Hello Apple bloom, it's me again. Can you hear me?

I'm sorry, but this is the only way I can talk to you.

I know that many cruel things happened the last few month and I also know, that I will never ever

be able to make it up to you again. But... I will stay by your side, give you strength and courage

as best as I can.

Besides that... a have a new memory for you.

... it's from your unicorn friend... Twilight.

The story of a faithful student and a shattered princess.

Time was running out and my concerns kept growing. I ran as fast as I could, even though my lungs were already starting to burn for exhaustion. My magic was weakened, it felt suppressed ever since I left Ponyville, which was really weird. Teleporting was nearly impossible and since there was no train anywhere, there was no other way than running. While passing many dead trees, old and abandoned train stations on the way up the tracks, I kept thinking of what happened in Ponyville a couple of minutes ago. I still couldn't believe my friends betrayed me like that. They just threw me away like garbage after all we've learned about friendship and after everything we've been through.

Something was wrong with them, I just knew it. It had to be the fault of our new 'guests'... or more intruders. Three Leafs... how could you do that? I thought we were friends, thought she was like me, but in the end, she was nothing but an evil traitor. Maybe I deserved that. I ignored Applejack and the others, thought they were overreacting and made fun of it... the feel of guilt was heavy. While passing the last train station in front of Canterlot, I remembered the word of Celestia.

“I'm not longer your mentor. Leave Ponyville and head to Manehatten.” She seemed to know something. She wanted me to leave Ponyville for no specific reason, or maybe she just wanted to shield me? And that question of hers...

“How far would you go in order to save your friends and your family?” Thinking of all that made me feel even more concerned and kind of anxious. When I arrived at the gates of Canterlot, I was hoping to find some royal guards or any other kind of help, but Canterlot looked like a ghost town...

There was not a single pony around, neither guards nor inhabitants whatsoever. The sun was gone and Lunas moon was throwing its shadows through town. Old pieces of paper, empty cans and several other objects were scattered on the ground, along with some pieces of golden metal and other things. The weirdest thing though, was the fact that there wasn't any kind of hoofprints. The cold empty town gave me the creeps, a slight feel of sickness that grew bigger with every second I remained there.

“HEELLOOOO? ANYPONY? I NEED HELP! HEEEEY?” I turned around a couple of times, trying to find at least some pony, but the whole city seemed to be empty! It was dark, cold and barely illuminated by the moon. Icy wind was blowing through the empty streets of Canterlot. Windows and doors were broken, their pieces scattered in front of them.

“What happened here?” I continued to run down the 'mane street', came across some barricaded shops, houses... and the hospital.

“Great Celestia...” I slowed down for a brief moment, looking at the scenery, trying to understand what I actually saw. There was blood everywhere... on the ground, walls, windows... and-

“T- that's-” My throat got constricted, muting the words coming out of my opened mouth. Next to the the pools of blood and fur there was something else lying on the ground. Flesh. Red, sinewy pieces of flesh, everywhere!

“These are cutie marks... cutie marks? Wait, 'the mark'... no!” Suddenly everything started to make sense! The hints I've found in the ruins of Sunny Town, that strange letter, the book that was stolen from my library!

“It's not a legend, it really happened! PRINCESS CELESTIA!” I felt my heart bumping inside of my chest, it made me dash ahead with double the speed than before. I still couldn't teleport myself for whatever reason, so I just hoped that every pony was still alive and safe inside of the Canterlot Castle. My heart kept beating like a bull that went berserk, sweat was running down my face, my hooves and lung burned like fire. I tried to concentrate onto one single thought- finding the princesses! Finally, after ten minutes of running through the dark streets of Canterlot, I managed to reach the giant stairs which lead into the castle.

“Okay, looks good so far. No blood or wounded ponies around. I'm really glad I was mista-”

Suddenly a slight shock shook my body, making me fall backwards onto my flank.

“This can't be...” The giant doors of the castle were broken, parts of the royal armors were lying all around me, covered in blood, fur and more flesh... but that wasn't the very reason for my reaction.

There was something familiar laying right in front of the gates, in front of my hooves.

“... that's...” I could feel a tear running down my sweaty cheek, my body started to shake and the feel of sickness grew even bigger. I knew what I was looking at, but my mind refused to believe it.

