This is based on the fanfiction "Forever Faithful" By Konseiga. Which can be found on fimfiction. Princess Celestia starts to write a journal, documenting the strange letters from Twilight Sparkle, who perished a month ago,
Princess Celestia starts to write a journal, documenting the strange letters that she has received from her student, Twilight Sparkle. Who died a month ago.
I, Princess Celestia of the Sun, am writing this as a place to sort out my thoughts. Privately. I will not speak to Luna or my advisors about this matter because frankly, I am having trouble believing it has even happened.
One month ago, my faithful student Twilight Sparkle perished in a storm just outside of Ponyville. There was a miscommunication with orders and scheduling in Cloudsdale with caused a large thunderstorm to pass over Ponyville at the orders of Weathermaster Misty Thunder. Whom, as of this moment, is currently in Cloudsdale prison. Awaiting trial for fraud and conspiracy against the crown.
Twilight, according to eyewitnesses and reports, was trying to save a young filly when a tree broke and came tumbling upon them. Twilight had enough time to teleport the filly to safety. Unfortunately, she didn't have enough time to think about her own safety before she was crushed.
It was awful. Her friends, from what I have heard, are still in mourning. They are going about their lives but the short time Twilight was in their lives greatly affected them. Luna seems to believe they will never recover. Especially, the element of Kindness. Fluttershy. She saw it happen.
That would traumatize even the strongest of ponies.
Luna has pushed her sadness deep within. I still have nightmares about Twilight. Sometimes I see her simply sitting in a dark void. She is always scared and confused. Desperately trying to use magic to escape. Calling out to me for help and I can do nothing but watch.
For some strange reason, I still expected to receive letters from her. Knowing fully well she is gone and dead. Buried six feet under in the graveyard of Heros in Canterlot.
Which, brings me to today.
I received a letter from Twilight Sparkle today.
I received a letter from a dead pony.
That should not be possible.
It isn't possible.
It can't be.
The fire it came in was strange. Usually, Twilight's letters came in green fire, delivered from her assistant Spike. Spike is currently living with Luna and I in the castle. He hasn't spoken to any of the Sparkles since the incident. He still believes himself to be responsible for her death. He blames himself because he wasn't there to protect her.
The fire was black. Which was very unnatural. No creature could produce black fire. No magic, unless very advanced, could produce black magic. Twilight wasn't interested in the manipulation of the natural elements of the world through magic, it could lead ponies to places too dark to explore.
The letter was simple.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
I don't know if you will receive this. I don't know where I am. I am in a void? I suppose it is a void. I don't know what else to call this actually. I am surrounded by darkness. By nothing. Quite literally nothing. There is no ground. Yet somehow, I can stand and sit. It took me a while, I assume it has been a while, it feels like it has been a while at least. But I have been able to perform a simple bit of magic. Which, if you are receiving this, is obvious. If not, then I suppose this won't matter.
It is cold. So very cold.
It was cold during the storm too. I was going home from Fluttershy's cottage. We had afternoon tea and then some crazy storm from Cloudsdale hit. I don't remember much to be honest, Princess. I remember Fluttershy and a filly screaming. A loud crack. I think I pushed somepony and then pain and nothing.
Something hit me and now I am here. I am not in pain anymore at least. If you are reading this, please know that I will find a way out of this. I am your student after all. You taught me well. I will come back to Ponyville. I miss you and my friends. I miss my family. I miss my home. I miss Equestria.
I just need to find out where here is.
Your faithful student,
-Twilight Sparkle"
This is the letter I received.
It is her hoofwriting. It is her way of writing letters. I can almost hear her voice in my mind as I read it and then reread it but no pony can come back from the dead. There is a chance one could have been thought dead and not actually be dead.
But I saw her body.
I saw her lifeless broken crushed corpse.
I used every single medical healing spell I could in Ponyville General hospital and there was nothing.
Twilight Sparkle, without a doubt, died that night.
I had more nightmares last night. This time it was her body laying on the hospital bed. Her bloodshot eyes opened and she moved her broken neck in an unnatural way to face me before saying "You failed me." Then I saw her in the void once more. She simply sat there. Looking around with a small smile as if she was watching a filly take her first steps.
There must be a spell to stop these nightmares.
Luna doesn't know about the letter. It seems foolish but I don't plan on telling her. She has enough to worry about and I am not convinced the letter came from Twilight. I have been alive for a little more than two thousand centuries. If somepony was going to communicate from the afterlife, it would have most likely been done already.
Speaking of the letter, another one came in while I was doing Solar Court today.
I may have worried the guards slightly. I almost burned the darn letter the moment I saw it. I grew slightly angry and snappy at the royal assistant when she enquired about why it came in black fire. I must apologize for that later. For frankly, I am exhausted. I have sent a small group of guards to Ponyville to check the state of the Golden Oak Library. I informed them they should search for Twilight's research materials and papers.
In reality, I am trying to see if they meet anypony there. Specifically, the pony who sent these letters. These can not be coming from Twilight. She is dead.
It worries me I must keep repeating that to myself.
The most recent letter says:
"Dear Princess Celestia,
I need to tell somepony about this. Or at least have the illusion I am because I don't know, for the first time in my life existence, how to deal with the information I have now. After I sent you the letter I practiced with my magic and the power of thoughts. I realized that if I concentrated on a clear picture of what I wanted, it would appear. I have managed to make a ball appear and levitate it with my magic. I, also, managed to get a copy of the Ponyville Gazette through rather creative thinking about mortality, if I would ever see you or Equestria again, and the hope that I can return and once again enjoy my morning's with Spike with a nice coffee and newspaper before I began any friendship report that day.
The newspaper claimed I had died in the storm I was mentioning in my last letter.
I died by getting crushed after saving a filly.
It would explain why I am so cold. Why I am alone in a void.
But, death?
I never thought death would be like this. I thought it would be brighter. Happier. I thought death would give me the answers I sought in life.
I need more time to understand this. I need proof. I will keep you updated.
I have neglected to write for two days. Why? Well, Twilight has not written a letter since my last entry. Up until this afternoon. The guards have only just returned from Ponyville, bringing with them, Twilight's notes and research. She had many books, notes and unwritten letters hidden in the basement of her Library. It seems, according to her unsent letters addressed to me, that she had started to experiment with trying to see beyond our reality. To cross into different dimensions. She had gotten this idea when she found a book inside the castle of the two sisters, detailing theoretically magic that Starswirl once worked on.
I, was once, his student before he disappeared. Going off to fight the Pony of Shadows. I briefly remember him mentioning needing to use the elements to banish whatever...that thing was...to another place. Twilight, has concluded, he was banishing it to another world.
Limbo?
Strange name.
She didn't get far before she was killed. Perhaps...
No. Twilight is dead.
The guards haven't found any evidence to suggest anyone else is sending me these letters. Maybe, if Luna and I worked together we could end this awful incident. I have neglected to inform her of what has been going on. Although by the suspicious looks she has been giving me, I assume she knows something is wrong.
Speaking of the letters. I received another one shortly after lunch. Thankfully, I was alone in my study. I didn't read it until a few moments ago. The information inside is...Disturbing to say the least.
Dear Princess Celestia,
It is truly amazing the amount of progress one can achieve when they have the basics of magic down. In my case, the basics of how my new world works.
Yes. New World.
I have come to the conclusion that it will be impossible for me to go back to my old life. As a living, breathing mare. I suppose I should explain. Any good student always explains how she came to the final answer.
I have managed to be able to mostly pop things into existence with my magic in this void. I also began to see a light. If I focused enough on it, it would grow bigger. Brighter. I could hear sounds of what I remember life to be like. Ponies laughing. Ponies talking.
But I was afraid.
Silly, isn't it?
I have been sitting in silence for...who knows how long...a month according to the newspaper maybe? And the first time I can hear the sounds of normality, I chose to not press forward. Not to find out how to rejoin the normal world.
It felt like a few hours later when I decided to retry. I decided I would simply watch the light and listen. Listen to life. I was curious to see if I could pick up on the voices of my friends or not.
First I heard Prince Blueblood arguing with Fancypants about some sort of lawsuit against Fancypant's family. Fancypants threatened him back, saying something along the lines of "I know what you did to the education system. You stole money from the crown. You know what happens to thieves."
"You killed her didn't you? You bribed that Weathermaster. What was it? A million bits? You know what happens to traitors of the Crown."
Blueblood stayed silent for another moment. I had always known him as the sort of pony who would not keep quiet, mostly when it came to his looks, which were average at best but he didn't seem to think so. Comes with fame I suppose. I wanted to see more. So desperately. So I focused on the scene that I had conjured in my mind. Soon, it began to appear. Slowly. Blurry. But soon it was a full picture.
Fancypants was in a dark corridor with Blueblood. He was smirking as Blueblood gave him a cold stare. Then Blueblood replied.
"Watch your tongue."
Why was Fancypants scared?
Fancypants gulped. He didn't look quite so sure of himself before he replied with;
"You wouldn't dare."
Blueblood simply trotted away. No boasting about his apparent victory. No useless comment about his looks. No...Nothing. It was unnatural. Fancypants didn't show his fear but it was clearly there in his eyes. He looked around for a moment before trotting away at a fast pace.
If I am to believe what Fancypants said is true, then who did the Weathermaster kill?
Was it somepony in the factory? Is that why the storm hit Ponyville?
I really wish I knew if you received these letters. I feel so alone and confused. I am worried about you, Princess. I am worried about my friends. I am worried about Fancypants. I really wish I could discuss this matter with you. I will investigate.
Your Faithful Student
-Twilight Sparkle.
I do not know if this is really Twilight spending me these letters. The conversation she described is not something she could have easily made up. Why would she lie to me? Why would anypony make up this information?
A million bits?
My next task will be to investigate Blueblood's part in the Education system.
I was a fool. I thought my nephew would have at least enough sense to care about young fouls and fillies in Canterlot who need to be taught skills to improve Equestria. To become better ponies.
I have known bits had been mysteriously missing whenever the monthly budget for each system came in. I had been planning on starting an investigation when the storm hit Ponyville. After that, I got distracted. Having to calm everypony when the main element of Harmony dies is not a useful task. Trying to convince Spike to join into society again is not working.
