Light Begins To Burn

Chapter 11- A Lover's Tears

Chapter 12- A Shady Meeting

Chapter 13- To Open Their Eyes

Chapter 14- Plans Brought to Light

Chapter 15-With My Last Breath

Chapter 16- Starshine's Sire

Chapter 17- Let's Play A Game

Chapter 18- What Lies Beneath Her Mask Pt. 1

Chapter 19- What Lies Beneath Her Mask Pt.2

Chapter 20- The Pain Worth Having

Chapter 21- The Final Exam

Chapter 22- Shattered Diamonds Can Still Shine Brilliantly

Chapter 23- To Break Through Arrogance

Chapter 24- Her Unlikely Supporter/ The Price Of Wrath

Chapter 25-The Layers of Honesty

Chapter 26- The Conviction To Make Amends Part 1

Chapter 27- The Conviction To Make Amends Part 2

Chapter 28- The Wisdom Of Disaster Part 1

Chapter 29- The Wisdom Of Disaster Part 2

Chapter 30- A Truly Brutal Life Lesson