The gray mailmare quickly took to her wings, Twilight Sparkle politely nodding as she left. Closing the door, she rushed upstairs while magically dragging the newly received box behind her. Twilight stumbled in her ascent, ignoring her surroundings as she entered her room. This would happen any time Twilight received a new book, which was to say, very often.

Tearing apart the box, she lifted the heavy book onto her bed, letting the sunlight define its worn texture. It was used; used and old. The unicorn knew of this, but it wouldn't stop her from enjoying it. After all, there were no other copies available, not even in the library of the Royal Palace. The day she heard of the book being available, she had almost burst in excitement.

The author's name wasn't anywhere on the tattered black cover. Nothing was, except for the bold, golden letters which spelled, "Maris Somnius". Twilight wasn't completely sure of what it meant, but she knew it had something to do with the old Equestrian language.

Now wanting to waste anymore time, Twilight quickly opened the book up to the first page, lacking any formalities, new or old. Ink, or what Twilight thought was ink had been hastily scrawled over the page. The writing wasn't the neatest, but it was readable.

She called to me, yes. Through the darkest of my nights did she join me, mourning to that of which we had both suffered. Days had withered away, and the weeks came to pass. Months of waiting, idleness haunting me, until she came once more. By her will, I had been saved. Wrapped so finely in our warmest delights, we shared the best of times.

Never before in my life had I possessed the joy she brought me. She would give her charity unto me without question, without regret. I would do the same for her, our greatest gift being found in each other. Every blackened moment of the past means nothing to me now. I live for her, as she does for me. I'll see through to it that nopony takes from us what we have.

Twilight cocked her head, unsure of what she was reading. Bringing a hoof to her chin, she paused. Nopony wrote like that, at least, nopony she knew of did. That just meant it would be even more interesting to read! The unicorn quickly brought her face in closer to the book, grinning as she did so. She flipped the page, and before she knew it, she flipped another page, and another, and another. Not knowing how much time had passed, her reading was interrupted by the feeling of a claw on her shoulder.

Twilight yelped in surprise. "Spike, what are you doing?" she gasped for air.

The baby dragon shook his head, grinning at Twilight's reaction. "Just taking you out of dreamland. You were glued to that book, looked crazy!"

"Well, it's a good book," Twilight sighed. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll just be reading it some more." She could see Spike giving her an awkward look. "What?"

"Twilight?" Spike asked. "When did you start reading this book?"

The mare tilted her head. "This morning, like, 7:45. Why do you ask?'

"It's noon," he pouted. "Go get yourself something to eat."

"Oh, uh... Really?" Twilight blushed. "Sorry, I must have gotten way too caught up in that, thanks Spike!" She swiftly retreated downstairs. The dragon watched her rush out of the room, and he drew his gaze to the book, which was probably some major nerdy stuff. Whatever it was, it wouldn't be interesting, so he was quick to follow Twilight.

Before Twilight knew it, the day had already been over, and she'd already been seeking out sleep.

She got up from the cold, rough ground. Twilight looked around, seeing nothing but stone, and more barren ground. It was relatively plain, but somehow lit, despite the lack of any light source being present in this type of cave she was in.

"Anypony here?" Twilight called, moving down one of the many paths available to her. She received no response. Shuddering she continued to trot down the narrow corridors. She'd been in a place like this before when attempting to save Rarity from the Diamond Dogs. It was vast, uninviting, and most of all, dangerous. She had been with friends at that time, and yet now she was alone.

The unicorn continued to aimlessly wander the unending depths of the cave, speaking once more. "Anypony, please?"

"Pony?" a voice solemnly asked.

Twilight spun around, heart beating in anticipation. "Who is that?"

"Please, anypony," it called back, its voice echoing throughout the area.

"D-Don't worry!" Twilight shouted. "I'm coming!" It wasn't completely clear where the noise was coming from, but she knew the general direction to run in.

The voice spoke once more, in the same mournful tone as the last. "Anypony..."