Perhaps Blueblood knew I was planning to look into the matter before the storm.
Spike.
I can never let him know these letters exist.
I don't think he could handle that information right now.
I started my own private investigations this morning. I couldn't exactly go around accusing Blueblood of being a traitor to the crown without evidence. No pony would believe me, even if I am the Princess of the sun, on the weak evidence that my dead faithful student told me in a letter from the afterlife. Which, I am still doubtful is actually happening.
They would think I am mad. That, if Blueblood was planning to overthrow me, he had the right idea to do so if it seemed I have been losing my sanity.
I can not allow the nobility to know what is happening. Even the good ones are corrupt. The price and influence of politics do not care about the needs of the many. Only a few. Or the one in Nobels focused on their ridiculous egos.
So like many things, I must keep them a secret.
Today, I went to visit Spike. I couldn't help but wonder if Twilight was watching me from above, or as "she" claimed, was watching me from her new home in a void of darkness. I asked him small questions, useless questions, vague questions about his former life.
Have you been to Ponyville recently?
Have you spoken to any of the other elements?
Did you want to try to connect with them?
The answers I received were 'no', 'no' and one more cold 'no.'
He doesn't say much of anything. He hasn't said more than one sentence or small quick answers to me since the funeral. He completely avoids Luna. I think he only talks to me because I was her teacher. He feels there is an obligation for him to speak to me because I made the test that made Twilight hatch Spike. He won't talk to Luna because he doesn't feel in debt to her.
Luna had enough of him around lunch. We were all sitting down to have a meal. I had to order him to come to lunch with the threat I wouldn't bring food to his room today. Harsh? Probably. But he can't go on like this. I understand the heartbreak and devastation of losing someone close but you must get over it. You must live on.
Luna asked him a question. It was obvious they were both uncomfortable with the tension in the room.
"Are you recovering well, Spike?"
He ignored her.
She let out a deep angry sigh and started to be her blunt self.
"You need to get over her. She is dead."
Spike looked up to her, knowing full well who she was talking about. His face contorted to pure fury.
"How dare you. You monster."
The last month has made him sour, rude, harsh, angry at the world and the ponies in it. I had become used to the harsh words escaping his mouth, his tone. He tried to be nice at first, to look at the world as if it was just an accident he could have prevented if he was just there. But then the news of the Weathermaster came out. He grew bitter at all pegasi. He even yelled at Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. That is when he was sent to Canterlot.
That was two days after the funeral.
Luna, who is still emotionally wounded from what she did and who she became as Nightmare Moon, quickly jumped up in unrestrained rage. She yelled and cursed at him about his behaviour. Yelling at him about the losses we suffered, yet we were still here. As immortal beings. Still having to watch everyone and everypony die away as we were forced to live on.
They argued and yelled. I couldn't sit there anymore as they talked themselves in the same arguments over and over. Eventually, it became a contest to those who lost more in their life.
At that moment, I was actually hoping for a letter from Twilight. Just to make them shut up at the sight of the black fire and letters. Just to make them stop yelling. To make the pounding in my mind dull down at least for a moment. All this stress is hurting me.
I am so sick of all this.
But a letter never came, so I silently made an excuse I had to do Solar Court. Which wasn't exactly a lie, I did. An hour from then but there were many small and big issues in Equestria ponies came to me to help them with so I started the court early.
I am now waiting as I write this for another letter.
I haven't found anything to prove these are fake letters. They aren't being sent from inside Equestria.
A letter did not come yesterday. To distract me, I went over Twilight's notes again. When Twilight was a filly, I told her that dark magic, in very small doses can be useful. But, she should not go too far down, or risk becoming obsessed with it.
She, against my orders over the years, purchased twenty illegal magic books from the black markets in Canterlot and Manhatten. How this information didn't get back to me when several guards took it upon themselves in a half-baked scheme to infiltrate the black market, is beyond me.
They found hundreds of clients before the mobs from Manhatten caught up with them. Hundreds. How, not once, did any pony pick up that Twilight Sparkle was buying dark magic books? Books filled with horror. Books that I ordered to be burned hundreds of years ago.
Twilight was a wonderful student. She, as she always wrote at the end of every single letter, as if I would forget, was a faithful student.
Yet sometimes, no...
Most times she took things too far. She researched without rest and food for days. Up until I sent her to Ponyville, she didn't socialize. She just kept reading and researching. It was actually the one subject she argued with me about before she had friends.
It seemed, her curiosity became stronger to her than my orders and warnings.
If she was still alive, she would be in deep deep trouble.
Her last entry in the three notebooks she filled up to document her progress in organized thoughts among the chaos, on the date of the storm. Listing the time, merely two hours before the storm hit Ponyville. Five minutes before Twilight left for Fluttershy's, said the following:
"I am very close. I should probably send the Princess my research about this exciting matter! I opened a portal. Although, it didn't look like it went anywhere. Simply a black cold void with pure silence. I admit I felt a shiver up my spine. I thought I would be led to other worlds and nations but this was simply nothing. I thought about going through it. But I haven't perfected the spell and calculations yet. I must wait until it is perfect."
Why would Twilight act as if she didn't know about the void during the first letter? I read that entry this morning. During Solar Court, I was distracted. I couldn't get that question out of my mind. Then, at dinner, I got the letter.
Thankfully, Luna and Spike weren't in the room with me when it came in. They had been avoiding each other to the best of their ability since yesterday's incident. Neither of them wanted to risk seeing the other. So I was alone to read the letter over my evening meal and tea.
Dear Princess Celestia
I am starting this with an apology. I am so very sorry. I am sorry I didn't write to you yesterday and I am sorry I have been spying on you.
No, spying is the wrong word. Watching is more like it.
Yesterday, I was watching the living world. I had managed to control what I saw through my thoughts and I admit I deeply miss you. I missed your insight and I just wanted to see you again. So the scene shifted to you.
I saw you in your room. It must have been morning because you were raising the sun before you turned to the rest of your bedroom. You brushed your mane, put on your jewelry and marched out of your room. Ordering guards around and telling them you were not be disturbed in your study that morning.
So, you went into your study. You grabbed documents, pictures and police reports from Cloudsdale before you sat down at your desk and began to read through them. You kept mumbling to yourself as well. Although I couldn't quite make out what you were saying.
What felt like a few hours passed. You got up and wandered the castle before you paused at one of the rooms in the castle. You gave a polite knock before-
I am sorry.
I am relaying these events to you, even though you lived through them, as proof that this is real. I know you are having doubts I am real. That this isn't some prank. I will explain that part soon. This is how I know I am scared for Spike.
Spike does not look healthy.
Forgive me for saying this, Princess. But, why does he look so dead? Dark circle eyes? Moody slow movements. Dull speech. Harsh words. Denial. Looking like he doesn't want to live. Starved.
Why isn't he in Ponyville?
Anyway, sorry again, this is probably getting annoying. You entered his room and you two sat at one of those fancy tables in the normal castle rooms in silence for a few minutes before you spoke.
"Have you been in Ponyville recently?"
"No."
You seemed like you wanted to bolt from the room but you pressed on.
"Have you spoken to any of the other elements?"
"No."
Why not? Doesn't he want their support? Don't they want his? Don't they want to be friends with him? Why isn't he at least cracking a smile?
"Do you want to try and connect with them?"
"No."
There it was again. The silence. You gulped as quietly as you could. Spike couldn't tear his eyes from the table cloth in front of you both. It was strange. It was almost like he was afraid to look up at you.
"Spike, I understand you are grieving." You started. Carefully. "I understand the need to process your loss. But, Twilight-"
"Don't say her name." He snapped in a raspy voice. Still staring at the cloth but rage filled his eyes. The first signs of any reaction from him. "Just don't.
You didn't look pleased with what he said. But you allowed it.
"She would want you to live."
"I didn't live for her."
"What I mean is live for yourself, that is what she would want. Come to lunch with Luna and I."
He looked up slightly, making eye contact with confusion for a split moment before he looked back down.
"I don't feel like it."
You were noticeably annoyed and angry now. Yet, thankfully retrained. Like a Mother who was about to scold her child. I have seen that look many times from you, Princess.
"You don't feel much of anything these days, Spike. You should. I will make this an order if you don't. I will make sure you aren't delivering lunch to your room. It will be in the royal dining room. 12:00 p.m. on the dot."
"Fine."
"I looking forward to seeing you there, Spike." You said with a small smile not quite reaching your eyes. Then you began to leave. I am not sure you heard what he said when opened the door, princess. I suppose you want to know. He said;
"No, you don't."
Before you entered the hallway and closed the door. Returning to your study to look at those reports again.
Then lunch came around. Luna and Spike fought. The whole castle probably heard them. I-
I don't want to think about that fight.
You went to the throne room to do Solar Court. The entire three hours were filled with nobles complaining about bills and their own property, ponies from Cloudsdale fighting for their jobs at the factory. Protesters shouting about shutting down the factory.
You looked very tired when you returned to your study.
You read my latest letter. You wrote in that pretty journal of yours. Entry four.
You don't think I am actually writing these letters.
Believe me, Princess. I wish I wasn't. It would mean I would still be in Ponyville. learning about the magic of friendship. Or simply nothing. Are all afterlives like this? It is so lonely.
I miss every pony so much.
Sorry, I am rambling. I feel like I am trapped in this void. Despite having everything I want at a thought's notice. Except for my friends. Except for company. Except for a purpose to be. Except for a life.
My only purpose at this moment is to find a reason to exist.
I hope you believe me now.
Your faithful student,
-Twilight Sparkle
That was far too accurate. Twilight always had a brilliant memory. But unless she was watching as she claimed, no pony else could have witnessed this.
I woke up this morning to a new letter. It came sometime in the night.
Dear Princess Celestia,
So, you know about my research? This is the part where I would apologize. But, in this case, I am apologizing for the wrong reason. I am sorry I forgot I opened the portal. You would think that me opening a portal to a black pitiful void would be something I would remember. But when a tree crushes your body (As the newspaper states) you tend to forget some key factors. For example what I was doing that morning? I couldn't remember. Something involving research. I know you have them. I saw you reading them.
