Endings. The trouble with endings is that they're not always the end. Most endings represent a new beginning, a way forward. Every ending leaves you wanting more. But what defines an ending? How does one know that something is truly ending? At what point does my story end? I cannot say for certain. I only know that it is coming soon.

The true end. The end of all things that I once held dear. The end that I would have to fight to prevent. The oncoming storm. In that moment, my sides streaming blood from the places where my wings were, I beheld failure. I saw my entire life and it was an insignificant waste. But at the same time, it was filled with friends, with good times, with love and with hate. With pain, grief, suffering, joy, and the entire spectrum of emotion and experience that defines a pony. My life... was not so bad. My life was a lie, a sham, a creation of a mad pony who was so wrapped up in the past, that they couldn't see the future for what it was.

There's a saying for that in the Equestrian Wasteland. It's called 'old world blues'. And I fear that I myself have been victim to its siren song. I've spent so much time with my head in prewar Equestria, that I was unable to forge the path ahead. No longer. No longer can I sit idly by while good ponies die. No longer can I let myself be defined by the machinations of a crazy pony. No longer will I let my fate be predetermined.

I will make my own fate. I will forge my own path. And nothing, not even Twilight Sparkle, will stop me.

I lay there, breathing hard. My breath sawed out of my nose as my heart slammed against my ribcage. I struggled to move, my life force leaving my body faster than I could imagine. My sides felt like fire from where my wings had been removed. Goddesses... I could even see them, laying flat against the cold floor! Blood coated my once beautiful wings, the aftermath of my actions. I had done something unthinkable. I had marred myself in the name of one who had betrayed me.

Above me stood her. Twilight Sparkle. The pony who'd orchestrated my entire existence. The one without whom I would not be alive. I hated her. I wanted to hurt her. But I couldn't. I couldn't even move, the pain was simply just too much. A soft smile crept onto her face.

“Now... let's fix some of these glaring problems you've caused, shall we?” she said cheerfully. I didn't know how anypony could be as cheerful as she was being.

“Wh-Why?” I croaked. It was the only thing I could say.

Twilight grinned. I didn’t like it. It was creepy, unnerving.

“Oh, Star... you know why. I had to do it. I needed your body. My work here in Equestria simply wasn't finished yet,” she said.

Her horn flared, and I felt my body lifting into the air. I felt so light. I'd lost so much blood. I was wondering why I hadn't died yet. What was keeping my body alive? Twilight grimaced. “Look at you, though. No, no... this won't do at all.”

Arcane magicks coursed through my veins, sending fresh waves of pain all over my body. I grunted and screamed as Twilight's power washed over me. I felt bones crackling, pushing outward.

“Yes...” Twilight said. “That's good. We'll have you right as rain in no time, Star. After all, I can't have your body and be a good Princess without those lovely wings of yours, right?”

“F-f-f-f,” I tried to choke out.

Twilight frowned. “Now, Star. That's no way for a Goddess to behave,” she said, sighing. “I suppose some side effects to the experiment were to be expected.”

Experiment?! I'm not some fucking experiment, you bitch! I screamed in my head. I still wasn’t able to manage speech.

“Little too vulgar for my tastes,” Twilight said, her frown returning.

Wait... you can hear my thoughts? I thought tentatively.

“I can hear every little thing rattling about inside your head there,” she said with a nod. “I created you, after all. I know more about you than well... you do.”

My body spasmed again under Twilight's ministrations, her horn carefully working over my entire body. All I felt was pain. All I saw was red. I hated Twilight so much for all that she had done. I hated myself more, for falling into that trap. Spark had tried to warn me, and I had failed to heed her.

How long? How long have you been controlling me? I thought back.

“Well... quite a long time, really. Since Chicacolt, at least. Or rather, since Spark left your body,” she replied, placing a hoof to her chin. “Convincing you to expel Spark using the power shard was pretty easy really, and I needed her out of the way. I hadn't quite counted on your friend Lucky, though.”

Hadn’t counted on her? What’d she do? I thought. I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. This was my best chance to get some answers about my supposed life. I also hoped that if I kept Twilight monologuing long enough, Violet and the others could break through her shield and rescue me. There was no way Twilight could get out of this with them around.

“Spark was... more resilient than I thought. Your friend gave her a way to escape me. That's not to say that she didn't have her own agenda, but Lucky let her plans derail my own,” Twilight said. “That's why we ended up here. I couldn't fully control you after Spark left you, and that was because her presence on this world was stopping me from entering it. She needed to be sealed away for me to fulfill my own plans.”

That's why Spark wanted my body, right? Because you... I thought, a surge of rage muting even my mental voice.

“Because I created you, yes. Spark knew that. She wanted to tell you, more to mess with my plans than anything else, but she wanted control of you as well,” Twilight replied. “I was trapped away, stuck in that damned power shard.”

The shard? I thought.

“Limitless power in such a tiny package. When I discovered that it had survived the ages of time, I knew that it was my ticket to regaining my body,” Twilight replied nonchalantly. “Being a part of the Goddess did have its benefits.”

How did you escape the Goddess? She died, I thought.

“I was smart,” Twilight said. “I saw the writing on the wall. Littlepip wasn't the first 'hero' that the Wasteland had produced, but her methods certainly were the most effective. Trixie's attempted union with Red Eye was just the angle Littlepip needed. I knew it would lead to Trixie’s destruction.”

That doesn't answer my question, I thought angrily. I floated there, spasming again underneath the magic that Twilight was sending throughout my body. I felt more bones crack and pop inside of me, adding spikes of agony to the waves of pain rolling through my battered flesh.

“I plotted. I planned. I learned Trixie’s patterns and found a way to communicate without her being aware of it. I reached a unicorn in the Twilight Society who was all too eager to believe that I was who I said I was,” Twilight said. “Dusk Blue was my eyes and ears in the outside world.”

Dusk Blue betrayed you, though. He was working for Discord all along, I thought.

Twilight scrunched her face. “Yes... well I certainly wasn't expecting Dusk Blue to be his agent, but that all worked out quite beautifully if I do say so myself,” she said.

So what happened next? I asked.

“Well... when Trixie absorbed me into the Goddess, I had thought that my life was over,” Twilight said, sighing. “It wasn't until I had caught the news from Dusk Blue that my pet project, the shard I'd created, had survived… that I found hope again. I knew what I had to do.”

You escaped inside it, I thought.

“Mostly. Parts of me escaped inside it. It wasn't a perfect split, given that the shard itself wasn't whole. When I sealed Spark, I made sure to split the shard into two to protect it,” Twilight explained. “I disguised it as a memory orb with a trap spell to prevent anypony from viewing it. Well, anypony that is... except for you.”

Why me? Why was I chosen for... for this? I replied.

Twilight snorted. “Oh, don't take it so personal Radiant Star. I needed a body. My real body was obviously gone, having been absorbed when the megaspells dropped. I needed an alicorn to use for my own purposes. I couldn't just use one of the ones that Trixie had made. She would have known I was planning on backstabbing her. I was originally going to kill her, you see. But thankfully, Littlepip took care of that for me.”

A fleeting thought struck my mind. A stray memory of pulling a gray mare out of the wreckage at Maripony. You used my body to save her? I thought.

Twilight snorted again and chuckled loudly.

“Silly filly. You only have that memory because it was my own. No, I sent you away as soon as Trixie started sending away her own alicorns. I had to trust that Dusk Blue's spell would work, and I had too little time,” Twilight said. “I did owe Littlepip though, for setting me free and taking care of Trixie and the others. So I popped into one of Trixie's children. To be honest, I was surprised she survived. Surprisingly resilient, that one.”

She'll stop you, you know... they'll all stop you. The Element Bearers will stop you, I thought forcefully.

Twilight snickered a little at this. “Please, Star. Give me some credit. I'm the smartest mare in the known world. I've thought this through, trust me. Spark's sealing is permanent now that she's been locked into the complete shard. Without Spark, the Elements of Harmony aren’t on the table,” she said. “Besides... I'll have a body and access to all the magic in the world. I'm unstoppable.”

So why are you stalling then? Get it over with and take over already, I thought, my eyes meeting hers. I narrowed my gaze at her.

“Unfortunately, the amount of damage done to your body getting down here, fighting Spark, ripping off your wings... that all needs to be repaired. You didn't seriously think I was going to take your body the way it was, did you?” Twilight replied, rolling her eyes.

You're repairing my body? Why can't I talk yet? I thought.

“Because quite frankly, I don't want you to. I've shut off your locomotor function for the time being. Until I’m finished, at least,” Twilight said.

Why leave me able to think? I'm confused, I said back. I didn't understand it. If Twilight was so powerful, why was I still here? Why was I able to converse with her this way? It didn't make any sense... unless... You can't do that, can you? You can't shut my mind out.

“No. I can't,” she admitted, grimacing. “I suspect that your deal with Discord did that. He made it so I couldn't expel your mind, somehow. You can understand now why I was so angry that you released him. I adjusted my plans accordingly though. Without your physical facilities, your mind isn't a threat to me. I can do what I want. Besides... you're an intelligent mare. I like thought-provoking conversation, and you've proven that you can give that.”

I don't want to be your conversation buddy, I thought. I want my body back!

“It's not your body, Star. It belongs to me,” she said. “Your mind is the by-product of the Goddess being gone, that's all. Had Trixie not died before I executed my plan, ‘you’ would have never existed.”

I don't care. It's my body. My mind, and my life! I shouted in my mind. And I want it back!

