A/N:

Different style for me lol. Yeah, this is what happens when you leave me on a train for three hours with a book of Lovecraft short stories. And meanwhile, anyone else think that comic was a little Lovecraft-ish? Scary undead evil things in the ground waiting to be dug up by their victims to reign down darkness over all the land for eternity? Anyway, I'm loving the Fiendship is Magic thing. :heart:

If this one goes over well, I may do a small fic for each comic. I hope you guys enjoyed the different style. I'm also planning to do a full length story soon based on the comics that will be a mixture of this style and my usual romantic comedy.

Thank you all for reading!

Sombra Omega

---

"And Radiant Hope, she'll suffer the worst. She betrayed me to save this 'home' of hers. I've developed a new spell just for her. How bitter will her victory taste when she has no home left?"

I magically pen these final words, and then I feel the presence of the two sisters descend upon the Empire. Their light has come to my shade.

I put aside my diary and prepare to ascend the stairs. Perhaps someday someone will find this room and that book and understand the true story of my greatness, the true story of what needed to be accomplished here. But that day won't be for a very, very, very…very long time. I grin thinking of how long there will be darkness, and my fangs glisten in the eerie light of my magic brimming in my eyes.

I close the door of my study and begin my final dark climb.

I knew the sisters would find me, I knew their magic was too great for me to defeat, at least without my army by my side. The destruction of Princess Amore was one thing, but the destruction of the immortal sun and moon…even I am not strong enough to purge my world of such constants, of such light. And Radiant Hope brought them upon me. She is the ruiner of my life, I realize now. Shadow was never meant to love, never meant to feel friendship, never meant to smile and dream. She brought me away from my true nature, she LIED to me, contorted my life, twisted my senses—she was WORSE than Amore with her secrets!

My only regret is that since Radiant Hope ran to the land of the princesses, I cannot put my curse over her along with all of the other crystal ponies.

My only joy is the knowledge that she will suffer the pain of never seeing her home, the place she belongs, ever again. She kept me from where I belong…why should I not return the favor?

But maybe…maybe also I just cannot bear to see her again. Because maybe the love will come back if I do, and then I do not know what will happen to me…or to her.

I raise my head proudly toward the throne room above. My finest hour, the finest hour of all the shadows, is coming. What I shall do will strike fear into the hearts of those princesses forever, it will make them see the true power of darkness and know that the shadow of me and the shadow that made me cannot be ignored any longer. They will never forget. And I will return one day when time has taken some of their vitality from them to have my final victory. Then Hope will be no more, and nothing shall stop me. Those crystal ponies will be my slaves again and dig up my people, darkness rising from the cold snow to feast upon all the light…even the light of the sisters one day.

I look up to the disc of light above marking the floor of the throne room. I remember what Amore once said about changing my destiny, and I give a low chuckle and feel my magic flare. One cannot change one's nature, one cannot change one's destiny…one can only fight losing battles until denial has no more power and true power is finally acquired. I was meant to blacken the Empire just as Amore was meant to rule the crystal ponies, just as Hope was meant to heal the sick, just as Celestia was meant for the sun and Luna meant for the moon. If they all may have their destines, why may I not have mine? Why should I be denied for being born differently? I had not accepted such injustice as child, I certainly would not allow it to pass now.

Only a few steps more. I can feel my darkness pulsing, my eyes aflame with green and purple and red in excitement for my moment! Yes, oh yes, I shall have my great revenge over these beings for their rejection of me and my mother—the darkness they ignored! I will make the last thing they know true fear, I will burn it into their hearts until all else is forgotten…and when they wake up from their near forever sleep, all they will feel is the echo of my misery and the ever present fear of me, and I shall feed and grow from how they suffer. The crystal heart is secured, no one shall stop me, no one shall come forth! Perhaps Hope…but by then she will be gone, and there will be no other! Let her live her life knowing my doom for her people is a promise—the last one I will keep between us.

I have no more fear. I have no more regrets. I have nothing of who I thought I was and all of who I've always been meant to be. I am darkness, I am shadow, I am the king of all monsters. I am SOMBRA! ALL HAIL SOMBRA! LONG LIVE SOMBRA! SOMBRA REX!

I reach the top of the staircase, I enter the throne room, I see the two sisters…and I smile.

Their stern gazes meet my own, yet I see a touch of hesitance, a flicker of fear due to the state in which they have found me. I know I look more monstrous than ever. I know they will never forget the sight of me. Oh, the day and the night, the foolish day and the night—it will be the light of their power aimed at monstrous me that will ignite the spark of my great spell and wrap the Empire into the shadows of my mother for a thousand years! I will make them just as much a part of my curse upon the crystal ponies as I am!

"Sombra!" Celestia's voice is firm. "We will give you one more chance! Stop this, let the crystal ponies go, and come with us!"

Luna glares and speaks now. "We shall take you back to our castle. We have many texts on dark magic, and Starswirl the bearded is an expert unicorn wizard. We will find a way to purge you of this darkness."

I look at them both. I speak. "You could no sooner purge me of my shadows than I could purge you of the sun or the moon."

There is a deadly silence between us.

"Then we must defeat you," Celestia challenges, and then her magic produces six gems.

"And we shall destroy all of the shadows," Luna adds as her magic makes three of the gems come over to her.

I know those gems—the Elements of Harmony. I know everything that is coming. I just look from one sister to the other, and my twisted smile grows. "You're just as silly as Princess Amore was…as Radiant Hope turned out to be…as I used to be. You cannot change destiny. And one day you shall fear me too. And I will rule forever."

Celestia and Luna merely look back at me with the rage of ponies trying to protect those they love. The silly gems glow. They are strong. But always there is more darkness than light. Always the darkness can swallow the light. The sisters will fade…I can almost feel a thin, black crack in their bond as it is, and it shall grow. Oh the darkness that shall spring up everywhere unending!

"Prepare, Sombra!"

"Thou cannot escape!"

I know they expect me to run or to attack, and I know that they'll attack before they realize I'm not doing either of those things because their magic and this moment are exactly what I want. The pony sisters are about to blast me into oblivion, and it's what I want. For I will come back so much stronger…I will come back beyond the king of monsters…I will come back a GOD.

I just stand there while the Elements quietly glow. And then I laugh. Oh I laugh. I laugh so that the dark tones within me echo over the crystal covered halls and resound into the air. The last memory of my subjects will be fear, but the last memory of the Crystal Empire for these two sisters will be my mad laughter as by banishing me they banish the Empire! This will be a moment remembered throughout history!

The Elements…a screech of shadows…the sky flickers…fire and smoke…and everything changes!

"What's happening!? Luna!"

"Celestia, I don't know! Run!"

"But the crystal ponies!"

"It's too late!"

The sisters turn and flee with their little gems as darkness bursts in magical explosions everywhere, and the ground shakes, and the green fire of my eyes burns until a dome of black and a net of red and a mist of purple covers the Empire just as they escape. And then…and then…for one perfect moment I am me in the dark. I came from the dark. Oh mother…I am back to the dark.

A perfect flash. I am pulled to the cold and ice where the rest of my people are frozen.

And then no more. I—

---

One thousand years passes. And I come back. But I am defeated through the efforts of a purple pony whom I cannot understand—as capable of darkness as she is of light. Somehow she seems almost less natural than I do…

She leaves me lost as a bit of shadow crystal in the form of my horn while the crystal ponies celebrate and feel joy at their new freedom.

The strange purple pony leaves the Empire.

I wish she would return.

Something about her makes this final shade of me glow. She is not like the others. I could actually use her.

---

Time passes.

The purple one—Twilight Sparkle—returns to my secret dark part of the castle. And she has wings now, she is a princess now. Interesting…

The new princess of the crystal ponies greets her and follows her into this part of the castle. Princess Cadance—like a little Amore, she is no match for me, at least not without her precious Crystal Heart and the precious love of the Crystal Ponies. She has the same weakness Amore did all those years ago. If I had all of my old power, I would turn Cadance into shadow crystal and shatter her too.

My thoughts return to Twilight Sparkle. As she gets close, I still feel that there is something strange about her. I remember how she summoned dark magic as part of defeating me, and I feel her summoning dark magic now to enter here. She uses it so naturally that she becomes like a shadow for a moment when she does so. And my kind of magic does not even hurt her—even attempting to use it hurts Cadance just as the Crystal Heart used to hurt me, but Twilight experiences no pain in mastering such evil. Is her heart really that full of joy? Or perhaps what makes her different is not something so simple. Perhaps there is something else about her that she and I both do not understand….

If only I had more power, somehow I could use Twilight. But I'll wait. I'll come close to this new princess, but for now I'll wait to do anything more. I have all the time in the world to wait.

They enter my study and read my diary now. Time passes like nothing for me. It feels as though they are done before they start, and all of the images of the past wash over me in a single feeling. And still no regrets, no fear, no love, no hope—

I don't like the feeling of that last word. I'll never consider it again.

They are leaving now to return to the light.

Twilight says she feels bad for me because I never got to see the Crystal Faire. And for a moment, just for a moment, no matter what, I cannot help but think the word 'hope' one more time…Hope.

But then Cadance, the 'new Amore', says not to feel sorry for me. I'm bad, so why bother. Just forget all about me and my people…just ignore old Sombra and everything a life of crystal and shadow did to him.

I feel dark and nearly dead again. I am amazed I can even move enough to get closer to Twilight. I feel the fear of her and Cadance as the little sounds of my wandering make them wonder just what of me is still left down here. Yes, their small fear keeps me alive for now…and maybe forever until the time comes again for me to ascend…until the time comes for all of the Umbra to ascend from their icy, dark depths to the crystal and light. We lie beneath everything waiting…It's almost funny really.

'Blew me to bits', hmm?

Hmm, hmm, hmm, silly ponies, haven't you realized yet? Shadows…never…DIE.

LONG LIVE THE KING!

---

One thousand years ago, just after the defeat of Sombra and the loss of the Empire.

Celestia and Luna returned home to the Everfree Forest with deep frowns and heavy hearts. It was the dead of night, and a solemn silence reigned over their castle as they flew through a window and landed in their throne room.

Celestia let out a deep sigh. "At least we returned at night. No one is awake to bother us or question us or to want to celebrate our 'victory.' We can be alone to sort this out."

Luna's eyes fell a little and a slight wince went through her. "Yes…No one is ever awake during the nights. We'll be perfectly alone until you make the sun come up." She let out a breath and shook her head, moving past any personal feelings on that matter. She looked to her sister. "We must tell Radiant Hope. Oh sister, what shall she do?"

Celestia looked back to her sister, pain in her eyes. "Before we left, she told me if we were not successful in freeing the Empire and helping Sombra, she would prefer not to pursue her general magical studies here with us. She would rather go off to one of the great temples in the east and study shadows and heal the sick and be alone to meditate on what has happened. I believe she will choose the same course now, though she might need some time here first to get her bearings. I know she at least wanted to say farewell to her home one last time before she departed. But now…" Celestia couldn't go on anymore. She just looked forward, eyes wide and glistening with tears.

Luna moved closer to her. "Sister…what he did…it cannot be permanent? Certainly all spells and curses, even those of banishment and even those cast by a power as great as that of the Umbra, have time limits set to them. Even the worst curses I can remember reading about from Starswirl's lessons lasted at most a thousand years. And they certainly can't be used over and over. It was his failsafe this one time because he knew he could not defeat the power of us and the Elements. But when he and the Empire do return, we shall stop him once and for all and save the crystal ponies. A thousand years is not so long for you and I to wait. And in the meantime we shall find a way to make sure we succeed in the restoration of the Crystal Empire when the time comes." Despite Luna's words of encouragement, tears were in her eyes as well.

Celestia's eyes closed as soft tears rolled down from them. "I know." She took a deep breath. "But I just…how could he DO this!" She suddenly stomped her hoof into the marble floor, actually causing small a tremor to go through the room with her power. "Amore said the situation was under control, she said he would choose correctly—how could he do this horribly selfish thing, Luna?" Her eyes flew open and she looked to her sister. And for a very rare moment there was utter confusion and even a touch of desperation in Celestia's gaze.

Luna blinked at the sight of her sister in such a state. "I…I don't know. But, Celestia, Amore did say he had such a difficult childhood, and living as a shadow and not even knowing it must have been awful for him. He was shunned always for no reason he could understand. Only one person in a whole Empire gave him any love. Everyone else dismissed him and ignored him." A glint of fresh tears returned to Luna's eyes…but they were not entirely about the Empire. "I imagine it must have hurt him very much, sister, being ignored like that. And it must have made him angry. So when he finally came into his dark power, all he could think about was ridding himself of that pain as completely as possible by inflicting it on all the others. The situation must have been so complicated, sister—I cannot envy him the life he has led."

Celestia blinked a few times, seemed to try and absorb her sister's explanations, but then shook her head, looking down again. "But Luna, it's so wrong! He banished an Empire, a whole Empire! And what he did to Amore! What his betrayal has done to Radiant Hope! There is no excuse Luna, nothing justifies—"

"I am not saying he was justified," countered Luna simply, wiping away her own newly fallen tears. "I am just saying…pain has been a part of his fate and actions from the start, Celestia. And I recognize he was in pain just as much as I recognize the crystal ponies have been in pain from him." She took a breath. "He was lonely, Celestia, and unappreciated." Her gaze became firmer. "And frankly, as I have said from the start, I did not agree with Amore's approach of not revealing the truth to him herself as soon as she realized the situation. Perhaps all of this could have been prevented if she had."

Celestia seemed confused again for a moment as she took in her sister's words. Then she looked down and her gaze softened. She sighed. "I don't know…perhaps you are right, sister. Aiding Sombra in his destiny and guiding him toward good, even just a little, may have helped make a better ending for everypony." Then she closed her eyes and tears started to fall again. "Oh Luna." Celestia moved closer to her sister.

Luna moved closer as well and put her foreleg over Celestia. "Tis all right, Celestia. We shall both tell Radiant Hope all that has passed in the morning. And we shall make a formal announcement of our deeds and the situation to the kingdom afterwards. For now, you sleep…I shall guard the night, and I shall give Radiant Hope the best of dreams. All will be well, sister." She removed her foreleg.

Celestia took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She nodded, looking forward, and then raised her head. "You're right. We must be strong for the sake of the kingdom and for Hope." She looked to Luna again. "Thank you, dear sister. I know Radiant Hope will appreciate what you will do for her this evening."

Luna smiled a little. "I know she shall too. She is a good pony."

Celestia smiled a little and then moved close and crossed her horn with Luna's. "Goodnight, Luna. Tomorrow after the announcement, please head straight to bed. You need rest after what we've gone through. Allow me to deal with all of the questions and all of the people for the rest of the day."

A small sigh left Luna and a little wince went through her again. But she smiled and nodded. "Yes, and thank you sister…for offering to deal with all of the people tomorrow. I am fortunate, I suppose, that there are no people during my nights to deal with."

Celestia smiled a little more. "You have people's dreams and the creatures of the Everfree forest and the rotation of the stars to deal with—I'm sure that's more than enough. Allow me to take care of everything else."

Luna just sighed, swallowed, and nodded, managing to maintain her smile in response to her sister's sincere attempt at comfort and care. "Thank you, Celestia. And goodnight to you too."

Celestia nodded and moved away from Luna. Then she turned and headed toward her bedroom.

When she was gone, Luna approached one of the open windows to gaze up at her moon. It was full and glowing in a most lovely way tonight. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. They glowed with cerulean light for several minutes. Then the light flickered and was gone. Her eyes returned to normal once more. "Sleep well with the dreams I have provided for you, Radiant Hope," she said softly into the night air. Then Luna spread her wings, rose, and departed the castle.

As she flew, she tried not to think of Sombra. She tried not to think of his pain. She tried not to think of how she could almost understand what he had done even if she did not condone it. She tried not to think of what he had given up and what he had gained.

But one thought did stick with Luna as she flew over the land and saw that, as usual, not a soul was out but her to experience the night.

'Sometimes I feel like a shadow too.'

The night wore on into daylight. And then the truth of Sombra and the Crystal Empire was told…and so began the legend and the wait of a thousand years.

---

A/N:

Thank you all again for reading, and please review when you can!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna

A/N:

Hi everyone! So, I've decided to do a companion fic for each Fiendship comic that comes out this month (mostly because I love writing villains), and I hope you enjoy them ^_^ This one is based on Tirek's comic (and makes heavy references to that really weird Discord cameo that came up on page 22?) Please review, and thank you for reading!

Fiendship Fanfics are Magic

Chapter 2 (Tirek):

Madness for Power

---

"Scorpan, you don't have to stay in here with me. You're free to roam around the safety of the castle and the grounds to your heart's content while Father is gone, remember? He doesn't hate you." Tirek sighed as he stood gazing out of the bedroom window with an angry glare.

Scorpan just did his best to smile encouragingly at his brother. "But I don't want to roam around, brother. I want to stay here with you. Thank you for letting me into the room finally. And father doesn't hate you, Tirek, really." Scorpan had to frown just a little as he flew close to Tirek. "Tirek, I wish you would talk to him more. He just wants you to be happy. He doesn't want you to end up like Sendak."

"Sendak had more than happiness!" Tirek snapped with a sharp sigh though his nose as he turned to Scorpan. "He had power, true power!" Tirek glared back out the window again, looking over the kingdom below. "I did not ask to be born with a great gift for magic, yet I am punished for my gift and for pursuing it. Sendak has the same gift, but he was a fool. He thought too small. I could become so great…so much greater than father could ever imagine. I was born to do more than just inherit a throne."

Scorpan frowned all the more. He didn't like when Tirek would talk like this. It frightened him… He tired not to let his concern show though, or he knew Tirek would accuse him of being a child and just as sensitive as mother. But still, he had to say something at least. "Tirek…what's so bad about just being king of our land?" He smiled a little. "It's a great honor. And it's an honor you deserve."

Tirek, however, just shook his head. "I deserve more than that, Scorpan. And father doesn't deserve to have someone as powerful and gifted as me for an heir." He looked down a little. "It would be better if I abandoned my claim to the throne now and went out on my own as Sendak did. Father will never want to pass the crown onto me, and besides I have much bigger plans to see to."

Scorpan landed, frowning completely and looking up at his brother. "You'd abandon your place as prince? Right now? But…what would I do without you, Tirek? Mother and father do need you…and I need you too."

For just a moment, Tirek looked away from the vast reaches of their land back to the soft, gentle face of his brother. And for just a moment he smiled a little. "And that need for me is why you will never have the conviction necessary to be a king. And that need for me is also why you are my only friend and the only one I trust, Scorpan."

The tenderness from his brother was nice—it reminded Scorpan of Tirek in their early youth. Yet still, there was something underlying everything his brother said and did these days that troubled him. "I trust you too, Tirek." Scorpan summed up his conviction and courage to say the words, and he smiled as he added, "And I'm sure everything will be okay one day. I know that something good will come."