Now, yes. As you probably guess I had to manipulate dark magic and element magic to open up the portal. What I don't understand is why I saw my afterlife. I still don't remember much of what happened that morning but I know I didn't think that place was my afterlife. Why did I see the afterlife? Maybe my calculations were wrong. It was in its early stages so that is most likely.
I was worried as you read them. As you read my notebooks over and over. That you would try and punish me for it. Send me to the moon or whatever.
Then, it occurred to me, you can't do anything to me.
If you could send a letter, you would have done it by now. If you could see me, you would have done it by now.
You have no control here.
I don't know why, but that makes me feel a bit better. But, as always, I am your faithful student. Despite this new fact, I will continue to update you on my progress in this new journey.
Your Faithful Student,
-Twilight Sparkle.
She is right. I don't have any control over the afterlife. I most likely will never be in the afterlife until the end of this world because Luna and I are immortal. Unless we are killed from deadly injuries or unexplained diseases, we can't die.
I thought about using her notes to open a portal. I thought maybe it would lead me to her void. But I have a feeling that is not true. I believe it only shows the user's afterlife.
I don't think I even want to attempt to see mine.
Or lack of one.
I need to continue my duties as I always have. Today, I have made a special council of financial ponies from the highest banks review Blueblood's funding and the funding of the education system. I need to send them Weathmaster Thunder's files as well. To see if she received a large sum of bits over the past few months before the storm hit Ponyville.
She most likely has. Most likely hidden within a fake account. Probably connected to Manhatten. That is where most of the fake accounts from Canterlot are made. They always suspect it will be hidden among the vast amounts the city and banks control. But the crown finds them. We always do.
It has been three days since I have written. Three days since Twilight has written me another letter. This makes me more than a little concerned considering she announced my lack of power over her new world and most likely actions.
I am starting to avoid Luna and Spike.
Which, in Luna's case is a bad idea. That is part of the reason why she became isolated because I started to avoid her because of her increasingly depressing mood. Although, back then, she had no pony on her side. This time she had much of the staff sharing her angry ranting views about Spike.
Spike couldn't care less about me avoiding him. He welcomes it. I have enough issues without him demanding I fire my staff because they are giving him strange looks. No wonder they are giving him looks, he has burned the curtains in his room more times than I care to think about.
I have started to become paranoid that I am being watched at all hours. I never liked being in the spotlight in the public, now, Twilight could be watching me at any moment on any day and I wouldn't even know it.
I got news two days ago that Weathermaster Thunder's fake account had been found in Trottingham of all places. The Million bits had been deposited into her fake account the night before the storm. Then taken out the moment she was arrested for the first charge of endangering ponies after the storm. Before her charges had been increased when they found evidence she was against the Crown.
We traced the accounts back to one of Blueblood's servants, who, then, transferred the money into an account with a fake name in Manhatten that Blueblood controlled. Blueblood started to take out small sums of the million bits to make it seem less suspicious to the banks in Canterlot that he gave away a Million bits and then just three days later he received them all back.
I have ordered all his fake and real accounts to be frozen. I had to arrest him and the servants we uncovered were involved in a rather public raid of his estate. The press and citizens were there. Since he is my nephew. I had to publicly announce at the raid, with Luna standing beside me for extra support, that Blueblood was being arrested for conspiracy against the crown, murder of Twilight Sparkle, blackmail, corruption of government, and dozens of other charges. I didn't miss how scared the Nobility looked in the crowd. Blueblood, as of yesterday, was officially stripped of his title and disowned by Luna and myself.
I am tired and I feel very weak.
The excitement of the last three days has caused me to take a half-day off today.
I must oversee the trial tomorrow of Blueblood and Weathermaster Misty Thunder. There is overwhelming evidence against them. Including the servents of Blueblood and other factory workers working during the storm. It is just a formality at this point to grant them a trial.
As I am writing this, I have received another scroll from Twilight.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I apologize for not writing for a while. I have been rather busy watching my friends in Ponyville.
Rainbow Dash continues to fly and do tricks but doesn't seem to have as much enthusiasm as before. Whenever she goes home in the evening she just cries and cries. Scootaloo tried to give her support but Rainbow Dash brushed her off.
Applejack threw herself into her work. Big Mac and Applebloom had to force her inside for meals and sleep many times. They had been trying very hard to not bring up anything about me. Granny Smith brought up the storm once while I was watching and Applejack bluntly cut her off.
Fluttershy doesn't leave her cottage. Not once. She feeds and cares for her animals as always but she is mostly just crying as she does it. Her animals have to make sure she eats and go get her supplies. They tried to get her out of the cottage but she is terrified. She continues to repeat in protest to her animals about what happened to me through crying and whimpers.
Rarity is more of a disaster. She is secretly trying to arrange with her parents, to send Sweetie Belle to live with them. They aren't too happy with the idea of course so their relationship is crumbling without Sweetie Belle even being aware. Rarity doesn't pay her sister any attention. She works in the dark of her room now. Make dress after dress. All made out of dark colours. She isn't selling any of them either, so she is becoming bankrupt.
Pinkie Pie has been trying to have those lively parties she was so well known for when I was around. But her heart wasn't quite in it. Her mane had gone flat. The usual vibrant colours of her coat and mane were dull. The other ponies had started to notice. They went to those parties just to make her feel better. But, as it seems to me, it is not working.
I wanted to help her. Their struggle was making me hurt. So without really thinking, I pressed my hoof against the scene. As if they could feel me and it would make it all better. That, despite, my death, they would all meet up again and be friends. Instead of being isolated and falling apart.
Then my hoof went through.
My hoof went into the scene. I touched the ground of Sugarcube Corner.
I managed, after a moment of shock, to fully push myself into the room. I was a little translucent. Like a ghost almost. Pinkie had always been unnatural in her abilities to bend reality so it was only natural she perked up despite her facing the wall of her bedroom.
She thought this was some bad joke. For once, she didn't like that sort of thing. She screamed and yelled and her colour went duller. After, what seemed like hours of arguing and telling her my journey she was able to accept the fact I was there.
She grew brighter and happier.
Unfortunately, I had to go back to where I came from.
This has made me hate being here even more. I am alone. Not friends. No noise.
I have an idea. An idea to bring some life into this void. It is only a theory of course. We will see what happens when I test this. I will keep you updated.
Your Faithful Student,
-Twilight Sparkle.
An idea? What idea? I might find out when she writes the next letter. I am quite interested to know. Although, I have a growing feeling of dread at the mention of this. I am not sure why.
Something tells me, Twilight should not be meddling with the living and the afterlife the way that she is.
The horror I have witnessed today is something I will never forget. Somehow, the genocide I had witnessed when the three tribs were at war, the hundreds of dead guards and servents after the battle of Nightmare Moon and myself, the murder against Nobility over the centuries isn't as awful of a scene as the one I witness today.
I got up as usual. Twilight's last letter had been pushed from my mind as I had to deal with the trial first thing in the morning. The trial lasted three hours. His and Weathermaster Thunder's defence was weak with small arguments that lead nowhere. They began arguing for the sake of arguing. Claiming everything put forward was fake.
Blueblood began yelling about conspiracies against him. The Sparkle Family was growing more and more agitated with the whole trial. Weathermaster Thunder hadn't said a single thing. She simply looked down in shame. Luna sat in the three thrones above me. Usually, the royal thrones would be occupied by myself, Princess Cadance, and Luna. Cadance had decided to support the Sparkle Family so she sat beside her boyfriend at the head of the courtroom. Spike took her place on the middle throne. My sister and Spike, according to the Nobility gossip, glared down at all those in the courtroom of the government with contempt and no sympathy.
I was elected as the judge. Since the content of the case was so large, it required the official head of state to judge the case. Which, has not happened in centuries. Not since there was a trial after Nightmare Moon's banishment. Where, in that trial, it was decided she would become a foal's tale. To avoid the citizens of Equestria overthrowing the government in fear that I would turn evil as well. Go "Mad with power" as they put it.
Blueblood started to rant about how Twilight did it to herself. It wasn't like Weathermaster Thunder could know Twilight was outside when the storm hit. But, his rant was cut off when evidence was provided by Factory records that Weathermaster Thunder had scouted Ponyville a few days before for "Informational gathering on the unique Weather system patterns around the Everfree forest." Giving her time to watch and spy on Twilight Sparkle from the sky.
Blueblood sputtered for an answer before he blurted out something he never should have said.
"Twilight Sparkle deserved what she got. She deserved to be dead for her awful-"
The very small number of Ponies that had come from Ponyville, The Sparkle Family, Luna and Spike all started yelling and cursing at Blueblood. Who yelled straight back at any pony protesting.
I almost lost all self-control when I slammed the Gavel to gain the attention of the court before I practically yelled at Blueblood for his behaviour. Which will be put in the Press all over Equestria by tomorrow thanks to the Press writing like mad as I told him what a disgrace he was.
I told him he was no nephew of mine, and I was glad he was renounced.
Do I feel awful for what I said? Absolutely. But the issues that followed are much worse than what I yelled.
A Guard ran into the court. Screaming and unable to form a proper sentence.
I flew down from the podium and managed to calm him down enough for him to tell me of a letter from Ponyville, specifically a letter from the Mayor of Ponyville. Informing the Crown that another element of Harmony was dead. The Element of Laughter.
Pinkie Pie.
Was dead.
I immediately ended court. I banged the Gavel on the podium and announced that Blueblood and Weathermaster Thunder were guilty. I sentenced Weathermaster fifty years, Blueblood was sentenced to life without parole, followed by all his assets being distributed into the City's funds.
I teleported from the courtroom into Ponyville square. Followed closely by Luna teleporting Spike and Herself to Ponyville. Spike was in shock by the news so he barely noticed where he was. We quickly found Sugarcube Corner. I immediately sent a letter to Canterlot requesting more guards as the limited enforcement in Ponyville was struggling to block the citizens around the shop.
I ordered them all to leave, to let the law deal with what had taken place. Luna added flare by using the Royal Canterlot voice. That really made them scatter. The Mayor followed the three of us silently. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were inside. Luna stopped to give them comfort as the Mayor, Spike and myself slowly went up the stairs as one of the detectives lead us to Pinkie's room.