Twilight raced down the corridors, hooves beating against the hard ground. Her heart pumped as she forced her hooves to drive her as fast as possible. "Pony?" the same voice asked once more. Was it coming from the same direction? Either way, Twilight continued to follow its call. She kept up the speed of her gallop longer than she thought she'd be able to last. Wherever this voice was coming from, it was getting closer.

Twilight had to stop, she didn't know she'd be sprinting that long. Panting in exhaustion, she managed to churn out, "Hello, where are you?"

"I-I'm here," the voice answered from behind her.

Twilight jumped in shock, quickly turning to face the voice. She didn't think she could get any more surprised from that, and she was wrong. Her jaw dropped when she examined the creature behind her.

"H-Hello, Twilight S-Sparkle."

"W-Who are you?" Twilight asked, pointing a shaking hoof.

"I am you, Twilight..."

"How?" the unicorn recoiled. "How is that possible?" Twilight couldn't deny it. This lonely figure huddled against the stone wall was undoubtedly her. It had the same voice and appearance, at the least. She looked as though she'd been crying, and while her gaze shifted around the cave, she never looked directly into Twilight's eyes.

"I don't know," she sobbed. "I need help."

The lavender mare bit her lip. "O-Of course. What do you need?"

She dug two hooves into her face, softly crying into them. "I want to get out of here."

"I'm sorry... I want to leave this place too. I-I just don't know how."

"I can help you leave," Twilight's mirror image sniffed. "But you have to promise me something."

Twilight nodded. "Yes, what is it?"

"Will you be my friend?"

Twilight reluctantly approached the other mare, seating herself next to her. "Of course I'll be your friend," she said, patting her shoulder. She cocked an eyebrow, finding it odd that she'd just become "friends" with herself. She looked at the mare next to her, still crying into her hooves. "Is there anything I can do?"

"N-No, just leave me here," she said. "Maybe we'll meet somewhere else, and I'll be waiting," she continued to cry. Twilight tilted her head at that statement. With that, the other mare spoke again, grinning widely despite the tears surrounding her mouth. "Friend."

Twilight could feel herself becoming lighter as everything around her began to fade. "What's happening?" she asked. She received no answer, only dissolving into the darkness around her.

"Ugh, what a dream. More like a nightmare," Twilight said to herself. It took her a lot of time to get ready for the day, and even more to eat the overly large breakfast of Applejack Jacks she poured herself. She talked with Spike, and he was the same, sarcastic baby dragon as usual. Twilight gave him a list of things to do before finishing her breakfast and going back to her room.

Closing the door shut, Twilight opened the curtains to give herself some light. Twilight dragged the book from her desk, making herself comfortable on her bed.

I saw her crying tears of pain. If I could but reach out and break through the winter cold... She spoke so cryptically, yet so melodically. A beautiful flower trapped in such conditions, I was lucky to have ran to her voice when I could. At first, I was surprised to see her, but only then did she mention that we shared the same name. She was so happy to finally see me; I held not but surprise upon seeing her. We spoke, and I could see how lonely she was.

"Will you wait for me?" she asked. I knew not of an answer, and it only disappointed her further. To see a mare who revealed my innermost feelings, I could not wish such pain upon her. The tears had flown freely, I knew not what had brought her so low, but she couldn't help but look away from me. There was shame, I could see it, yet she'd not told me of any reason why.

I held my breath, and comforted her. "Yes," I said. Only then...

Twilight could feel some resemblance, hadn't she just been through that? The knowledge of that sent shivers up her spine like nothing else. She quickly glanced behind her, looking all around the room.

The writing soon to come after the segment she'd just read had been scribbled out. Twilight made no attempt to read the undecipherable writing. She flipped the page, and the entirety of it had been incomprehensible. She went by a few more pages, until it became readable again. With that, Twilight was even more determined to put all of this together.

And the joys we'd poured so much love into. I could tell that she was different now, that I was different now. At last, she'd come to the conclusion that it was just a dream. "All good things were," as she said, words that truly provoked my intelligence. Until now, I've always been oblivious as to what she meant, anypony would be.