Something a touch dull returned to Tirek's gaze, and he sighed and then opened his mouth to speak again when suddenly…

KNOCK KNOCK

"Master Tirek?" A guard opened the door and firmly addressed the young prince.

Tirek turned away from Scorpan to address the guard. "Yes?"

"You have another visitor," the guard explained.

"Another visitor?" Tirek raised an eyebrow. 'Certainly not mother, not after all of that disappointment in her eyes.' "Who?"

"Discord, your highness."

"Discord…" Tirek's eyes went a little wide.

Scorpan frowned, and he flew up to over in the air at his brother's height level again. "Tirek, I'm not sure if you should be seeing guests right—"

"Send him in," Tirek commanded with a nod of his head to the guard.

The guard nodded in return and then slipped out of the doorway. A moment later the door was pushed open entirely…and Discord entered.

The being of chaos lowered his hood and looked to the two young princes. "Your highnesses." He gave them a slight bow.

"Master Discord…" the princes said in unison, giving a slight bow of their heads to him in return.

The door closed, leaving the three beings in privacy.

"Discord," Tirek started, crossing his arms over his chest and lowering his legs to recline on his bed of throw pillows, "If you need some sort of assistance that requires royal help, I'm afraid I'm not the best person to ask at the moment. I'm confined to my room like a child, and either way I don't exactly have the ear of the King and Queen anymore. Scorpan might be able to assist you though—he's always been beloved by all." He gave a quick gesture with his head over to his brother.

Scorpan blinked and shrugged humbly. "Well, I don't know about that." He looked to the being of chaos and smiled a little. "But if you do need any help with anything, Discord, I'll be happy to assist you where my bother cannot."

Discord smiled a little, approaching and then snapping away his cloak and flying up to lie on his stomach in the air. "No, no help necessary, thank you. Actually, I just wanted to tell Prince Tirek that I found his little performance in the throne room very intriguing." Discord raised an eyebrow, looking down upon the eldest prince. "What did happen last night to cause such an explosion at Sendak's? He won't say a word about it…or so I'm told." His eyes narrowed a little in interest.

Tirek frowned and scowled, looking down. "Nothing happened. Nothing at all. A mistake. It won't happen again."

"So you were indeed there then?" Discord's grin grew on one side. "Or at the very least you know what Sendak was up to with bringing a pony from Equestria here…"

"And so what if I do know?" Tirek challenged coldly, glancing up at the draconequus.

Scorpan moved back a little and just looked on uneasily. Master Discord had always made him nervous with his strange magic. Yet, he and Tirek usually got along well enough since they were both magically gifted beings…though right now was proving to be an exception. But, regardless, there was something about Discord that Scorpan did not trust, and right now things were already so bad with Tirek and his parents and the state of the kingdom that he just wished the chaos creature would leave before he possibly made matters worse.

Discord, meanwhile, lowered himself in the air a bit more and glared down at Tirek. "Well, if you do know Sendak's intentions, then you have a very valuable piece of information. Oh, I'm sure that unicorn your father's escorting back to Equestria will tell him his impressions of Sendak's actions, but only you really know the grand design behind it all. But if you're keeping it all to yourself, then the real question is not what Sendak was doing…it's what you're planning to do with what you've found out from Sendak."

For a moment there was a silent stalemate between Discord and Tirek.

"What, did father send you to spy on me?" Tirek finally asked, his voice ice.

Discord waved him off. "Please, of course not. I have better things to do than to play reverse psychology games with teenagers." He twisted in the air, flying around lazily in circles around the two princes. "No, no, I'm just curious myself. You see, you've been behaving a little chaotically, and that intrigues me." As he floated, he snapped his fingers a few times, making a flock of vultures outside the window fly upside down and then making some strange blue and pink clouds appear in the air outside (he still hadn't decided on the best flavor for his cotton candy yet) and then making a glass of some chocolaty-looking substance appear in his paw which he consumed in one swallow (glass and all). "And you've caused a problem with Equestria," he added to Tirek, letting his head hang down to observe the prince upside down, "that intrigues me as well."

Tirek's eyes carefully followed Discord's movements, never once being distracted by the chaos outside. "My chaotic behavior interesting you I can understand, Discord. But why would anything about Equestria interest you? You have no business there."

"My business is beyond the scope of this conversation, and I keep such business to myself, thank you very much,' Discord replied, his playful grin becoming a dark scowl as he turned in the air to stop his circling and look right side up at Tirek again. "And you might possibly be disturbing that business." He lowered himself to Tirek's eye level. "Your father may want to keep ignoring the problem and your mother may not have the heart to talk to you herself, but as an old member of this court I will say it for everyone else. When you push dark magic too far, bad things can happen to you Tirek—and you are pushing dark magic too far."

"Equestria and its ponies are a valuable resource," Tirek countered coldly.

"I don't disagree with that assessment of the situation," Discord countered in return. "But you're missing the point—your father was right. Celestia could have declared war. You're underestimating the power of these ponies and especially the two sisters. You could easily never be strong enough to defeat them. At the very least, you're not strong enough yet. My point is, if you want to brood and rebel and pout around here, fine, I don't care and I'm sure no one else does either. But watch yourself in other lands where there could be consequences beyond your control."

Tirek glared back at him defiantly, rising to stand on his four hooves and look down at the draconequus just for a moment. "At least my way of using magic isn't to play silly jokes and make absurd changes and turn myself into a clown."

Discord landed. And Discord glared darkly down at the prince. His voice was ice. "I am no clown. I guarantee you that." He leaned down closer, his voice lowering. "And if there's one kind of magic you'd never be able to handle, prince, it's chaos." Discord snapped his fingers.

Suddenly the pillars of the room were giant springs and Tirek's throw pillows were a pile of giant mushrooms, and the floor had become a pink and blue checkerboard, and in the air pastel colored balloons with scary faces floated. Then the room grew dim save for the occasional flash of different colored lights while off-key circus music played as Discord stood in the center of it all, his face painted like a clown…but the firm expression on that face suggesting something even scarier than his balloons—a being never to be trifled with.

"Oh no!" Scorpan gulped and shot up into the air, flying up and glancing around. "Discord, please stop this! This has to get fixed! If mother and father find out, they'll be furious!" Scorpan glanced in Discord's direction but then looked away with a shiver. There was something so angry in the being of chaos sometimes, and it could make him almost as uneasy as Tirek's ravings could.

"Discord, enough!" Tirek boomed in a commanding tone, holding up one of his hands, not flinching at all despite Discord's display. "By order of the Prince of the Royal House."

Discord glared darkly down at Tirek, but finally nodded once and snapped everything back to normal again.

Tirek observed Discord very closely for a moment. Then a thought occurred to him. "You really are one of my father's most powerful magical allies…."

"I'm one of the most powerful magical members of his court. But I always think it's best if I work alone," Discord corrected. Then he observed Tirek very closely for a moment. "You were taking some of the pony magic, weren't you?" He grinned. "Or at least, you were trying to. Not as easy as it looks, is it?"

Scorpan swallowed, flying down low near the throw pillows (and now trying to keep his distance from Discord.) "Brother…what is he talking about?"

"Enough!" Tirek ignored Scorpan and continued to stare down Discord. "Discord, let me make something perfectly clear to you. To rule is my birthright, and to rule I require power. And I will do anything to find, take, and keep that power. I will not be confined. And I am capable of more than you realize—I can feel it." He moved closer, lowering his voice so that only Discord could hear. His tone was perfectly calm. "And if a bunch of ponies have to suffer for my greatness, then let the suffering begin."

There was a moment of quiet in which Discord and Tirek's gazes met and something was communicated. Then Discord pulled back slightly and cleared his throat. "Yes, well…I believe I've gotten everything I came for out of this conversation. It's been a most enlightening meeting, Prince Tirek." He gave a slight bow of his head to Tirek. Then he snapped his fingers, making his cloak reappear. "But I think I'll take my leave now." Discord turned to Scorpan and gave him a nod as well. "Prince Scorpan, thank you for your company as well. It has also proved very…interesting." He glanced from one brother to the other, his smile picking up a little on one side. "Farewell." Discord donned his hood again and then snapped his fingers, disappearing from the room.

Tirek just watched the spot where Discord had been with a curious glare. Scorpan looked more uneasy than ever. He flew closer to his brother. "Tirek, what was all of that about? Why did Discord come here, and what did you whisper to him? Is something going on?" He tried to look into Tirek's eyes. "Please tell me, Tirek. You're my brother, and I love you. Please don't lie to me again. Whatever it is, I want to help."

Tirek looked into his brother's eyes. Then he sighed deeply. "Scorpan, there are going to be some changes around here soon. I wasn't meant for this simple life we have—father can sense it, I think mother's finally accepted it, even Discord sees it. And I think you do too. And Sendak was the only one who acknowledged it." He held his head high, his gaze going to the window again to look out upon his land, arms behind his back. "My magic is great, but I need more. Do you know why Sendak has lived so long? Do you know what gives the Equestrian ponies such full lives and the alicorn sisters near immortality? Do you know what even let's someone as dark as Discord have such free reign with his abilities? It's in the nature of their magic, the nature of Equestria—there's a certain joy woven into it that perpetuates and lends itself to the capacity for untold power. I hunger to combine that power with my own."

Scorpan's eyes went a little wide. "You want to…you want to feed off of Equestria's magic? Is that what Sendak was doing?" He frowned more.

Tirek smiled a little. "Yes, that's what Sendak was doing. But, no, I do not just wish to 'feed' off of the magic as he did. Don't you see, Sendak was thinking too small—he just wanted to gather some extra magic to extend his pathetic, shriveled life for as long as possible for the sake of adventure and study. No, no, I see it now…I won't feed off of the magic—I'll take the magic. Completely." Tirek's eyes narrowed. And his tone was devoid of feeling.

Scorpan took in a sharp breath. He saw something in his brother that frightened him again. "I…and…what would that do to the ponies if you took all of their magic?" he couldn't help but ask.

"You don't understand, Scorpan—it doesn't matter what it would do to the ponies," Tirek replied, his gaze cold and still lingering on the view of the kingdom outside. "All that matters is the power I will gain to finally achieve my destiny. Ruler of worlds, master of magic, destructor of the old order and founder of the new." Suddenly he turned back to Scorpan, his eyes flaming with ambition. "Will you join me, brother?! Will you stay by my side?! Rule with me and help me, as you said!?"

Scorpan gulped but nodded. "Yes, of course, Tirek. I would never abandon you, no matter what."

Tirek looked him in the eyes, moving closer. "I will leave this place one day. Not for a while, but one day. And I won't come back. Will you still join me then?"

Pain entered Scorpan's eyes. "I…but mother…and father."

"Will you join me then?" Tirek repeated simply.

Scorpan took a deep breath. Then he came close to his brother. Scorpan knew if his brother left to fight for his destiny himself, Tirek might get himself hurt and he certainly might hurt others. He also knew that he was the only one who Tirek would let get close enough to possibly talk some sense into him when the time came. Scorpan came to a difficult decision. Then he nodded. "Brother, I will join you. I promise. But in return, I want you to wear this." He reached up and slipped a cord from around his neck, holding out the triangular amulet it contained to Tirek.

Tirek blinked at the sudden offer. "The amulet that mother gave you? But…you care for that amulet more than anything else in the world." Something in his eyes softened.

That softening made Scorpan smile. "But I care for you more. And I want you to wear it as a symbol of our bond. And so that no matter what happens, you'll always have something with you to remind you of how close we are and how much I love you."

Tirek looked at the amulet, not saying anything for a moment. Then he smiled…though something glaring and sharp still remained in his gaze. "Brother…I thank you for your gift." He put his hands over Scorpan's with the amulet between them, but then gently pushed the item back toward his brother. "But keep this for now. I will not forget your offer here. Make it again when I have finally come in to my true destiny and you have joined me by my side. Then I will accept the amulet. And then we will have finally achieved greatness."

Scorpan hesitated, but finally nodded, doing his best to keep smiling. He took back the amulet and put it around his neck again. "Yes, Tirek. I'll be very happy on the day I offer this to you again and you accept it from me."

Tirek smiled and nodded. "Brother…" he put a hand on Scorpan's shoulder. "Thank you. You have always been the only one in this family who truly cares for me and accepts me."

Scorpan smiled, so happy to see such relief in his brother's eyes…and just hoping nothing bad would truly come of whatever Tirek was planning. "Of course, Tirek. I'll always care for you no matter what happens."

"I know, brother. I know." Tirek then let out a breath and removed his hand from Scorpan. "Now, if you don't mind, Scorpan, I think I need some time alone. I have much to think about, many plans to make, and I would prefer to do so in solitude."

Scorpan frowned a little but nodded. "Of course." He flew up headed to the door. "I'll bring you by some lunch later."

Tirek merely nodded and went back over to the window, resting on his pillows to look out to the world and think.

Scorpan sighed and left the room, his thoughts and heart heavy. As he flew down the hall, he looked up to a large painting of his father and mother straight ahead on the high wall. 'Please do not worry, father. I will not betray you or cause harm just because I love Tirek. I know what's right and what's wrong, what's good and what's bad. I will not go mad with my love. But I will do everything I can to help my brother before I give him up to the madness for power in his own heart. Trust me, mother. Everything will be okay.' Scorpan bowed his head and continued on his way.

---

In another (and quite shadowy) corridor of the castle, meanwhile, for several minutes now, the hooded figure of Discord had been resting and brooding.

"That little 'prince' is going to force my hand." He sighed in annoyance. "I despise royalty—those two pony princess sisters are bad enough, but that Tirek is a nightmare." He rolled his eyes. "He has the potential to be powerful though, I'll give him that." He shook his head. "But there's no need to harm the ponies—what does that get you? A land of injured and fading beings for you to rule over on high? How boring! And pain is so uncouth. No, no, as long as you're going to be a dictator, you might as well have a little fun, keep the ponies around and thriving for the sake of having an audience." Discord grinned. "You don't have to make the ponies suffer, you just have to take over their lives until they bow to you and let the rest take care of itself."

Discord chuckled to himself as his visions for his successful and chaotic future as ruler of Equestria danced before his mind's eye again. "Oh maybe this isn't so bad…. In fact, maybe this new development with Tirek is something I can use to my advantage." He twirled his beard around some of his fingers. "Yes, yes…King Vorak will have his hands full with Tirek, but Tirek still won't be able to strike in full force for quite a while. And that brother of his will hold him back too somehow." Discord nodded to himself. "I'll talk to Sendak again, then slip into Equestria, sever all ties with this kingdom, and finally have a throne to call my own, a place where I can truly spread my chaos away from this gloomy, orderly land. It'll be easy—the sisters just came to power in Equestria not too long ago, the government is still unstable, and I'll take control for myself with a snap of my fingers! Then by the time Tirek is powerful enough to come to the ponies, I'll be so established as ruler and so powerful with all of my subjects at my beck and call for fear of my chaos that he'll never stand a chance."

Discord's grin grew and his eyes narrowed. "Hold on to your horseshoes, Equestria," he held up his fingers to snap…and then his smile fell and his tone grew dark, "The spirit of chaos is coming."

And with those words and a snap of his fingers, Discord was gone.

---

Many years later…in the magical land of Equestria…

"Starswirl…you've taught me much about friendship in my time here. I want to thank you for that." A (full grown now) Scorpan turned to his unicorn friend Starswirl the Bearded sitting next to him upon this verdant, sunny hilltop and smiled.

The white unicorn in his dark blue robes and with his long beard like a cloud smiled in return and nodded to his friend. "Scorpan, you are always welcome to my wisdom and advice. I sense a great goodness in you, and a rich heart."

Scorpan smiled more. But then he looked down and forward to the peaceful fields and ponies playing in the valley below. His smile faded. "But Starswirl…do you think there are bonds stronger than friendship? Bonds you have to honor even above the ones with friends?"

Starswirl smiled a little more and looked out to the ponies and the beautiful landscape as well. "Scorpan, there are many bonds that are just as strong as those with friends or even stronger, but I think you are missing a key piece of understanding about the magic of friendship. Every strong positive bond among people has friendship at its base—mother and child are friends, lovers are friends, teacher and student are friends…brothers are friends. So it is difficult to argue that one specific bond should be put above another when all have the same great bond at their core. All you can do is let love guide you, use your judgment well, and do your best to spread laughter and honesty and generosity and kindness and loyalty to all."

"The Elements of Harmony…keys to the magic spark of friendship," Scorpan replied.

"Yes." Starswirl nodded.

"Loyalty can be a difficult element to maintain when deciding between bonds," Scorpan remarked, still observing the ponies. "I want to be loyal, but I don't know who to be loyal to."

Starswirl smiled warmly. "That is easier solved than you realize, Scorpan. Be loyal to yourself, your integrity, your own heart. No true friend would ever expect you to go against those things. Be loyal to what you know is right, Scorpan, and all will be well." Starswirl looked to his friend and then blinked. "Scorpan, what is wrong? Why do you cry?"

Scorpan blinked, and a few tears did fall from his eyes which he quickly wiped away. He sighed, his gaze falling downward. "Because I have to tell you something, Starswirl. But I think it will cost me my best friend if I do. But if it does, then…that might mean he never was my best friend at all, or at least that he hasn't been for a very long time." Scorpan looked to Starswirl, frowning so much. "But if I don't tell you, all of my new friends will suffer and so will you. So will so many people…and so many people already have."

"I see." Starswirl frowned. "That is a heavy decision to bear, my friend, and I am sorry it is upon you."

Scorpan took in and let out a very deep breath. "If I do tell though…then the person I love the most will suffer. He'll be punished for his crimes. And I know that…and I can accept that. But…just promise me you won't let him end up like Discord." Scorpan frowned more. "Sometimes I can't bear to think of what happened to Discord here."

Starswirl reached out and put a hoof on Scorpan's shoulder. "Yes, Discord's fate in stone was an extreme one. I cannot even say that I entirely approve of it. But it is what the Elements and the sisters deemed necessary. And for now it might be best—he was relentless, he caused the ponies strife, and chaos is not easy to contain." He smiled a little and removed his hoof from Scorpan. "But other magical beings are much easier to contain. Stone may not be necessary for your friend. Even the use of the Elements of Harmony may not be necessary. I'm certain if we talk to Celestia and Luna, they will understand and do their best to help you and your friend."

Scorpan considered and then looked out upon the beautiful landscape again. "There is something else too, Starswirl. Once whatever will happen happens…once my brother Tirek is punished for what I must reveal to you he is about to do…there will be no one to rule our land in our parents' stead. Tirek has already taken so much power from them, but when he cannot return there then I will be heir to the throne. And I will have to return home and work hard to see to the safety of my kingdom, so I may never be able to return to Equestria to see my friends here or you again."

Starswirl smiled softly. "Take heart, friend Scorpan. We may still meet again. As I get on in years, I'll probably want to take a good vacation from time to time. I wouldn't mind visiting you."

Scorpan tried to smile but still frowned.