Pinkie's body was against the back wall. There was a knife in her chest. She had a sick twisted smile with her eyes wide open staring at us. Spike tried to stop screaming in horror. I quickly used my wing to block the scene from him. The detective explained it was suicide.
Suicide.
It took me a few seconds to respond. I ordered him to keep the incident confined to the town. To not let it spread to avoid the panic that another one of the elements was dead. I noticed she was sick-looking, thin, black circle under her eyes and straight mane. Her colours were almost gray.
It was horrific. But that smile...
That smile wasn't natural.
I can't stop seeing her face.
The detective said he would inform a guard to go tell Pinkie's family. I nodded in agreement and pulled Spike into a hug as he cried. He cried more than he had since Twilight's funeral. It seemed he had just been hit full force with the fact Twilight and Pinkie were dead. They weren't coming back. He dug his claws into my fur as he screamed and yelled in grief. He eventually started to fall asleep from lack of energy and let go.
Luna came up the stairs and paused at the sight of Pinkie. She opened her mouth to say something but it quickly died so she stayed silent.
Luna and I flew home today to Canterlot. Spike was still asleep on my back when we got back. Ponies were waiting outside Solar Court for statements on the trials and the interruption. Nobility spread the news that another element was dead. They managed to understand what the guard was yelling about. It was too late.
Luna and I managed to get away before the scared and angry mod reached us. When I put Spike into his bed and got back to my room, the same familiar black fire dropped a letter to my hooves.
Dear Princess Celestia,
By now I am sure the news has spread to you that Pinkie Pie has died. You are mostly likely suspecting I am involved. You are correct. I had this idea, an idea I didn't quite know how to start when I wrote the last letter so I simply mentioned I had an idea.
What would happen if I brought Pinkie into my afterlife?
I brought this simple question up to Pinkie not long after I sent the letter. She said she would love to come to my afterlife. That life wasn't much fun anymore so why stay? We concluded that if we were to bring her into my afterlife, she would;
First: Have to come willingly.
Second: I would have to be present so that my afterlife window would be open. Allowing me to go back with Pinkie.
Your next thought, after reading this, is that I helped in Pinkie murdering herself. That I have become a murderer just by convincing her of this.
You are, again, as usual, correct.
Surprisingly, the thought of becoming a murderer doesn't really stir any negative reaction from me. When I was still alive, I used to have brief thoughts on what it would be like to murder. I had studied so many things and yet the fact that I didn't know what MURDER would be like bothered me. It bothered me as well that I even gave it a second thought.
But now, like most issues I had in the living world, it doesn't matter. It's not like you can arrest me.
The void isn't much of avoiding. Thanks to Pinkie and myself, our imagination has increased to what the void can become. I as write this, I am standing on grass. Pinkie is currently trying to recreate Equestria, more specifically Ponyville around me. She says we should bring as many ponies as we can here to have one big party.
I can't say I disagree with her idea. I would love to have as many ponies as possible. As if we were still in Equestria.
I believe you know what that means.
Your Faithful Student,
-Twilight Sparkle.
It is getting worse. So much worse. I don't know how to stop this.
Over my long life, since the invention of paper, shortly followed by creating a newspaper, I have hated the Headlines. The overdramatic titles that would catch any ponies' attention irritated me since it began. Especially when it involved the love lives of Luna and myself. Or lack of Love life as the Newspapers have taunted.
This morning I woke up to Raven holding a newspaper in her magic, the Headline was the first thing I saw.
"Another Element of Harmony is Dead. Are we doomed?"
I certainly had a sinking feeling we were. I am probably overreacting but the events of today weren't helping my lack of hope. I had to arrange a press conference. I was at the Entrance of the Castle before I even had my first cup of coffee. With flashing cameras and reporters yelling for answers to their questions.
I had to tell them it was a suicide.
I wasn't exactly lying. But I wasn't exactly telling the truth either.
The reporters and citizens sprouted conspiracy theories. Luna marched up to the podium and did what she was good at, shutting the public up. One short speech later about having some respect and morals made every pony look away in guilt.
I soon left after that. Choosing to lock myself away in the castle like a coward. I decided it was time I figured out how to make Twilight stop. I have a basic idea of how she does it. Magic. Magic must play a large part in how she can do that. Magic is how this started. Magic is what allows her to communicate with me.
I reentered my study, which has a bookcase of special books relating to the physics and theories of magic with unnatural spells. But my study was a mess. Well, it is more of a mess than usual.
Because there was a small baby dragon standing in the middle of my study, clutching the letters tightly in his claws with his back turned to me. My files and folders had been ripped open and thrown all over the room in what seemed like a frantic dash to find what he needed.
I opened my mouth to speak. I was angry, I was scared. I was scared because he was holding HER letters.
"She told me you were lying to me."
At that point, Spike turned around. Anything I was going to demand died when he glared at me with a new type of hatred.
"Why would you lie to me? Twilight isn't dead. S-She spoke to me...She told me you were lying and here is the proof."
He dropped the letters to the floor.
"Maybe I should join her. Her and Pinkie." He mumbled to himself.
"Spike, you have become delusional. Twilight is dead. She is dead."
Looking back, not the best idea. Not even a moderately alright idea. I should have been nicer. I shouldn't have dismissed it too easily. But I was running on adrenaline, anger, and fear. All those make you do stupid things.
Spike took a step forward to exit the room. I spread my wings to block his path out. I was determined to not let him leave that room until he understand why he was wrong. Why he shouldn't follow Twilight and Pinkie. He was just a baby dragon. He has so much to live for.
Then he smiled. A genuine smile. It disturbed me. I was going to ask why he was smiling when I felt a sharp pain on the side of my head and everything went to black.
When I woke up, I woke up to Luna standing above me with visible concern. She demanded to know why I was hurt. I was bleeding with a cut on the side of my head. I shook her off, saying I simply tripped, again, a dumb response. But I was more concerned as to where Spike went.
I asked her. Luna immediately took a few steps back and didn't look so sure she wanted to answer the question. She said we needed to lower the sun and raise the moon. I checked the time from the clock in my study, she was correct, as usual. So as I stumbled onto my study balcony, I asked her again.
"Spike jumped from his balcony. He is dead." She bluntly informed me. Trying to end that topic as fast as she could. She took a sharp inhale of breath before she looked back at me. I was struggling to move the Sun at this point. Her blunt answer made me nearly drop the sun.
"He told me you lied about Twilight Sparkle before his...fall."
I tried to not seem weak. Inside I wanted to scream and unleash my pent-up emotions but I can't. I just can't. Because I have to be perfect. I can't show extreme emotion. Hostile emotions. I held the sun as I slowly lowered it below the horizon.
"I did not lie about Twilight."
"So Twilight hasn't been sending you letters from the afterlife?"
So now she knows. She looked sad. Sad, not just because of Spike, but because I lied to her. I, once again, kept her out of important events. She took my silence as a yes. This is true, but I would have liked to respond verbally. She nodded as the Moon lifted into place and the sun disappeared. Our horns' magic died down. She sighed and kept her head down.
"That's what I was worried about. Always keeping secrets. One day it's going to get you killed, Tia."
"We can't die from old age, Luna."
"I didn't say you would die from it. Secrets kill even the best of us." Luna mumbled. Tears fell from her eyes so she flew into the air to avoid me seeing her in such a state. I stood on the balcony a little while longer. Unsure of what I was supposed to do next.
Then the letter appeared.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
I am sorry for hitting you earlier. But you were in the way of my plan. You, of all ponies, should know what it is like to be lonely. To be alone. You tried to stop Spike from joining us. I admit I resent you a bit for that. But I will get over that. I took a chance with what I can do. I had to try so I slammed my magic into you. I am surprised it worked, to be honest, but it left me feeling very drained. I barely managed to drag Spike back with me before I collapsed.
I am better now. A bit weak. But I must continue. I am feeling a bit impatient for more. For more friends. For more of a society. For my "life" to be normal again. I want it to be the way it was before.
Normal.
Your Faithful Student,
-Twilight Sparkle."
I will be spending the rest of the night researching.
Nothing. The closest I have come to an answer is using dark magic. Which, is what I suspected in the beginning. This isn't groundbreaking. Dark magic had some pros, other than corrupting the user, it can manipulate our reality. Much like elemental magic can, but elemental magic is rare. I suspect Twilight was only able to "experiment" with it before her death was because of her connection to the tree of harmony. That tree feeds off the unbalanced nature of the Everfree Forest and the magic of Equestria itself to become as strong as it is. It turns the magic into a positive. Dark magic, as powerful as it is, is dark for a reason.
Years and years ago I burned most of the dark books available to the wider public to avoid another pony turning corrupt. Turning into another Sombra. I had to go into the Canterlot Catacombs. Built within the mountain Canterlot was built on, to get the books that survived. The ones I hid away for future use if needed.
I checked Starswirl's journal. He investigated dark magic in one of his journals. He wrote about his apprentice, Sombra, who came from the Crystal Empire. Sombra became corrupted and obsessed with power and living forever. He used magic to manipulate reality. Starswirl refused to write down what he did.
All he said was:
"Sombra interacted with the Dead. It was unnatural. It was evil. Magic is NOT supposed to be used in this way."
Sombra has not returned since Luna and I banished him. Scientists have calculated he will return soon. Within the next decade.
This brings up a whole other set of issues I don't have time to plan out how to fix right now. This is driving me mad.
I have begun talking to myself. Again. I haven't done that since my youth but now I am reduced to talking to myself to remember I am still sane. To remember my actions matters. That I do have control. That I can stop whatever Twilight is trying to accomplish.
There. There I go again. Lying to myself.
I need to face the fact that I have failed another one of my students. That she has become a monster.
A murderer.
She has not written me a letter yet. It is late. As I am lowering the sun I am dreading that there is still time for her to-
Sonic
Rainboom.
Sonic Rainboom.
A Sonic Rainboom just shook Equestria. Those colours from the sky are disappearing as I write this. I need to order the guards to Ponyville right away. Rainbow Dash is the only pony (To my knowledge) that can cause a Sonic Rainboom. It went off far too close to the ground.
The staff are marvelling at the wonder of the magic they have witnessed.
Now, I can cross Rainbow Dash off as another victim of Twilight.