"There's no more to be done, hoped, or felt," she told me. "You will leave, as all others would."

Cryptic, morbid, and that didn't make me feel any better. I awoke, and I only hoped to meet her again. Days passed in agony, until she sought me out once more.

Twilight found herself out in Ponyville streets. It was a bright day out, but nopony was there. The unicorn trotted down the streets, not finding any differences from the regular Ponyville, except for the fact that she couldn't find a single pony outside. The town was usually full of ponies doing something outside, especially with this much light out.

She passed empty buildings and deserted streets, only to find herself back where she started. Sitting down on a bench, she closed her eyes and gave herself a moment to collect her thoughts.

"I told you I'd be waiting," her voice sounded in front of her.

Twilight shot her eyes open, staring at herself once more. "I-I..."

"Are you afraid?" she asked with a slight smile.

"Uh, yes," Twilight nodded, picking herself up off the bench. "Just a bit." She could see the other mare trotting closer to her. She wanted to move away, but something urged her not to. "Please don't sneak up on me like that."

"I'm sorry, friend," she smiled even more brightly. "I was just so excited to see you here!"

Twilight blushed. "Well, it's good to see you too... Uh, what do I call you?" The other Twilight stood in front of her, staring into her eyes, that bright smile still etched into her face. She found herself not being able to look her at her directly, it was just so odd.

"You can call me 'Friend', best friend!"

"So, where is everypony, uh... Friend?"

The lavender mare tilted her head. "Everypony? Don't we have enough ponies here?"

"I-I'm sorry, but there's just us two."

"Yes, just the two of us here," she nodded. "Isn't that just perfect, friend?"

"Yeah..." Twilight faked a laugh. "It really is nice..." She could see her reflection squeal with joy. "Why are you acting so different?"

Her grin faded. "What do you mean?"

"When I saw you back there, back in that cave... why were you so sad?" Twilight asked.

"I was just so lonely," she sighed. "I thought I'd be like that forever, it's just been so long!" Friend pulled Twilight in for a quick hug, letting the surprised mare go so she could speak again. "It's okay now though, I've got you. I do, right?"

"What if I were to say that you don't?" Twilight asked. She could see Friend's eyes widen, her legs struggling to support her the rest of her body. She twitched erratically, violently gnashing her teeth. "Wait, wait! I was just curious. I'm your friend!" Twilight nervously chuckled.

"Oh, good. I thought they'd taken you away from me already!" the half-spectral mare wiped a bead of sweat with her hoof.

"I'm sorry, who'd take me away?" Twilight asked.

"Them," she spat. "Those five miserable wretches! They want to have you all for themselves, leaving nopony left for me!"

"C-Calm down," Twilight brought a hoof to her shoulder. "Who are these ponies?" She silently prayed to Celestia that she didn't further aggravate her new friend. She wasn't looking forward to how that would play out.

"Oh, I'm sorry Twilight." Friend looked away, embarrassed. "Did I say something to scare you?"

"Y-Yes," she barely nodded.

Friend shook her head, hitting it with a hoof. "Stupid me. I've never done it right. They'll come, and now you'll be even more willing to leave me."

"Don't worry friend, I won't leave you," Twilight offered the brightest smile she could.

The lavender mare shared the grin. Quickly pulling her in for another hug. "Thanks, I knew I could count on you. Because I can count on you, I want you to do me another favor." Twilight nodded awkwardly. "Great! When they come for you... when they come to pull us apart, I want you not to trust them, not to believe them. If you have to, dispose of them."

"I uh... I still don't know who you're talking about," Twilight stepped back.

"Our so called friends," Friend closed her eyes. "You don't know yet, they haven't shown you their true colors, but I can see through their wretched guise. Trust me Twilight, I'm the only friend you need. Rainbow Dash, a pathetic braggart. Then there's that Pinkie Pie, in a world only of her own, not caring for the needs of her tru-"

"You'd speak of my friends like that?" Twilight shook her head. “You want me to kill them? What's wrong with you?" Twilight gritted her teeth, looking into the face of her mirror's image. She seemed startled, clueless, and worst of all, she looked like a pathetic and inaccurate personification of herself.