Starswirl sighed, looking out to the ponies again. "But I know you had hoped to live here—I know you found the peace of this place comforting. I am sorry that staying among us is not in your fate. But we shall never forget you, and I hope you and your kingdom shall never forget us."

"Never, Starswirl. Not ever." Scorpan put an arm over his friend and hugged him.

The two friends separated after a moment.

For a little while longer, Scorpan sat looking out over the happy plains of Equestria full of smiling ponies, and Starswirl sat in silence beside him, likewise enjoying the peaceful moment and the magical view.

Then eventually Scorpan let out a breath and stood up. There was a firm look never before seen in his eyes. "I have tried everything to sway Tirek from his plans to rob this land and its ponies of their magic for his own selfish gain of power. He won't listen though…but the responsibility lies with me to make sure he doesn't succeed for the sake of what's right, and for the sake of true friendship and love." He bowed his head. "Let's go see Celestia and Luna, Starswirl. We don't have much time."

Starswirl nodded and rose. The two friends turned away from the scene before them and headed to the Everfree Forest and the Castle of the Two Sisters in the distance.

---

My name is Lord Tirek.

And I lie here in Tartarus in chains because everyone in my life has betrayed me…including my worthless brother.

I am a being destined for greatness beyond greatness. My power can be infinite and absolute—I figured out how to do it. Sendak was a fool, weak, limited. He always behaved as though I was the barely talented pupil lucky to serve under his masterful guidance, but no…. In truth he knew I was master of an art he could barely comprehend. And all I had to do to embrace that art was free myself from every other tie in life that bound me.

Perhaps therein lies my mistake though—I did cut every tie…except the one with my brother. Still, I never thought… Yet, he is the one who has put me here into this cold, rocky, lonely place. Tartarus. His betrayal lost me everything just as I was on the brink of owning this land for my own. I had already weakened father, pushed aside mother, gathered supporters in my homeland, and I had my birthright. With the power I could have acquired here, I would have dominated both this land and my own, all under one rule, all serving to bring me power and power and more power. I am capable of wielding all power at once. All of everything would have been mine.

And yet now I sit here in the shadows alone…with NOTHING.

Celestia and Luna even took away the little power I had already started to steal from the ponies. Oh certainly, with something about this land's magic still tainting me and with my own natural abilities, my life will at least be long and my mind sharp...but already I feel myself shriveling into a state little better than Sendak's all those years ago.

To have tasted power, to know you can wield all power, to know that you know your destiny and it is right before you and you have the will and drive to achieve it in all of its glory but have simply been prevented from doing so by others…It's maddening.

Next time, though, nothing shall prevent me.

And there will be a next time. I can wait…. One day, something will change, something will shift, the sisters will fall…or at the very least I'll find a bone to throw to that old dog who guards us. There are some other magical creatures imprisoned around here—I can almost smell their power. And perhaps one day I'll slowly acquire enough particles of it to cast a little spell and send that dog just far enough away for me to make my escape.

But for now I will wait. I deserve this much punishment for my foolishness—I must take some time to think about what I did and my great mistake. Scorpan… There is a weight on my chest, the weight of my brother's amulet. As they brought me here, he offered it to me—he said he never wanted me to forget him or our family or our home. And he wanted me always to know that he loved me and that he was sorry for how everything had turned out.

I said nothing. And then he left me.

Scorpan is so weak. He wasn't worth me saying anything to. Brother—I'm ashamed to claim the relation.

No, no, this amulet I will wear and bear so as to never forget my greatest mistake—trusting someone else enough to give them any power over me. From now on I will claim all of the power as it is my right to do. From now on…I will be the only one doing the betraying.

I look up to the stars in this dim, cold place. And I know that the sisters and the ponies and Scorpan and mother and father and Sendak were all wrong…and I am the only one who was ever right. Love is a weakness, love is not worth striving for and does you so little good as I have learned from my brother. But power is worth any action…power is worth going mad for.

I smile in the night.

Alone now, my madness finally completes me.

I shall be Tirek, Lord of All.

---

A/N:

I hope you guys liked this one! I'll try to keep all of these companion fics relatively brief (I really just want them to be little slice of life-ish additions). Next week: The Dazzlings! I hope you'll read whatever I come up with for them, and thank you again for reading this and for any reviews!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna

A/N:

Hi everyone! Here's this week's "Fiendship is Magic" companion fic, based on The Sirens! The comic wasn't as dark as the other ones, so this fic isn't quite as dark as the other two I've done, but I hope you all enjoy it. ^_^ Please review if you can, and thank you!

Music Wars

---

"If I cannot use magic, perhaps another tool will be more effective…" a young Starswirl the Bearded muttered to himself as he sat before a very particular mirror alone in his library and gazed through a portal to another world. He frowned at recalling these words of his from just before his great music battle with the Sirens, whom he could now see roaming around the strange magic-less land he had sent them to, helpless, frustrated, and still attempting to get up to their old musical tricks.

Starswirl sighed deeply, scowling and bringing a hoof to his head as he closed his eyes. "I was right! But I was wrong too…" He got up and started to pace before the mirror, opening his eyes again. "I did need another tool, but it wasn't another tool besides magic. I just needed the right kind of magic—something beyond mere spells and potions. I needed something older, something deeper, something undeniable…. I needed to redeem the Sirens. But all I really did with our 'Music Wars' was contribute to the disharmony they were spreading by being disharmonious toward them. How could I have been so foolish?" He stopped and stamped his hoof firmly into the ground. Starswirl then let out a final sigh and frowned, looking down. "I'm supposed to train our two new princesses to be the best protectors for Equestria they can possibly be. If I can't even be the best protector possible myself…how can I expect to succeed with them?"

Starswirl became quiet. Then he sat down again to think. "At least I know time magic well enough that I was able to cast that temporal spell over the Sirens' new realm. They won't feel the years of their banishment passing as they truly are in Equestria…at least not until another being with Equestrian magic enters there, which will disrupt the spell." His look became firmer. "And perhaps soon I will indeed be able to go to that realm after I've discovered the right kind of magic not to defeat them but to let them see all of the good they are capable of."

Starswirl turned from the mirror to gaze at all of the musical instruments now crowding this room after his part in the Music Wars. And he smiled. "In a way, they already were doing good even without knowing it. Look at all of the music we created by competing, all of the innovations we made to the sonorous arts, all of the amusement we spread to ponies." Starswirl's smile lingered, but then he sighed and looked to the mirror again. He held his head high as high as he could manage. "No one could blame me for taking the action I did, but I know I could have done better. The Sirens were my greatest failure. But I'll learn from that failure to make sure nothing like it ever happens again." His gaze was stern. "There was a better way, a way…a way the Elements of Harmony would have been proud of, a way that would have lit the ancient spark and spread something better than strife or victory. A way that would have brought the Elements together and brought the Sirens together with the ponies in love and—"

"Master Starswirl! Are you down there? Come on, it's time for our magic lesson!"

"Luna! Don't interrupt him when he's in his private study! You know he doesn't like to be disturbed down there. I'm sure he remembers our magic lesson and that he'll find us when he's ready!"

"Oh, Celie, stop being such a filly! Besides, he may require our help with something as princesses. And either way, if we have to, we could certainly teach ourselves magic today with all of the books and potions he has in that study of his."

"Luna, don't go down there!"

"If you're so worried about me going down here, come after me, Celestia!" The laughter of a young mare resounded down the stone stairwell leading to Starswirl's study.

"Luna!" Some quick trotting was heard. "At least let me lead the way, you always get lost!"

"Tis a race, and I shall beat you, sister!"

An exasperated sigh. "Luna…"

At this point Starswirl sighed very deeply and touched the mirror, turning its surface back to normal glass. He mumbled to himself, rubbing his temple with his hoof. "Oh yes, thank you, founders of Equestria. I am honored you chose me to help mold and guide our two new barely-more-than-adolescent princesses. After all, they may have the mentality of young mares, but being centuries old I'm certain they're full of wisdom and experience that will make training them simply a delight. Indeed, they must be the most poised and mature young ladies we could possibly imagine." He did have to smile a little though as finally the sound of running hooves got closer until Luna and then Celestia appeared in his study doorway.

"I-I win!" Luna managed to get out between breaths, smiling brightly. "I may enter first!" Holding her head high, the young periwinkle alicorn with turquoise hair (and sporting her not-too-long-ago-acquired moon cutie mark) went to trot forward into the study proudly…only to instantly be met with the sight of Master Starswirl standing before her, looking down, an eyebrow raised dryly.

Luna paused, blinked, and then smiled sheepishly and took a step back. "Oh, er, good day, Master Starswirl. So you are indeed down here then? As you did not reply to our calls for you, we assumed you were not in, but we just wanted to check regardless. We are happy to see you here now though. May we come in?"

Starswirl smiled a little and nodded, stepping aside. "Yes, of course, princesses. Please enter." He gestured forward with his hoof into the room.

Luna smiled brightly and trotted inside. Celestia (sporting a mane and tail of pink hair along with her own new sun cutie mark) looked to Starswirl with a humble smile and gave a slight bow of her head. "Thank you, Master Starswirl. We're sorry for intruding."

Starswirl shook his head as Celestia entered the study too. "No need to apologize, ladies. I'm the one who's behind on my time. But unfortunately I may need to cancel our lesson for today. I have much to think about."

"Art thou making more music, Starswirl?" Luna asked with interest, touching a bust of Aristclople and trying to mimic its stern features. "We would love to hear some, especially since you will not let us attend your concerts with the Sirens." Luna pouted a little.

"Yes, well," Starswirl interrupted with a sigh, "as I said from the start, I just did not want you mares being influenced negatively by three such questionable ladies as the Sirens. There will be plenty of time for you to deal with the defense of our nation when you are a little older and more experienced." He swallowed, looking away from the princesses and barely towards the mirror. "Either way though, I'm afraid my concerts are all done…and that the Sirens are all gone. They've ended their engagement in Canterlot."

Luna frowned, looking to Starswirl. "Aw! And I so wanted to see them. My hoof maidens raved about their musical styles…well, they raved when they weren't too busy arguing over who would get to polish my crown and who would get to polish my shoes. Twas very strange." She glanced up, a hoof to her chin. Then she shrugged. "But I suppose they have just been overwhelmed by the greatness of the 'Music Wars', as your rivalry was known."

"I have to admit, Master Starswirl," Celestia supplied with a shrug and a smile in her mentor's direction, "I wanted to see one of the concerts myself or at least I wanted to see you perform. I still cannot believe all of the new musical styles being practiced in Canterlot now. I hear they're spreading throughout the land—I think you've started a great chapter in Equestria's musical history."

Starswirl couldn't help but smile at the two sisters. "Thank you, ladies." He sighed and considered. "Well, I'm afraid no one around here will be hearing the Sirens music for a very long time. But I would be happy to play you both a song now, if you'd like, in lieu of your magic lesson."

Celestia and Luna instantly sat before him and nodded with big smiles and bright eyes.

Starswirl chuckled. "Very well then. What style would you like to hear?"

"Electric Symphonic Rock!" Luna announced.

"Country Folk!" Celestia announced.

Starswirl blinked and sighed, knowing a little sisterly spat would ensue. They had really been fussing with each other a lot lately—he suspected it was in part some sort of residual, second-hand effect of the Sirens' music.

"But sister, Country music seems like it would be so boring. I prefer something with a loud sound and firm quality!" Luna insisted.

Celestia sighed. "But Country music is the music of the farmers and lay ponies, and especially the earth ponies, and you and I really do have to work on establishing better relations with them. Stuck here in this castle in the forest all the time though, it's difficult."

"Electric Symphonic Rock!" Luna pouted.

Celestia rolled her eyes. "Stop acting so immature, Lulu! We can talk about this and discuss the difference in our choices."

"And by 'discuss' you mean you explain to me why your choice is best. Nay, I will stop being 'immature' when you stop being bossy!'" Luna nodded firmly.

Starswirl cringed a little. "Girls!" He raised his voice slightly, and the exchange instantly ceased. "Please…" He let out a calming sigh, "Ladies, I know you have been cooped up in the castle a bit lately due to the issues with the Sirens, but that is no reason for all of this bickering." He smiled. "You aren't just princesses who should do their best to behave well as an example to others, you are sisters. There is a great bond between you, and it saddens me when you both fight." He leaned down a little closer to them, his smile growing. "You are the leaders of this nation, and very capable on your own…but strongest of all when you work together. You create a harmony beyond your individual selves that is good for us all."

The sisters looked up at him, frowning slightly. Then they sighed.

"We apologize, Master Starswirl," Celestia replied.

"Indeed," Luna added with a sigh. "Shall we go reflect upon our actions in our rooms?"

Starswirl smiled more, opened his mouth…but then caught sight of the mirror behind the girls and shook his head. "No, none of that, no getting sent anywhere. You girls are too old and have too much experience as leaders now for me to reprimand you, even if I am your magic teacher. And besides, sending anyone away as punishment for their behavior should be only a last resort." He smiled more. "Loyalty, Generosity, Laughter, Honesty, Kindness must all come before fighting…and in that way, we all learn to be true friends spreading good instead of ev—" Starswirl paused. His eyes went very wide. And he was very quiet for a moment.

Luna and Celestia looked up at him in concern. After a minute or two, Celestia even cleared her throat and tried quietly, "Master Starswirl, are you all right?"

Starswirl just blinked several times, his eyes focused elsewhere. "I've been such a fool. I…yes, but…the concept…could it really? I must…I must…Ladies, I must write magic now." And he dashed over to a large dark book on his desk next to a quill and began magically scribbling away.

Luna and Celestia looked at him curiously but then nodded and rose to leave.

"Yes, of course, Master Starswirl," Luna remarked. "We shall leave you to your work then."

"Yes, yes," Starswirl muttered over his shoulder, "It's very important…I must be alone to consider everything, I must have silence, solitude, I…" But then he stopped writing and his eyes went wide again. He lowered his pen. "But no." He turned to the sisters. "Celestia, Luna, stay with me. Yes…we shall still have a lesson today, but not a usual one. I shall explain some concepts of harmony to you—new concepts, but ones so old they've had a place in our world eternally if only one takes the time to see the pattern." He smiled, his eyes shining with the fire of his magical arts and of his grand realization. "And I want my two favorite students—my two favorite friends—here with me while I research and explain this newest interest of mine. Somehow I think all of us working together will be a benefit."

Luna and Celestia smiled brightly in return.

But then Luna paused and added, frowning for just a moment, "We are honored, of course, Master Starswirl, but…does this mean we may not still hear some music from you?"

Celestia blinked and then nodded. "Oh yes, as long as you're going to let us stay, may we still hear a song, Master Starswirl? Please?"

Starswirl had already turned back to his scroll and was continuing scribbling away at it. "Perhaps at the end, ladies, I…" But as he glanced at them again for a moment he had to pause in his writing once more and smile. 'Well…I could not use my music to defeat the Sirens, and I failed to find a magic to let them use their music for good…Perhaps, after all of that, it is only fitting that my understanding of new, better magic should begin with a song to bring me and my friends closer together.' Starswirl finished his sentence, placed down his quill, turned to the princesses and nodded. "Yes, you may hear a song before we begin…but you both must compromise and pick a style."

The sisters looked to each other. Luna whispered something to Celestia, then Celestia whispered something back to her, then they looked at each other again and nodded before looking to Starswirl. Celestia spoke. "We have decided that you should choose, Master Starswirl. Please play for us your favorite kind of music."

Luna nodded. "Indeed, we respect your abilities and talents very much. And since you will be the one playing, it seems only fitting that you choose the style of music.

Starswirl smiled more and nodded. "An excellent compromise, and most considerate and friendly. Very well…" He walked over to his instruments, looking a little sheepish. "Though I'm afraid you may not be too impressed. But still…" Starswirl brought forth his lute and sat on a stool with it. "This is my favorite instrument and my favorite music. And I hope you girls will find some enjoyment in it."

Celestia and Luna smiled and nodded, then sat on the floor before him once more.

"Of course we will, Master Starswirl."

"Thank thee again for playing for us."

Starswirl nodded again and then cleared his throat and began to strum. "Starswirl the Bearded am I you see, a too-ra-loo-ra-layyy…I am a wizard and a pony…a too-ra-loo-ra-leee." He could see the girls grimacing a little but still watching with interest. Starswirl smiled more. "I serve two sisters who are fun, a too-ra-loo-ra-layyy…Luna of the moon, Celestia of the sun…a-too-ra-loo-ra-leyyy." The girls blinked and giggled at his silliness. "They may indeed be centuries old, a-too-ra-loo-ra-layyy…yet I'm the one with a beard white as snow, …a-too-ra-loo-ra-leyyy." The princesses laughed together warmly now. "Together we shall learn and sing, a-too-ra-loo-ra-layyy …And bring harmony to everything, a-too-ra-loo-ra-leyyy…" Starswirl gave the lyre a final strum, and instantly his little audience was stomping their hooves.

"I loved it, Master Starswirl," Celestia announced.

"Indeed," Luna nodded. "We ought to make it the new national anthem."

Starswirl laughed. "Thank you girls. And in the future, I'll be happy to play for you any time, and in other styles as well." He set aside the lyre and returned to his desk. "Now, let us begin our discussion for today—magic…it's equal propensity for good and bad, and how to use it to secure harmony…and perhaps friendship…despite our differences."

The girls nodded. And so Starswirl returned to scribbling furiously at his scroll for a little while longer, and discussing with Celestia and Luna as he did so…though he couldn't help glancing to the mirror with a frown just once more in the midst of everything before his duties to the pony sisters finally fully absorbed his interests for the rest of the afternoon.

---

Later, Celestia and Luna had left for the day and Starswirl was alone in his study once more…and he still had a great deal on his mind despite all of the progress he had made in his new magical concepts. He sat, his eyes closed, and thought to himself. 'I did fail with the Sirens. But I and these two sisters will not fail again…or at least they will not fail again, not without exhausting better magic first.' He was starting to grasp something big, something that he felt would keep Equestria stable for centuries, something that…drew him closer to the Elements of Harmony. His greatest failure was leading to his greatest discovery. He was full of regret and wonder all at once.

Starswirl approached the mirror and touched it again. The portal glimmered to life, and he could see into this other world and see the Sirens.

They were still walking around, investigating their new plane of existence. He decided the least he could do was watch and see how they were faring. And so he did.

---

"Great, this is just GREAT Adagio, I told you we'd get banished if we got caught using mind controlling magic in Canterlot! And we actually got caught and could have LEFT, but you had to engage that wizard in a…a…a battle of the bands! And now we're stuck here!" Aria glared at her yellow-hued fellow Siren.

Sonata pouted, still looking at her hands. "I miss my hooves, I miss flying, I miss my beautiful scales! Aria, hold me!" Sonata instantly clung to Aria's side.

Aria scowled and pushed her away. "Hey, get off of me!"

Sonata pulled back, pouting and sniffling, her eyes wide.