“I can't allow that,” Twilight said sternly. “I've spent too much time planning for this moment. I will see Equestria returned to its former glory. I intend to guide this world into a new age, Star. Can't you see how wonderful that will be?”

I blinked. She was just like Spark. She was crazy!

You... you're just like Spark, I echoed. Don't you get it, Twilight? The world doesn't need you anymore? It doesn't need the Ministries!

“Hah. The Ministries,” Twilight said flatly. “A colossal mistake if there ever was one. No, Star. I don't want to return Equestria to the time of the Ministries. I want to rule it, as a Princess. As its Princess.”

You mean as the Goddess, I thought.

Twilight giggled. “I will admit, Trixie had a solid concept. Her implementation was terribly flawed, though,” Twilight replied. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and smiled. “Yes. That is the correct terminology, Star. I will be the Goddess of the Wasteland. I will scour this world of its evils and reinstate the world we had before.”

I'll stop you. I won't let you, I thought back angrily.

“Please... you can't even move right now,” Twilight said. Her horn flared again and I felt my body lowering back to the ground.

My hooves touched the cold stone and I blinked. I had been so focused on Twilight that I hadn't realized that the pain had gone away.

Twilight smiled. “Spread your wings, little one. Spread your wings.”

I looked back, forced to by Twilight's magic. I had no real control of my body, just what she was making me do. Sitting on each of my sides were the most gloriously beautiful purple wings I'd ever seen. They shimmered in the light of Twilight's power.

The wings flexed carefully, the colors of their feathers changing subtly as they moved. Twilight moved my head back to look at her.

“There we are, Star. Now you're ready to go,” she said.

No! I shouted in my mind. I tried to close my eyes and shake my head, but I couldn't. Twilight had full control over everything. I won't help you! You can't make me!

“Now who's acting like a child?” Twilight replied. “I'm going to cast the spell now. My mind and soul will transfer into your body, and then it will be done.”

What... what will happen to me? I thought.

“Oh, your mind will still exist within my body,” Twilight said with a bright smile. “I told you before, I can't erase that part of you. But don't worry, we're going to be bestest of friends you and I!”

I tried to move, to get away, but I couldn't. Twilight's horn began to flare and I shouted and screamed inside my mind. I heard shouting over the top of my own. I tried to move my head, to shout back. No response.

“Get away from her!” Violet roared suddenly, cutting through the calm.

The shield that Twilight had erected had a massive hole in it. Sunshine Sky stood just beyond it, panting loudly, her horn blazing as she tried to keep the hole open. Twilight glanced at my friends casually, a small smile forming on her lips.

“Well, if it isn't the little one's friends,” she said. “How adorable. I have to thank you, for taking care of my body for me. I don't know what I would have done if she'd have been destroyed.”

“She's not your body!” Violet snarled, her magic lifting Thunder Flash in the air. “Now let her go!”

“Tut, tut,” Twilight said, snickering. “I do not think so. I've worked far too hard for this to just give up.”

Her horn flared, sending a bolt of magic that sliced the beam rifle into three pieces. Violet looked aghast as the magical energy weapon dropped to the ground with a clatter.

“Stand back, Violet, I'm gonna waste this bitch!” Lilith said, stomping a hoof.

“You'll hurt Star, too! We can't do that!” Violet replied, shaking her head fiercely.

“Violet, what do you think will happen if that bitch gets into Star's body? Happy fun times for everypony?” Lilith argued.

Twilight raised a hoof. “Actually, I plan on --”

“Shut up!” Lilith snarled, turning back to Violet. “It's the only way, Vi! She can't take Star's body if she doesn't have a body!”

I knew in the back of my mind that I agreed with her. At that point, I would have faced death if it meant that Twilight couldn't use my body for her plans.

“Enough.”

All heads turned to look at Twilight. The mare's eyes were blazing with energy, her horn brilliant and majestic. It was terrifying to look at.

“I have had just about enough of you meddling in my plans,” Twilight spoke, her voice radiating with magical power. It pounded inside my head. “Your efforts have been for naught, little ones. I am magic incarnate, the most powerful pony in existence. I will not be denied my ascension.”

I strained to turn my head, to look at Violet, but I couldn't. Twilight wouldn't let me. I couldn’t do anything at all.

“I'm not letting you have her!” Violet responded, her voice cracking. She was crying. “I love her, and you can't have her!”

“You have no choice in this matter, mortals,” Twilight said, her horn flaring as she sent out a wave of telekinesis that knocked back my friends. They went soaring to the ground, their forms restrained by Twilight's purple magic. I realized I could see all of this, as Twilight had allowed me to see through her eyes. My friends struggled against the magical chains, Violet most of all. She glared at Twilight venomously. Twilight merely shrugged and walked back in front of me.

Let them go! I called out from my mind.

“No... they get to watch what comes next. It will help them understand their place in this new world of mine, Star,” she said. “Now... let us begin the transference.”

I could only stare as Twilight's horn glowed a brilliant white before everything around us faded to black.

I knew where I was before I even opened my eyes. The feeling of this place was far too familiar. It was the library. It had always been the library. It was the first place I'd really noticed I'd been able to speak with Twilight. The mare herself sat comfortably across from me. She had a confident grin on her face. I looked down at myself and realized that I was my normal color again. When did that happen? I thought as I looked back up at Twilight.

“Welcome, Star. This is it,” she said. “This is where I claim what is rightfully mine.”

“No,” I said angrily, dismissing my thoughts about my coat color. “I'm not going to allow that.”

“You really don't have a choice in this matter,” Twilight said. “I am your Goddess, and you will obey me.”

“The Goddess is dead,” I spat back. “And so are you.”

Twilight snorted, cracking a giggle. Another day, another time it might have been kind of cute, but not today.

“You're so feisty when you're angry,” she said. “I'm glad that I picked you. Taking over the world with you at my side is going to be quite fun.” She stood, motioning to the library around us. “Don't you understand? This place represents my mind. My soul. I'm inside your mind now. What's left of you... it's all mine. I'm in control here.”

“Go to hell,” I retorted.

“Language,” Twilight replied, tapping a hoof. “One of those crass things we'll have to work out of you once I'm in control. Now, take a seat. The transference will take some time to complete, and I want you to know some things. We're going to be together for a very long time, we might as well air out all of our dirty laundry, Star.”

She sat back down at the table. I glared at her, imagining myself stabbing her with tiny little mind daggers. It didn't help. She was right, after all. There were still some things I needed to know. I had to hope and believe that the others would be able to free themselves.

“Fine. I had some more questions anyways.” I sat down across from her. “Shining Armor.”

“He was a ploy. A plot by Spark. Nightmare... she told Spark about the possibility of transferring her soul into a physical body,” Twilight replied with a grimace. “Spark managed to convince her to try, that they could pull it off. She needed a unicorn powerful enough to cast the spell to do it. Me.”

“What happened to Nightmare?” I asked.

“I'm not sure, to be honest,” Twilight said. “I assume she died when the megaspells dropped, but Discord survived, so who knows? The statues you found in Chicacolt, the ones that turned Pride into what she became, were mere fragments of her real power. Who knows where the real thing ended up?”

“So... Spark convinced Nightmare to have Shining Armor placed in the right place to contract a possibly fatal poisoning,” I said. Twilight nodded in reply. “Then... tried to get you to resurrect him into another body.”

“Correct,” Twilight said

A stray thought crossed my mind. A memory of Twilight in the hospital after the sealing. A memory of a white alicorn, of a certain Princess.

“Where does Celestia come into this?” I said.

“She... She sensed the wrongness within me,” Twilight said. “Dark magic that had been building since before I had become an alicorn. She felt responsible. Said she had unintentionally shown me how to use it, and didn't know to make it stop.”

“She helped you,” I said flatly.

“Yes. She knew a method to suppress Spark so that we could plan. I used my connections in the Ministry to convince Luna that a weapon would be required for her, in the event of a great battle,” Twilight replied. “I used that project as a way to develop what you now know as the power shard. A device that I would ultimately use, with Celestia's help, to seal Spark away.”

“There's still something I don't understand,” I said, scratching my head. “Why? Why seal Spark? Why go to all this trouble? It doesn't make any sense.”

“Those reasons are my own,” Twilight replied.

I grimaced, knowing I wasn't going to get an answer. A clock chimed on the wall. Twilight stood, looking very confident with herself.

“Time's up. The transference will begin. When we both wake up, I'll be in your body, and my ascension will be complete,” she said.

“Twilight, you don't need to do this,” I said. “Please. This world... it doesn't need you. It doesn't need a Princess of old to save it!”

“I disagree. If anything, my experiences from being in the Goddess, from having seen the current state of pony kind… It only reinforces the fact that they need somepony like me to guide them, to lead them,” Twilight said. “I am the only one qualified for the job.” She stepped forward, her horn blazing. “Now then, submit.”

“No,” I spat.

“You will submit,” Twilight said, her voice taking on an ethereal quality.

I shrank beneath her. I was trying to stall as best as I could, but somehow I knew it wouldn't matter. I was at the end of my diversion. I was going to give my body to Twilight, whether I liked it or not.

“Stop!

A voice shouted from in front of me. A green form blocked my view. I blinked. Lucky...? I thought as I realized the green mare was standing there. Lucky looked back at me briefly, her eyes flaring with determination. She looked pissed. She turned back, flaring out her wings in challenge. “You will not have her, Twilight.”

“So... the spirit. Lucky, was it? I admire your tenacity, but she's already mine,” Twilight replied. “There's nothing you can do to stop me.”