"T-Twilight? Friend?"

"No, don't call me that, you're not my friend! No friend of mine insults those who've done so much for me, let alone asks me to kill them!" Twilight snorted, staring directly into Friend's eyes.

"Not my... friend?"

"No."

"Twilight, friend?" she asked once more, not receiving a response. The mare looked like she was going to tear up, lowering her head.

"I don't want to see you anymore," Twilight shook her head, walking away. She turned around to speak again, but stopped when she didn't see the lavender mare anywhere. The sky turned red, and the clouds, black. Buildings warped and split open, the ground shaking in rage.

Twilight galloped towards the library, where she could be safe. Everywhere she went, the cries of her own voice emanated from the broken earth. Harsh winds blew against her, wailing in losses unknown to her. Twilight Sparkle soon found herself falling through the ground, the light of the cursed sun being driven so far away from her. She dropped into the blackness, being greeted by a familiar voice.

I thought you were different. It turns out, I always did have a reason to mourn. I had convinced myself that you were special, though I was wrong from the very beginning. All good things really are just a dream. It's been that way as long as I can remember, and it always will be.

Another nightmare, another day, and now, another bowl of Applejack Jacks. Twilight was glad to have some time away from these haunted nights of sleep, and that odd book. As uncomfortable as she felt reading it, there was something about it that just wanted to make her continue. Spike soon arrived in the kitchen to join her. "Morning."

"Good morning Spike," Twilight said. "You'll never guess how odd my dream was."

"What happened?" he asked, opening the refrigerator to retrieve a plate of hay-fries.

"Well, I was talking some manifestation of myself, I guess. She was really friendly, until she insulted my friends. I said she wasn't my friend anymore, and she got all mad." Twilight chuckled, not leaving the whole, "dispose of them" part in. "Just ridiculous, isn't it?"

"Wait, so you talked to yourself?" Spike grinned. "What a huge nerd you are!"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course. Anyway, I also saw myself the night before that. She seemed really lonely and all."

"Of course she'd be lonely, she's you!" Spike laughed to himself.

The unicorn gritted her teeth. "You're real funny, you know that? Just shut up and eat."

"Wow, bitter," her assistant raised his claws up. "Cheer up Twilight, it's just a joke!"

"Yeah well, it's not funny," she sighed. The two continued to eat in silence, Spike not being able to think of anything else witty to say.

Talking about me behind my back? I see how it is.

"What was that?" Twilight asked, looking around the room.

Spike tilted his head. "What was what?

Hmph, see what I care.

"Ugh. Nothing, I'll just be leaving now." Twilight trotted away from the kitchen, ignoring the fact that there were plenty of Applejack Jacks left for her to eat. She went back to her room, and magically shut the door, making sure Spike couldn't hear her. "What are you doing here?"

I'm trying to reach my friend, have you seen her anywhere? Oh wait, that's right. You're nothing but a puppet to those other five!

"Don't speak about them that way, you're nothing compared to them," Twilight muttered.

You'll see, I'm a lot more than you think. You'll come crawling back to me. Once I find you tonight, you'll see how loving of a friend I can be.

Twilight ignored the voice, reaching for the book again.

The "Maris Somnius"? Well, good job, have fun with that. I'll just be going now.

The unicorn rolled her eyes, and pulled the book onto her bed. Making herself comfortable, Twilight started reading again. She knew that Friend was watching, reading every word along with her, but there was nothing else to do. Perhaps Friend was happy to see Twilight read the book, but she couldn't stop. There was so much she needed to find out.

To think she'd blaspheme against those I love! I couldn't contain my rage, I felt like striking her, and yet I didn't. Something about her, the way she spoke, the way she moved, it drew me in. It was so very impulsive of me to act like that around her. She began to cry, and at that time, I felt no remorse for my actions. I drew not a single tear to her mourning.