Aria sighed and held out her arm. "Oh, just hug this and be quiet already! What is wrong with you?"

Sonata quickly latched onto her arm. "I'm scared, Aria! What are we going to do here? How are we going to get home? The power of our singing is limited in this world—what if no one likes it, and we can't feed off of disharmony enough to keep our powers going?"

"Who knows?" Aria scoffed. "Why don't we ask, Adagio—maybe she can come up with a horrible enough plan to get us banished to an even WORSE place!"

"Oh, why do we always have to fight?!" Sonata protested with a pout and scowl. "We're supposed to make OTHER PEOPLE fight! Sometimes it's like you two forget what we're all about! Adagio, you agree with me, right?"

"Well, why don't we just break the act up then?!" Aria glared all the more. "Oh, that's right, we can't because we're stuck here and we're all we've got!"

Adagio had been fuming in silence this entire time. And now she just couldn't take it anymore. "Would you two be QUIET!" she yelled, turning on her sisters, hands clenched at her sides. "Yes, we got banished, yes, we gambled and lost. But one day we'll return to Equestria—we'll come back and be better than ever! Our voices will be heard all over the nation! But for now we have to calm down and FOCUS! Do I make myself clear?!"

Sonata frowned but nodded.

Aria scowled but replied dryly, "Fine. What did you have in mind then?"

Adagio took a deep breath, her voice resuming its normal cool and calculating quality. "As long as we got sent here together, we'll stick together. Our magic will be most effective if we work as a group. The most important thing is to find other creatures, creatures who can hear our music and be urged to create disharmony from our songs. It won't be much, but it'll be something. And it's the only way we'll survive." She turned and pointed forward. "There are more lights that way, it must be the center of the city. Let's head there to start." She took a breath. "Just stick together and we'll be fine..." And then she began walking forward firmly, not even waiting for a reply from her sisters.

Aria and Sonata looked at each other, then just shrugged and started following Adagio.

Needless to say, it was a rather tense and quiet walk to the city center. But that was good—it gave the Sirens time to think.

Aria looked forward with an angry scowl. 'Why does Adagio get to be the leader? If she'd just listened to me back in Canterlot, none of this would be happening. All I ever wanted to do was sing and gather enough magical energy to keep us satisfied, not conquer the whole nation with our music. It was better when we stuck to our original songs. The ponies won't even remember us as anything but a fad now…if they remember us at all…'

Sonata still gazed around their new world fearfully. 'There's no magic here. But maybe somehow that's a good thing. It'll be harder to detect us, and no one should be able to banish us again…probably. I hope we'll be okay.'

And Adagio's firm, fiery gaze remained on her face as she walked…while inside her thoughts ran something like this… 'I KNOW I screwed up, okay, Aria! And I KNOW you're scared, okay, Sonata! I know it was my responsibility that this happened to us, and that now…now we might never get full access to our magic or see Equestria ever again.' Her scowl deepened. 'And I know I have to be the one to keep us together now even if I'm not entirely sure what's going to happen or if there's any chance we really could end up being okay. All I do know is that wizard hurt us, and here at least I won't let anything hurt us ever again. That I'll guarantee.' She sighed deeply into the night air.

And thus the sisters set out to explore their new world and fend for themselves.

---

Many, many years later in Equestria…but barely a few months later for the Sirens…

The portal of the mirror showed the three girls sitting on a bench in a park, hoods up, singing lightly as their pendants glowed.

"Ahhhh, ah, ah….ahhh, ahh…Ahhhh, ah, ah…ahhh, ahh…." They inhaled a green magical vapor as the many people in the park started to fight and yell at each other. Soon the people all walked off with their bickering, leaving the Sirens alone.

Adagio lowered her hood first with a small, wicked smile. "Well, it's not a buffet, and we can only do so much with the way our pendants are now, but still…not a bad take for the day."

"I feel like my magic is starving," Aria complained, lowering her hood and crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't know how we've gotten through these few months. I need a full meal of magic!"

"Well, these creatures aren't magical as I've explained COUNTLESS TIMES, Aria," Adagio shot back, "So we can only feed off of them so much."

Sonata sighed, lowering her hood as well. "It's not all the chaos and magic we used to feed off of that I miss so much, it's the crowds cheering and liking us…you know, before they'd start to fight." She smiled. "Maybe we could find a way to do a concert here one day?"

Adagio sighed. "We've been over that too, Sonata. We can barely carry more than a light tune as we are now. Without some extra magic, we'll flop just like we did when we first went to Canterlot. Then everyone's negative energy will be turned against us instead of each other, and we can't feed off of that."

"I still miss the crowds cheering," Sonata supplied with a shrug nonetheless.

Adagio just looked forward firmly. "We're doing our best. We'll get by. And we'll find a way back to Equestria one day. If there's a way in, there's a way out. We just need to stick to the area where that idiot wizard dropped us off. The portal back will certainly be near here."

"Whatever…" Aria grumbled, slouching on the bench and looking forward, still scowling…and almost frowning whether or not she realized it.

Sonata sighed and looked forward, frowning completely.

Adagio glanced from one to the other and stood up. "Come on. We'll go…I don't know, plot our next target or something. Or we'll scout around for a place to sleep tonight. I'll take the first watch for a portal opening."

Aria and Sonata sighed but then stood up along with her.

"Whatever," Aria grumbled.

"If you say so, Adagio," Sonata looked down, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Let's go," Adagio announced, and then the three Sirens were off.

Walks to places together had continued to be a quiet experience ever since the Sirens' imprisonment here. But at this point rather than scowling darkly as they proceeded along, Aria and Sonata just looked forward in a touch of defeat…while Adagio attempted to scowl as darkly as usual, though there was something lacking there. Their thoughts ran like this.

Aria took a deep breath. 'We're never going to get home. And nothing's ever going to get better. And all that's going to happen is one day Adagio's going to push me too far. If we ever get back to Equestria, I don't want anything to do with Canterlot or the pony sisters…but I wouldn't mind a crack at that Starswirl. And then I want a vacation from these two.'

Sonata hummed softly to herself. 'I guess it's not so scary here…but I still miss Equestria and magic. Sometimes I've heard of beings getting banished for almost a thousand years. At least we got banished together, but still…what would home look like in a thousand years? Would we even belong there anymore? Not that anyone ever made us feel like we belonged there before…. Like it's our fault we're Sirens. We can't help what we are.'

Adagio closed her eyes. 'I can keep us safe if they'd just let me. I'm not letting us go down in this place. We will get home, I will get them home…as long as we don't kill each other first.' She opened her eyes. 'Of course, I won't let that happen either. I will preserve the Sirens.'

The Sirens continued along on their way as sunset began.

---

Starswirl had gotten on in years. And he had done many things, made many accomplishments, pushed the limits of magical study, written countless books, even unlocked the secret spark of the Elements of Harmony—the Magic of Friendship, his greatest accomplishment (though he still could not pretend to understand its depths as thoroughly as he should). And he had done a fine job teaching these subjects and all of his other accomplishments to the two pony sisters, who had now blossomed into mature, capable, and powerful princesses. And there bad been battles…but true diplomacy and love and consideration had been the magic put to use first before anything else. Truly, Equestria would stand tall and proud for countless millennia to come as a land of peace and harmony.

So now, naturally, with such an illustrious career as his legacy and with so much ability in his unicorn horn, Starswirl figured a sort of retirement for himself was in order. And his improvements in time travel magic had become so great that he had the most exciting vacation planned of all—a vacation not to places, but to eras. He would see everything he could, learn all that was possible, and most importantly observe how the Magic of Friendship had always been a part of life in this world and would continue to be a part of it for ages. 'It's the only way I'll ever truly learn to appreciate harmony, I know it.'

Still though, even with so much to be proud of and so much to look forward to…Starswirl found himself staring at the old mirror in his study right now and observing the three girls within it. Starswirl let out a deep sigh and he spoke quietly to himself. "My failure was even greater than I realized in my youth. By making time pass more slowly for them, all I truly did was deny them the full opportunity of their banishment to grow and learn and gradually find the friendship and good within each other. They've barely changed at all…. If anything, they've gotten worse—angry and bitter and scared. Their banishment was never a solution to the problem of them, it was merely me avoiding something I couldn't handle and inflicting potential danger on another world—one lacking any magic to defend itself or knowledge of what it's up against."

A tear came to the old unicorn's eye. He brushed it away, his musings continuing. "And even with all I know now, I can't go through that portal and help them." He frowned. "Their hatred for me is still fresh. They would never listen. And their intentions as singers clearly haven't changed—it would be a danger to bring them to Equestria lacking any reform. I think the sisters are even familiar enough to them that the Sirens would reject their assistance as well." He took a deep breath. "Still…they have the potential for good. Sonata has an innocence…Aria has a concern for the group…Adagio has a desire to guide and protect…all of which I failed to see before I did what I did. But someone will come to them one day and unlock it, I know it. And I hope when that happens that they forgive me in some small way in the end…"

"Starswirl? Starswirl, are you down here?"

Starswirl blinked and instantly touched the mirror, making the portal disappear. He looked to his study entrance. "Yes, Celestia, I am down here. Please join me."

There was the sound of hooves walking and then Celestia (fully grown now, her hair full of its familiar modern rainbows) came into the room with a smile. "I'm sorry I'm late. I was almost worried that you'd left already." She sighed, sitting beside him near the mirror. "Are you really sure you want to go? We really would love for you to stay…Luna just as much as me, even if she won't say it." She looked down. "She's become so private lately. Sometimes she won't even come to dinner. She loves you just as much as I do, of course, and I know she wishes you well on your journey, but still…we're all such good friends, I'll be sad to see you go." She shrugged, brushing a tear from her eye.

Starswirl smiled warmly. "Good Celestia, don't be sad. Our friendship isn't ending. It's just entering a new phase. I want to expand my understanding of the Elements and friendship and magic, ancient and future, and this is the best way. And I'd like a little adventure for myself. But I'll try to stop in from time to time. I promise." He winked.

Celestia smiled and nodded. Then she stood "Shall we go have tea upstairs? Maybe I can convince Luan to join us?"

Starswirl smiled but shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm afraid I don't have much time. And before I go…I wanted you to know that I'm leaving you in charge of this room and anything concerning my affairs and my spell book and all of the magic spells within it, finished or otherwise, Celestia. Luna seems to need more time to study the Magic of Friendship, though I have confidence she will find her way in the end, but you understand my studies almost better than I do. I think you are the best person for this task."

Celestia's smile grew. "I'm honored, Starswirl. You've done so much good for Equestria, I'll consider it a great personal duty to see that all of that goodness is preserved for the ages. And I'm sure Luna will help me when she's ready."

Starswirl smiled back at Celestia…but then that smile became a frown. "Celestia, I am not perfect. I make mistakes. And I'm afraid I must ask you to preserve those flaws along with everything else. I have failed before, Celestia." His head hung low. "And I think you should know about it, as all of my remaining effects will be in your care…including this mirror." He gestured to the mirror with his hoof.

Celestia just raised an eyebrow. "Starswirl, what are you talking about?"

Starswirl raised is head and took a very deep breath. "First…I must express to you once more in our lives that as a leader and protector of Equestria, banishment should only be enacted for the worst crimes…and the one enacting that punishment should always make sure the Magic of Friendship has been attempted first and that there is a clear way of lifting the banishment and a clear plan for what to do with the accused afterwards to help them find the good within themselves. A kind leader will regret doing anything otherwise." He looked into her eyes. "Promise me you will always remember what I said just now, Celestia."

Celestia's eyes went a little wide but she nodded. "I promise, Starswirl." She raised an eyebrow again. "Starswirl, I'm very confused. Why all this talk of banishment? It reminds me of when you mentioned the subject when Luna and I were little…around when we started talking about the Elements and the Magic of Friendship."

Starswirl did his best to hold his head high as he replied. "Because I performed a banishment myself once when you were very young, right around that time. And it's something that's not in my power to undo…and the crime simply did not deserve it. I banished someone—or a group of someones—because I wanted to keep Equestria safe but also because I didn't know any better how to resolve our differences, I didn't know how to help them find the good their magic could do beyond the evil. They are in a world in here, Celestia…" He gestured to the mirror. "My responsibility, my failure, my shame. And you must keep the mirror safe for me until someone comes along who embodies the Magic—the Element itself—of Friendship. Only that one can bring all of my work to its highest purpose and fix the foolish thing I did so long ago…only that one can write a proper ending to the story I must tell you now, if you are willing to listen." He glanced at her so sadly.

Celestia just sat there, eyes wide and glistening a little. "Oh Starswirl…you're my best friend. Of course I'll listen. It's okay that you made a mistake. Just tell me everything, and I'll see to it that someday things are righted."

Starswirl sighed, smiling a little. "You've grown into the best possible pony I could imagine, Celestia. Thank you." Starswirl then looked to the mirror and touched it, bringing the portal to life. "So…you remember the Sirens—Adagio Dazzle…Aria Blaze…Sonata Dusk. I have never forgotten them, though sometimes I wonder if I am the only one…"

Celestia's eyes went a little wider and a small gasp escaped her as she looked from the sight in the mirror to Starswirl.

But seeing how her response made Starswirl cringe, she moved her hoof to his and smiled as best she could. The old wizard smiled too, and then continued with his story, grateful for a friend to help him unburden himself with its telling and grateful that the Sirens' story might not have to end with him…and might end with the betterment of the Magic of Friendship in some form one day.

---

A/N:

That's all for now! Thank you for reading! Next week—Chrysalis! ^_^

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna

A/N:

This week's Fiendship comic: Nightmare Moon. I hope you all enjoy this, and please review if you can! Thank you! ^_^

For the Love of a Nightmare

---

"Dear sister, wake up. You're better now, and you're free again."

Luna took a deep breath and opened her eyes. So much was gloom around her, yet as she blinked a few times, her eyes finally adjusted to the pale moonlight of the strange chamber.

'But am I Luna? Am I not Nightmare Moon? I do not understand…. Everything has been so strange to understand lately. All I know is I hurt so very much…' Luna closed her eyes, feeling hot tears stinging them.

"There, there, sister. I promise, there's no need to cry anymore. I'm here, and I'll always be here for you."

Luna's eyes flew open at the feeling of a familiar warm hoof coming to touch her shoulder, and she looked up to see the kind, smiling face of Celestia looking down upon her.

Luna felt her tears fall in her misery. "I've been so alone, sister. I've been so alone…and I do not even know who I am anymore. Let me see myself, please—let me see if I am me or if I am the nightmare. I must know."

Celestia sighed but stepped back and nodded. Then she used her magic to create a mirror.

Luna gasped at the sight before her. Her coat was pure black, her cutie mark a sinister purple, and her eyes terrified her with their sharpness and cold glow… Her wings were like those of a bat almost, her teeth were like razors…and her was horn sharpened for destruction or worse…

Luna flinched and tried to look away but just couldn't. "Oh Celestia, I'm a monster now, a monster forever. Who will ever love me now?"

Instantly the mirror moved back, and Celestia stepped forward again. She looked down at her poor sister, her gaze firm, her tone sincere. "Everyone will love you, Luna, and I will love you. Oh, Luna, don't you see, it doesn't matter what you've done, the mistakes you've made, these things you think have ruined your life or legacy. You are who you choose to be in this moment and in the future. If you are Luna on the inside—loving, caring, beautiful Luna—then you are truly Luna no matter how you may appear. The nightmare is gone as long as you choose for it to be gone. It may take a while before it disappears entirely, but you are in control, Luna. You can do this. I have such faith in you." Celestia smiled, leaning close. "Be brave, little sister. And be happy with me and all of our subjects again."

Tears still rolled down Luna's dark face. "But our subjects have always hated me…"

"No." Celestia shook her head. "That is not true. Yes, they may have overlooked your hard work and beautiful nights more than was fair, but they do not hate you and never have. That belief is something twisted put there by the nightmare. Remember how it really was, Luna, not how Nightmare Moon needed you to believe it to be so that the dark magic could take hold of you. Remember, Luna, that you belong here with us always. You are our friend. And you are loved. You will return."

Luna came forward with sobs as Celestia wrapped a foreleg around her in a hug. "Oh big sister, I'm so tired and so cold and so lonely. Don't leave me ever again. Yes, I am Luna. I am Luna, and nothing shall ever change that! I am Luna, I have happiness and love, and I remember…"

And as Luna said these words, she opened her eyes among her tears only to glance past Celestia to the mirror still floating behind them. She watched as suddenly the darkness around her began to crack and melt away, revealing her own true features. Luna gasped in wonder.

---

"Ah!"

And, awake now on the moon, Nightmare Moon gasped in rage.

The dark mare sat up in her bed of moon dust and fog, breathing heavily, her dark pupils thin slits among the eerie green of her irises. Instantly, she used her magic to make a mirror appear before her…and then let out a deep breath as she saw her normal, warrior-like, grim countenance staring back at her.

"Yes, I thought not." She smirked, admiring her reflection more. "Stupid dream. Or should I say nightmare…" Her gaze drifted down to the shadowy Nyx still standing around the pots of dream brew beneath her castle, and her eyes narrowed. "It must have been a fluke. None of them would dare tamper with my sleeping thoughts, not after my displays of power. Still though…" Nightmare Moon stood, making the mirror disappear, and descended her palace steps to approach the Nyx.

None of the moon creatures reacted to her approach. They merely continued chanting and mixing their brews for nightmares.

Nightmare Moon paused among them, raising her head in a stately way. "The nightmares are going well tonight, I presume."

The ghostly Nyx all nodded their heads.

"Yes," replied Gaiman. "But we can only make so many—perfect nightmares are even more of a delicate art than perfectly good dreams. At best we must settle for a mixture of both—dreams that have both bad and good qualities. Not the best dreams, but not the worst."

"Grr…" Nightmare moon gritted her fangs. "At least tell me you can get me into some of those mediocre dreams—maybe I can darken them up a bit myself."

The Nyx all looked to each other. Then Gaiman spoke up again. "Only on one night will we be able to manage that, mistress: the holiday of the moon when this sphere is aligned properly against the earth and sun—Nightmare Night. But otherwise, we can only give you our own best efforts to negatively influence the ponies dreams."

Nightmare Moon huffed again but finally nodded. "Very well. I'll accept what I can get for now, I suppose, and we can work from there to improve our powers over the ponies as time goes on. But speaking of influencing ponies' dreams…" she leaned down, glaring at all of the Nyx, "No one would dare influence my dreams…would they?"

The Nyx all blinked and instantly shook their heads.

"No, of course not, mistress!"

"We would never!"

"We don't even know your true name—we would have to know that to even begin specifically entering your dreams."

Nightmare Moon raised her head and considered. Then she gave a single nod. "Very well. I will concede, you don't know my truest name. But…" the glare returned, "If I ever find out any of you are trying to influence my own dreams, you'll wish I had gotten rid of you instead of keeping you around to do my dirty work. Make no mistake about that." She made her horn glow with the dark fire of her magic.