It is late afternoon, two guards were immediately sent to scout Ponyville for the source of the Rainboom as soon as I could get them to in the morning. I told them to find the offender and warn them of the disturbance they were causing. It was a weak reason to send them in the dead of night, even Luna was giving me looks that told me she was questioning my sanity.
She hasn't exactly spoken to me since Spike's death. Not that I blame her. She seems unsure of how to approach me with the information she now knows. I know she wants me to tell her everything. But I can't. Even if I wanted to. It is safer for her this way. For her to believe Twilight is communicating with me from the afterlife but not that SHE is the reason this is happening. She is directly influencing their deaths for her own need for normality.
Anyway, the guards came back. A bit shook up when they told me they found the pony who did the Rainboom. It wasn't that hard since Ponyville was woken up the moment the shook wave went through the air. Causing that loud boom. Some went out to make sure the pony was alright. There were reports saying that the ponies who lived nearby heard the sound of several loud bone-breaking snaps with mangled screaming mere seconds after the Rainboom hit.
I teleported to Ponyville with the guards. They guided me into the Ponyville Morgue where the broken body of Rainbow Dash was.
All of her body was twisted into unnatural angles. Her wings were smashed to practical pieces. Her skull was caved in from slamming face-first into the ground. It was horrific.
I stared at her body for a long time. Thoughts of Pinkie Pie, Spike and Twilight ran through my mind.
I felt cold.
Then the black flame swirled in front of me. Followed by a letter.
I unlatched the seal holding it. My heart was hammering in my head. Through my body. I was, and still am, having conflicting feelings about her.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
Rainbow Dash, forever the show-stopping pony, wanted to go out with a bang when I told her about the recent events. It didn't take her too long to agree with the plan. Like Pinkie, Like partially Spike, she was in denial.
She wanted to do one last Sonic Rainboom. So I let her. It was marvellous, wasn't it? I always loved to see one shimmer through the sky. I always had the private thought that a Sonic Rainboom was far too beautiful to exist. In the World of the Living at least. She is now flying around, helping Spike and Pinkie shape the towns around Ponyville. Although Rainbow Dash is mostly focused on making the Everfree Forest with me. She wants to have the challenge to deal with even if she is dead. The Forest is certainly granting her wish.
Now, who shall I bring into paradise next?
Your Faithful Student,
-Twilight Sparkle"
I barely heard Luna push open the door to the room. I knew she moved to stand beside me, morning the broken body on the slab of metal in front of us. She called out my name, I think. I am not sure. By that point, I started silently crying as my magic's hold on the letter fizzled out and allowed the letter to slowly fall to the ground. She flared her own magic to grab it and quickly read through the distressing letter herself.
She let out a painful strangled gasp of disbelief before her breathing quickened and she looked sharply up at me for answers. I slowly looked down at her as I couldn't stop the tears from falling down my face.
I was going to explain to her the entire situation right then and there. To tell her how I didn't know what to do anymore. How any answers I had come up with didn't seem enough. But something else came out instead. Something I have probably been pushing down since Twilight started her rampage of death.
"I hate her."
Luna didn't quite believe she heard me right based on how visibly distressed and confused she looked. So, with the truth out in the open. Still trying to wrap my mind about what I just confessed, not only to Luna, but also to myself.
"I hate Twilight. She isn't my student anymore. She isn't the pony I knew. She has become twisted into...into somepony I no longer know. Nor do I care to know who she is now. She is a killer. A serial killer. S-She killed them, Luna. Pinkie Pie, Spike, Rainbow Dash... I have no respect for ponies like that."
"Tia..."
"No, Luna. I mean this. This isn't just rage. This is a fact. Until I die, I will forever hate her. I will forever morn the ponies' lives she has taken by twisting their mindset into...into..."
Luna interrupted me before I could continue.
"How do you know their lives could have been any better if they were still alive? How do you know they wouldn't have done this even if Twilight didn't convince them? Clearly, their mental state was already fragile if she was able to convince them that this," At this point, she gestured to the body. "Was their only option."
"They were morning for their friend! Of course, their mental state was fragile. But they could have moved on!"
"If they didn't?"
I didn't respond. I needed...no...wanted to leave. Leave the cold room. Leave the body. Leave Luna's judging eyes. Watching my every movement. I teleported back to Canterlot, into the throne room, surrounded by a mod of frantic ponies demanding answers about the Rainboom. The guards were trying to push them out of the throne room but the sight of me, who probably looked like a mess, only made them demand more answers.
I used my Royal Canterlot voice to make them all be quiet. I explained to them, slowly, carefully, as vague as I could, that there was a tragic "accident" in Ponyville. An accident resulted in Rainbow Dash, the element of loyalty, slamming into the ground when she caused a sonic rainboom. Misjudging the distance between her and the ground.
The room went silent at the news. The only noise was from the guards' shifting in their armour awkwardly and the press scrambling to write notes about what I revealed in their little notebooks. I took the opportunity to order them all out. Saying that Solar Court would start in two hours before the guards ushered them all out and the doors slammed. Leaving me alone in the cold throne room.
Two days ago, before I went to bed, I cancelled everything today. All my meetings, Solar Court, those idiotic flower contests I have to judge every week of Spring and Summer, and other duties.
I woke up that morning determined to actually test my current theories. Luna and I raised the sun and lowered the moon, I informed her I was going to do some research in the Catacombs about magic. She nodded without question, probably already having a good idea as to why I was researching such a topic and trotted off after saying she would take some of my duties over today to be seen more as an official equal to mine.
I hurried into the catacombs, carrying my bags full of my notes. I read some more dark magic books, books studying the magic of the elements and the natural magic of powerful unicorns.
My experiments involved interacting with another realm. I can interact with the Star Realm, the realm that gives me the ability to watch ponies' lives to better judge how to help them, to watch their progress in life. I first attempted to enter the Death Realm in reality. The event shook the room I was in. Throwing me out of the Star Reality as I tried to control the magic, the surge of magic caused one hallway to collapse from the weakened beams unable to withstand the vibrations and the force of the mountains in which the Catacombs have been made inside.
My magic, with the combination of dark magic, became too much. It left my horn blackened, my mane burned in places when I used too much power, turning part of my mane into a fire for a few seconds. My mane has been shortened by a few inches. To my chest. It will be noticeable to the public and Luna.
I wasn't able to open any realm. All I did was damage myself. I went back to my notes, after what must have been hours, after many recalculations and frantic scribbling of nonsense, I was left with nothing.
Maybe part of me is unable to do...what I need to do because I am afraid of her. I am afraid of what she will do to me if I managed to see her. To meet with her again. Will she kill me? Will I be unable to stop her even if we do meet?
I was tired, I am still tired. But by the moment I stopped for the day, I almost got lost on the way back into Canterlot because I could barely see straight from exhaustion. I slowly lowered the sun as I walked across Canterlot Castle towards my room. I hadn't eaten all day, not that I was very hungry in the first place but lack of food hadn't helped my energy. The guards had noticed my mane and blackened horn but gave no comment. Which I am thankful for. I did not see Luna on my way back, which I am thankful for. Another small miracle. I collapsed into my bed the moment I entered my room. I was about to fall asleep when I heard a soft knocking at my door.
Raven.
It was Raven, my assistant's distinct knocking echoed in my ears.
I thought, for a moment, of just ignoring her. To just sleep. Blissful sleep was all I wanted. But I had a growing feeling of dread as her knocking became more persistent. More urgent. My growing sense of alarm would not let me relax and fall asleep. So, eventually, I moved slowly to the door and opened it.
Raven galloped in. Her usual proper mane style was dishevelled, her glasses were crooked and she held up a letter in her hooves without a word. I grabbed onto it with my magic and brought it closer. News from Ponyville.
Rarity hanged herself in her shop at noon. She left a note saying "I am happy now."
I didn't say anything. Looking back, even if I could have enough energy to speak, there is still nothing I could have said. There was nothing to be said. I couldn't teleport to Ponyville at that time of night and I didn't want to see another body. I didn't have the patience to comfort another family at their loss. I nodded to Raven and she found herself out of my room.
Philomena, my wonderful pet, flew from her perch and cuddled herself against my body as I lay in bed as a way to comfort me. In her usual manner. I cried, I used up the rest of my energy to just cry my sorrows of everything. Crying.
I didn't care if anypony saw at that moment.
I fell asleep crying last night. I woke up today to raise the sun, gathered enough energy to write this entry.
Twilight sent me a letter sometime in the night. It didn't say much. Nothing that would help me defeat her, per usual. I do not like waking up, having to read a letter about how she killed another one of her friends and doesn't seem to care she is destroying families in reality.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
Rarity is a wonderful audition! She was difficult to convince, I practically had to tear into her about all her flaws and accused her of abandoning Sweetie Belle, which is not entirely incorrect, yell at her about her failing business, before giving her the crushing blow that her sister would be better off without her and she should join her friends. Her friends would forgive her sins.
I told her she had nothing left to live for.
Again, not entirely incorrect. She practically self-destructed her own life after my death. It was silly how she handled the whole matter. So, she nodded, she agreed after an hour and a half of me yelling and yelling at her.
Of course, my throat doesn't hurt because I am dead. Rarity hanged herself and the Ponyville residences found her near noon. I watched them from my new home. I watched them as they scrambled towards Applejack and Fluttershy for an answer.
Fluttershy hid in her cottage per usual from everypony.
Applejack used foal language to anypony who dared question her friend's death, who dared even say their names. She shut herself inside her farmhouse or travelled deep within the Apple family farm to avoid them for her work.
I wonder who is next.
Your Faithful Student,
-Twilight Sparkle"
Applejack and Fluttershy are the only ones left. Somepony has died since Twilight started this. It is a new day, a new tragedy will happen sometime today. Who will be next?
I know, two entries in one day. Not wonderful. Not wonderful that another entry means another disaster. Today was no different. After I finished Entry Twelve I went to attend Solar Court as I stated at the end of the entry. Solar Court was filled with conspiracy theories, mostly surrounding the elements, some ponies even came in asking if the government was involved in their deaths.
I told them no. I told them everything was fine. A lie.
They didn't seem happy with those short responses, they asked for more. As politely as they could to an alicorn, I told them it was all just a very bad series of events. Over and over and over.