Before that point, I pitied her; at that moment, I despised her. It's amazing how quickly an opinion of somepony can change. She spoke to me, said many things, but I ignored her. I listened not, when really, I should have. She called me, and I ignored. I did my best to stay away from her, even going as far as avoiding sleep. I gave in eventually, I had to. It was the best mistake of my life.

Twilight read for the whole day, and when the sun fell, the whole night. An annoyed Spike had to be hushed back to sleep, and lights filled the library as Twilight kept herself awake. The mare shivered at the thought of Friend. She wanted to look away, to find something else to do, but the book seemed like such a good option. She stared at it, mesmerized by the letters spelling, “Maris Somnius” on the cover. Twilight sighed, flipping the book open once more.

”Have you no compassion, not even a tattered strip of me left in your heart?” she asked.

The words escaped my lips, every syllable grating against them like the harsh, cold knives they were. “No, I never did. Fly from me, for I know who you really are. You are a liar, a cheat under the guise of a my deepest desires!” To this day, I still remember these words. How I regret speaking them... If I could take each word back, each and every rusted blade, I would endure any pain to erase this moment from our lives.

She cried, resting herself against the barren, icy ground. Wind and snow blew past her, chilling her fragile bones. I held no empathy, I simply watched. My faith had been weak at that time, but had I been able to rip through the boundaries of time and re-write the past, I would hold her through the cold winter night. I am sure of this, she would do the same for me.

Friend hadn't said a word the entire time. By the time a new day had arrived, Twilight was only halfway done incredibly large lexicon. Exhausted, she put the book down and stumbled away from it.

Good morning, Twilight.

Twilight murmured with her eyes partly closed. "Get away from me..."

It's incredibly hurtful, what you say to me. That book is no good for you, maybe you should stay away from it.

Twilight groaned and trotted downstairs, further ignoring the voice in her head. Each step she took felt incredibly irritating, and her eyes felt like they would melt out of her sockets. To her surprise, the door opened, revealing a rainbow-maned pony. She seemed happy, trotting up to the groggy unicorn. "Hey Twilight!" she said, ruffling her friend's mane. "How's my little shut-in doing?"

Ugh, don't listen to her, Twilight.

The unicorn groaned once more. "Not good. Rainbow Dash, what do you want?"

"Huh?" she said. "Wow, Spike was right, you really are miserable."

"Spike came to see you?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, he said you've been acting odd and stuff. Wanted a friend to come by, and guess who's your most loyal friend?"

I am, Twilight. I am your most loyal friend.

"Me!" Rainbow lifted her forelegs into the air, grinning in an attempt to change Twilight's neutral expression. She examined Twilight more closely, looking at the bags under her eyes. "Hey, you should get some sleep, you know?"

Yes, Twilight. Go to sleep. As your best friend, I'll be sure to take care of you.

Twilight closed her eyes, lazily mumbling. "I don't know, I just don't feel very... Yeah."

"Yeah, go get some sleep," Dash patted her on the head. "Listen, why don't you drop by any time? You haven't been coming out at all lately."

Don't do it Twilight. Don't trust her.

"Come to think of it, why don't I join you girls right now?" Twilight grinned.

Rainbow Dash chuckled. "Yeah, look how enthusiastic you are! Don't worry about it Twi', we're not mad at you. Just go get some sleep."

"Rainbow Da-"

"Yeah, we'll see you sometime later today." Rainbow Dash fluttered outside.

"Oh, alright  then... Bye Rainbow." Twilight muttered to herself. She reluctantly walked upstairs, back to her room. She'd confront Friend one last time. Maybe then she'd stop bothering her.

"Alright, where are you?" Twilight nervously spoke, her voice echoing throughout the darkened halls. Receiving no response, she continued to walk down the narrow corridor. "I know you're here with me, show yourself!"

Twilight, friend?

"Tell me where to find you already," Twilight sighed.

"Right here, best friend," Friend's voice came from behind her.

Twilight turned around and shook her head, taking notice to the room being lit up. It was the same cave they appeared to have met in. Long, windy tunnels amongst an endless expanse of rock. "Alright, I'm here. What do you want?"