Lucky stomped her hoof angrily. “I can, and I will. This is wrong, Twilight. Can't you see that?” She said. “This world doesn't need you anymore.”

“Step aside, spirit,” Twilight replied calmly. “I will not ask you again.”

“No,” Lucky said. She flared her horn. “I'm getting Star out of here.” She stepped forward, firing a blast of energy at Twilight. The purple mare growled, conjuring a shield out of thin air. The blast deflected off, striking the walls. Lucky turned to me. “Move, Star, move!”

I blinked, nodding. She was right. I had to move. I had to follow!

“NO!” Twilight roared, the air around us suddenly feeling heavy and oppressive.

Lucky grunted under the pressure, grabbing onto my shoulders. She sent a second blast at the purple alicorn, catching her off guard. The magic hit Twilight dead in the chest, sending her flying into the back wall.

“Let's go!” Lucky shouted, pulling me up.

I followed behind her through the main door of the library. We stepped out, finding ourselves in an endless hallway. It was lined with doors. Each one had a torch lit above it. Words adorned each door. My eyes widened. I couldn’t help but recognize this place. I’d been here many, many times before.

“I've been here...” I said quietly.

Lucky looked back at me. “What?” she said.

“I've been here. It's the hallway. It's where I first came when I started seeing... her emotions,” I said, motioning at the hall around us.

A roar came from the door we'd made our escape from, drawing me out of my thoughts. A wave of purple magic came flying out into the hallway, coalescing into the form of Twilight Sparkle.

“Radiant Star,” she intoned.

I quailed for just a moment at the power in her voice, but I knew I had to keep moving. I couldn’t let her catch me.

“Run!” I shouted.

Lucky nodded and we started running, ignoring every door and every torch. I didn't want to remember this place. All I wanted to do was get away from it. The hallway went on for forever, never stopping. I felt Twilight behind us. Her screams and roars were power and rage given shape. I didn't want to know what would happen if she caught us.

“Where are we going?!” Lucky called over.

“Just keep going, I don't know!” I shouted back. I growled under my breath. I needed a way out. Somewhere Twilight couldn't follow. But this was my mind... her mind... oh whatever! I'd been here too many times to remember everything about it. A name flashed across one of the doors.

Loneliness.

I blinked, stopping cold. Maybe this could help!

“Here! Lucky, here!” I said excitedly, flaring my horn. The door flung open and we filed inside, closing it behind us.

“What in the hell?” Lucky said. “Where the hell are we?”

I turned, smiling. A pond next to a field of grass under a starlit sky filled this room. I remembered it well. A filly sat on the other side of the pond. Her eyes widened as she saw us.

“You... you're not supposed to be in here!” she cried out. “She'll get angry with you! She'll get angry with me!”

“We need your help,” I said calmly. “We don't have a whole lot of time.”

“Star?” Lucky said, nudging me in the side. “What is this place?”

“It's part of Twilight's mind. The places she's locked away her memories and her emotions,” I said.

Lucky's eyes widened. “Locked away?” she asked.

I nodded, towering over the scared little purple filly. She shrank underneath my gaze, but her eyes widened as she recognized me.

“Loneliness, I know you're scared of her. She's angry at me already, but all I want to do is help Twilight. She's got to see that what she's doing is wrong,” I said.

“I can't!” Loneliness replied. She started crying. “I'll get in trouble!”

“I can't promise that you won't be hurt by this, little one, but you have to help us. I need to get out of here. It's the only way I can help Twilight,” I said, extending a hoof.

Loneliness shrank away for a brief second before nodding slightly.

“O-o-okay I'll help you,” she said.

“Wait, why is she helping us?” Lucky intervened.

“Because Twilight is the only pony who could be so organized that she's compartmentalized her own emotions,” I said. “She's lost touch with those emotions that she's neglected, like Loneliness here.”

“Huh? How is losing touch with being lonely a bad thing?” Lucky said.

I heard banging on the door. Twilight was right behind us. It was only a matter of time.

“No time to explain,” I said, turning to the filly. “If you have a way out for us, now would be a good time to show it. We can't go back the way we came, after all.”

The filly nodded, motioning for us to follow her to the pond.

“You'll have to swim down to the bottom. There's a portal there that will take you to another one of the emotions... I don't know which one though, I've never used it,” she said. “Are you sure you're here to help Twilight?”

“Swear on camembert, kiddo,” I said, placing a hoof on her head and ruffling her mane. “Just keep your head down and stay out of her way if she comes through here. We don’t need a sweet little filly like you getting hurt.”

I jumped into the cold water of the pond, followed closely by Lucky. I found that the water was closer to breathing actual air, I didn't even need to hold my breath! As we swam downward into the murky depths, I heard the door slam open from above.

“Where are they?” I heard Twilight say. Her voice was rich with magic.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Loneliness replied.

“Liar. You know. They came in here. Where are they?” Twilight said angrily. I shared a worried look with Lucky.

“You won't find them,” Loneliness said. “They're going to get away from you.”

“Insolent child. Why would you help them?” Twilight asked.

“Because you need help, Twilight,” Loneliness protested. “This isn't good for you! You need to move on! To find your friends!”

“Foolish filly. Why did I ever allow you to exist?” Twilight said. “No matter. There is no room for your kind in my new body.”

“No! You can’t do this to me!” Loneliness cried out. “You need me, Twilight. I’m a part of you! You can’t just lock us away and get rid of us!”

“I can do whatever I wish,” Twilight replied casually. “Now step aside, or else I will destroy you.”

“No,” Loneliness said. “Miss Star is my friend. She’s trying to help you. She promised me that she would try and make you better. I believe in her!”

My eyes widened. No, Loneliness! Don’t try and stand up to her! I thought to myself, halting for a moment to decide whether or not I wanted to swim back up and punch Twilight in the face.

“Pity. You think you can stop me? I am all powerful,” Twilight said angrily. “I will give you one final chance. Step aside!”

“No.”

“As you wish, then.”

I felt the magic all the way down to where we were swimming. I heard Loneliness scream in agony and then... nothing.

“She... she just...” Lucky said quietly next to me.

I nodded angrily and pointed downwards. A glowing ring sat at the bottom of the pond. It grew larger the closer we came to it, finally swallowing us in a flash of purple light. We fell through the air, landing in the middle of a long palace hallway. I groaned as I pushed myself up. Lucky was down next to me. She stood shakily. I glowered at the floor.

“Twilight got rid of one of her emotions,” I said, growling under my breath.

“There you are,” a set of voices said from in front of us. “We've been looking around forever for you.”

My gaze snapped up to see two unicorns. One of them was a deep purple, while the other was a desaturated gray. I narrowed my eyes. I knew these two as well. It seemed like every emotion of Twilight's I'd ever met was popping out of the woodwork.

“Harmony, Disharmony,” I said. “Funny. I didn't think I'd run into you two ever again.”

“Sorry for the bumpy ride there, Radiant Star,” Harmony replied. “You two are being looked for everywhere now. Twilight's scouring her whole mind for any sign of you.”

“Yeah... She's not very happy with you,” Disharmony added.

“Well, what do you expect? She's trying to take over my body!” I growled. “She killed Loneliness.”

“Yes... we know,” Disharmony said.

“Poor filly,” Harmony said. “But there's not much we can do about that. We need to get you out of here.”

“Why help me?” I said, glaring at her.

“Because we have to keep the balance,” Disharmony said. “Twilight's lost it. Her emotions are in turmoil. She's worked so hard to get to this point that she's breaking down. Order and Chaos must be kept in check.”

“ How do we get out of here, then?” Lucky chimed in.

I looked over at her, cocking my head to one side in confusion. “How did you get in?”

“I... I don't know exactly. All I know is that I was outside some library after Twilight did her thing,” she said. “I heard her from outside, and came in to help.”

“The spirit of this mare is connected to you,” Disharmony said. “Perhaps she is the way we may return you to the world of reality.”

“Star... is she talking about me?” Lucky asked.

I nodded. I wasn’t sure how Lucky was connected to me, but I knew that she was important.

“How can Lucky help?” I said.

Harmony grinned, bouncing around the green mare. Her joy was infectious, even if it was a little annoying and time consuming.

“Well, let's see...” she chirped as she circled around Lucky. “Hmm.... nope. Nope. Nope.... Definitely not.”

“What are you seeing?” Lucky said.

Harmony stopped cold in her tracks, studying Lucky intensely. Her tongue stuck out the side of her mouth.

“You know... you'd look pretty good with a ponytail,” she said finally.

I facehoofed. “Harmony!” I shouted. “We don't have time for this! Twilight could be here at any moment!”

“You mean like now... Radiant Star?” A voice echoed from down the hall. In a flash of purple, the mare herself stood in front of the two emotions.

“Twilight,” I said angrily. “You killed Loneliness.”

“Yes... such a worthless emotion. She was always trying to get me to listen to my friends, to let them in. She knew nothing. I purged that part of me,” Twilight replied coolly. “Now that we're all here, you will submit to me.”

“Never,” I said, glancing at Harmony and Disharmony. “If you two have any ideas, now would be the time to hear them!”

“Stand back,” Disharmony replied. She stepped in front of Twilight. “I am sorry, Twilight, but we cannot allow you passage here.”

“Fool. You are part of me. I control you,” Twilight said.

Disharmony smiled briefly, before returning to her frown. “You think so? Why don't you tell her Harmony?” she said.

Harmony bounced over next to her twin, grinning.