“Shining Armors helmet...” It was the purple helmet of my big brother, the captain of the royal guards. It was broken and covered in blood and some blue strains. Right next to it were parts of his violet armor, along with more of his blood. Everything around me muted, the wind stopped blowing while my heart gave up beating. Was I really looking onto the same armor he was wearing? It's been a while since I met him, in fact, I always thought he was on a mission in another kingdom or something like that. I tried to calm myself with these thoughts, but something inside of me kept repeating the words 'he's dead Twilight'.

“No...” My words were shaky, tears were rolling down like a waterfall and I began to bite on my teeth as hard as possible. I couldn't believe it... that wasn't true! I stomped on the ground with my last strength, furiously shaking my head.

“Shining....” I stood up again and took a last sight of my brothers remains, it broke my heart, but I had to find the princesses, to end this nightmare once and for all! I would pay my last respect to him once this chaos's over.

“Farewell... big brother.” I slowly turned away and entered the castle.

“P-princess Celestia? Princess Luna? Anypony?” My words were echoing through the dark corridors of the Canterlot Castle, cutting through the silence like a knife. Icy wind was howling through the castle, letting my wet eyes feel like ice itself while my sweat started to feel like a cold shower. My heartbeat lowered, but breathing got painful with every breath I took. My mind was still hanging on my big brother, attacked, alone and maybe even.... I tried to deny this thought, but there was no other possibility left, was it? Minutes were passing by, nopony anywhere... my hope started to fade slowly while I slowly sank to the ground and closed my burning cold eyes. I felt so weak, my magic wasn't even able to create the smallest light sphere anymore. Besides all of that, the cold and lonely atmoshpere that filled the castle made my heart feel even heavier.

“Princess...” I silently mumbled. It was all my fault... it always was, since the day I lost Applebloom inside of the Everfree Forest. I was useless right from the beginning! I-

“Twilight?” Suddenly a familiar voice echoed through the dark empty corridor.

“P-princess?” I hesitantly answered while looking around frantically.

“Twilight!” She answered again.

“Princess!” I shouted. Could it be? Was it really princess Celestia? Was she still alive? My heart made a huge jump while my hooves made me dash down the corridor.

“Twilight, I'm here in the throne room!” The echo repeated.

“I'm coming princess!” My legs were still shaky, but Celestias voice gave me new strength, strength to move on. I limped as fast as possible into the direction were the echo came from, still answering to the princess's calls.

“Twilight!”

“Princeeeeess! I'm here!”

“Twilight!” Her voice felt so good, it calmed down my fears and my sorrows like a warm blanked for my soul. I ran, limped, began to ran again and so on. My legs hurt pretty much, making me fall to the ground several times, but I kept moving into the direction of the echo. Finally I've found the gigantic door to the throne room. I used my last strength to smash the door open and to jump inside with a big smile.

“Princess! I'm so glad to see you again! I-” But my breath stopped as soon as my eyes and mind understood what I was seeing that moment. The throne room was nothing more but a ruin.

Banners were laying all over the floor, soaked in an ocean of blood, covered with armor parts, flesh, white fur... and white feathers. The colorful windows were smashed, some were poorly barricaded. Small beams of moonlight were illuminating the whole scenery in all of it's disturbing sadness,

horror and tragedy. The throne itself was covered in darkness, shadows that took every sight.

It had to be a nightmare! There was no other explanation! But one thing was strange... where did the guards go? I mean, there was not a single body around. Besides that, the white feathers on the ground drew my attention again. I walked up to them into the middle of the huge room.

“These are Celestias...”

“Are you lonely Twi?” A sharp voice whispered from behind.

“Leaf!” It was her! No doubt about it!

“I hope you're not mad at me, you know, after all that happened in Ponyville a few hours ago.

Hm? Twily?” She continued with her sneering voice. She wasn't scared at all nor was she horrified or something. She remained behind my back, I couldn't hear her move, not even breathing. Everything I could feel was a cold shiver that ran down my back.

“It's really tragic, isn't it? All these poor souls, old and young ponies, suffering and crying.

It stabbed my heart watching this happen, but it wasn't all that bad. Do you know why?”

She whispered into my ear with her fake compassionate voice.

“You... did all of this?” I answered with all of the hatred stacked up inside of my heart.