Solar Court ended around noon. I ate lunch, a little meal, I honestly wasn't that hungry despite my lack of eating last night. Luna confronted me outside the dining room. Wanting to know why my mane was shorter than usual and why my horn, which unknown to Luna had been charred black, was now red at the tip. Covering half of my horn. Mostly likely from the healing process of using dark magic. I haven't used this much dark magic in centuries in this short of a time frame.
I explained to her I was experimenting with a possible solution to the...Issue. I used vague wording because we were in a public area of the castle. With Guards guarding the hallway. I noticed their ears perked up as I said "Issue."
Luna understood why I couldn't explain more. She and I walked through the castle and into her bedroom. Luna firmly shut and locked the door to her bedroom before turning to me with a furious expression.
"You used dark magic!" She yelled. "If Mother told you once, she told you a thousand times, don't use dark magic!" She flicked one of her wings in the direction of my mane and horn. "Have you actually considered what you have now done to yourself? Dark magic made me turn into Nightmare Moon, if the same happens to you-"
"It won't." I sternly interrupted. "This is a completely different situation."
"Corruption of dark magic can happen to anypony." Luna growled. She began to pace along the circle carpet in the middle of her room like a caged...dragon. "The fact that you are willingly ignoring the warnings, the obvious signs of what can happen to the user of dark magic, and making excuses for your behaviour to concerning. No, it is beyond concerning."
By this point, I wanted to escape. I didn't need to be interrogated on trying to save our citizens. If it cost me my looks then so be it. If it cost me the high praise I had received over the centuries, I would risk it.
Without question.
I...
I lashed out. I said...some things I shouldn't have said.
"Don't you tell me what I should do, or what I should not do, Luna. I had created a maniac. A maniac who only exists in the afterlife. She had no feeling about what she is doing. If I don't stop her, there is no guarantee she won't stop at the death of her friends. You have no authority to speak on the matter. You turned into a demon! Forcing me to send you to the moon!"
Luna's ears fell at this point. She took a few steps back and looked visibly scared.
"Your theory about her friends simply having weak, fragile, minds is wrong. Do you know what she did yesterday? She yelled at Rarity! She said everything that was wrong with her friend, she told her, she failed her family, her sister. She told her she had nothing left to live for. She caused that Luna. Twilight caused Rarity to die. She murdered her friend! I will not stop trying to fix this. Don't you dare try to stop me."
Luna stayed silent for a moment before she gulped and shook her head slightly in disbelief.
"I don't think I know you anymore, Tia."
"Good."
I stormed out of the room after that. Teleporting from the hallway outside to my study a few seconds after.
Good...
Why did I say...good?
Paranoia? I know I have been suffering from that since this whole incident started but...
Luna wouldn't betray me.
Again.
No, I betrayed her first. It was my fault. She turned into Nightmare Moon because of me. I just happened to ruin her life like I ruined Sunset, Twilight, the countless citizens I didn't help over the centuries, Discord...
The list could go on forever.
Those are some of the thoughts that were racing through my mind, that still is even as I write this, when the black flame appeared and dropped a letter through the air. I caught it with my magic and opened it with mechanical magic memory. It was practically a tradition at this point that one of her letters come once a day.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
Oh, today I had fun! The world was being created! Thanks to the combination of Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Spike, Rarity and myself, we have managed to create all the major cities in Equestria. Of course, they are all empty. Rarity had been spending all morning trying to beautify Manhatten before moving onto Canterlot.
Rainbow Dash finished working on Everfree Forest a few days ago, well it would be a few days ago according to your time. We don't actually have day or night here. We haven't been able to control them. We do have a sun and moon. But they are both in the sky. Splitting the sky in half. Anyway, Rainbow Dash started to construct Cloudsdale.
But, Rainbow Dash has never been the best at remembering events and details of the city. Despite living there her entire life and having much pride for once being a Cloudsdale resident, she wasn't always the brightest.
She asked if we could visit Fluttershy. Since I was the only one who could open the window into Reality, she had to go ask me. She needed Fluttershy to give her more information on the city since, according to Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy's best class in school was Cloudsdale history. She was the best in the class. Which I am surprised I never knew before.
I told her we needed another soul today. That she could add some wildlife to this world. To make it more resemble Equestria. Rainbow Dash was excited about the idea. She, like the rest of our friends, missed Fluttershy and Applejack.
I told her to wait at the unfinished Cloudsdale area. She wanted to come with me to see Fluttershy when I opened the window. I forbid her from coming. I told her, I needed to do it alone. It would make the crossing over easier.
I stepped through the window, into Fluttershy's cottage. Surprisingly, she wasn't home. Her windows were boarded up, parts of her house were in disrepair. I assumed she went to find supplies. So I searched for her through the window and stepped through it again to find her not far into the Everfree forest. She was a few meters in. She was holding a basket in her mouth as she scanned the forest for supplies that she needed. A few were already placed inside.
It was surprisingly nice to be in the real Everfree as I looked around to see many new things I should add to the environment back home. I called out to Fluttershy, she screamed and nearly died from a heart attack right then and there by simply seeing me.
We talked after I managed to calm her down enough to breathe properly without hyperventilating. I told her about how happy the rest of our friends were. She was sort of happy to hear about that. She started to sob about how much she missed us all.
Honestly. the weeping and sobbing part of this whole situation had gotten boring fast. I told her it would be better for her to just join us. She argued about her animals. I argued they were born wild. They were being tainted by being domesticated. Fluttershy actually got angry at me for saying that. She told me the real Twilight would never say such an awful thing.
I told her the Twilight she knew was dead.
She started crying again.
This cycle continued until Timberwolves found Fluttershy. They circled around her in a matter of moments. She spread her wings to fly but was tackled to the ground by one of the wolves who viciously clamped down on her wing. Malnutrition had caused her body to be weak. Her wings easily snapped as the wolf ripped flesh away.
She scrambled up, crying from the pain and accidentally ventured further into the forest in her panic to escape them. As she galloped, I followed her. Telling her how if she just gave up, it would all be over. If she just accepted her fate, she could be with her friends forever.
She whimpered as she ran into a clearing. As she galloped into a dead end with a large cliff she could not climb blocking her way. Oh, she tried only for a useless moment to climb up it. It was sort of pathetic honestly. The wolves surrounded her. I informed her that she obviously couldn't escape the situation she stupidly found herself in.
So, she gave in.
Her body is located near the castle of the two sisters, next to the swamp with the hydra. The Guards you send looking for her will not want to eat beforehand.
Cloudsdale has never looked better!
I can't wait to see what Applejack will do to improve the world tomorrow!
Your Faithful Student,
-Twilight Sparkle"
I am not so sure I want to send any guards out there.
I will got out there myself. It has been two hours since I received this letter. I can make an excuse. Near the castle, she wrote. I was visiting the castle. That is all the press will need to know. That is all anypony will need to know. Luna can not know. If she thinks I am going mad, she will betray me.
I have to find a solution to all this before she takes drastic measures.
Yet, the public option isn't against me yet. Maybe if she does have a revolution, I can...
Dear Faust.
Maybe I am going mad.
No, when this is over, everything will go back to "normal."
At this point, I was just waiting for another body to be reported. This morning I travelled to the Everfree Forest very early in the morning. I had begun raising the sun just as I touched down near the castle. I first checked the castle itself. Part of me hoped that maybe Fluttershy survived and hid inside the castle itself for protection. Although, I doubted it. There was no sign of Fluttershy.
I flew into the sky to scan above the tree line for large cliffs. There were quite a few around the castle, which is to be expected. The surrounding cliffs were one of the reasons that location was picked for the castle. For protection. I chose the area closest to the swamp. I landed in an area just outside a clearing against the cliff wall. I didn't dare look down in private fear that I would see Fluttershy's body.
I started to trot towards the clearing. Within moments, moments that were far too quick, I reached the clearing. The first thing I noticed was the blood. There was a trail of blood leading to her body. Dried blood had pooled around her. As I got closer, I noticed there were animals around her body. Animals who had their head bowed in mourning.
I watched as bunnies, bears, snakes, rodents, and all types of creatures were around her body in respectful silence. Some birds from the branches on the tree line flew into the air with some flowers in their beaks, they softly dropped them onto Fluttershy's mangled body to cover the ugly parts of her injuries. I began slowly moving forward again. They all looked towards me for a moment.
I expected them to all scatter at the sight of another pony. They didn't. They parted to let me through, leading to the body. I began to slowly follow the path. Soon, I was in front of Fluttershy's body. Her throat had been ripped open, her wings were barely wings anymore. She had deep claw marks on her hoofs, stomach and back. Parts of her mane were coated in blood.
I felt something hug one of my front hooves. I looked down to see a white bunny, specifically Angel Bunny. He wouldn't let go. The bunny wouldn't let go. I eventually held Angel Bunny to my chest as he shivered. I gently picked up Fluttershy's body with my magic.
The rest of the animals followed me as I traversed back into the forest. I laid Fluttershy on my back as I used my magic to protect them against the dark creatures of the forest. Although I didn't need them to, the animals lead me back into the border of the Forest. Just outside Ponyville.
Near Fluttershy's cottage.
Her Cottage, despite her mental state, when she was alive, was still inhabited by her animals or animals from the forest. I saw her animals moving about inside through the cracks that she hadn't managed to cover up with wood in her windows. I saw the birds moving about the birdhouses in a mad dash to try and find Fluttershy.
Some animals who had been with me, who came from the cottage, left the group to run towards the house. Screeching and roaring, including Fluttershy's bear about what I assume, happened. The animals inside the cottage poked their heads, the birds left their birdhouses to fly towards me. They stopped when they saw Fluttershy's corpse on my back. When they saw Angel Bunny being held close against my chest.
They started to detach the locks Fluttershy set up against the door. They started to push me towards the cottage as a signal. I was ushered into the dark messy cottage. I lit up my horn to ignite the candles littered around the room while grabbing a quill, ink and a scroll from her desk. I walked up to her bedroom which wasn't difficult to find. It looked like no pony had been in there for weeks. I gently laid her down on her bed.
The animals entered the room, allowing as many in as they could.
They watched me as I began writing on the scroll. It was a letter to the Ponyille Mayor. Notifying her I was at Fluttershy's cottage, relaying a brief...rewriting of the events and how I suspected Fluttershy died. That she and the appropriate authorities were to meet me at Fluttershy's cottage as soon as possible.