“You don't have as much control over us as you think you do, Twi Twi,” she said. “Fact is, you shut out so many of your emotions that they developed their own ambitions, their own personalities. Not all of us agree with what you're doing.”

“Then I will have to destroy you,” Twilight argued.

Harmony scoffed, while Disharmony chuckled.

“You hear that Dissy? She thinks she can destroy us!” Harmony said.

“She has no idea who she's dealing with does she, Har Har?” Disharmony replied.

Harmony grinned brightly. “Oh, Dissy you called me Har Har! You do love me!” she chirped.

“Don't let it get to your head,” Disharmony said. The grey unicorn turned to look at me. “You two need to go. There's one emotion who might be able to help you. She may be able to break Twilight’s control long enough for you to escape out of the mind space. I warn you though, she's a little volatile.”

“Which one?” I said shakily, fearing I already knew the answer. It was one of the emotions that I'd been scared as hell of to see. The one that had berated me so long ago in a room in the Hoofton Hotel. The one that had told me I didn't matter, that my friends didn't love me or care about.

“Anger,” Disharmony replied, confirming my fears. Her horn flared menacingly. “Now get going!”

I grunted, grabbing a hold of Lucky and turning tail down the opposite end of the hall.

“Get back here!” Twilight shouted, sending a wave of telekinetic energy at us.

A brilliant shield formed behind us, stopping it cold. I looked back briefly to see Harmony and Disharmony's horns blazing wildly. The energy blast went soaring back at Twilight, pinballing the shrieking purple mare off the walls of the castle corridor.

“I've said it before,” Harmony said. “Order cannot exist without Chaos, and vice versa. As long as my sister and I are together, we can't be stopped. Now, Radiant Star, you go! We'll hold her off as long as we can!”

I nodded, taking off after Lucky. We pounded hooves down the old palace hallway. It seemed like it went on for forever.

“Star, no offense, but this shit is fucked up!” Lucky shouted as we ran.

“I'm not disagreeing with you!” I called back.

I could hear the fight between Disharmony/Harmony and Twilight still. Blasts of magic resonated in the air, the two emotions working in perfect concert to keep us safe. I kept moving forward. It was the only thing I could think of to do. There was just no way out of this particular hall! I kept scanning the side walls for any doors, but all I kept seeing was smooth stone.

“How in the hell are we supposed to find this Anger, anyways?” Lucky said from my side. “It's not like there's any doors or anything!”

I grimaced. I knew there had to be some way back to the hallway. The portal we'd taken prior had dropped us here, there had to be a way out. My mind racked itself silly trying to remember any doors from my times with Twilight's emotions. I focused hard, grunting as I stopped running. I could no longer hear any fighting. Lucky stopped too, her mouth wide open as she pointed to my side.

Situated on the wall adjacent to us was a glowing portal. I grinned.

“Guess we got kind of lucky, eh Lucky?” I said, stepping towards it.

Lucky snickered. “Like I haven't heard that one before,” she said as we made our way into the portal. There was a flash of light, then darkness.

“Hello...?” I called out. “Anypony there?”

“I'm here,” Lucky said softly. “Where are you? Hell, where is here?”

I grimaced, my eyes trying to adjust to the dark corridor. My gaze found a white door with a name scratched out on it. I couldn't make out what it was supposed to be. I turned, finally able to see Lucky.

“Looks like we're back in the main hallway,” I said. “But all the torches are out. Something bad's happening. I can just feel it.” I felt it in my bones. Twilight's anger with me was boiling over. She had expected me to follow along like the good little foal she wanted me to be.

But I couldn't be that. Why couldn't I? Twilight had her hooks in my body from the get go, and she'd been able to control my actions up to the point that she'd tried to transfer herself into my body. Why was I suddenly able to resist? I looked over at Lucky, realizing it wasn't until she'd shown up that I'd found the strength to move. Harmony and Disharmony were right about one thing, there was something about her presence here that made me curious.

“Lucky?” I asked tentatively. “Have you ever wondered why you're here?”

The green mare looked over at me while we walked. I scanned each door, lighting my horn so we could see.

“What do you mean, Star?” she said pensively.

I narrowed my gaze at her. She was clearly avoiding something about her answer. What was it? Why was she so nervous about it? I decided to press the issue.

“I mean, have you ever wondered why you're still here? You died, Lucky. I saw it with my own eyes,” I said. “And then suddenly you were still there. I could never really figure out why.”

Lucky looked away briefly, her head low. “I... I'm sorry, Star,” she said. “You have to understand... I wanted to move on. But he wouldn't let me. I was told not to tell you.”

“Who...?” I asked, my eyes widening. I knew the answer before she could even reply.

“Discord,” she said. “One of his facets snatched my spirit out of thin air after I died. Told me that I needed to stick around, to help you. That I would be important.”

“He knew,” I said, blinking. “That fucking bastard knew about Twilight. He knew all along and he never fucking told me!” I growled out loud. “Why? Why would he do that?”

“I assume it's because he thought it was funny,” Lucky replied, sighing. “The ultimate prank against Twilight. Preventing her from getting what she wants.” I lifted a hoof to reply, but Lucky motioned with her own, silencing me. “Let me be clear, I didn't know about what Twilight was up to until Spark locked me away in her mind.”

“So why did you let Spark take you then, if you were supposed to help me?” I said, walking past several more scorched doors.

“That was... impulsive. I thought that's what Discord wanted me to do. If I stopped Spark, I stopped it all from happening this way,” Lucky said. “Turns out, I was wrong. I was supposed to stay with you. That's one of the reasons Discord split up the shards. He wanted to stop Twilight. He'd never admit it, but Equestria ruled by an iron hoof under a brand new Unity? Not exactly the world he'd want to live in. Too orderly, too structured.”

“So he used you,” I said.

Lucky grimaced. “To a fault. I think... I think I was supposed to be here, at this point in time, in this place. If I hadn't been...”

“Twilight would have won,” I stated simply. I kept walking, finally stopping next to a door I remembered all too well. It was boarded up and several heavy chains adorned it. The word Anger had been scratched into the boards. “This is it.”

“I've got a very bad feeling about this, Star,” Lucky said.

“Me too, but if she can help us, then I'm willing to take a chance,” I said, flaring my horn. “Besides... if she's still locked up, my intuition tells me that Twilight doesn't like her. And she probably doesn't like Twilight either.”

I growled, ripping at the chains with my magic. They fell away to the ground with a clatter that echoed down the hallway. I slashed into the boards with my magic blade, ripping burnt gashes into the door’s surface. I turned around and planted my back hooves into the door in an applebuck, breaking it off its hinges.

I stepped inside, Lucky following closely behind me. The hallway the doorway led to was dark enough that I had to light my horn to see. Dirt and debris lined the floors. The hallway finally relented, giving way to a large metal door with a barred window in it. Beyond I could see dirty off-white padding. I looked inside, grimacing. Sitting in the center of the room was a unicorn, wearing a white coat that bound her front legs to her body. Chains attached to shackles on her legs prevented her movement. An arcane device sat firmly rooted to the mare's horn.

“Hello...?” I called in softly.

“What do you want?” the mare said. Her eyes drifted up to the door. There was no life left in them.

“A-A-Anger?” I asked.

The mare grunted. “Radiant Star. Never thought I'd see you ever again,” she replied. “What do you want with me now?”

“We need your help,” I said. “To get out of here.”

Anger snarled, shaking as she tried and failed to stand. She looked weak. Too weak to even move.

“Right, get out of here... you don't think I would have, oh you know... DONE THAT ALREADY IF I KNEW HOW?!” she roared.

“Harmony and Disharmony sent me,” I said with a grimace. “Twilight is trying to take over my body. They told me you could help me escape.”

Anger simmered down at the mention of Twilight.

“That.... that bitch locked me in here,” she said. “Threw away the fucking key too. Right after I got out and came after you, actually.”

“At the hotel,” I said calmly.

“I was trying to warn you. To put a little fear in you, to stop you from continuing your quest,” she said. “Twilight threw me in here to keep me away from you.”

I narrowed my gaze at her. “Well, then we can help each other then. I'll let you out, and you help me get the fuck out this crazy twisted mind space of hers,” I said. “And then, I'll put a stop to this once and for all.”

“You think you can defeat her? I'd like to see that,” Anger said with a chuckle. She met my gaze. “Fine. Get me out of here and I can get you out. You're going to need to sever the connection between your minds. It's not pretty, but it should send you back into your own body.”

“That sounded... smart,” I said.

“Just because I'm an angry bitch doesn't mean I'm not part of Twilight,” Anger replied. “Now are you getting me out of here, or what?”

“Star... are you sure she can help us?” Lucky said.

“No, but really… we don't really have any other options. Twilight's slowly reining in all the rest of them, and I doubt Harmony and her sister kept her at bay for very long. Now, stand back.”

I flared my horn, kicking out with a wave of telekinesis that battered the large metal door. It buckled beneath the force of the blow, bowing in until it finally sprung it’s latch and slammed open. I stepped inside.

“Good, good... the inhibitor on my fuckin' horn. Get it off, and we'll be good to go,” Anger said.

I nodded, reaching out with my magic. The inhibitor resisted at first, but finally came away in a burst of fiery energy. Anger grinned widely, her own horn igniting. The white jacket she wore disintegrated instantly, and the chains melted away to hiss in glowing puddles on the floor. She stretched her legs out, sighing.

“Better?” I asked.

“Much, much better,” she replied, nodding. She looked over at Lucky. “You must be the spirit. Good. We need you for what comes next.”