“Me? Hahahaha, no I was way to busy with your... 'friends'.” What?! Within a split second I turned around and used my last resort of magic to shoot an purple impulse spell at her, making her smash onto the ground. She gasped, but was still smiling like the maniac she was.

“What have you done to them? ANSWER ME!” I shouted in blind rage, trying to gather up more magic for a second attack.

“Come on, what are you waiting for? Don't hide behind your magic you coward!” She countered with a scornful voice.

“Oh I don't need to hide behind magic.” If she wanted to feel my hooves so badly, I could grant her that wish. I walked next to her and was about to kick her as fast as I was able to, when suddenly something inside of my head told me to stop. I looked down at her and calmed down a bit. It wasn't my nature to be that violent or resentful, though she really deserved it. There was something wrong with that mare, but who was I judging over somepony I barely knew? I took a few steps backwards and shook my head.

“No, I'm not like you, Leaf. I'm not kicking ponies that are already laying on the ground, especially after I called them a friend.” Leaf seemed surprised. Her stare remained on me while her smile slowly began to fade.

“You're weak... nothing but weak, Twilight.”

“I'm not weak, Leaf. I'm just not a monster like you.” When I turned around, facing the center of the room again, I could hear Leaf crunch with her teeth. It seemed like I hit one of Leafs weak points, which was kind of satisfying to know.

“Don't... call me a MONSTER!” She shouted. While her echo was still rushing through the room,

I suddenly felt something hard hitting the back of my head. A dull pain was spreading from my neck, over the temples and directly into the forehead, letting my muscles paralyze and making me fall to the hard marble ground.

“Argh!” My head was ringing and my sight turned slightly blurry. Through her echo, I could barely hear her voice slipping into my ears.

“I'm not a monster! YOU are the monster! You abandoned your friends in their times of need, you took a little filly into a dangerous forest and... you brought us here.” That little-

“Hahahaha, oh Twily... you should have done your homeworks. By the time you erased Appleblooms mind, that was the time when we awoke from our slumber.” She continued. It was too difficult to concentrate, let alone to move. Leaf walked in front of me and used an metallic object to turn me on my back. Now I saw the weapon she used to knock me down. It was a golden spear from one of the royal guards, or at least a part of it since the sharp tip was missing. Lucky me...

“Apple bloom? What are- AH!” She threw the heavy broken spear onto my chest, making a slight sound appear, which was similar to the sound of breaking branches. My chest started to stitch, followed by a burning pain.

“You are a monster Twilight. You risked the live of a little filly by taking her into the most dangerous place in Equestria. Good thing me and my friends found her and took care of her. We wanted to make her a part of us, a part of our family. We wanted to protect her from the rest of the world and this horrible disease... but then this witch, her useless daughter and YOU... you all took her away from us.” She said with a rather sad voice. Everything she said seemed so familiar.

It sounded like the story Apple bloom told me over and over again. So this was one of the evil ponies she talked about all the time? Great Celestia... why didn't I listen?

“She left us, but with her this little rats Mitta and Ruby. Without them, the curse began to get 'brittle' and we were able to escape this town after all these years. Unfortunately we forgot the way out of the hidden passage, but thanks to you Twilight, we were able to find a new home and new friends.”

“B- because of me?” I tried to answer through the coughs and heaving breathing.

“Tell me Twilight... how often did you brought your friends into danger since you arrived here?

Pretty often, right? How often did you risked their lives, just to cover your own disability? How often did you acted recklessly with your magic? And the worst of all you little fraud... how often did you talked about this 'magic of friendship' after barely evading the worst?”

“I-”

“You're pathetic!” She continued with a sharp hiss.

“You don't know anything about friendship Twilight...” The words got stuck inside of my dry throat and though she was probably right with that, I still knew that I always regretted it if something went wrong. I tried to learn out of my mistakes and most important... I tried to stay loyal to my friends.

“Maybe I am... maybe I am a bad friend from time to time and Ponyville would be a better place without me around sometimes, but you know what Leaf?” I slowly turned to the side and got up onto my shaky legs. She dull pain in my head and chest was striving through my body. I looked into her eyes and whispered.

“It doesn't matter if it's my fault or not, I would always risk my own life to save my friends. That's what you call a good friend. A friend is always by your side, able to forgive you if you make mistakes and also loyal till the end. If there's one fake friend in this room... then it's you, Leaf!”

I frowned at her with a teasing grin. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened without saying a single word.