I quickly sent it away with my magic. I sat at her bedside. For...A long time. Maybe two hours. The animals never left. Angel Bunny went between crying on Fluttershy's bed while clutching her hoof to clutching my hooves before falling asleep wrapped against my wing.
I finally moved after two hours. My body felt heavy and stiff. I moved downstairs to her kitchen for food for the animals. Thankfully the animals with the little energy they had left, directed me to the food they needed. I set up the food and placed them down for them just as a frantic hurried knock was on the door.
I opened the door slowly with my magic as I re-entered the living room. Mayor Mare, two of the guards I sent from Canterlot to patrol Ponyville for extra security, and two cops from the local police station in Ponyville burst through the door.
They scared some of the animals, Mayor Mare realized what they did and quickly ordered them to be careful. They all bowed to me and asked where Fluttershy was. I gestured upstairs. They all carefully rushed upstairs to identify the body.
After a few moments, the cops rushed out to get back up. A guard left, at my permission, to notify Canterlot and my sister what occurred. I went back upstairs to find Mayor Mare sitting at Fluttershy's bedside. The other guard stood in the corner of the room. Looking unsure on how to comfort the Mayor or deal with the situation he was dealing with. He must have been a new guard by the way he was sulking in the corner.
I sat silently next to the Mayor. None of us spoke a word for a few moments.
"I-I can't believe they are all dead."
Fear. Fear clouded my thoughts. All dead.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
Her face twisted from sadness to confusion, to a realization, before she was back to deep sadness. She opened her mouth to respond but paused for another moment before finally answering.
"When I received your Letter, Princess. We...we were at the Apple Farm. Granny Smith found Applejack deep within Sweet Apple Acres. A tree had collapsed onto her. Crushing her to death."
I was too late. I was too late to save any of the elements. I thanked the Mayor, I informed her I had to return to Canterlot. She nodded and replied she would handle the affairs of the deaths, much like she had already begun to handle the other element's death.
I detached Angle Bunny from my wing, placing him against Mayor Mare. I told her she needs to find somepony to take care of Fluttershy's animals. She nodded and whispered she would handle that first after the body was taken away. I nodded, said my final goodbyes, and headed downstairs.
I said goodbye to the animals, most had fallen asleep by that point. I teleported from the cottage, back into my study. It was as if she had been waiting for me to teleport back into my study when a letter from black fire dropped onto my desk and I trotted over to it.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I killed Applejack. I really killed her. I brought her over. It worked! I admit I had become more annoyed and agitated at the whole crying and not believing me thing whenever I had to bring one of my friends over. So today I tried to see if it would work even if they were unwilling. It was a very risky plan I had. But I never got anywhere in my life if I didn't risk. That is the thrill of experimenting! Of finding new ways to improve.
Applejack has always been a very stubborn pony. She would probably be the toughest to bring over I imagined. The practically perfect pony to test this on. So I crossed through the window deep within Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack was kicking a nearby tree with clear rage behind it. I called out to her. She stopped for a moment, she squinted her eyes at me before continuing her motions as if she hadn't seen me at all. Muttering to herself about how she must have been hallucinating.
I told her I was real and that the rest of our friends were waiting for her in the Afterlife. She turned and started yelling at me. Yelling how I was nothing but a hallucination, Twilight was dead. Dead and never coming back. How it was Twilight's fault that the rest of them died. How she wished she never met Twilight. How she never met me.
Wonderful. Full denial. Just what I needed.
Do you remember when I hurt you with my magic? Maybe you do. I was very weak as I told you afterwards but I still had enough strength to bring Spike back with me. Applejack started crying as she kicked the tree harder and harder. Not even noticing that Apples weren't falling into her basket anymore.
I shot a weak beam at the tree. Applejack froze in surprise as it slammed into the tree. Breaking apart and slamming into her body. Crushing her torso. Soon blood poured on the ground around her and blood began choking her as it filled up her lungs. She tried to speak to me as I walked up to her. Eventually, her body went limp and her soul floated out slowly, before she knew what was going on, I grabbed her by her tail and jumped into the window to our new home.
It took some work to get her inside. Rarity, Spike and Rainbow Dash had to help me pull her in when she began to struggle as we entered.
Now, all my friends are here. But it still feels empty. Incomplete. We don't have enough ponies here, we need more excitement. More details. Somepony else. We need the rest of Equestria. We need a government. We need night and day. Since I now have this new ability.
I have the perfect pony I can bring in next. You.
You have been alive for many moons, Princess. No pony is meant to live forever. But don't worry, I have no interest in running this new land. That will be all up to you when you get here.
See you soon!
Your Faithful Student,
-Twilight Sparkle"
No. No. She won't kill me. Not like this.
I am heading to the Catacombs. This...This might be...my last entry. If Luna finds this, and I am gone, sister, I am sorry. I am sorry for what I have done to you. I am sorry I let this happen. I am sorry I wasn't strong enough. All my notes, books, research, and letters are in the Catacombs Library.
I am so sorry.
If I am successful in this. I will burn this book.
I will never take another unicorn as a personal student again.
Two guards stood in Harmony tower during a late shift. It had only been an hour since the guards began guarding the tower. Taking over for day shift. One of them let out a long yawn as they tried to stay alert in front of the special door guarding the Elements of Harmony. The Guard gave a long look to the Moon as it rose higher into the sky as the night progressed.
"Did...Did you hear what they found in Ponyville today?" The other guard hesitantly spoke up. The guard nodded as a worried expression fall upon his face. "About...Well...About those Elements of Harmony ponies?"
"Yeah...All six of them are dead. What do you think the Princesses will do now?" The Guard replied. Shifting in his standing position to find a more comfortable way to stand for the next five hours.
"Three weeks ago I would have told you, they will figure something out. They are the princesses but recently...Recently I am not so sure of that." The other guard admitted. Looking to the floor in embarrassment. The Guard perked up with new energy.
"So you noticed it too right? They are acting weird! Princess Celestia especially!"
"How could I not notice it? Her mane is suddenly short and her horn! What could have happened to her horn to make it red like that?"
"What about that weird small curve to it? I had to do a double-take! Princess Luna noticed and hasn't stopped glaring at me yet!"
"Princess Luna has been more...Moody than usual."
"When is she not moody? She makes life interesting when she starts yelling at diplomats about being too boring."
"She hasn't done that since...Well...Since...What was her name...Pinkie...Pie...Since Pinkie Pie died."
"I can't blame her. I heard Pinkie threw the best parties in Equestria. Ponyville was the unofficial party central for a while because of her. I wish I went to one."
"Same." A long moment of silence passed over them. Several minutes before either of them spoke again.
"Why do you think they died the time they did?" The Guard suddenly spoke up. Unable to keep his curiosity down any longer the more he considered that sad tragedy of the Elements of Harmony. The other guard looked over to him with a questioning look.
"What are you talking about?"
"Well...Think about. Those Conspiracy theories said the reason they all died is because-" The Guard purposely ignored the long groan the other guard gave out with a dramatic roll of his eyes. "The Elements of Harmony killed them. The magic that kept them together left them so they went mad and died. But the dragon died second, between the rest of them. He wasn't an element. And they all started to die about a month after Twilight died. What if they were murdered?"
"What if they were murdered? I went to one of the crime scenes, the Sonic Rainboom one. Believe me, Rainbow Dash did that to herself."
"What about-"
"Did you ever consider they just died because they wanted to?"
"Why would they want to die?"
"Their best friend was murdered and they had to hear ponies going on and on about it because of what a national tragedy it was, how it showed the corruption of the government, how it showed the Cloudsdale Weather Factory wasn't anywhere near as brilliant as the pegasi want us to believe. Do I need to keep going?"
"I get it. I get it. But they had families, businesses, I just doubt they would have given that all up for...Well...Because of one death? They still had each other."
"Think of it as a chain reaction."
The Guard frowned but his ears perked up at the distant sounds of hoofsteps. The other guard heard it as well. They both perked up, standing as straight as they could when yellow magic held a firm grasp on one of the large double doors into Harmony Tower.
The door swung open. Moonlight shining in through the stained glass windows, combined with the yellow magic shinning from the Alicorn walking in, showed them it was the Sun Princess. The Sun Princess had been looking more broken as of late. So it wasn't a surprise for them to see black circles under her eyes as she moved down the hall towards them.
The Guards tried not to react as she passed them. She barely noticed them as she focused on the special door they were guarding holding the Elements. The other guard finally spoke up. As if he was going to make a difference in how the scene would play out.
"Princess Celestia? Can we help you with a-anything?"
Celestia paused as she stared at the door.
"No. No...You two take the night off."
"P-Pardon?" The Guard stammered as he tried to process what she said. "Take the night off?"
"Correct." Celestia snapped back with a hint of annoyance. Not bother to look at either of them.
"But Princess, there is no one to replace us and we need to protect the Elements even if there is no danger present."
"I know. But...Just...I am ordering you to leave." She gave a sad sigh as she pressed her hoof against the door, sliding it down slowly. "Don't disobey the crown."
The Guards were under oath. They really couldn't disobey a direct order for either of the Princesses. So they nodded, they began to slowly leave their posts. They made sure to walk slowly. Took short glances behind them to see if Celestia would turn into some villain at any moment. But she didn't. She simply watched the door without moving. They eventually entered the hallway and paused when a loud bang of the door shutting behind them rang in their ears.
"She has lost her mind." The Gaurd mumbled. "No pony protecting the Elements? Madness."
"A...Are we supposed to report this to somepony? Captain Shinning perhaps?"
"He wasn't on duty today."
"Princess Luna?"
"Do you really want to have that conversation?"
Celestia listened very carefully as she stood alone in Harmony Tower. She listened for more sounds of rustling armour. She heard the Guards moving further away from the hall. She stood deathly still for any minutes to make sure she couldn't hear them any longer.
She moved cautiously. She inserted her horn into the lock protecting the elements. She ignited her horn, her magic turning blue as she could hear clicks of locks snapping open. Celestia quickly pulled back to take a few steps back as the door opened to reveal a jewelled box.