The Nyx all cringed and nodded.

"Yes, yes, mistress."

"We shall faithfully serve you, we promise."

"We would never dare challenge you."

Nightmare Moon grinned. "Excellent. And let's keep it that way, shall we?" She gave a slight yawn. "Now, I'm going back to sleep. Attempting to fill the hearts of the world with anger and spread eternal darkness takes a lot out of a girl. And besides, I want to be as well-rested and cared for as possible for when I do return to Equestria one day and overthrow that sickeningly sweet sun princess." Her eyes narrowed as she turned away from the Nyx, mumbling to herself. "You are never gaining back control of this body, silly Luna of the past. You don't get it yet…we're the same now. I'm the worst parts of you given perfect form. I'm who you chose to grow up into." She closed her eyes sighing deeply. "Celestia disagrees…yes, I know that." Her eyes opened, her irises narrowing completely. "But whatever's left of who I used to be can't fight me. The rage and hate and the nightmare won a long time ago. There's no hope for going back to the way things were, not ever. Luna is no more…Nightmare Moon reigns eternal."

Nightmare Moon let out a deep sigh and gave a nod of her head. She was about to head back to her resting place but then blinked as she noticed the Nyx eyeing her strangely. She scowled, baring her fangs. "What?"

The Nyx all shuddered and then instantly went right back to busying themselves with their nightmare making.

A wave of anger rippled over Nightmare Moon, but she just sighed and proceeded up the stairs of her shadow palace. Her voice resumed its usual low and cool tone. "A 'nightmare' like I had must be a fluke, probably brought on by my dream confrontation with Celestia. She says I don't know love? Well…she doesn't know hate. But she will when I'm done with her." A small smile curled at Nightmare Moon's lip as she settled back into her bed, looking out over the white expanses of the moon and the Nyx down below completing their nightmare tasks. "I'll torture her subjects, mock her by corrupting her sister's legacy in their minds, and put her through so much pain that she'll have to hate me one day…and as I feed off of that hatred, I really will finally conquer her, sunlight and all." And with that thought and a dark chuckle, Nightmare Moon laid her head down to sleep again.

Far below her, the Nyx continued to fulfill her dark bidding for the night…which actually consisted of them creating enough of a nightmare-ish presence scattered throughout dreams to keep their dark mistress happy without actually having to spread enough dark and unhappy nightly visions to hurt and corrupt the ponies as Nightmare moon had done to the Nyx themselves.

Doran, however, stood apart a little and whispered very softly to herself. "Celestia." A sliver in one of the cauldrons glowed golden. Doran poured a drop of potion into it and whispered underneath her breath. "Never fear, my charge and faithful friend. You gave me the truth of Nightmare Moon's identity, and her true name—your sister, Luna. So now I may allow 'nightmares' to come to her dreams. And now I give you a sample of her most recent dream to show that underneath the darkness there is hope. Everything will be better one day, princess, I know it. But I'm sorry we've let you down for now." Doran poured another drop of potion into the brew. The cauldron glowed brightly for a moment (thankfully, Nightmare Moon had fallen back asleep and so could not see the light), and then returned to its previous swirling black and greyish hue. Doran sighed and went back to the same tasks as the others. "I hope it gives her some comfort, seeing that." Doran's head hung low as she resumed her servitude to the dark Nightmare Moon, and the night continued on.

---

In Canterlot…

"Ah!" Celestia sat up with a gasp in the dimness of her chamber, her eyes wide. She took a moment to catch her breath and then glanced around, taking in her familiar, safe surroundings…and particularly the sight of the large window across from her with the light of the full moon shining down through it.

Celestia had taken this room in this new castle as her sleeping quarters ever since Luna's departure. It had just been too awful even attempting to stay in the Everfree Forest castle, let alone in the large master bedroom of that castle which she had formerly shared with her sister. And besides, she wanted a room that would always let her…and make her…look at the moon. She knew the dark magic Luna had stumbled into took most of the blame for her corruption and loss, but still…

Celestia sighed, frowning, her eyes growing heavy at the feeling of tears behind them. "I know I could have done more for you, Luna, before it was too late. I could have helped you be happy. I'm so sorry, my sister." Celestia remained in quiet contemplation for a moment, but then suddenly she gasped again, her horn glowing with a faint gold light coming from above…from the direction of the moonlight.

Instantly, the memory of the dream she had just experienced returned to her—Luna as Nightmare Moon, crying and letting Celestia comfort her until the nightmare had finally cracked and slipped away—and Celestia realized who had given her the dream and what it meant. Celestia blinked a few times, light tears streaming down her face, though she smiled now as they fell. "Oh thank you, thank you so much, my dear old dream friend," she whispered into the darkness. "There is hope, and you're finding ways to give it to her. Please continue to look after my sister…please keep her strong and okay no matter how lost she is for now. She'll need all of her will and hope and love when the time comes so that she can be free." Celestia's smile grew and she wiped the tears away.

The sun princess looked to the moon again—the moon she now raised and lowered, though each morning and evening that she did so broke her heart a little. And she had no idea how she was going to handle the summer solstice next year—part of her just wanted to lock herself way during it, though she knew she would absolutely have to perform her task of starting the longest day of the year for her subjects in person and probably in as grand a display as possible to put their minds at ease after this year's tragedy.

Celestia sighed, resting her head back onto her pillows in the moonlight. "It'll be all right. As long as my subjects are happy, I can't help but be a little happy too. And my hope and love for you, dear Luna, the hope and love I know you need, will sustain me until we can be together again. And so will our wonderful memories and my faith in our bright future." Celestia closed her eyes. "Rest well, little sister. And thank you, Doran…thank all of you for your help, my friends. I'm sorry this burden has been put upon you, but one day you will be free again too. I promise. I love you all, and so do the ponies for everything you've done for them and everything you will do." Celestia sighed. "You rest well too, Nightmare Moon. With all of your hatred and anger and selfishness…you probably need more rest than any of us. Whatever you are, you're not my sister, but I hope you find peace too one day just the same." Another tear came to Celestia's closed eye, though she brushed it away.

Celestia's horn glowed golden again for a moment in the moonlight, and she smiled once more. Sleep soon overtook her, and better dreams came to her (and to the ponies) than Nightmare Moon would have hoped.

---

As the years passed, though the Nyx could not influence Nightmare Moon's dreams every night for fear of rousing her suspicions, they continued to inflect the occasional bit of love upon her slumbering thoughts as often as they could. And though, for the most part, Nightmare Moon ruled with an iron hoof and a heartless will, those rare dreams of love did bother her—they were her own personal 'nightmares'. And she did fight with herself sometimes because of the confusion they brought, and sometimes the Nyx could hear her… Usually, she would dream these conversations, but sometimes she would continue her fights even in waking, occasionally even roaming around and mumbling to herself. And though her strange 'conversations' frightened the Nyx most severely (so severely, in fact, that Doran would only send Celestia dreams of the gist of such rebellious talk by Nightmare Moon and never the full details of her sudden ravings), these strange periods their mistress could go through gave them hope as well. And so the little creatures of the moon waited, and waited, and waited…as slowly a thousand years, so many moons, sped by…and the princess of the night's darkness grew but quivered under its own impossible weight, especially each time the moon shone full with its light down upon the world….

---

Year 53 of the banishment…

Nightmare Moon stood in the shadows, the moon otherwise all-aglow around her. One of those 'nightmares' of hers had just ended, or at least Nightmare Moon felt certain enough that the nightmare had ended. But she often couldn't tell until the talking had finished, and her whispers had faded leaving behind her usual heartless tone.

The dark pupils of her eyes narrowed like slits during the harsher whispers of her fights with herself, and widened almost to normal pony size during the softer whispers…

"Stop getting in my way, foolish mare! Stop being in my head. You can't be there! You don't exist anymore! Luna is gone!" She shook her head.

But then she sighed. "What if this is a bad dream, just a bad dream…"

"NO! It's the nightmare." She stomped her hoof into the moon dust. "The day is done, and now the nightmare begins! Where are you!? I…but…but no, you're nowhere, of course, nowhere. I know you're nowhere."

"Celestia wouldn't send her sister nowhere though..." A frown pulled at the corner of her mouth.

"Rrr…CELESTIA IS A FOOL!" she raged! "And she took everything from me! She led the subjects against me, against the night, against the moon. Beloved Celestia—oh, beloved Celestia, this is all your fault! You must have scarred me in our dream battle somehow all those years ago to cause these nightmares that plague me! Stop mocking me in Luna's voice!"

"I'm so tired…" She sighed very deeply.

"Enough…enough…" Nightmare Moon's usual cool tone returned now, and her eyes resumed their normal eeriness after a few blinks. She raised her head. "I will not let her win. It must be Celestia who somehow tortures me like this in my sleep in revenge for Luna's fall. Oh Celestia, you fool…Luna fell to becoming me for her hatred, and I am bound to that pony I was through that hatred. You cannot control that!" She stalked away and suddenly cried out, looking down from her palace into the darkness and glowing shadows, "Nyx! More nightmares! More, more! Make the ponies feel your pain and mine!"

"Yes mistress, yes!" all of the Nyx called back up to her, and the speed of their movements at their dream cauldrons increased…even if, through their careful efforts and what remained of their love, there weren't too many extra nightmares that night to speak of.

---

Year 301 of banishment…

Nightmare Moon stood alone on the edge of a plain of glowing white light just near her palace. The glowing whiteness spread everywhere when the moon was full…but she did not like it. Not that it caused any harm to her small dark kingdom, and in fact more nightmares could come as the moon was fuller over Equestria. But still…she could not control the light and technically it was a light that came from the influence of Celestia's sun, and so Nightmare Moon stayed out of it as much as possible.

She had just woken up from one of her 'nightmares', and she frowned, her brow furrowing. "Celestia—always so perfect…. As Luna I was her sister—was I never really just as perfect?"

A large growl suddenly escaped her, and her eyes narrowed! "BUT I'VE BEEN PERFECTED NOW! No longer the diminutive of the sun but rather the fulfillment of the night! There is nothing wrong, there is nothing lacking! I am beautiful and powerful…"

Yet something flinched and she sighed deeply, her eyes falling away from the light. "I still remember my resistance right before the final moment of the transformation when I realized how far I'd gone to achieve my perfection. Memories, stop plaguing me!"

Her breaths quickened…and then a dark smirk came to her features, a wicked chuckle escaping her. "Hmm, yes, that's right, my delicious wrath that changed me—that is at least one memory I don't mind recalling. I can't escape it—it was my wrath as Luna that gave me all of this power. And now there's no escape from what I've become! Everyone really does hate the Princess of the Night now, so the nightmare is all there is left for me! Everyone hates Luna!"

"But Celestia does not hate Luna." The words were out of her mouth before she even knew she was saying them.

She gasped again and drove her hoof into the dust. "BUT I HATE HER, and I will make her hate Nightmare Moon and the memory of Luna too, just wait, just wait…oh just wait, Celestia, I'm coming!" She laughed wickedly. "Ha, ha! Yes, Celestia's rage! My own rage…Luna's rage? Perhaps this strange moonscape cannot help but remind me of the past and Luna…but now and forever my power is already complete! I speak for the princess of the night now! And our legacy is one and of eternal darkness!"

She thrilled in this truth for a moment…but then blinked several times, something about that glowing, ever-extending whiteness before her unsettling her. "But what if the nightmare can be broken somehow? Celestia seemed to know something…. The elements. One thousand years…. Perhaps she truly had a plan with choosing to banish me for only one thousand years."

"No, no, I was too powerful, and she just couldn't do any better than temporary banishment! That is all!" She shook her head to herself. "She's waiting, she knows Nightmare Moon is coming back, and she fears it deep down. Because once my exile ends, all she will be able do to save her dear subjects is to destroy the final remains of her own sister…and she is too weak to do it."

"Still…" Her eyes narrowed and went downward. "She loves Luna, and her memory is so engrained in Celestia's heart…. Somehow Celestia knows this isn't the end for her."

"But NO! No, there's no HER and no ME! There's no Luna and Nightmare Moon!" She bared her teeth, eyes flashing. "We…I…all are one, Luna is a memory, Luna…. But then why do I feel her so strongly, why do I see something about her in the moon's glow, like she's here somewhere, deep within the moonlight and always in my dreams, echoing and mocking me? It really is you, isn't it, causing my nightmare?! Some ghost, or perhaps Celestia herself with her memories! Back, you've lost! I reign! All hail Nightmare Moon, I win, I win!"

"Mistress…Mistress…"

With a gasp, Nightmare Moon's eyes returned to their normal state again, and her normal cool tone returned. She could hear the Nyx, and glanced back toward palace to see them looking to her. "Away!" she cried out in her surprise and rage. "Make nightmares and leave me be, or I'll destroy you all like the puffs of smoke that you are!"

The Nyx cringed. "We only wish to depart now," Gaiman called to her. "The nightmares for the night are over."

Nightmare Moon gritted her fangs and let out a sigh. "Get away then. All of you—AWAY!" she boomed. "Leave me in peace!" And then she galloped out of sight into the shadows of her palace as the Nyx looked on...

---

Year 742 of the banishment…

Nightmare Moon gasped with tears in her eyes as she stormed through the rooms of her shadow palace.

"My nightmares have spread to all now, and now everyone has good reason to fear and shun the beautiful night!" Then she sighed deeply. The angrier whispers started. She had just woken up from another 'nightmare.'

"Yes, the princess of the night is feared now without question. Hmm…" she laughed darkly, "Perhaps, far in the past, poor little Luna could have been saved by love since she was just ignored and rejected. But now there is no hope. Everyone knows what I have done, and everyone hates me for it. There is no turning back. My fate is chosen and sealed."

She paused, catching sight of the moonlight through a window. "Is there even a way to go back if I wanted?" She blinked once, twice… "No, I'm…I'm certain there's not…no…" She shook her head…

And then she sighed in rage. "I WANT to be like this! That whole past life was pain, all pain, and now everyone will know that pain and worship Nightmare Moon out of fear! I am a goddess! And when Celestia's wrath reigns down upon us before our final victory, then everyone will finally know that she has given up on Luna and love, and that Nightmare Moon is supreme in the memory of all! There is no more Luna! I don't care what the moon and its light holds or how my dreams mock me!" Nightmare Moon held her hoof in the air.

Still, her breaths grew shallow and she lowered her hoof. "Maybe there's been something to my 'nightmares' all of these years though. They're Luna's dreams, in a way. Could I possibly fear...defeat?" She had reached the palace entranceway now.

She shook her head. "Shut up!"

She sighed. "But I should prepare in case Celestia's love does…"

She shook her head. "We are too powerful, our hate burns! The sun will fall!"

She sighed. "Am I a monster?"

She shook her head. "Yes, I wanted to be a monster! It was the only way to rule!"

She sighed. "So there is no hope?"

She screamed. "THERE IS NO HOPE!"

"NYX!" Suddenly her normal tone and gaze returned as Nightmare Moon cried out and galloped over to her minions at their cauldrons. Her eyes flashed. "More Nightmares, more! Nightmare Night is upon us, and I will make this one an evening the ponies shall never forget! I'll strike such fear into their hearts that even if I fell and that mare I used to be came back, the ponies will run screaming from her! Let me into their dreams and then leave me to my work!" She grinned. "Yes, yes…I am more in control than ever! Let the darkness reign!"

The Nyx edged away uneasily but nodded and opened the portal for her.

Nightmare moon quickly vanished, leaving maniacal laughter in her wake.

The Nyx looked to each other and frowned and shook their heads. They hated this night when their mistress would torture the ponies so, even though they had to let her do so to appease her desire for revenge and to keep off her suspicions about the true nightmare abilities of their powers.

And they also hated how they could feel her corruption of them becoming complete these days. They knew soon that they would no longer care for the safety of the ponies but only for the darkness they had known so long. Even Doran, with her connection to Celestia, was failing inside.

The Nyx sighed in the darkness and waited some more.

---

The thousandth year of the banishment…

Nightmare Moon sat at the center of her dark kingdom and smiled, her sharp teeth glinting in the light of the moon as her gaze lingered upon the earth. "Any moment now…any moment, I'll be free. It's almost over, the thousand years is almost spent, and now my eternal eclipse shall come. I have gained so much power, my hatred has flourished, my minions are as dark and corrupted as I am. I shall destroy the world I came from, Celestia will perish at the hooves of her former sister, and then there will be no more hope and no more love! I am fully prepared for her, she is all there is for me to defeat. Ha!" Mad laughter escaped her, echoing throughout the moon landscape. "And once I am off this accursed rock, my nightmares and the final memory of Luna shall cease." Her grin grew and she spread her dark wings. "And I will show the sun princess that after a thousand years harmony and love can mean nothing—I will turn her to hating me by showing her that her sister is gone and none of those things could save her. Nothing can save her. I have taken her place." The light of the moon began to shift, and Nightmare Moon closed her eyes. "Let the final nightmare begin."

She smiled, waiting for the sense of her freedom…but then cringed. "It doesn't matter that this will be my first time seeing Celestia in so long. She won't bring back anything of Luna. Luna is gone. I'm Luna, I'm in control." She smiled again and nodded. "Yes, any moment now…" But then she cringed once more. "The moonlight almost burns like the sun. I've never noticed it but…it's like something's releasing, something besides me." Her smile returned. "But everything that matters here is me. Yes…Yes…Hmm…" Her dark laughter started and grew and spread and echoed. "Yes…IT'S TIME!"

For one perfect moment everything was illuminated.

And then Nightmare Moon was gone in a flash.

But something else did leave the moon that night too, though Nightmare Moon was too enraged and selfish to realize it. Something in the light…a part of someone's spirit unable to be truly contained in her dark shell. Something banished 'in' the moon despite Nightmare Moon's presence and imprisonment upon the celestial body. Something preserved in love and happiness and warm memory and connected deeply to the moon—something good and innocent that even a thousand years of nightmares could not end.

Nightmare Moon could not escape Luna because she was Luna, as she so often assured herself. But Luna was not her, at least not entirely. And however mad the darkness of the princess of the night had become during the last thousand years, all it would take was a single spark to ignite the light of the full and true Luna and banish the nightmare forever.

---

A/N:

That's all for now, thank you for reading! Next week, the final fanfic to go along with the final Fiendship comic-Queen Chrysalis! ^_^

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna

A/N:

Okay, here's the last Fiendship fan fic installment—Chrysalis! I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you for reading, and please review if you can!

The Need for Change

XXXX

"Chrysalis!"

"That's Queen Chrysalis…" the Changeling Queen replied with her usual morose tone from within her cell where she lay sprawled out on the floor.

"Whatever…" the guard replied gruffly through the slot in her door. "Today is Princess Twilight Sparkle's planned visit with her court to check up on the conditions of your captivity."

"Oh, is that today?" Chrysalis sighed, her head turned away from the door. "Whatever. I don't care either way."

"Just be on your best behavior," the guard replied with a slight scowl. Then he turned and left, closing the slot in the door behind him.