“How... dare you...” She stumbled.

“I'm a good friend... a good friend...” Then she closed her eyes and started to snarl.

“I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!” She shouted out of pure rage and depression. Afterwards we began to lower her head and to rush at me. Though almost every part of my body hurt and my stamina and magic was very low, I would have fought her with great pleasure.

“ENOUGH!” An ear numbing voice shrilled through the throne room. It sounded like the royal Canterlot voice! Was it possible?

“Oh, our princess awakened.” Leaf grinned and stopped. What did she mean? 'Our' princess? Wait...

“P- princess Celestia?” The words left my mouth, but I wasn't sure what exactly I was saying. If it really was the princess, how come she was here all alone?

“Twilight... Sparkle...” She whispered. A strange mixture of happiness and insecurity was fighting in my stomach. That moment, I was just glad to know that princess Celestia was still alive.

With a wide smile I slowly walked closer into the centre of the throne room.

“Princess Celestia! I'm so glad you're okay!” After a few steps I noticed a strange kind of magic filling the air. I stopped and narrowed my eyes, trying to see through the darkness that was surrounding the throne at the very end of the room.

“Celestia?”

“Why are you here?” She asked with an emotionless voice.

“W- wha-”

“Tell me!” She continued. Not knowing what to answer, I remained quiet.

“... I'm disappointed in you Twilight Sparkle... so disappointed.”

“Why? I mean... yes, I'm sorry that I let my studies slip by and that I-”

“No, that's not what I mean.” She cut me short.

“You disobeyed an order. I should arrest you for this.” What did she say?

“Wha-? P- please princess! I – I didn't mean to-”

“But... maybe there's another way to excuse your disobedience.” Suddenly a silent echo kept repeating through the room. The sound of metal mixed with hoofsteps and silent breathing.

“Princess?” When I saw a golden reflection appear in the beam of moonlight, I noticed the royal symbol on it. It was a part of the golden royal armor, the vambrace to be certain. Carved into it's centre, right above the hoof, was a very fine sun. Soon the other hoof appeared in the beam, along with the golden poitrel and another sun insignia in it's centre, surrounded by even more very fine carvings and symbols. Why was Celestia wearing her precious armor?

“Become one of us...” The moment her words arrived my ears, was the moment I actually saw her face inside of the moonlight. My throat felt like it got filled with razors, same goes for my heart.

Without noticing it, I fell backwards with my eyes and mouth wide opened. Was I really looking at the princess of the sun? One of the rulers of Equestria? No, it couldn't be... it had to be a nightmare!

“No... princess, you're-”

“She's one of us now. She's part of our great family.” Leaf laughed from behind. I didn't payed to much attention to her though since my eyes were still sticking at the princess. Her beautiful white fur was pitch black, most of her armor was broken, torn apart like paper. Her left leg seemed to be broken, madly deformed and bleeding. At the side of her chest was a huge hole in her armor, blood and pieces of flesh were dripping out of it with every step she took. Her wonderful mane and tail lost their colors and faded to dark grey instead while her-

“Oh my...” I felt sickness rising inside of my somach when I finally looked at her right wing... or at least the place where it should have been. According to the kind of way the feathers, flesh and bone was bent, it probably got ripped off with insane strength. I tried to keep my lunch inside of my belly while sweat and tears started to roll over my face. Her red glowing eyes were staring at me from above, piercing my soul like a sharp needle.

“That's the price of betrayal dear Twilight.” Leaf continued. Laughter and creepy sighs were filling the room, getting louder and louder. I looked around and saw many red dots appearing in the shadows around me.

“They're all here Twilight... all of our friends. You can easily join us, what do you say?” I slowly turned around and looked at Leaf who was sitting right next to me.

“... the curse. You're-” Three Leafs looked like she came right out of an nightmare. More than eighty percent of her body was rotten and black, the rest were bones and maggots. The smell, sight and my current vital state almost made me hurl.

“Oh, poor Twilight... don't worry, the princess will ease your suffer any second now.” She grinned.

I was surrounded by these so called 'blanks', my friends were gone and the princess was... one of them. I just hoped I could wake up any second, but this wasn't a dream, it was reality!

“Decide Twilight... join us or pay for your disobedience!” The princess said, again with no kind of expression or emotion in her voice. She was just blindly staring at me with her lifeless red eyes.