Lucky cocked an eyebrow. She looked pissed. “I have a name, you know. It's not just 'the spirit',” she replied.

“Fine. Lucky. Here's what we need to do,” Anger said, rolling her eyes. “Your presence here is what's allowing Star to think coherently and not just give herself over to Twilight. Because of that, it's gonna take both of you to cast the spell needed to get you two out of mind space and back into the real world.”

“So... how does the spell work?” I asked.

Anger's horn glowed brightly, summoning a piece of chalk out of nowhere.

“It's a ritual spell, so it’s just time, runes, and power. You need to sit in the circle I'm going to draw and summon magic out of your horns. Once enough is built up, you'll touch horns and release it. It's a little trick called 'magical discharge',” she said as she began drawing on the floor. Arcane runes took shape as the mare moved around the room. “The amount of energy the ritual generates will interfere with Twilight's transference spell and release you from it. The kick is enough to wake you up.”

“Are you sure it will work?” Lucky said. “That sounds... dangerous.”

I nodded in agreement. Anger rolled her eyes again.

“Listen, who came to who for help here?” she said. I smiled sheepishly in response. Anger grimaced. “Thought so.” She started for the door.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“You think I'm gonna sit in here with you? You two are gonna be sending out a lot of energy. I'm gonna sit right outside and monitor from there,” she said.

I nodded, feeling rather uneasy about this, but I had to do something to get out of Twilight's mind space. I needed to get back to my friends, to stop Twilight... something I wasn't even remotely sure how to do. Anger pulled the door closed loudly as Lucky and I took our places inside the circle.

“Are we ready?” I called out to Anger.

“Sure, start charging up your horns. Get them magical juices flowing,” she said, her voice muffled.

I gritted my teeth and started pooling my magic into the base of my horn. The energy traveled up to the tip, enveloping it in a glowing purple sheath. I noticed Lucky had begun doing the same. Her green magic surrounded her just as my own did. I poured more magic into the pool, struggling to keep up the storage of it until it could be released. The air filled with the sounds of wind and howling as the circle below us reacted. It began to glow softly, pulsing under the force of the magic in the room.

Have to... keep going... must not stop! I thought, trying to keep my eyes open under the strain. Lucky appeared to be having similar troubles as best as I could see. The circle continued to pulse, brightening to a blinding white light that drowned out everything else in the room. This had to be enough magic! I took a step forward, watching carefully as Lucky did the same. Lowering my head, I touched my horn to hers and released the magic.

Chaos erupted. Magical energy surged within the room and my eyes forced shut to prevent myself from being blinded by the intense power. I felt the magic in the floor surge upwards. It was working! We were going to get free!

Several arcs of energy connected from myself to Lucky. The magic was tearing at the walls of the tiny room, flaking off pieces of stone here and there. The maelstrom of power surrounded us, promising freedom. I grinned.

“See ya, Twilight!” I called out triumphantly.

Finally, I heard a popping sound and I opened my eyes as the magic began to drift away. Did we do it? Did we get free? I gasped softly. The room was gone. Lucky still stood across from me, blinking hard We weren't in the room anymore. No, we were now in a palace throne hall. And sitting at the top of the steps on the throne... was her. No... No, no, no, no! I thought.

“Welcome, Radiant Star,” she said, chuckling softly. From beside her throne stepped out Anger. I glared at her. She'd.... she'd set us up!

“Delivered in a nice tidy little package for you, Twilight,” the unicorn said.

Twilight grinned as she looked down on Lucky and I.

“Star...?” Lucky said, turning to look up at Twilight. “It... it didn't work?”

“No,” I said, grimacing. “Anger... betrayed us. I suppose I should have seen that one coming.”

“Did you really think that I didn't have any control over my own emotions, Radiant Star? Disharmony and Harmony were a ploy. I knew that once Loneliness had helped you escape, that you'd end up there,” Twilight said from the throne. “Now... it is time for these games to stop. Your body shall be mine, and there is nothing that either of you can do to stop me.”

I grimaced, realizing that I should have known better. I was still just a foal, floundering around before a Goddess. Twilight was right. There was no way out of this. No way I could get free of her. I was about to turn to Lucky when she spoke first.

“No... I have to get her out of here... Okay I can do that...” Lucky muttered under her breath, glancing over at me.

“Anger, darling?” Twilight said with a soft chuckle.

Anger's ears perked up. “Yes, Goddess?”

“Take her.”

Anger grinned wickedly. “Gladly.”

Her horn flared, sending a bolt of telekinesis at me. I yelped, leaping to the floor, the blast just barely missing me. Lucky returned fire, opening her wings in challenge. I tried to move, tried to help, but I... I couldn't. Something was preventing me from moving to assist her.

“Just try it!” Lucky shouted.

“I intend to!” Anger returned with a roar, leaping at the green mare.

Lucky jumped back, slamming her front hooves into Anger's chest. The purple unicorn hit the ground hard, flaring her horn. The blast of energy struck Lucky, sending her flying back next to me.

“Lucky!” I called out, whatever force holding me had finally let me scramble over to her.

Lucky grunted under the strain as she pushed herself up.

“Gotta get you out of here,” she whispered. “Have to find the way out...”

“Get up, Star,” Anger said, walking up to stand over the two of us. “Get up and face your destiny.”

“Fuck off,” Lucky spat, standing shakily. She charged at the emotion, slamming into her. Lucky struck with a forehoof, bringing it down upon Anger's horn. The keratin appendage shattered underneath the blow, spraying both mares with blood. Anger howled in pain as her body dissipated into nothingness.

“Lucky...?” I said, standing. “Are you alright?”

“I'm fine,” she said, grunting as she stood. Blood covered her face. She looked like hell. Could a spirit like her even die from blood loss?

I was about to move, when I was interrupted by a cough. My eyes shot up to Twilight. She still sat upon the throne.

“Enough,” Twilight said, spreading her wings out. “I suppose that I should have expected that. Some things are better done yourself, I always say. Now... submit, and let's end this, Radiant Star.”

“No, Twilight. You cannot have her!” Lucky shouted.

My eyes widened as the green mare stepped forward, her horn blaring brightly. Twilight remained impassive.

“Spirit. You test my patience, of which I have little. Begone with you. I will have my body,” she said.

“No... you will not!” Lucky shouted, releasing the magic in her horn. We disappeared in a flash of blinding light, appearing in an adjacent palace hallway. Lucky grabbed my hoof and began to ran. “Come on, Star!”

I yelped loudly as I settled into a canter behind her.

“Where in the heck are we going?!” I asked loudly.

“No time to explain! Somepony told me I need to get you to her, but I don’t know how!” Lucky replied. “At least it’s a better place to be than back there!”

The hallway ended abruptly in a staircase that led upwards. Wasting no time, we made our way up, constantly worried that Twilight would be hot on our hooves the entire time. We stopped when we reached the top of the stairs, panting loudly. I glanced back down them. No Twilight. We were safe… for now.

“There you two are,” a voice said, nearly scaring me out of my coat. “I’ve been looking for you two for what feels like forever!”

I turned back to see a lithe purple mare with wings. She was wearing a sheer covering with lacy trim, complete with holes cut out for the appendages. She looked like she had popped right out of one of those old Wingboner magazines.

“Who…?” I asked.

“Silly filly. It’s me, Passion,” the mare said with a chuckle. “Like the wings? I didn’t have them the last time we met. I think they’re cute, myself.” She turned to Lucky. “You must be Lucky. She didn’t tell me you were a little cutie. You can swing my barn door anytime, hot stuff.” Lucky blushed fiercely.

“Passion, we don’t have time for this!” I said, stomping a hoof. “Twilight could be hot on our hooves any minute now!”

Passion chuckled again. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Twilight isn’t going to get up here,” she said. “She doesn’t even admit this section of her mind exists.”

“So how are you here then, if you’re a part of her?” I asked, feeling very confused. “Furthermore, how do I know we can trust you?”

“Twilight Sparkle, the mare so organized she even sorted out her own emotions. Can you imagine her having anything to do with me?”

I didn’t have an answer for that.

“Aside from one time, she never has… and well, after Macintosh…” Passion trailed off.

“She never did,” I replied.

“Exactly. I’ve been left to my own devices since then, Radiant Star,” Passion stated. “Don’t worry, you can trust me. Not all of us are interested in your body. Well… I am, but for… other reasons.”

A sly grin accompanied her compliment. I blushed as fiercely as Lucky did. I glanced over at Lucky. She was breathing heavily, recovering from the fight with Anger.

“Are you okay?” I asked her.

“I’ll be fine,” she said. “We should get out of this place. I don’t like it here.”

“Follow me, then. And enjoy the view if you’d like,” Passion said as she turned away, swishing her plot back and forth at us as we followed.

“Are you always like this?” I said with a groan.

“Oh, Star. You know you like it,” Passion replied. “Twilight doesn’t exactly want anything to do with me, so I have to make do.”

“I have a marefriend,” I stated simply.

“So… threesome then?” Passion said.

“You’re a spirit emotion of a mad-pony,” I said flatly.

Passion shrugged. “Never stopped me before,” she said, winking.

The old hallway we walked down slowly gave way to an older series of doors, lit by bright torches that sat above them. I stopped at one of them. There were words written on the door, but they weren’t in any language I recognized.

“Where are we?” Lucky asked.

Passion stopped walking for a second and pointed to the doors.

“This place is far older than even Twilight remembers it to be. It’s a part of her mind space that belonged to her as she was growing up,” she said. “It’s here we can hopefully find a portal to get you to the one who sent me to find you.”