Chrysalis was left all alone in the shadows with nothing but the eerie green glow of her changeling pods to see by.

Luckily, such a glow more than sufficiently illuminated the entirety of the room…including Chrysalis's drawings of Twilight Sparkle (most of them maimed almost beyond recognition), and her scribblings of Twilight's title in a circular pattern on the floor (her writing was actually almost carved into the stone at this point, she had written the word 'Princess' over and over so deeply), and her general messages of hate decorating the walls beneath the hibernating changelings. Each time the guards gave Chrysalis paper and quills (as per Twilight's instructions, in case the changeling Queen felt like keeping a diary or sending any letters), all she did was write and create all of these odd expressions against Twilight. They were a small bit of beauty in her otherwise dreary cell, at least to her.

Finally alone in the solitude and quiet of her cell now, Chrysalis sat up at the center of her monuments against friendship, and smiled to herself.

She gazed upward to the glowing pods of slumbering changelings all around her—so innocent, so perfect, so safe in such a state. She spoke to her people in what passed as a soothing tone for her eerie voice. "It'll be all right, my subjects. Twilight Sparkle comes today. And your Queen has a plan…" Chrysalis chuckled softly to herself. Suddenly, her expression changed a little. She was quiet (and seemed to be listening for a moment), and then raised an eyebrow and spoke again. "Yes, I know the purple one has been kinder to us than Celestia ever was in her punishments. But it's all a lie, don't you see? All a trick…! She gives us a mild prison, but if it weren't for her we wouldn't even be in prison in the first place. She requests food 'prepared with love' for us but still fails to understand that she might as well be feeding flowers coated with diamond dust to a dragon. And she comes to visit us, but it is only to mock our plight with her perfection! To make sure she is in control of us!"

Chrysalis stood and smiled in a crooked way. She began to pace around the cell floor, following the pattern of her etchings of Twilight's title. As she moved, her gaze roved over the drawings and messages of hate upon her walls. "Twilight…Twilight…Twilight is the key. She beats us with friendship—like love but complicated in a different way, and something that we cannot absorb. At least Celestia honestly fought us, but Twilight couches all of her persecution in 'kindness' and 'laughter' and 'generosity' and 'loyalty' and 'honesty'. Twilight will be the undoing of us all…" the changeling Queen's crooked smile grew, "Unless we undo her first."

Chrysalis sat again amid her prison and laughed softly to herself. Then she looked up to her Changelings once more and nodded. "I know, I've promised you a home before, but this time is different. We will succeed….I simply won't allow us to have the option of roaming around pointlessly again, scrounging for love." Her look became firm. "It won't be like in Canterlot…at the wedding. I'm through with subtlety and playing nice. We are having it out with the ponies once and for all. But of course we wouldn't have to resort to that extreme option if it wasn't for Twilight Sparkle!"

Seething, Chrysalis looked to one of her Twilight sketches (the one with the eyes gouged out) and magically put a slash down its horn. Her breaths heavy, she spoke to the mutilated image. "All YOUR fault! We would have taken Canterlot easily and peacefully for our own if you had just left us to it! No one would have been hurt, just drained here and there throughout their lives! They barely would have realized it!"

Chrysalis's face contorted into a look of rage, and she stood and approached the tattered sketch of Twilight. "My changelings trying to invade was a ruse—why do you think I let them attack so openly?! It was a diversion so that no one could notice I had switched places with Cadance! Once I married your brother and established my new role in the society, the changeling threat would have 'disappeared', and I would have merely let my people slip into the city quietly. They would have blended in, fed as needed enough to keep themselves satisfied but not so much that it would have depleted our food supply—we've already made the mistake of sucking ponies dry too many times. We could even have used Cadance's magic to create more love for us and to refuel the ponies, and I personally could have lived on Shining Armor's love alone for decades. I would have even let Celestia rule so long as I could have fed off of her and Luna too in wisps without them realizing it! My people would be in hiding, but they would have found a home and sustenance! No one had to get hurt! BUT THEN YOU CAME ALONG!" Her magic suddenly moved in a quick circle along the walls and gouged a three-part slice through all of the Twilight drawings, like a pair of claws through paper.

"Hey, do you hear that shouting in there?"

"She hasn't been that loud ever since she got here. Should we take a peek? What if it's a trap?"

"Still, we should look and check on her, especially with Princess Twilight arriving soon."

When the guards who owned the voices that had made these muffled comments from the other side of the cell door finally opened the slot, all they saw was Chrysalis lying in her usual dark heap upon the floor and facing away from them. She sighed deeply.

"What is going on in there, Chrysalis? You haven't raged like that since you were brought here!" one of the guards demanded.

Chrysalis kept her voice weak and dreary as ever. "My changelings—they cry in their sleep. They're starving…"

The guard sighed. "But we've offered you food countless times, and you'll barely even taste any of it. Princess Twilight has you on four square meals a day prepared with love, which is no easy task to find way out here."

"Such food is not for us!" Chrysalis sighed dismally. "I might as well ask you to live on dead grass and muddy water. Just leave us be. My changelings are tired, and so am I."

The guard sighed again. "Fine. But just keep it down, please." The slot in the door closed.

Encased in darkness and the eerie glow of her people's cocoons once more, Chrysalis sat up again, frowning and scowling. "Patience, my Changelings. We just have to wait a little longer, and then the purple one will come. She put us here, she will get us out." Her eyes narrowed as they fell to one of the etchings of the word 'princess' upon the floor before her. "And what has she ever done to deserve to be royalty? The sacrifices I've made as a Queen…the consequences I've endured…the responsibility I've known! All she ever does is play with her friends. Princess…Princess…PRINCESS! Perhaps I'd like to be a pretty pony princess and do nothing but smile and sing and have everyone give their love to me freely! And perhaps if Twilight is so special, she would like to lead a dying race for millennia and starve until the end of her days!"

Chrysalis stomped her hoof against the 'princess' etching! Her eyes were closed, and she was quiet for a moment, her breaths shallow and shaky…

But then Chrysalis sat up straight and looked to her changelings again, her tone soothing once more. "But don't worry, my changelings, your Queen is here to stay, and she realizes now the way to save us all. But first we have to get out of here…and then we'll take care of Twilight. And as Twilight falls, so falls the nation…Canterlot…the Crystal Empire…Ponyville and beyond. Something about her binds the ponies together. Something about her will make the ponies come apart." Her glare darkened, and her smile grew. "And won't it just cut Celestia to the quick when I work my wrath upon her dear little precious student. Then she will know what it is like to raise and guide somebody for years only to have all hope for their future dashed. I'll do more than steal Twilight's love, I'll do more than steal her magic…I'll steal her legacy, her destiny, her freedom…. Whatever it takes to secure ourselves a true home and true sustenance."

Chrysalis held her head up proudly and remained that way for several seconds in the silence and gloom.

But then, even though she liked to imagine her minions talking to her, the silence around her grew deafening…and her smile fell. She sighed very deeply.

Chrysalis stood and slowly dragged herself over to the sofa. She collapsed down upon it. "My changelings…" she whispered softly, her face on a pillow and turned inward, "Can I tell you a secret?" She waited for a moment, listening to the silence, and then went on. "I pretend to be tired and drained to lull the guards into a false sense of security…but sometimes I do genuinely feel that way. And it grows worse the longer we stay here. It's been so long since I've tasted love. Hibernation is dulling much of your pain, but I must stay awake for you." She sighed, closing her eyes. "It must be so nice to be the kind of creature who generates and attracts love instead of the kind who needs to feed upon it. But still, our race deserves to be a proud one. Our way of life deserves preservation. I'll find a way for us, I have my plans. You just wait and see, my changelings—I will always be here, and I will always lead and defend us."

The changeling Queen's head rose, and her gaze went to the honeycomb of changeling pods around her, all glowing and warm, keeping her people sleeping and separate from the pain of their reality. Something very soft came to her gaze…and then something enraged came to her gaze. "I hate you, Twilight Sparkle," she hissed to herself. "I hate you for always besting me, for always fighting so 'nobly', for always winning! I hate you for having everything! I hate you for trying to do the same thing I'm trying to do—taking care of your people—and succeeding at the expense of my failure! I hate you for your power! I hate you for seeing through everything that I am! And I hate you for not hating me!" She sat there, seething, breathing heavily, her eyes flashing their murky green but also seeming to shine as though tears could fall…

Suddenly, Chrysalis heard the guards approaching again.

When the slot in the door was opened, the guards only saw Chrysalis lounging on the floor in weakness once more.

A guard scowled. "Princess Twilight and her court have reached the outer gates. No funny business, Chrysalis, got it?"

Chrysalis sighed dramatically, her voice gloomy as ever. "Oh please…. I barely have the energy to stand, let alone to attack. I wish you would just send her away though. I want no visitors, I just want to be alone…"

"Well, you're getting a visitor today," the guard advised. "Princess's orders. So prepare." And with that, the slot was closed again.

Alone on the floor, Chrysalis smiled to herself. "It never fails with ponies—the bad guy tells them what she wants to do, and they do the opposite. I don't want Twilight Sparkle, so they assure me she'll be seeing me at all costs. Idiots." Chrysalis rolled over a little to gaze up at her changeling cocoons. She whispered into the darkness. "Come to me, Twilight Sparkle…I am waiting. And my changelings shall wake soon. Yes, my people, we will feed and have our revenge…but nothing matters more than the destruction of Twilight Sparkle one day. Once she is gone, everything will be better. I know it. And I know you know it too."

Chrysalis shut her eyes in the darkness and green glow, her smile growing, and awaited the princess and her friends…and her chance at freedom.

XXX

The next day…in Canterlot…

"And that's what happened, Princess Celestia. Please don't blame the girls or the guards—it was all my fault. Chrysalis escaped because of my reckless mistake. She's my responsibility and nobody else's…." Sitting in the Canterlot castle throne room, Twilight Sparkle bowed her head low before the sun princess and awaited whatever reprimand or punishment she might receive for accidentally releasing Queen Chrysalis and the changelings from imprisonment.

The princess of friendship was met with quite a few seconds of silence, which only made Twilight cringe a little. Her wild imagination pictured Celestia lecturing her for days or rescinding her title or even sending her shamefully back to the unicorn academy for…dare she think it, make up classes in defense against dark magic! Or maybe the princess would just make a stained glass window of Twilight releasing a cheering changeling Queen so that Twilight would always have a reminder of the grave mistake she had made today. Twilight took a deep breath—whatever the consequences of her actions, she would accept Princess Celestia's response with grace, humility, and the understanding that she would have much hard work to do in order to make up for her unforgiveable error.

Finally, Twilight heard Celestia sigh softly. Then Celestia spoke.

The sun princess's tone was cool and calm, betraying no emotion either way other than her usual patience and poise. "Twilight…I'm afraid, considering the circumstances and your new role as a princess in Equestria, you are indeed responsible for the Changelings' escape and whatever consequences might come of those actions."

Twilight nodded, her head going lower for a moment and her frown deepening. But then she sat up as straight as she could, took a deep breath, and replied, "I know, Princess Celestia. And that's why I'm prepared to pack my bags and lead the search for Chrysalis throughout Equestria. My friends wanted to come with me, but I don't know how long it could take to find the changelings, and the girls all have lives and jobs here to take care of. So…they'll look after the castle and Spike for me while I lead the troops." Her look was firm. "I promise, I won't rest until Chrysalis and the changelings are back in custody."

Celestia, looking down at her faithful student, smiled a little but shook her head, standing and descending her throne. "Twilight…while technically I can't deny you permission to lead the search since we're both princesses and of equal rank now, I will have to advise you very strongly as your friend not to go off looking for Chrysalis with the troops. You're needed in Equestria, Twilight, in the Harmony Castle. You know your duties toward friendship are connected strongly to that place, and your friends won't be able to manage those responsibilities without you."

Twilight blinked and frowned up at her. "But…But like you said, Chrysalis getting out is my responsibility—I have to be the one to go look for her. I don't know…" she put a hoof to her head, looking forward in distress, "Maybe I can strengthen my teleportation spells and be able to hunt for the changelings part of each day and take care of my friendship duties the other part of the day."

Celestia smiled a little more but shook her head. "Twilight, even Luna and I have to split up our days to be able to rule at our best. You can't do it all. And trying to will only hurt your effectiveness as a leader. Even when it comes to your duties of friendship, you rest some of the responsibility on your friends as the Element bearers, and that's what has allowed you girls to accomplish so much."

Twilight nodded. "I-I know, but still…how can I take responsibility and fix what I did other than by going after Chrysalis? It's bad enough I'd have to inconvenience some of the guards to come with me, but to send them on their own…" She frowned in guilt.

Celestia put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder, her tone softening and her smile warming. "Twilight, the guards know their job is to protect the safety of Equestria when danger arises—they took on that responsibility and accepted that they might have to face criminals when they joined the ranks. And on their own they'll actually be able to do a better job of seeking out Chrysalis." Twilight raised an eyebrow, and so Celestia explained. "Twilight, if you go with the guards, along with having to search for the changelings, they'll also have to worry about keeping you safe as one of their princesses. You going along will also make them more of a target for attack…" Celestia's smile fell. "The prison guards magically sent me some images of the inside of Chrysalis's cell. And I know you saw it too…the drawings of you, your name written everywhere… She dislikes you even more than she dislikes me, Twilight. If the guards go alone, in the weakened state the changelings are in, they probably won't attack unless pressed. But if you go, Chrysalis will attack no matter what. And if she captures you, we'll have a much bigger problem on our hands than just she and her people being free again. Do you understand, Twilight?"

Twilight considered these words and finally sighed and nodded. "Yes, Princess, I understand." She frowned more again. "Still, there must be something I can do to help."

Celestia looked at Twilight with interest. "You'll probably have more than enough to do just keeping yourself, your friends, and Ponyville safe."

"But there must be something else," Twilight insisted, and then she stood up and started pacing. "Princess Celestia, I've researched all of Chrysalis's history, and I told you the story she told me about her origins. There's a consistent pattern of she and the Changelings ravaging various societies, just barely getting beaten back, being punished for lengthy amounts of time, and then escaping only to do the whole process over again. It hurts the ponies they attack and it must be hurtful to the changelings too. It's a dangerous situation for everyone involved. But Chrysalis and the changelings can't just be banished or turned to stone. They're an entire race of people! I don't even think the Elements of Harmony at their best could have managed that or that they even would have been willing to! And I don't think the Rainbow Power could be used for that at all either. It seems…wrong. The changelings can't be locked up, the changelings can't be removed from society…but the pattern has to stop for the good of everyone. There must be something I can do about that at least." Twilight looked to her mentor, a hoof outstretched and her eyes wide as she finally stopped pacing at the delivery of this conclusion.

Celestia just smiled very warmly (and just a touch all-knowingly) back at Twilight. Then she let out a sigh and walked over to one of the windows overlooking Canterlot and Ponyville in the distance. Twilight raised an eyebrow but then followed after the princess. Celestia sat, and Twilight sat beside her. Then Celestia took a deep breath and spoke. "Twilight…regardless of Chrysalis's escape, I'm very glad you went to see her. I read your 'one thousand year plan' for her imprisonment, how carefully it was laid out and how much care for her comfort and the comfort of her people it clearly demonstrated." Celestia's smile grew a little. "A concern for all people touched by her powers, citizens or criminals, is a quality a princess should be proud of."

Celestia glanced at Twilight, who smiled up at her a little. The sun princess's gaze warmed, and then she turned her head to look out of the window and went on. "But it's also good that you visited her in another way…the same way it's good that you read Sombra's journal with Cadance, that you heard me tell you the legend of Tirek, that you understood Nightmare Moon's lack of friendship before you used that magic to 'defeat' her, that you read the tale of the Music Wars and Starswirl banishing the Sirens before you went to conquer them… and even that you befriended Discord in the end."

Celestia closed her eyes, keeping her head held high as the early evening sun fell upon her and her former student. "Twilight, no creature is born or chooses to be perfectly evil. Many villains are just people who make poor choices. Sombra chose to embrace his Umbra heritage over his pony life…Tirek chose to pursue power over love…Nightmare Moon chose to seek control instead of friendship." She opened her eyes. "But there are other people who do bad things simply because their situations are complicated and they are just trying to live and be happy the only ways they know how, regardless of the effect those ways may have on others. But they lack an understanding of the magic of friendship, and so they end up disregarding its need in their lives in favor of easier ways to get by. That was Discord's problem, Twilight…and it also happens to be Chrysalis's problem too." Celestia glanced to her former student.

Twilight looked up at her with a slight frown and nodded. And now she looked out to the window too. She thought for a moment, and then spoke. "Discord can't help being chaotic—he was born that way. But now that he's our friend, he's learned how to express that chaos without hurting others. And the changelings can't help needing to feed off of love—they were born that way too. And Chrysalis has a whole population of them to look after along with her own needs…." A look of concentration came over the young princess's features. "She was noble for a moment back at the prison—she said that for the thousand year sentence she was just going to let her changelings sleep because they shouldn't have to suffer waiting all of that time." Twilight took a deep breath, her look of concentration growing. "The changelings and Chrysalis can't help their needs…but ponies can't help fighting back if the changelings attack them. But being sent away and punished over and over…and now letting her changelings sleep through the full sentence of their punishment so that she can bear it by herself. Chrysalis doesn't deserve to live like that. All of it sounds so…lonely." Twilight's features softened into a frown, and she glanced to her mentor…and then blinked.

Celestia nodded in agreement with Twilight's conclusion. Then she swallowed, though she kept her gaze out of the window steady. Her tone was very quiet. "Chrysalis was willing to wait a thousand years alone for the freedom of someone she cares about. No, no one does deserve to live like that, Twilight. It is lonely…."

Not too long ago, Twilight had reached the point in her life when she had finally come to realize that Celestia kept some of her private thoughts about some of the private things in her life to herself and that not all of those thoughts were as happy and carefree as Celestia herself always appeared to be for the sake of the ponies. And so as Celestia said these words, Twilight couldn't help feeling a deep twinge of sadness at the great cloud of sadness she saw in Celestia's eyes as the sun princess continued to look out over the landscape, lost in memory.

Celestia was silent for a moment, reflecting, and then she took a breath and went on. "And her people don't deserve to live like that either, Twilight—cut off from the world for a millennium at a time, even if it is for the sake of temporary peace." She glanced at Twilight. "Chrysalis is a Queen, Twilight. She knows her subjects' well-being is more important than her own…or at least, I think she considers it as important as her own. Besides, without her subjects, Chrysalis would be all alone in the world. It makes sense that despite her selfishness, she remains with them and leads them as best she can manage." Celestia sighed. "Twilight, imagine if the only way our own subjects could survive or be happy was if you led them to do unfair things to others. Would you do it?"

Twilight's eyes went a little wide at the sudden question. "I…" she looked down in thought, "I…I don't know, Princess Celestia." Her eyes went back to Celestia, a look of utter doubt and indecision upon her features. "I honestly don't know if I would do it."