Leaf walked backwards and joined the others at the side of the giant room. Walls of red dots were stabbing me from every side while Celestias presence made me feel sad and helpless. Oh princess... you knew what was suppose to happen, right? You knew you had no chance of winning this fight... you wanted to protect me from the very beginning.... That's why you asked me about sacrificing myself. Princess...

“Decide!” She repeated. I couldn't give up, not as long as Applejack and Applebloom were still out there and alive. I already let them hanging too many times, I couldn't let that happen again!

“No... I have to save my friends!” I hesitantly answered with a shaky voice. I gulped, silence took it's place and cold wind filled the room ever so slowly. Nothing happened for a few seconds, but then the princess lowered her head and closed her eyes.

“... very well then.” Her horn started to glow in a red light. Before I could even tell what exactly was going to happen, I got thrown to the other end of the room by an enormous wave of energy.

I got smashed against the cold adamant wall. The impact was that intense that I could feel and hear the marble getting cracked by my body. First I was stuck in the wall, but gravity soon dragged me back down to the ground. I landed on my already badly shaped chest, making an undescribable pain rush through my entire body. Breathing was nearly impossible due to the pain, but I still tried to stand back up again.

“P- princess... please... sto-” Before I could finish my sentence, another red bolt of energy made me fly across the room. This time I got smashed against one of the huge windows at its side. The sound of breaking glass and the taste of blood was the only thing I was noticing that moment. Shortly after I got thrown at the other side of the room, at the wall again. My body was numb and pain was pulsing into my head. My consciousness was fading more and more, but something kept me awake.

Celestia remained silent, let me hover right in front of her face and opened her mouth.

“Please Twilight... join us... and I will stop.” She whispered. This time she looked sad, regretful.

But I couldn't... I'd rather die than betraying my friends once again. I had to get free... had to warn Applejack. I opened my eyes and smiled at the princess... then I canalised all of my remaining strength into my horn and shoot one of my strongest beams directly into her face... leaving nothing but a giant hole there, were once her left eye was placed. Smoke, fire and pieces of burned flesh was flying through the air, it nearly covered it like a fog. The princess didn't react, almost like she wasn't feeling any pain whatsoever.

“That was a bad idea.” She sighed and closed her remaining eye. Then she lowered her head torwards me, her horn once again glowing and I prepared myself for yet another one of her attacks, but it never came. Instead, her horn started to glow brighter, more intense than before.

“AAAAARGH!” What was that? My head... it felt like it got torn apart by a jackhammer. Suddenly I noticed what was happening. I saw a slight fountain of blood spit out from the top of my head.

“M- my horAAAAAGH!” The pain was mind numbingly intense, my whole body was shaking until a loud crack started to echo through the room. I saw purple pieces and burned hair flying through the air in front of me... pieces which once belonged to my horn...

“... I didn't wanted to do this Twilight...” The princess whispered silently. Everything was quiet, even the wind stopped blowing. My whole body wasn't reacting anymore and I could feel a cold shiver running down my neck.

“... why...” She continued. Small orbs were falling down her cheeks, sparkling in the small beams of moonlight. She was crying. Maybe she was still in there somewhere. I looked down at her, still hovering in mid air, barely one inch away from her face.

“Why did you come back?” She whimpered silently.

“I- I just-”.

“I TOLD YOU! ... I told you to leave... didn't I?” Her voice started to shake.

"Princess..."

“... I'm so sorry Twilight...” Then her horn started to glow brighter and brighter yet again, lifting me up higher, aiming directly onto my chest.

“N- no... please! P- princess!” I hysterically begged, but the princess wasn't listening. She just stood

there and kept charging her spell.

“Farewell... my friend.” She whispered.

“N- NO! PRINCESS! PLEASE! PRINCESS! PRINCESS CELESTIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAA!” But the only thing I heard was my own echo. A burning pain pierced right through me... my body started to shake uncontrollably in the air and then... coldness. Everything I saw darkened and the pain disappeared forever...

Twilight... Twilight Sparkle...

Follow me... please... don't go to the light... don't leave...

... she still needs you...

This was her story, her last thoughts until she... I'm sorry Apple bloom.

Now, there's only one memory left... one piece of this puzzle, that will be revealed the next time you drift into my world again.

But for now, it's time for you to wake up.

Until next time....