“This isn’t gonna require any magic spells is it?” I asked. “I don’t know if I can do any more of those right now.”

“No, Star. At least not on your part. I’m to guide you to the portal and get you through before Twilight realizes where you are,” Passion said, pointing at a door at the far end of the hallway. “There we are. Follow me.”

“Why exactly are you helping us?” I said as we made our way towards the door. “And who sent you to find us? I’d like some answers, dammit. And I want out of this crazy mind-fuck space.”

Passion pushed open the door, turning back to glare at me. “I think you know the answer to Who, Star. As for why I’m doing this...” she said. “See for yourself.”

My eyes widened as I looked past her. Inside the room beyond the door was a massive workshop. More purple mares filled the shop, looking up from some sort of tinkering to wave at us as we passed by. Some were alicorns, some were unicorns, and some were even filly-aged. They reminded me painfully of Loneliness. I looked back at Passion while she led us through the throng towards the back of the shop.

“Are these…?” I started to ask.

Passion nodded. “Emotions that Twilight has cast off. Ones she thinks she doesn’t need anymore. Thankfully, she doesn’t know we’re helping her,” she said. She opened another door at the end of the shop, leading us into a back hall. “You have to understand… I don’t want to die, Radiant Star. I’m a part of Twilight Sparkle, and I want her to accept that.”

“Accept it? She killed a filly emotion,” Lucky snarled. “She set that bitch Anger against us. She’s not interested in accepting you.”

“Believe me when I say, I’m aware of that. For the longest time we’ve had a measure of freedom, being stuck inside Star’s mind,” Passion said with a frown. “Many of us want to be free on our own, but we’re not real. We’re part of Twilight, and we need to help her when she needs us the most. Now… enough of this banter. You want out of here, I can get you there.” She pushed open a second door, revealing a large chamber. In the center of the chamber was an altar surrounding a large hole in the ground. Stone columns lined the circular walls.

“Fancy,” I said.

Passion smiled softly, trotting ahead of us to the center of the room.

“Alright, here’s the deal. I’m going to cast the spell to open the portal and get you two through it. If anything happens, just get to the portal, you got me?” she said. Lucky and I both nodded in reply. “Good. Now hang on. This ride’s about to get a little bumpy.”

Passion flared her wings out and ignited her horn, latching onto the magic of the altar surrounding the hole in the ground. I could see that the hole appeared to be bottomless. The altar began to glow fiercely, pouring magical energies into the reservoir below it.

“Stop.”

My blood froze. I knew that voice. I turned, seeing Twilight Sparkle herself entering the chamber. She looked pretty pissed. My eyes widened. Passion kept fueling the spell, oblivious to what was happening.

“Passion…” I said, taking a few steps back. “We’ve got company.”

“Just… just keep her busy would you, hot stuff? I’ve got to finish the spell… There’s no time to quit now…” she said, gritting her teeth.

“Passion, is it? I remember locking you up. I’ll make sure to remedy that mistake. Stop whatever you are doing at once,” Twilight said, scowling. She stepped towards the purple mare, but stopped when Lucky and I appeared to block her.

“No dice, Twilight. You aren’t getting her,” I said angrily. To my dismay, Twilight began to laugh.

“Do you really think you can defeat me? I am power incarnate, Radiant Star. Now… be a good little filly and submit,” she said.

I glared at her. I hated her so much. I wanted her to die for what she’d done.

“No,” I said. The magical energies in the room began to intensify. Passion hovered above the altar, wings spread and chanting loudly. I turned back to Twilight. “You killed Loneliness.”

“Yes… that emotion was weak. There is no place for it in my new body,” Twilight crowed. “Now… let’s see how well you can run now, Radiant Star.”

“I wasn’t planning on running,” I snarled. “You aren’t getting my body, Twilight. I’ll fight if I have to.”

“Then you will fail,” Twilight replied, her horn blazing.

I looked over at Lucky. She nodded, igniting her own horn. We were about to charge when a sheath of magic wrapped around both of us. Twilight’s eyes widened as we flung up into the air, the power of Passion’s spell carrying us towards the portal.

“No!!!” Twilight roared.

The portal opened, revealing a starry black void. Both Lucky and I fell through the portal into the void. This place just... keeps getting weirder and weirder! I thought as we fell. I looked up to see Passion standing over the portal. I tried to call to her as Twilight appeared behind her. I was too late. Twilight obliterated the mare in a blast of energy, cutting the portal off completely. I shut my eyes. Passion had done her best to try and help us, and she’d died for that.

“Lucky, are you alright?!” I finally called out, opening my eyes and looking around for anything that I could grab onto. I tried spreading my wings to catch air, but there was no air to actually catch. It was almost like we were sinking in space.

“I’m alright!” she yelped. “I thought that was supposed to get us out of there!”

“Well, it did, but now where are we?!” I cried back. Suddenly, my hooves found purchase on something. We had stopped falling. I blinked. Below, a road made of stars extended out in front of and behind us. “Okay, I'm officially done with this whole mind space thing.”

Lucky grunted in response. “Me too,” she said. “Do you know what this is?”

I grimaced, shaking my head. Still... it looked familiar. Like I'd been here before... before I could respond further several of the stars leaped up in front of us, forming colossal words.

HURRY FORWARD. THERE ISN'T MUCH TIME.

An arrow appeared as well, pointing in the direction in front of us. The words dissipated back into the void.

“I guess that means we go forward,” I said, taking a step.

The carpet of stars coalesced around my hooves, carrying me down some invisible road. Lucky appeared next to me, her hooves carried by the same mystical force. We stepped cautiously, then trotted, and before long we were galloping flat-out down the starry road. After what felt like forever, we climbed a gentle rise and the star road crested to reveal… a scrap of meadow floating in the void, with a tidy little house sitting in the middle of it. I blinked several times, trying to process how a house could exist in a void. It was a simple affair, modest and white with a large set of double doors. Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark was emblazoned on them.

The doors to the house creaked open and a purple alicorn stepped out. I nearly fell backwards, fearing another one of Twilight's tricks, but the Twilight who stood there didn't look nearly as menacing as the other one did. Instead, she had a smile on her face.

“Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you,” she said softly. “I'm here to help you. I sent Passion to collect you.”

“You... you look like Twilight,” I replied simply. “How do we know we can trust you?”

“Well, you're right about one thing,” she said. “I am Twilight Sparkle. The other half of her at least. Come with me, and I'll explain everything.”

She motioned for us to follow her inside the structure. I shared a worried glance with Lucky, who simply shrugged. I trotted behind the other mare, following her into the house. It was even simpler inside, complete with a couch and several chairs. Nothing overtly fancy. Twilight motioned to the chairs. A towel appeared out of nowhere. It floated over to Lucky, the green mare taking it with a mumbled thanks. She began to wipe her face clean of Anger's blood.

“What did you mean by 'the other half of Twilight'?” I said, taking a seat.

The purple mare sighed loudly. “I'm the part of the Twilight that she rejected. The one you met,” she said softly. “When we sealed Spark, she inadvertently sealed part of herself... me... inside of it as well. I was the one stuck in the memory orb.”

A fleeting memory suddenly bubbled up into my mind. I remembered this place now!

“It was you,” I said. “When Pride forced me into the memory orb, I saw you.”

“I didn't know that the other Twilight was planning on forcing you into servitude,” Twilight said with a nod. “She lied to me. Told me you were important and that you needed to be protected, and that we could continue our work through you.”

“But you don't want to,” I replied.

“I'm tired, Radiant Star. I don't know what the other part of me went through exactly, but being in the Goddess broke her,” Twilight said. “She's crazy, and she'll do anything she can to get your body.”

“I know,” I said, looking around the room. “She can't get down here can she?”

The other Twilight smiled softly. “No. She doesn't even know I'm down here. That's why I sent your friend the message to get you out of there, in addition to sending Passion to collect you,” she said, motioning at Lucky.

I glanced over at her. She grinned sheepishly and whistled before shrugging it off.

“What? I heard a voice,” she said. “Told me I had to get you out of there… and then Passion showed up.”

“Indeed,” Twilight said. “I needed to speak with you, but for some reason I couldn't break through the barrier that Discord placed on your mind.”

“You know about that?” I asked.

“I know about a lot of things,” Twilight said with a nod. “But we don't have enough time to deal with all of it right now. Right now, we need to get you out of here and back into the real world.”

“Why?” I said, cocking an eyebrow.

“Because every minute you spend here, the closer the other Twilight gets to taking total control,” she said. She smiled softly. “Not to worry though. I can get you out of here.”

“How?” I asked. “Nopony else has been able to. Passion and Loneliness both died to get me here.”

Twilight smiled brightly. “Silly filly, don't you know who you're talking to? I'm Twilight Sparkle. I can do anything.” I blinked as Twilight's horn began to flare. Magic stirred in the air around us. “Now, I'm gonna need both of you to sit still. When you get back to the real world, I need you to do something very important for me. Can you do that, Radiant Star?”

“What is it?” I asked.

“The other part of me, she needs me. She needs to find me, to merge our minds and memories together,” Twilight said. “I can't do this on my own, Star. I'm tired of all this. I want to rest. I've done so many bad things in my life... things that I can't ever make up for. I only pray that Celestia is merciful with me when I pass on.”

“What am I supposed to do?” I said, looking up at her.

“I need you to give me time. Twilight's become unhinged. She needs to reconnect with her memories, her emotions. She needs to reconnect with me,” she replied.