Celestia smiled slightly but then looked down, her smile fading a little. "I already have done it, Twilight."

Twilight's eyes went very wide.

Celestia cleared her throat lightly and explained. "I've mostly tried to take the unfair things upon myself, but as a representative of my people my mistakes lie upon them too as well as upon the whole legacy of our nation. Sombra's fall, Tirek's imprisonment, even the punishment of minor villains like the Sirens, and then Luna's banishment, Discord's petrification, and everything with the changelings…all occurred under my rule, all were partly or entirely my responsibility. And there are many other events and actions that you don't even know about yet, Twilight, or at least not completely." Celestia's head hung a little heavy. "There's a difference between what you read in the history books and what actually took place."

Twilight swallowed. She hesitated for a moment and then replied, barely looking up at Celestia, "You mean like…the sun attack you used on the changelings that gave them all of those holes?"

Celestia sighed and nodded, not raising her head. "Yes, like that, Twilight. Back at Trot, I didn't realize how deeply their magic relied upon shade and shadow. The solar energy of my attack beat them back with one spell…but it also scarred them for life. I'd imagine a desire to take some revenge on me for that event is part of the reason Chrysalis and her people never seem to travel outside of Equestria anymore. And I also thinks she likes to cause me pain by making me look on what I did to her and the Changelings whenever she attacks." Celestia looked out of the window again, her gaze firm. "The way I lead our people against Chrysalis in the past was unfair. I was so concerned with our welfare that I never stopped to think of the changelings' welfare. Who are we to deny them the right to live as it's natural for them to live?" She frowned. "It must be awful for them, craving love like that and never being able to get enough of it. Don't you think, Twilight?"

Twilight actually had light tears in her eyes now, though she quickly brushed them away and nodded, replying softly, "Yes…I never thought about it like that, but I think you're right, Princess. It must always feel like they're starving, in a way. And if Chrysalis cares that much about her people, it must cause her a lot of pain seeing all of them in pain like that."

Celestia nodded. "I agree. I'd imagine her role as their Queen is difficult for her. Twilight, you said you wanted to take responsibility for her escape," Celestia turned to Twilight, "But you already see there's a much larger problem to be addressed…"

Twilight nodded. And then she took several seconds to think very deeply about the situation. And then she spoke again. "Just blaming myself for the escape and trying to fix it isn't going to do anything but make me feel better about making a mistake. And even if I went out and found Chrysalis and the Changelings and got them all in their cell again…we'd only be right back to where we started—the problem of them just trying to survive and of us punishing them simply for the way the are as beings in Equestria. But there has to be something better for everyone, a different kind of solution…" That pensive look remained on her features for a moment, but then Twilight blinked a few times and looked to Celestia with an eyebrow raised. "Is that right, Princess Celestia?" she asked, in much the same tone she had used to use in the past to ask Celestia if a certain test problem or magical spell theory of hers was correct.

Celestia couldn't help but smile warmly at the familiarity of the tone, and she nodded. "Yes, Twilight, that is very, very right." She glanced inside of the throne room for a moment, gesturing to all of the stained glass windows depicting historical scenes from her and Luna's rule along with the scenes from the exploits of Twilight and her friends. "Twilight, I'm capable of defending our subjects and keeping them safe. But you are capable of helping and healing not just our subjects but any potential new friends. Your talent is something that extends beyond the borders of our nation—it's universal." She lowered her hoof and looked to Twilight. "I think, deep down, something in you was meant to release Chrysalis, Twilight. Perhaps she will never want to be our friend, but I think at least that you can help her find peace."

Twilight nodded, her eyes wide and her look firm, and a smile growing on her features. "Yes, Princess Celestia. I agree, and I'll do my best. More than anything else, I want Chrysalis and the changelings to find a way to be happy in Equestria. And I want Chrysalis to know that even if she never wants to be my friend, I'll always be willing to be hers."

CLINK, CLINK.

Both Princesses blinked and looked across the throne room to some suits of armor in the early evening shadows, which had clearly gotten bumped into just now judging both from the sound and the fact that half of one of them was lying in a pile on the floor.

Suddenly a wide-eyed looking Luna emerged from the shadows. She quickly cleared her throat and then held her head high, her voice low and cool. "Greetings, sister and Twilight Sparkle. We apologize for our intrusion and for our disturbance—we were merely seeking one of the guards to assist us with something."

Twilight raised an eyebrow at first but then smiled and waved her hoof. "Hi Princess Luna, it's nice to see you." She stood and looked back to Celestia. "I should probably get going now anyway, Princess Celestia. I have a lot to think about."

Celestia (after glancing at Luna for a moment) nodded to Twilight and stood as well. "Of course. And I know you'll come up with something, Twilight. What happened yesterday might seem like a mistake, but it might also be the start of something better for all of us." She reached out and gave Twilight a hug with her foreleg. "Just do your best, my former faithful student. That's all anyone can ask of you."

Twilight nodded and gave Celestia a hug back. "Thank you, Princess Celestia."

The two old friends pulled apart with smiles.

Then Twilight turned and proceeded across the throne room to the door. She smiled and waved to Princess Luna as she went by her. "Have a nice day, Princess Luna." She raised an eyebrow, pausing for a moment and rubbing her head with her hoof with a curious smile. "Actually, it's rare anyone sees you during the day, so I'm glad I ran into you so that we could say hello." Her smile brightened.

A sort of strange, slightly forced (if passable as normal and polite and perhaps just the result of a little sleep deprivation crankiness) smile came to Luna's lips, and she nodded. "Yes, well…we sometimes find day walking to be convenient. And it has been a most…unexpected surprise to say hello to thee too, Twilight Sparkle." Luna gave the slightest bow of her head.

Twilight raised an eyebrow again, but then her usual smile returned and she nodded and gave a slight bow of her head too in return of the formal gesture. "Well…have a good day and night then, Princess Luna. And make sure you can get plenty of sleep before moonrise. Bye!" She gave the night princess a wave, and then Twilight trotted out into the hall, closing the door behind there.

There was a heavy silence in the throne room, Celestia glancing out of the window again, and 'Luna' standing very still (and trying very hard not to look very uneasy). Then the night princess swallowed. "Well, we shall depart then for our slumber. Farewell for now, sister." She began to head to the door.

Celestia let out a sigh. Her eyes didn't turn away from the window as she spoke. "Sister, before you go, come here for a moment please. I'm afraid I have an urgent and very secret matter of Canterlot security to discuss with you." She tried not to smile as she heard Luna's hoof falls instantly stop. And she just barely glanced behind her to see Luna pause, bite her lip…and then hesitantly turn in the direction of the window and approach.

Luna cleared her throat. "Yes, Celestia. We are always available to listen to details of secret royal matters of security. Is there…perhaps a weakness in our defenses that we must address?" Luan stood directly across from Celestia…and now the two sisters faced each other before the window.

A heavy silence returned to the room…and the two mares continued to look into each other's eyes.

Finally, Celestia's smile picked up slightly on one side and she spoke. "Luna doesn't use the royal 'we' so much anymore. And she never uses it when talking to others of the same rank as herself. Also, I know ethereal hair must be a difficult thing to mimic, but I would expect the changeling queen herself to approximate the rate of the flow with much more accuracy."

And indeed, Luna's mane, while flowing, seemed to be having some 'frame rate' issues—a ripple here, a pause, a ripple there, but nothing truly like the movements of the real Luna's mane.

This Luna's eyes went very wide (her pupils narrowing slightly). Her gaze remained firmly locked with Celestia's though.

And then the changeling Queen changed back into her normal form.

Celestia let out a breath. She smiled softly. "If I ask how long you've been here, will you tell me?"

Chrysalis's gaze was piercing. Then she replied coolly, "If I ask how long you know I've been here, will you tell me?"

Celestia gave a single nod. "Honestly, I had some general suspicions that your people have been around Canterlot. Discord has been sensing unusual magic. But I didn't know you were here in this room now until you knocked over the armor." She raised an eyebrow, tilting her head in interest. "You're usually excellent at stealth—why did you stumble? And why did you pick Luna of all people to turn into? Honestly, if you'd chosen a guard, I probably wouldn't have realized the truth. You must have known I'd know my own sister too well, just like Twilight knew her future sister-in-law too well back during the royal wedding."

Chrysalis glared at Celestia but then just held her head high, keeping her voice casual and cool. "My stumbling was merely an accident caused my leaning closer to better hear you and the purple one. And I was disguised as a guard initially. Changing to Luna was a reflex." Chrysalis's eyes narrowed, and she pouted slightly. "And it's a pity you've swayed the draconequus. I always hoped he and I could form an alliance. He could not hate you as much as I do, but he was the only one I knew who could be close to doing so. I can't imagine what you offered him in return for his loyalty." Her look became dry. "I almost suspect you or Luna might have granted him a title. Or at least betrothed one of yourselves to him."

A smile couldn't help but come to Celestia's mouth. "I assure you it's really nothing of the sort. All of us merely found a way to be friends."

And now it was Chrysalis who smiled (though in a much more maniacal way, of course), and she let out a small, eerie chuckle. "You really think life is that simple, don't you? You sit up here in your gold and ivory tower and smile and wave and play in the sunshine, and everybody loves you, their dear, sweet, perfect princess." Her look blackened, and so did her voice. "You know…among my people, you're known as the Sun Shredder." She held out her leg full of holes.

Celestia winced but kept her poise. Her eyes saddened. "Chrysalis, I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I know that's no excuse. I was young, you were causing my people great harm, and I was angry enough that I failed to use my magic with the proper restraint. If I could take back what I did, I—"

"Hmm!" Chrysalis retracted her hoof and cut Celestia off. "Your regret is useless to me and my maimed people."

Celestia paused. She let out a breath. "So…what will you do now?"

"You mean how will this meeting end?" Chrysalis raised an eyebrow, then gave a smile almost like a snarl, baring her fangs. "We could have quite the epic battle in here, you know. And even if I lost, at least I'd get the satisfaction of destroying your throne room." Her gaze and tone darkened. "I have no intention of losing though, Celestia. Hmm…you're so full of pure love." She took a step closer, running her tongue over her fangs. "Draining you of it would be a truly delicious meal…"

Celestia stood her ground. "I mean what will you do now that you're free? I meant what I said to Twilight, you know…about my sympathy for your situation. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to need to feed off of love, let alone how difficult it must be to have a people who need to feed off of love. And I know now that you didn't choose to be this way." Celestia frowned. "Starswirl mentioned that dark tree to me once. I wish I had realized…. Perhaps if someone went to it, they could find a way to harness the magic of the tree to help you and—"

"Enough!" Chrysalis hissed, stomping her hoof into the floor. "Your pity is even more useless to me and my people than your regret! You just want to make us just like you, more subjects all for you. Well, no more, Celestia, I'm done with the punishments and the banishments. Your options are simple now—either you leave us be to feed as our nature intended…or you destroy us all." She glared and scowled. "You think you've had to make hard decisions for your people up until now? You have no idea what a hard decision is…but I think the one I'm giving you is a good start to learning." The changeling Queen smiled just a little, her green eyes flashing. "I know you won't let your people suffer…but let's see what they all think of you when they watch you try and destroy an entire race of people. And then who could blame us for fighting back with everything we've got? Let Equestria know your true wrath, the anger and passion of the younger Celestia. Let them remember that alongside the image of their poised and smiling modern princess. Let that legacy for yourself reign in Equestria, and then see how the ponies look upon you then, Celestia!"

"There is another way, Chrysalis," Celestia merely replied softly. "A third option…Twilight's option."

Chrysalis hissed, her eyes flashing.

Celestia tilted her head to the side. "Why do you hate her so much?"

"Why do you love her so much?!" Chrysalis inhaled deeply through her nose and smiled a little. "Hmm…oh the aroma is delicious…"

Celestia resisted an urge to step back and went on, her look serious. "You've absorbed enough love to know why people have it for one another."

"We're getting off topic." Chrysalis's gaze suddenly darkened again. "Let's return to the fact that I have you alone in this room, and I could easily suck all of your seemingly perfect love out of you and turn you into a withered husk so that I could assume your role in Equestria for all time." She moved closer.

Celestia did not move, and she continued speaking, her tone calm and full of its usual gentle compassion. "It's because Twilight only resists you instead of attacking you, isn't it? Even when you had her brother and his wife in danger…. And it's because she always tries to reason with you first instead of fighting with you. And it's because she actually cared enough about your welfare at the end of everything to fall for that trick of yours back at the prison by offering you a book…." Her horn glowed a little and her gaze firmed but she remained unwavering as Chrysalis got very near. "It's because Twilight Sparkle wants to help you no matter how much you hurt her, isn't it?"

Chrysalis paused, mere inches from the sun princess. "Rrrr!" And then she growled wildly and stamped both of her hooves into the floor. "Do not say her name anymore!" She seethed for a moment…and then her head went low. And then Chrysalis laughed…and laughed…and laughed…and laughed, so simply, so darkly. "Oh Celestia…" she shook her head, keeping it down, "it's deeper than that…don't you see? And it doesn't matter what the purple one's 'option' is for us. All that matters is that she is the key to the future of Equestria. I know she is…and she's important to you…and when I find a way to topple her, it will be the sweetest and most delicious victory I could know." She barred her fangs and let her head rise with a glare and grin, her green eyes flashing.

Celestia's look became firm at this threat. "If you insist on attacking Twilight personally, I'm afraid you'll have to get through me first." Her horn glowed again (and there was a light shine in her eyes as she let it do so). "And I'm afraid you still won't find my methods quite as understanding as Twilight's."

Chrysalis observed Celestia curiously for a moment…and then she stepped back, though her grin grew. "There's more darkness in you than even you realize, sun princess." Suddenly the changeling Queen turned herself into a replica of Celestia but with a wicked smirk and glowing green eyes. "And we're the same in so many ways…"

Celestia only nodded. "I know…And I also think we could both stand to be better people in our own ways."

'Chrysalis playing Celestia' smirked more and chuckled lightly. "One day when Twilight truly realizes how flawed you are as a leader, I hope she won't be too disappointed." The real Celestia took a deep breath and her posture relaxed a little, but she did not reply. Chrysalis went on with a shrug and a pout. "Very well. No battle today." She returned to her normal form "Besides, my changelings might not be quite as nearby as you think…though make no mistake, we'll be keeping a sharp eye on this town…and Ponyville…and the Crystal Empire…and all sorts of places. And your draconequus 'friend' can't be everywhere to sense us." Her wicked grin rose, baring some of her fangs.

Celestia's gaze and tone only softened though. "Please, let Twilight help you if she can, Chrysalis. I don't want your people to suffer, and I know you don't either."

Chrysalis's gaze hardened. "I know how to take care of my people better than you and certainly better than Twilight Sparkle. We'll manage…and not because of your friendship but despite it." She spread her translucent wings. "You do not know what it is to exist as us, Celestia…you could never understand, and you never will. Just leave us be. It's the least you could do." She locked her gaze with Celestia's.

Celestia gazed back at her, still looking sad, still unwavering. "Go for now, Chrysalis, and think about everything we've talked about and everything Twilight and I talked about and everything you talked about with Twilight." She gave a single nod. "And I hope you and the changelings find peace and happiness, Chrysalis, I truly do."

Something in Chrysalis's gaze grew heavy but she managed to keep her head held high. "We will. Make no mistake about that." And then she suddenly used her magic to blast open a window, turned herself into a dusky pegasus with green hair, and departed rapidly.

Celestia briefly watched her fly away. And then with a heavy sigh she turned to depart her throne room herself.

Handling the changelings under these circumstances would not be easy, and she knew it. But she also knew that the hostilities had to cease and that there must indeed be a way to do so peacefully. She was just grateful that Twilight had realized that fact now. And she knew Twilight was the only one who could truly find and succeed at a compassionate solution for all.

Still, that knowledge and hope for the future did not stop Celestia from having a certain degree of unease…especially as she recalled Chrysalis's strange obsession with Twilight and those images of her cell. The sun princess sighed and spoke to herself. "There's a need for violence in Chrysalis even beyond the suffering she causes so that she can feed. She's always been different from the others in that way." Celestia swallowed. "I'll…I'll send some guards to Ponyville. And I think Twilight's been sufficiently warned of her potential, but perhaps I'll send letters to the girls telling them to be on the lookout too…and to Cadance and Shining Armor…and one to Spike telling him to watch Twilight very closely." She nodded to herself…and then found herself just sitting along in the silence of the throne room.

Suddenly the fallen apart armor in the corner clinked lightly once more.

Celestia practically jumped! But then she quickly realized it had just been a breeze coming through the still open window behind her rustling the pile of armor pieces Chrysalis had left behind. Celestia magically shut the window and set the armor to rights, and then headed for the room exit. "I'll go see if Luna will let me lie down with her for a little while. It'll be a comfort to see my real sister." She smiled a little. "She always cheers me up." Celestia nodded to herself as she exited the room. "I've done my best even if there have been mistakes, and, just like with Twilight, that's all anybody can ask of me. Twilight's best might be better than mine, and I could argue mine has been better than Chrysalis', but that's a subject for another day. I know you'll find the best way to help the changelings, Twilight, no matter how angry Chrysalis is. And I know you'll find a way to spread friendship. I have faith in you." Celestia smiled more to herself as she headed down the hall, already feeling in better, more optimistic spirits.

Though somewhere far off, the changelings did still brood and gather and prepare for their next glorious uprising…and Celestia still knew that she would have to prepare for it as well.

XXX

A/N:

The next chapter is kind of a comedy relief bonus thing featuring Discord. I hope you enjoyed this companion fic, and that you'll enjoy the Discord one too ^_^ Thanks again for reading and reviewing!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna

A/N:

Final chapter—a little comedy relief from Discord regarding the Fiendship series (and his exclusion from it lol). I hope you all like it :)

Fiendship is Magic #6(?)—Discord(?)

XXXX

Meanwhile…somewhere off screen in the actual My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic television show…

"Unacceptable! Inconceivable! Totally ludicrous and utterly not in the way I like!"

A certain draconequus made this annoyed announcement as he lounged on a sofa in Twilight Sparkle's friendship castle library, flipping through what appeared to be some comic books (five to be exact).

"Twilight, come on! I'm telling you, he's in there and he's going through my stuff! My comics! Help me!"

"Okay, okay, relax, Spike, we'll take care of it. I should have known Discord would be back soon…"

These words from a certain young dragon and a certain young princess respectively sounded from the hallway as both parties clearly approached the library.

Discord, however, paid the voices no mind. He just kept flipping through his comics with a shocked scowl upon his features. "One cameo. A CAMEO! It's outrageous! I am Discord—as Tirek (who I notice DID get a comic) might say, I am legend! I ought to send letters! I ought to boycott the whole mess! I ought to snap my fingers and put infinite holds on all things pony until this is injustice sorted out! Really!"

And now finally Spike and Twilight entered the library.