Celestia opened the box with her magic. Lifting five jewelled element necklaces with a single crown into the air. Celestia flinched at the sight of them. Their colours weren't nearly as vibrant as she remembered. But they still held the form they had for their former element bearers.
Celestia pushed aside her guilt. She supposed it wouldn't matter very soon how they looked. Her plan might just destroy them.
"This better work." She mumbled. She tucked the six elements under both of her wings to hide them from the public. She placed the box back inside and shut the element door before quickly spinning around to gallop out of the tower. There was no time to waste.
The head Librarian, Bini Filters was staying up late in the Royal Canterlot Library. She let out a long yawn as she moved another stack of books to her cart before slowly moving back to the desk surrounding the large hourglass in the middle of the library counting down the night. She looked to the small stack of books surrounding her as she ignited her unicorn horn, latching her light blue magic onto the single book in front of her. Her eyes quickly flipped through the book before she grabbed a label and stuck it to the cover with the words "Non-fiction" printed clearly on it.
She levitated it into the cart, not bothering to get up to organize it as it fell into a mess of books. She grabbed a new book and placed it down in front of her, making sure the candle next to her was lit enough for her to read. She rubbed her tired eyes, readjusted her glasses before looking down to description.
Her ears perked up at the sounds of hoofsteps. She brushed them off as simple as a Guard on patrol as she went back to the book. She grabbed and label after a few more seconds of reading, barely caring that the hoofsteps were getting closer to the Library.
She slapped another label onto the new book and tossed it into the cart. Before getting up and hitching the cart to her back with the help of her magic. She grunted as she began to move the cart to the back of the Library. Where the beams of moonlight coming through the glass dome above her could not reach. She weaved past shelves, tables, and unlit torches until she made her way to the first section she needed.
She began the process of organizing the books with her magic to place them down on the large bookshelves when she heard the sound of the Library doors opening and loud hoofsteps echoing across the Library in a very distinct direction.
Bini carefully listened for another minute as the hoofsteps seemed to have increased in pace, heading in her general direction. Bini slowly placed the books down and looked through the space between the bookshelves to see a golden glow fall across the area.
Bini narrowed her eyes with a knowing look. It was Princess Celestia. If it wasn't the golden aura from her magic giving it away, it was the fact she had been coming through the Library for the past week at strange hours, always opening a secret passage and disappearing for hours and hours.
Soon enough, Princess Celestia appeared. Standing in front of a bookcase against one of the back wall of the Library. A rather well-hidden bookcase that Bini barely had to fiddle with because no pony ever took books from there.
The Princess was carrying the elements with her as she pulled two books as levers, causing the bookshelf to move to the side, allowing a passage into an unknown area. Bini, as she had since the Princess began these strange journeys through that bookshelf, considered following her. But ultimately considered it was a bad idea. Bini took a careful step forward as Celestia disappeared into the passage. But she paused, mostly because she was a coward. She sighed and reasoned she would see the Princess in a few hours. Maybe she was just making sure the elements were OK wherever she was going because well...The last element had died today. Terrible tragedy.
The bookshelf closed with a click, making Bini flinch. She gave the bookshelf one more passing gaze before she returned to her tasks with a yawn.
Celestia quickened her pace through the corridors. The pressing need to fix the issue, that fact that her life was on the line, the life of her subjects was on the line and her mind not caring how hurt her body would be by the end of her equipment pressed her forward through the damp and dark cobblestone corridors.
She soon entered the old Library she had been in since she started to try to find a way to stop Twilight. Her breathing was laboured from her weak state. Her sleep, eating habits, paranoia, and constant use of dark magic weren't helping her body and had taken a very noticeable effect. An effect that Celestia refused to believe was happening in an attempt to increase her chances as if denial would make it go away.
She slammed the elements down on the table in front of her.
She flared up her magic, spinning books and notes around her as she checked her failed attempts and current calculations.
She connected all her information together mentally, she flared her horn. Ignoring the strain of her body as she lifted the elements into the air. She took deep breathes. She knew this was her last chance. Her only chance.
Her new theory consisted of the Element's connection. Twilight's unnatural ability might be connected to her element still being in this reality. The Element's magic was unwilling to let her go at her sudden death. Leaving her with a connection to the real world. Maybe triggered by her experimenting with the afterlife before her death, even though Twilight wasn't aware that is what she was doing.
The Elements were their last line of defence, but the tales of the pillars of Equestria entered Celestia's mind, her mind trying to rationalize they can make more if needed as her dark magic slammed into the element of magic.
She grunted as she heard the first crack from the element of magic. Then another, then another. A multi-shade of black reached out to the other elements surrounding her. Another crack. Her magic flickered, but she quickly refocused her efforts.
"Come on, come on." She pleaded before crying out in pain when her horn cracked. Celestia didn't have enough time to panic at her horn becoming more injured. She didn't even notice when small dark crystals broke through her fur. She felt the Elements pushed back against her with all their remaining magic, not that there was much because of the bearers' death.
"NO!"
She lost all concentration when something slammed into her body, burning one side of her torso. Throwing her into one of the old bookshelves, collapsing on Celestia from the force. Celestia blacked out for a moment, only a moment. When she opened her eyes, wakened by a sudden thudding headache and her body shearing with pain.
She heard the sound of the elements falling to the ground. Without shattering. She heard deep laboured breathing with an occasional growling sound, reflecting rage. She began the slow process of moving. She used her wings to push debris off to the best of her ability. Which wasn't much. She stumbled out of the wreck and fell to the cold floor before trying to pull herself up again.
"You." A raspy tired voice snapped out. A voice she hadn't heard since Twilight's death. Twilight herself. Celestia raised her head slowly to face her student...Or her former student? She wasn't quite sure. "How dare you try to stop me."
Twilight stood at the other end of the room. Holding a knife in her magic. Clearly under strain from her burst of magic at Celestia.
Celestia didn't respond as her vision struggled not to lose focus. Her eyes drifted to the Elements scattered on the floor around her.
"I thought you cared about me, Princess!" Twilight snapped. Taking steps forward, her translucent form certainly wasn't helping Celestia's vision. "Why would you try to stop me like...this?"
"Monster." Celestia whispered before she spat some blood out of her mouth to glare at Twilight. "Why wouldn't I try to stop a monster?"
"A Monster." Twilight gave a sarcastic expression of remorse. "Why am I a monster when I am giving everypony a chance at a better existence. You can't die in my world. You can live life as you always did without fear of death. A new Equestria. An Equestria that has been restarted. Not affected by your mistakes in Leadership. You can run this new Equestria without fear of having to live with the knowledge that thousands of ponies died under your command just so that the Nobility would try to overthrow you at every turn, that poverty plagues all the major cities, that at any moment, a sickness could kill the population."
"What's the point of existing if there is no challenge?" Celestia asked in a low weak voice. "What's the point of progress if there is no reason to progress? Your world is too perfect, as you describe it. Within a year, ponies will start to resent their new reality if you drag them with you."
Twilight let a smile cross her face. A smile without remorse, clearly not believing anything that Celestia said.
"Let's test that theory shall we?"
Celestia flared her horn to teleport as Twilight within a brief second yanked back the knife and plunged it straight into Celestia's throat. A scream died as she opened her mouth, allowing blood to pour from her mouth. Her eyes grew wide as Twilight's eyes narrowed in concentration when she yanked the knife sideways to allow a bigger gap.
Blood pooled to the floor when she collapsed to her side. Struggling to breathe. Struggling to use her magic to do anything useful without success, struggling to live.
She looked up to see Twilight's smiling face of triumph. She heard the sounds of something opening behind her. This was followed by a gasp coming from the opening.
"T-Twilight, did you...?"
"Yes, Applejack. I told you I would do it didn't I?"
"Darling, I am not sure-"
"Trust me, Rarity. This was the right call. Is the Castle finished?"
"Yes."
"Wonderful." Twilight replied with glee. Celestia's stubbornness kicked in full force. She slammed her body up. Making Twilight yelp in surprise. She gave a passing glance to the window into the Afterlife Twilight had opened. Her eyes met the terrified eyes of Twilight's friends through the window as they watched the sun Princess pushed herself up.
Twilight stumbled back, her expression was of fury. Celestia tried to summon her magic, relying on the sun's energy from above when another slash hit her in the stomach.
"Honestly, why is she making this so hard?"
Celestia could hear Fluttershy crying and Pinkie trying to distract herself. Celestia collapsed with a gurgled weak scream of pain. She felt herself becoming weaker than she ever imagined.
"The Princess might be hard to pull in, Girls. Are you ready?"
"Y-Yes."
"Um...Yes?"
"M-Maybe."
"Yes."
"Yes."
She closed her eyes for only a brief second, not realizing she took her last breath when her soul was ripped from her body. She barely registered she was now looking down at her corpse on the floor when Twilight slammed into her body with all the force she could muster. Making them both stumble into the portal.
Celestia immediately weaved past Twilight the moment she got control of her body through the help of her wings as they entered. She started to make moves to push her soul out when Twilight barked orders at her friends. Applejack must have thrown a rope around her neck, yanking her back violently almost slamming her onto her back.
"Rarity! Now!"
Rarity pulled on Celestia's wings beside the Princess. Trying not to make eye contact as her magic tried to keep steady with the frantic flapping.
"Pinkie, party cannon now."
Rarity and Applejack managed to push her through enough for Pinkie to fit a small party cannon between Celestia and the portal. With her eyes reflecting remorse for her actions, she yanked the cord of the cannon. The force of the confetti threw Celestia back onto the grass of the new Equestria.
"Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, hold her down!"
Rainbow Dash and a very reluctant Fluttershy pressed themselves against the Princess with their hooves and the force of their wings pushing against her kept her from making any major movements.
Celestia, flared her horn to throw them off, immediately hesitated when her magic did not feel right. It didn't feel natural. More...artificial. Twilight flared her horn to close the window within seconds.
After a moment of dead silence between them all, the only noise being the sound of running water and small animals scattered around the land and sky, Twilight moved to stand above her mentor as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash moved away. Fluttershy crying and whimpering "sorry." over and over and over.
"It was the right thing to do." Twilight informed her. Her smile looked more forced this time. As if she was trying to convince herself it was actually right. "It was the right thing to do."