“So... what we're supposed to talk to her?” Lucky said.

“We need to convince Twilight that she is no longer needed in this world. I don't want this. I never wanted this,” Twilight said, the magic in the air continuing to stir. “All I want is for this to end. Can you do that for me, Star? No matter the consequences?”

I met her gaze and she nodded subtly. I understood her hidden meaning. If Twilight couldn't be convinced... I would have to do everything in my power to stop her. I responded with my own nod.

“Good. Now... good bye, Radiant Star. Good bye, Lucky. I do not hope to see either of you ever again.”

Twilight's horn flashed and the entire world went white.

My eyes opened with a flutter. I stood, groaning from the pressure beating on my mind. Twilight stood across from me, her eyes widened. Lucky stood next to me, a grin on her face. Around us, Twilight's barrier blocked out the rest of the world. I couldn't hear my friends or anything else beyond it.

“Star? You alright?” she said.

I looked down at my body. It was immaculate, and I could move it again! I nodded, the pressure in my mind lessening finally.

“Yeah, I'm much better, thanks,” I said, stretching a leg out. I glanced at Twilight. She wasn't moving. I took a step forward, drawing her attention. “Twilight. Looks like you don't get my body just yet.”

Twilight scowled. “You... I had you, and then you escaped into thin air. And now you're back here, in my body,” she said angrily. “No matter. I will just cast the spell again and take control.” Her horn flared, sending a bolt of energy at me. It dissipated harmlessly against some sort of invisible shield.

“Sorry, Twilight. This is my body, and you don't get to have it,” I said. “I'm in control now.”

“I don't understand,” Twilight said. “I did everything right! I even accounted for the shift in trinomial equations caused by the resonance from the spirit!”

“Equestrian, Twilight. Here in the Wasteland, that's what we speak,” I said jokingly.

Lucky chuckled. Twilight snarled at us, interrupting our mirth.

“Oh go to HELL, I'll talk however I feel like!” she shouted, stomping her hoof. She glared at me. “Fine. You want to play this game, Radiant Star? If I can't have your body willingly, I will just force you to serve as my host! I'll destroy you, and then reanimate your body! It's the perfect plan!”

I grimaced. Twilight was pissed. I didn't know how to fix her, how to help her reconnect with her better half. Having been disconnected from a part of herself for the better of two centuries certainly had done a number on her mental state.

“Or you can go, Twilight. Move on,” I said forcefully. “This world... it's different. It doesn't need you. It... It needs ponies like the Lightbringer. Twilight, you have to see that. You have to see yourself.”

I had to try. I wasn't sure if it would work, but it was worth a shot. As I expected, Twilight snorted in derision at my offer.

“See myself? What does that even mean?!” she said, her horn flaring. “No, Radiant Star. The time for talk is past. I will have what is mine, if it's the last thing I do!”

A beam of telekinetic energy burst forth from her horn, hitting me hard in the chest. I went flying back, slamming into the purple barrier that made up the perimeter of our battle arena. Lucky growled, firing her own blast of magic at Twilight. The purple mare turned to the side gracefully, missed by a mere hair.

“Shit!” Lucky called out as Twilight retaliated with another bolt of magical energy. It hit the green pegacorn square in the chest, sending her rolling to the ground. She disappeared through the barrier. When she didn't return, I worried that Twilight was keeping her out of this somehow.

“Really? Is that the best you can do?” Twilight said with a chuckle. “I thought you were better than that.”

I grunted, pushing to four hooves. I summoned my blade, charging at the purple alicorn. I slashed out, missing completely as Twilight whirled aside. She struck at me with her forehoof, hitting me in the face hard. I grunted under the blow. I spun about, emitting a wave of telekinesis that slammed into Twilight. She went flying through the air, hitting the barrier.

“Enough of this, Twilight!” I cried out. “You have to stop! This is insane!” I didn't know how to stop her. I had to try and appeal to her better nature, the one I knew was hiding inside. I didn't know what to do if the other Twilight, the mentally unhinged one, won the war I knew was going on inside the alicorn's mind.

“Stop? Stop? Are you crazy?!” Twilight retorted, pushing herself back to her hooves. “You just don't get it, do you, Star? I'm trying to save the world! Instead of fighting me, you should be helping me!”

“You're going about this the wrong way, Twilight!” I said angrily. “Do you think Trixie was right? She wanted to 'save' the world too, but she was wrong. Unity isn't the answer, and neither is slavery!”

“It's not slavery!” Twilight snarled, firing another blast of energy at me that I thankfully managed to dodge. It dissipated into the purple shield harmlessly. “I'm giving the Wasteland what it needs! It needs a Princess to rule it! Without me, there is no society! Trixie was wrong about her aspirations! She wanted everypony to be like her! I don't want that.”

“No... you want everything to be beneath you. To worship at your hooves,” I said, flaring my horn. I reached out, grabbing for Stargazer and the power shard. They jumped into the air immediately, pointed at Twilight. I slid the power shard into the gun's core with practiced ease, the software on the weapon booting up as I aimed. “Well, Goddess... say some prayers for me.”

Twilight grinned widely and then broke out into full-on laughter. What the...? I thought. Twilight regained her composure, sighing loudly.

“That's funny, Star. It really is,” she said softly. “But you forgot one key thing. I invented that weapon. It was designed for me, and therefore it cannot fire upon me.”

I growled, slamming down the trigger hard on Stargazer. Nothing happened. I hit it again a few times, but nothing came from the weapon. Twilight's horn flared, and a purple sheath of magic grabbed Stargazer out of the air from me. I struggled, trying to hold on, but her power was simply too strong to fight. The minigun turned around, levitating in the air next to Twilight.

“You know... you never really got to see this thing's full potential,” she said. “It's quite clever really. The magical strength provided by the power shard is solely dependent on the user's own magic to power it. Simply put, the stronger the magic of the user is, the stronger the weapon is.”

I narrowed my gaze at her as she took aim. What? Stargazer got more powerful based on the user?

“Now, sit still and let me show you just how powerful I am,” Twilight said simply.

My eyes widened as a blast of blazing blue light erupted from the minigun, the bolts coming quicker and brighter than they ever had for me. I jumped to the side, narrowly being missed by the gun's ridiculously fast fire. Twilight turned the weapon slightly, moving to try and hit me as I moved. I growled as a beam of fire struck my tail, singing the end off of it.

Shit! I thought, calling on Shining Armor's shield spell. Twilight fired again, disintegrating the shield instantly, but completely missing me. Hmm... I thought. That's interesting.

“You bitch!” she called out. “Using my own brother's spell against me? The House of Sparkle invented that spell! Did you really think it would work against my magical might?!”

“Worth a shot,” I snarled, summoning my blade.

Twilight's control with Stargazer was... clunky at best. She hadn't wielded the weapon as long as I had. That and Twilight didn't have a PipBuck, so she couldn't use the Enchanced S.A.T.S. mode that came with the minigun. I thanked my lucky stars for that one. I needed a plan, some way to separate Twilight from the weapon. I racked my brain as best as I could, but I kept returning to the same conclusion.

I'd have to destroy the shard. Which meant... setting Spark free. I wasn't thrilled with that option, but Spark had tried to warn me about Twilight's control. Perhaps I could fulfill my destiny and save her after all... it was the only shot I had left. Twilight would eventually learn finer control over Stargazer and then I'd be well and truly fucked.

Before Twilight could bring the minigun about to fire at me, I made my move. Charging straight at her, I roared as I brought my blade down. Twilight's horn flared, erecting a shield around her body, expecting me to strike at her, but she left Stargazer wide open. Hah! I thought. Gotcha.

My blade split into five pieces just as it came down upon the shield. They disappeared, each one slamming into Stargazer's side with thunderous fury. The minigun went soaring out of Twilight's magical grasp, sliding across the ground with a clatter. Twilight's eyes widened and the shield dropped. Before she could get a hold of Stargazer again, I jabbed with my front hoof, striking her in the face. She grunted under the force of the blow, her horn trying to light up to push me away.

“Don't think so!” I shouted, lashing out again with a hoof, hitting her horn.

Twilight went falling back, hitting the ground with a tremendous crash. I grinned triumphantly as I stood over her. She grunted, pushing herself up on her front hooves.

“Do you really think you've beaten me?” she said, snarling. “I am magic incarnate.” Her horn flared, taking a hold of Stargazer once more.

I had to move fast before she could fire it again. I summoned my blade, splitting it off into five pieces. Two of those pieces struck at Twilight, forcing her to adjust her attention to placing a shield around herself. Stargazer hung neglected below the curve of the shield. I turned, sending the other three shards at the gun, tearing at the casing until the power shard popped out of the device.

“No... now I think I've beaten you,” I said calmly. “Face it, Twilight. You're done. It's time to end this.” I turned back to Twilight, smiling at the horrified look on her face.

“Fool! Don't you know what you've done!” She cried out. “If you ruptured the core it will ---”

*BOOM*

Stargazer exploded, sending Twilight and myself flying at the barrier surrounding our little arena. I hit with a grunt, my backside searing with pain as shrapnel from the explosion dug in. I craned my neck to see a small crater where the minigun had been. Lying inside of it, smoking and cracked, was the power shard. I scrambled to my hooves, ignoring the pain as best as I could. Twilight lunged at the shard also, but I made it just before she did.

Stomping as hard as I could, I attempted to crush the shard through the center of Equestria. Twilight screamed and shouted as the shard pulled apart, a blast of light engulfing both of us. Another explosion rocked us backwards, followed by the sound of coughing.