Spike pointed at Discord, dashing over to him. "You see, Twilight, he's here, he's making a mess, and worst of all he's into my comics!"

Just as Spike was about to pick up one of the five comic books surrounding Discord, though the draconequus quickly picked him up by the foot with his tail, effectively stopping his progress. Discord grinned at the baby dragon. "First of all, yes, of course I'm here, young Spike. I'm visiting the home of a friend." He glanced over to Twilight (who was already rubbing a temple with her hoof). "I hope you're doing well, Twilight Sparkle, and that you didn't miss me too much." He chuckled.

Twilight smiled back at him, lowering her hoof. "It's nice to see you again too, Discord."

Discord nodded politely. And then he went back to talking to Spike. "And second of all, I am not making a mess in here, I am merely making myself comfortably chaotic." He gestured to all of the tossed aside library books and the piles of quills and scrolls (and ice cream cones and funny hats) littering the floor around him.

Twilight came forward more, her smile growing more understanding. She looked to Discord. "That's good, Discord. I'm glad you're making yourself feel more at home in my home. Just make sure to restore the usual order before you go, all right?"

Discord nodded with a smile. "Of course."

"And maybe put me down?" Spike asked dryly.

Discord lowered the baby dragon to the floor. "And as for the final accusation regarding Spike's reading material, I'll have both of you know that these five books aren't his comics, they're mine." Discord gathered his comics close again.

"Yours?" Spike raised an eyebrow, dusting himself off.

Discord nodded smugly, lounging on the couch again. "Yes, and I happen to have gotten them from that Enchanted Comic shop you mentioned once, Spike."

Instantly, Twilight and Spike's eyes went wide and they backed up considerably from Discord.

"Discord," Twilight started, trying to keep her voice level as she held a foreleg in front of Spike, "Put down the comics and step away slowly. You don't know what they're capable of. You could get sucked into one of them or worse!"

Discord just sighed, kicking back (upside down) and flipping through a few pages of one of the comics. "No, no, I know what you're talking about, Twilight Sparkle, but trust me that can't happen with these. The dimensions are too well aligned, nature abhors a vacuum in which two of you might exist simultaneously on a physical plane, and besides these are enchanted in a 'different' way than Spike's were. Let's just leave it at that."

Twilight still hesitated, though her posture did relax a little. "Are you sure?"

Discord nodded, glancing to her and Spike again, and resuming an upright position, holding his paw high. "I'm as positive as Applejack is honest. It's perfectly safe." He rolled his eyes. "And come on, Twilight, even if I did want to bother you by sending all of us on another random misadventure, first of all I wouldn't pick anything as risky as a comic enchanted to suck us inside, and second of all that whole bit has clearly been done already and you know how much I hate repeat performances and copying others."

Twilight still gave him a curious look but then finally lowered her arm from Spike and nodded. "Okay, Discord. I believe you."

"In that case, can I see one of your comics?" Spike asked with interest, smiling a little.

Discord held up his tail to block him though and shook his head with a grin. "Oh, no, no, Spike, I'm afraid these are for my eyes only as an official traveler in time, space, and multiple dimensions. Believe me, reading what's in these would not be good for you. And the same goes for you, Twilight Sparkle." Discord glanced to the princess of friendship, his grin growing.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Okay…but then why are you here Discord, and why are you reading them here?"

Discord sighed dramatically. "Because I just finished the whole series, and I have a literary complaint, and you're the best person I know to go to with one of those, bookish princess Twilight." He chuckled.

Twilight sighed, her look becoming dry. "Discord, I'm not really sure what you're getting at."

Discord's own look became dry now, and he tossed the final comic down on the sofa again. "Haven't you ever read a book and had a serious problem with the content and authorial choices, Twilight? Well, I just finished these comics, and I'm none too pleased with a distinct lack of something in them. So I figured I'd run the whole thing by you since I'm sure you've had experience criticizing literature. Simple as that."

Spike stepped back. "Uh, if this is going to turn into an 'academic' thing, I think I'll just settle for reading one of my comics in the corner over there and leave you two to it." Spike headed to the side of the room, snatched up a Power Ponies comic from the floor, then sat on a cushy pillow and proceeded to flip through the book.

Twilight, meanwhile, moved closer to Discord, an eyebrow raised and a smile starting to form. "Wow, Discord, you actually read these closely enough and cared enough about the stories in them to have formed a critical opinion? And you want to have a professional, academic, serious discussion about it? With me?" She was practically beaming right now.

Discord rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. "In a way, yes, though I'm not including any citations, and it'll be more of an emphasis on my big complaint than on any original argument."

Twilight sat down before him. "That's okay, Discord, the point is you're trying. Besides, I haven't had a good literary discussion with anyone in a while." She held her head high, a determined look coming to her features. "As you might say, 'fire when ready.'"

Discord shook his head with a grin. Then he glanced at the comics, and then he glanced up. "Okay…" he sighed deeply, "let's say…utterly hypothetically…that someone were to produce a series of stories based around a common theme—for lack of a better theme, let's pick…heroes of friendship. And these people who were to produce these stories—hypothetically, let's say, in comic form—announced that there would be six of them. And so each comic started to come out, and there was one about Pinkie Pie…one about Rainbow Dash…one about Applejack…one about Rarity…one about dear Fluttershy of course…and then the sixth comic went and came out, and it was about…Spike of all people!"

"A comic book about me?!" Spike's smile picked up as he looked to Twilight and Discord. But then he pouted (specifically to Discord). "Hey, what do you mean 'of all people'?"

"Spike for the sixth comic?" Twilight, meanwhile, raised an eyebrow at this suggestion of Discord's and considered. "Well…honestly, it would seem strange to me." She glanced to her dragon friend (who already had his mouth open to object). "No offense, Spike—I really do think a story like that about you would be wonderful. It's just…logically if they were going to make a series of six stories and they chose each of the girls…it seems like I would be the sixth choice, just to keep with a consistent pattern."

"THANK! YOU!" Discord held out his arms. "Finally, a pony of reason—I knew I could count on you to agree with me, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight looked to Discord again and raised an eyebrow at him. "Agree with you about what?"

"Agree with me that leaving out a central subject choice when you're making a series with a theme is just poor form!" Discord picked up some of the comics, flipping through them again. "There is such an omission here in these that I can't stand it. It's practically insulting. And inexcusable, or at least I can't imagine what excuse they could possibly have for the direction they went with these things."

Twilight rubbed her head, but did her best to keep her tone patient. "Discord, maybe you could explain to me what the example you just gave has to do with those books and what those books are about exactly, and then I'll understand better why you're so upset."

Discord sighed deeply again, looking from cover to cover of his five comics. "Well, I can't be too specific, Twilight, or it'll really give the cosmos such a tummy ache. But…okay, let's go in this direction then. Suppose someone decided to do a five part historical-fiction series on the most famous villains in Equestria." He looked to her, suddenly moving close. "Quick, name the first five villains that come to mind as subject matter!"

Twilight blinked, stepping back a little. "Uh…well, Tirek…um…Nightmare Moon…Sombra…oh, Chrysalis…and, uh…uh…" She put a hoof to her chin.

Discord's jaw fell and then he gestured to himself, his eyes wide. "And ME! ME! Discord! Come on, you remember—I ravaged the land with chaos a thousand years ago, broke the personalities of you and each of your friends, gave you the biggest hard time between my reform and the season four fina—I-I mean, between my reform and the defeat of Tirek, including everything from dark magic vines to a tatzulwurm attack! I'm really not only the last bad guy you'd think of for a bad guy series, but you couldn't even think of me at all on your own?" He sighed, dramatically resuming his place on the sofa and dropping his head back onto the armrest in a forlorn manner.

Twilight blinked but then smiled and moved closer. "Discord, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. But if anything, it's a compliment to you that you didn't come to mind right away—really. When I think of you now, I don't think of a villain. I just think of you as a friend regardless of your past."

Discord sighed, sitting up a little. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Really?"

Twilight nodded. "Of course. And, um…well, you have to be really good at friendship to have made that happen, because your legacy as a villain really was one of the greatest in Equestrian history. Right, Spike?" Twilight glanced to Spike.

"Huh?" Spike blinked and looked up from his comic. Twilight gave him a little bit of a look, and then Spike nodded, glancing to Discord. "Oh, uh…yeah. After all, you did so much bad stuff in the past—for people to overlook that entirely and see you as a friend first, well, that's almost a more impressive command of the magic of friendship than Twilight has." He smiled.

Twilight raised an eyebrow at Spike, giving him a bit of a dry look, but then rolled her eyes as he went back to reading his comic. She shook her head and turned her attention to Discord again, smiling and nodding at the draconequus. "That's right, Discord. If anything…you'd probably be a good contender for that sixth spot in a heroes of friendship series considering everything you've been through lately."

Discord perked up quite a bit as these assurances. He chuckled, sitting up a little more and glancing at his outstretched paw. "Yes, well, I have proved rather impressive as a good guy now, I suppose. And I did pack a strong villainous punch back in the day." He snapped, making some fruit punch appear in a glass to drink.

Twilight nodded. "Of course, Discord—you've had talent at both things, even if you've realized you're happier being better at friendship than at evil. And I would have thought of you eventually for the villains series, I was just a little on the spot." Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Is that what those comics are? Stories of the villains of Equestria?"

Discord nodded, crossing his arms over his chest and glancing at the comics scattered around him once more. "In a sense, yes?"

"And…the villains they focused on, the four I said were four of the ones that they chose?" Twilight inquired further.

Discord sighed and nodded once more. "Yup."

"So who was the fifth one they chose if not you?" Twilight tilted her head to the side.

"The Sirens." Discord slouched low on the couch with a pout, arms crossed over his chest as he glanced at one of the comics. "Bunch of tone deaf fishy hacks if you ask me."

Twilight couldn't help but smile and shake her head. "Discord, there's no need to be jealous."

Discord scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I'm not jealous, I'm just saying…well…how in the world could my legacy, my presence, my accomplishments be overlooked in a project like this even regardless of the person I am now?" He scowled down at the comics and then glanced over to Twilight. "Come on, Twilight Sparkle, you can't tell me you wouldn't be at least a little miffed if someone really did choose to publish a heroes of friendship comic like that and left you out."

Twilight considered, putting a hoof to her chin. "Actually Discord," she finally replied, "I wouldn't mind it at all."

"Oh come on," Discord waved her off with a skeptical smirk, "even you're not that modest, Twilight. I used to see how you were about getting proper recognition from Celestia for all of your perfect schoolwork. And you're still a pony just like everyone else—you're seriously expecting me to believe you wouldn't have a problem with being that cast aside?" He gave her a bit of a dry look

Twilight merely smiled back at him though and shrugged. "Who says I would be cast aside? Or that you've been cast aside, Discord?"

Discord blinked and raised an eyebrow.

Twilight explained. "Discord, I'm a princess. And I know, even if it makes me uncomfortable, that there are going to be books written about me and projects done on me and historical investigations into my life, and I'm sure quite a few of those things are already underway. But the girls and Spike probably won't get that, so I think I'd welcome someone doing a project focused on them over me." She smiled more. "Discord, in a way, you're more famous than any of those other villains because of your reform…so maybe instead of including you in a project like the comics, whoever wrote them would rather explore you in a different, more thorough way. And in fact already multiple scholars have." She raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever actually gone through the Canterlot library archives? Do you know how many books on dark magic and villainy you're mentioned in? And, after all, for a thousand years there was technically a statue of you on the castle grounds in memory of your chaos."

Discord blinked, considering the argument. "Well…yes, I suppose all of that's true." He looked at her curiously again. "Do you really think I might get explored in a larger way?"

"Sure, why not, Discord?" Twilight shrugged, still smiling.

Discord looked forward, twirling his beard in thought and mumbling to himself. "You know…that's not a half bad theory. Perhaps in an actual episode they might…" He suddenly quickly cleared his throat and addressed Twilight again. "Yes, well…point taken, princess. Perhaps they will explore my origins and history in a larger way later on. Maybe something akin to a production of sorts in a form featuring audio and visual and musical aspects…?" He chuckled to himself (Twilight merely looked confused at the private joke), and then Discord raised an eyebrow at her again and couldn't help a curious if smug grin coming to his features. "And do you really think I'm the most famous villain? I mean really, Twilight Sparkle, do you?"

Twilight nodded, her smile growing. "I think a person could make a pretty sound argument for that statement, yes. After all, you're the only villain whose a regular part of Equestrian society now—ever since your reform, there's more known about you than any villain in the nation's history." She considered more…and then smiled more. "In fact, in a way, a person could argue that a comic for those other five villains was necessary, and one for you wouldn't have served a purpose."

Discord tilted his head to the side, intrigued. "How so?"

"Well," Twilight shrugged again, "when it comes to Sombra or Tirek or the Sirens or Nightmare Moon or the Chrysalis, we can't get first hand accounts from them about their lives and origins either because they're gone or they're banished or imprisoned. So a little historical research and speculation on their origins and the circumstances of their lives would be good for everypony to know. But when it comes to you, Discord, you can tell us anything we need to know about your past, your present, or your future, and you're more than willing to share those stories because you're our friend."

"Yes…" Discord's grin grew. "Yes, I could just tell you everything about myself, couldn't I? Oh, all of us have a past, but I have a present and a future just as glorious as any existence I had in the good old days!" He beamed considerably.

Twilight nodded, smiling warmly. "Exactly Discord."

Discord couldn't help sighing though and slumping down again, looking at his collection of comics. "Still though, it would have been nice to be included in this too… A little tome just for me and about me."

Twilight sighed, maintaining her patience in the face of his pouting (which she expected would clear up soon as long as she didn't feed into it).

Spike, meanwhile, just shrugged and spoke again up as he turned a page in his comic. "Discord, if you really want a comic and you have so much to say about your past and your present and your future, why don't you just make one yourself? I'm sure you could do it."

Discord's eyes went wide. And then he smiled brightly and flew up! "Write my own comic! Take matters into my own hands! Yes, why not? Fiendship is Magic #6—Discord! Penned by Discord! Art by Discord! Lettering by Discord! Fantastic cover and variants of Discord in multiple flattering poses all done by Discord!" Suddenly he flew down toward the friendship princess, grinning. "Twilight, you're the expert on books, what do you think? Regardless of all of my fame and the many history books about me and any future multimedia odes to my brilliance and the fact that I'm here to tell my story anyway if anyone asks about it, would it be in poor taste for me to make a comic of my own all about me and my exploits?" He beamed.

Twilight blinked, a little taken aback at first, but then smiled warmly and shook her head. "I think it would be a great project for you, Discord. Have fun with it."

Discord chuckled and then gathered up his comics and landed on the ground just past her, facing in the direction of the door. "Very well! Ta ta then, Spike and Twilight! I have a legacy to immortalize before others inevitably do it before me!" He gave them a wave over his shoulder and then jaunted out into the hall, talking to himself excitedly. "Stupid comics, overlooking me…only a CAMEO! Please, I'll show you! I'm going to have my own comic! With blackjack! And hula-hoops! In fact, forget the comic!" He started laughing raucously to himself and then sighed. "No, but seriously, still totally doing the comic," was the final thing that was heard before a snap of his fingers sounded and he was gone.

Twilight and Spike had just watched him go.

Spike broke the silence that remained in his wake, an eyebrow raised and his comic lowered now. "Twilight…sometimes I really worry about that guy."

Twilight sighed but smiled. "I know, Spike. He's…incredibly different. And most of the time I'm not even sure what he's talking about…so I just kind of smile and do my best to be a friend to him and get him through. But he means well now, and that's what matters most."

Spike nodded and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess." He glanced at Twilight. "Do you think either one of us wants to know what those comics were that he had?"

Twilight shook her head. "I think it's better we stay away from it, Spike. I'm getting sort of an 'alternate dimension' vibe from the situation, and messing around in those always gets very complicated."

Spike nodded. "Oh yeah. I don't want to end up a dog again. Or hunted down by Sunset Shimmer as a crazy she-demon, or those Sirens." He shivered. "I'm definitely opting for just sitting here reading my comic." He grinned and buried his nose in the book again.

Twilight smiled at him. "I think that's best too. Have fun, Spike."

"Hey Twilight?" the baby dragon hesitantly glanced up from his comic once more.

Twilight nodded. "Yes?"

Spike shrugged, glancing down. "Would you really think a comic about me would be interesting?"

Twilight's smile warmed. "Of course, Spike. And I would be the first person in line to buy it."

Spike smiled, his eyes bright. "Oh. Thanks, Twilight."

Twilight smiled back at him.

CRASH

A clear raucous noise sounded from outside. Twilight dashed over to her window and looked down.

Spike put aside his comic and stood up. "What is it, Twilight?"

Twilight stepped back from the window and sighed very deeply, her look and tone dry. "It's Discord. He's down in the center of Ponyville…and he's got everyone either running blackjack tables or using hula-hoops…" She sighed even more deeply, "And Pinkie Pie's loving it." She rubbed her temple with her hoof and then turned and headed toward the library exit. "I'll be right back, Spike."

Spike couldn't help chuckling. "At least you were right about one thing, Twilight—Discord's definitely present enough in our lives that no one has to wonder too much about what he's doing."

Twilight shook her head but couldn't help smiling. "Very funny, Spike." She sighed, pausing by the door. "I don't know, even if there's a mess to clean up a lot of the time and even if his surprise visits really are surprising, having Discord as a friend has sort of grown on me."

"Yeah, me too." Spike shrugged…and then his smile grew a little hopeful. "Are you sure we can't go down there and just enjoy the hula-hoops and stuff for a little while though?"

Twilight grinned at him over her shoulder and then gestured forward. "Hop on, Spike. But only for five minutes."

"Awesome!" Spike put aside his comic and dashed over to climb aboard Twilight.

"And stick with the hula-hoops over the blackjack, all right?" Twilight added, giving him a bit of a look, her grin and an eyebrow picking up on one side.

"You've got it!" Spike gave her a thumbs up and winked at her. "Hey," Spike's eyes brightened, "do you think Discord will let me read his chaos comic when he's done making it?"

Twilight laughed softly. "I have a feeling he'll send autographed copies of it to all of us once he's done making it, if I know him." And then Twilight proceeded out of her library and toward the exit of her castle. 'Come to think of it though,' was her last thought before dealing with Discord's mess in the town, 'I guess we don't really know much about Discord's origins. But I think that subject might be something interesting to look into one day. I hope we get to soon, either by reading his comic or even by having an adventure to learn more about him.' Twilight made a mental note to seriously consider getting the full, non-history book story of Discord's life soon in whatever way possible—the life of a villain from a villain's perspective. From her experiences so far in her own life, Twilight had a feeling it would be a complicated story and then some…and one that would bring everyone closer as friends in the best of ways.

The End (?)

XXX

A/N:

And that's it for the Fiendship companion fic series—thank you all for reading! ^_^ I appreciate it a lot!

Happy Reading!

~Azure129 aka Jenna