Friend rolled her eyes. "I just wanted a friend. Clearly, somepony as smart as you would have noticed by now."

"Uh, right. We can be friends if you stop being so jealous," she said. "It'd be nice if you stopped invading my sleep, too."

The mare looked hurt. "But how are we going to spend time together, friend?"

"We don't. Just leave me alone, alright?"

"Selfish, selfish Twilight," the unicorn muttered. "Always thinking only of herself..."

"Please, please, please stop bothering me, okay? I'm not selfish, I just need some time to myself," Twilight groaned.

"You have enough time for your other 'friends', but not for me? Despicable!" she spat.

“Ugh. Don't you see? This is why we can't spend any time together.” Twilight shook her head and turned her back to the other mare. She placed her hoof against the wall, and then rested her head against the surface of rock.

“Why? Is it because you think I'm jealous? Well I'm not; I'm only trying to protect you, Twilight.”

“Look,” Twilight said, turning back to Friend. “Whatever your intentions are, I'm clearly not okay with it.”

The mirror image groaned in frustration. “And so, this will just keep going in circles, won't it? You don't want to accept the fact that you're wrong. They'll betray you Twilight, and then what? I just don't want to see them hurt you. Please, trust your best friend.” The mare offered a hoof.

Twilight tilted her head, examining the outstretched hoof. She momentarily raised her own, before setting it back down, and finding new resolve. “No, if you really cared about me, you'd never speak of my real friends like that!”

Friend sighed, lowering her head. “Twilight, I do care about you. I can't keep you in the dark like this though, you'll have to find out eventually.”

Twilight followed suit, calming her voice. “Well, maybe I just don't care what happens. I'll stay with them until the end.”

“Are you sure that's your choice?” Friend looked up, staring into Twilight's eyes.

“Yes, I'm sure of it,” she answered. The way her “friend” was speaking, she didn't want to display her beliefs so firmly, but she had to. She felt defeated, having to choose between leaving Friend, or the girls.

The mare twitched once more, shaking her head. “So I won't have a friend after all, will I?”

Twilight could feel the air in the room getting colder. Everything about this place seemed more unnerving at that moment. “I-I don't know what to say.”

“I'll be alone once more.” Friend sniffed, gritting her teeth to try and find strength. “That's how it's always been, and how it always will be.”

Twilight shook her head. "I'm sorry." She looked into her mirror's eyes, burning with hurt of which she didn't know how she caused. "I''ll... I'll fix this, somehow. I'll burn the book, and we can both forget about all of this."

"No, you will finish reading it!" The mare across quickly raised to her hooves as she glared intensely at Twilight, who flinched at the sight of her oddly changed temper. "I won't let you get rid of it!"

Twilight's voice ran with sincerity, as she put a comforting hoof on the mare's shoulder. "Listen, we both have things we need to do. I can stay with my friends, and you can stay with yours. Is that good enough... Friend?"

"I have no friends!" The mare angrily brushed Twilight's hoof off. "You just want me to stay that way... That's not going to happen, I'll stay with you as long as I can!" she shouted, violently twitching.

"Friend? W-What's wrong?" Twilight asked, noticing the cave crumbling around her. Of the four passageways offering an escape from the clearing, all of them had been blocked off by a wall of crumbled stone. "Let me help, please."

"Yes, just the two of us here," she nodded. "Isn't that just perfect, friend?"

"So, what's going on Spike?" the cyan pony asked.

"I-It's Twilight."

"Ain't Twilight had enough a' them books already?" Applejack tilted her head. "Maybe she just don't want to spend time with us.

Pinkie Pie bounced excitedly. "Of course she does, Applejack! She was just too busy, maybe she's planning us all a surprise party!"

"No, she isn't," Spike shook his head. "She's just been staying in her room for all this time, maybe you guys could bring her out."

"O-Oh dear..." Fluttershy spoke. "Is something wrong?"

"What do you think?" Rainbow Dash tilted her head, trotting up the stairs. The other five followed her, all lowering their heads in support of their friend.

"I do hope everything's going to be alright," Rarity bit her lip. "Which it will be, you have nothing to worry about, Spike."

The baby dragon closed his eyes, waiting by the door. "I sure hope so. She just hasn't answered whenever I tried to reach her. It's been a while and..."

"Now just how long is, 'a while'?" Applejack asked.

"Two days." Spike winced as everypony in the room exchanged surprised glances. "She was acting all odd at breakfast, before boarding herself up like that. I-I hope I didn't insult her, or anything. I didn't mean to do anything like this!"

"It's alright, Spike," Fluttershy wrapped a hoof around him. "We know you wouldn't do something to hurt Twilight."

Rainbow Dash was the first to step up, raising her hoof to knock on the door.

"Go away, we're fine in here!"

The rainbow-maned pegasus gave all her friends an awkward look, before turning back to the door. "Hey, Twilight! It's Rainbow Dash; well, all of us, actually."

"Ugh, disgusting."

Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth before being pushed aside by a soft white hoof. "Twilight? Is that you?" Rarity asked.

"Yes Rarity, it's me. Now go away."

"How rude!" Rarity brought a hoof to her chest. "That was not at all necessary!"

"Neither's the fact that all of you are talking to me right now. Go away, Twilight's busy."

"Oh Twilight," Pinkie Pie slammed her face into the door. "I can refer to myself in third person too! Pinkie Pie wants her best friend to come out and hang out with her!"

"You're not my best friend, Twilight's my best friend. Isn't that right, Twilight?" The tone of voice behind the door changed. "Of course! I couldn't think of anypony else."

"Uhh... Twilight? You talkin' to yourself?" Applejack asked. "I think you should start comin' out now."

"And do what? Listen to your lies all day? Yeah, good job being the element of honesty, Applejack."

"Well, that's real nice of you. It's good to know we got a friend as caring as you." Applejack rolled her eyes.

"Applejack!" Rarity said. "Twilight's our friend, she's just going through a hard time right now."

Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's right. We're her friends, and we're gonna power through this all the way." She quickly motioned with her hooves towards the door. Applejack nodded, and stepped up to the door. She turned her body, readying herself to buck it down. Everypony breathed in as Applejack raised her hind legs.

In one quick movement Applejack slammed her hooves against the door with as much force as she could. She collapsed to the floor in a jolt of pain. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie quickly pulled her away from the threat.

"Just give up, Friend's the only company I need."

The purple-maned unicorn watched as the two ponies took Applejack away. She was in pain, but it wasn't an emergency. "Fluttershy," Rarity whispered. "Do you think you can go around, and tell us what Twilight's doing?"

"O-Okay," she whimpered, trotting away with silent hoofsteps.

"Twilight!" Rarity shouted. "How could you do that to her?"

A voice replied from behind the door. "Applejack was being arrogant, Twilight just didn't want to deal with her."

"What is it with the way you're talking? It doesn't make any sense." Rarity spoke through the door.

"You wouldn't understand, you never did."

Fluttershy had exited the library, still shivering from the danger Twilight was in. She even hurt Applejack, what would drive her to do  that? Taking to her wings, the pegasus softly flew around the library. When she reached the balcony, she looked through the window, nearly dropping from the sight.

In Twilight's room was a broken unicorn, hiding behind a coat turned pale. Her mane was unkempt, and various pieces of furniture had been thrown all over the place. Twilight Sparkle rocked back and forth on her bed, desperately clutching onto a huge book. The unicorn twitched uncontrollably, gritting her teeth and ignoring the voices coming from the door. She opened her mouth, speaking to nopony in particular, except maybe... herself?

"You see Twilight? This is who they really are, trying to break in and steal you away from me!"

"I-I know. I should have trusted you from the start. I'm so sorry..."

"It's alright, I know how hard it can be. I've lived in a world of deceit too, only to have everything I've loved crash down around me. Not with you, however. I'll see through to it that nopony takes away what we have."