“What the fuck happened?” a voice said, cutting through the coughs. I stood, meeting Spark's gaze. The mare looked horrible, but she was alive. “Radiant Star. What is going on? Why are you –?” She saw Twilight. Twilight, the one who had sealed her away, who had betrayed her. Her gaze narrowed at the purple alicorn. “You.”

“Spark.”

“Twilight.”

The two alicorns stared at each other for what felt like eternity. The tension in the air was thick and oppressive. I wondered what I'd just gotten myself into. Releasing Spark back into the world had potential problems for everyone. I hoped and prayed that the spirit of Magic would help me against Twilight.

“I had hoped it wouldn't have came to this, but it seems Star is no longer playing by the rules of this game,” Twilight said finally after several long and awkward moments.

I shrank under the might of the two alicorn goddesses, watching to see how Spark would respond.

“She's goofy like that,” Spark replied. “I expected that she would find some way to try and stop you, I just didn't expect that it would involve me.” She grinned at me, giving a wink.

“You have a lot to answer for, Spark,” Twilight snapped. “You destroyed my life, killed my brother, and nearly forced me to resurrect him as an unholy abomination!” Tears began to stream from her eyes. “You... You took him from me!”

Spark growled. “I was trying to help you! To win the war! You betrayed me just as much Twilight, if you recall. You nearly let the other Elements murder me, and you refused to even help me!” she spat back. “All I wanted... all I needed was to help you, Twilight! To fulfill my role as the Element of Magic!”

“Liar!” Twilight growled angrily. “You wanted your own body! You wanted to take over the world! I had to stop you! Even Celestia saw through your lies!”

“I did what I had to do to in order to survive!” Spark replied with a roll of her eyes. “Since we're airing all our dirty laundry here, Twi, why don't you tell Star about what you really intended for me. I'm sure she'd love to hear all about your own lies.”

Twilight murmured something. I looked over at her expectantly.

Spark snarled loudly. “What was that? We can't hear you.”

“I said, I wanted you to die!” Twilight replied loudly. “I wanted you gone. Out of the picture. I was sick of being the Princess of Friendship. I was tired of the war. I wanted out. I wanted to know what it felt like to be free of having so much responsibility laid down at my hooves... I wanted to be free.”

“You see, Star... Twilight here lied to you. Nightmare wasn't the one who gave me the idea to jump into my own body. It was her. She did it,” Spark said, turning to me.

“What?” I said, glancing over at Twilight.

The mare was seething angrily at Spark. Her eyes flashed red.

“I said... she did it,” Spark said, pointing at Twilight. “She was responsible for all of this. All because she was too foalish to own up to her responsibility.” Spark began to circle around Twilight. “She impersonated Nightmare, some mystical power she learned at Celestia's hooves or something. She tricked me into thinking that I could be some all powerful being for her own plans. She wanted me to become this way, to be evil. She killed her own brother for this.”

“Fuck you! It wasn't my fault!” Twilight shouted. “You killed Shining Armor, you bitch!”

Spark waved a hoof, ignoring her as she stepped on the other side of her.

“You see, Star... She did all this so that one day, she could take over your body. Well, not your body per se, but a body. Twilight saw the writing on the wall. She knew the war was going badly. She wanted out. The I.M.P. Project was a means to that end,” she said. “But she needed my power to achieve what she wanted. She needed me to be sealed away before she could use that power to transfer her soul into a new body. And of course, she needed a good reason to do that.”

“She needed you to act like you wanted power... to justify sealing you away,” I said, narrowing my gaze at Spark. “To what end?”

“She wanted a different body. A more powerful alicorn body that would be free of the constraints of being a Princess or a Ministry Mare. To do that, she had to make me look like I was the bad guy. Like I was the evil one. But she never got the chance to get that body...” Spark replied.

“Because the megaspells dropped,” I said softly.

“Right,” Spark continued. “So then, Twilight got stuck with Trixie for the better part of two centuries and finally cracked. She blew her top, lost her mind. Became obsessed with returning Equestria to its former glory. Almost as if the part of her that wanted to be free, to rest... had disappeared. How do you explain that, Twilight?”

“I don't need to explain anything to you,” Twilight spat.

She growled under her breath, lunging at Spark, her horn flaring. Spark struck back with her forehoof, hitting Twilight square in the face. Twilight fell back briefly, but recovered and surged forward. A massive bolt of energy shot forth from her horn, slamming into Spark and sending her flying into the barrier surrounding the area. Spark groaned as she pushed herself back up to her hooves.

“Still pretty strong, Twilight,” she said, grinning. “You're still denying that it was all you, aren't you? Do you even know? Somewhere inside of you, inside of that big ass brain of yours is the other half of your soul.”

“She's right, Twilight,” I said, realizing where Spark was going with this. I had met the part of Twilight that she was talking about. I stepped over next to her. “When you sealed away Spark, you also sealed away part of yourself. The part of you that remembers, that cares, that loves. The part you need to get back.”

“Liars! Both of you! I am the only Twilight!” Twilight snarled loudly. “And I will become the Goddess of this Wasteland! The ponies of this world need me!”

“They need you like I need a kick in the head, Twilight,” Spark mused. “You on the other hoof, need a kick in the head. One I'll be glad to deliver.”

She charged at the other mare, leading with a blast of telekinesis that hit Twilight square in the chest. The ancient alicorn fell backwards and Spark continued forward, pressing her assault. Twilight attempted to counter with her own blast of magic, Spark deflecting it with a flick of her horn.

“Betrayer!” Twilight shouted, disappearing with a *pop*. She reappeared beside Spark, leveling a hoof strike at the mare's side. Spark grunted under the force of the blow, spreading her wings out to block another strike.

“Bitch!” Spark retorted, taking a swing at Twilight's face with a forehoof.

The other mare's magic grabbed the hoof, sending Spark spiraling to the ground below. I stood and watched. Watched as two mares, two one-time friends took out centuries of anger and loneliness upon each other. I didn't know what to do. Neither of them showed any signs of slowing down or even stopping. Would they fight for forever? I didn't honestly know.

Is this thing on? A voice popped into the back of my mind.

I blinked. That was new. I was hearing more voices! I really was crazy!

Umm... hello? I replied tentatively.

Oh good, you can hear me, Star. It's me, Twilight, the voice said. The other Twilight, that is. Not the one that's fighting Spark at the moment.

How did...? I thought you were inside the shard? I said.

Other-Twilight's spectral voice tittered. Silly Star. I'm inside your head! That's why Twilight wasn't able to follow you, she said. Regardless, now's not the time to worry about who's and what's. I need your help to end this, and I know just how to do it.

What? How? I thought. Spark and Twilight were locked together in a magical grapple, holding each other back by sheer force.

You need to use your memory spell once more, Star. I will aid in the casting of it. We need to bring both Spark and Twilight into the same mind space – your mind space. Only then can we have any chance of reconciling myself with the other half of Twilight, Other-Twilight said.

What will we do then? I asked.

Worry about that after we cast the spell, Other-Twilight responded. You need to help Spark. She won't last long like this. Once you can convince her to help us, we'll be ready to cast the memory spell. Got it?

I got it, I said. I was a little worried about doing this, but in the end I decided to go with my gut instinct and trust this Other-Twilight. I leaped into the fray, sending a blast of energy that forced Twilight back to the ground, breaking the magical grapple between the two. I casually stepped in next to Spark.

“About time you decided to help, Star,” Spark said.

“Listen. You can't do this by yourself. We need to work together,” I said, glaring at her. “I have a plan.”

“You? You have a plan?” Spark replied, rolling her eyes. “Color me impressed. What is it?”

“We need to bait her, and cast the memory spell on her. You know which one. Other-Twilight is going to help us.”

“Other-Twilight?” Spark said, raising an eyebrow. “Look, I have no idea what happened after you sealed me away, but I think you’ve gone loco in your coco, Star.”

“Listen to me, Spark. You remember what you said about that other part of her? She's in my head, and she believes that if she can join back with Twilight over there, she can stop all of this,” I said angrily. “So are you going to help me or not?”

Spark grimaced as Twilight pushed herself to four hooves. The purple mare looked ready to explode.

“Fine. What do we do?” she said hesitantly. “Make it quick, because here she comes.”

I yelped as Twilight surged across our tiny arena, her wings pushing her at us at high speeds. Spark's horn flared, lifting a shield that Twilight slammed into hard. Twilight bounced back, her own horn blaring. Spark's shield burst apart, sending both of us falling back.

“Pin her down,” I said, grunting. “Get me close enough to cast the memory spell.”

“I can try, but she's pretty pissed,” Spark said.

We flared our horns, blasting at Twilight with twin bolts of telekinesis. Twilight took the full brunt of both blasts, falling back to the ground. She pushed up to four hooves, glaring at us.

“Betrayers!” she shouted. “I should have known that you'd recruit her to your own twisted little game, Spark.”

“She has nothing to do with this, Twilight,” I said, taking a step forward. “You need help. Please, let us help you.”

“Oh yes... I need... help,” Twilight replied angrily. “I need help like I need a ‘kick in the head’. What I want on the other hoof is my body. I will take it by force, and then you will see my true glory, Radiant Star.”

I grimaced. This was getting nowhere. Twilight was getting worse. I needed to act.

Twilight, are you ready? I asked the Other-Twilight in my head.

As ready as I'll ever be, Star. Tell Spark to hold her in place and then you can cast the memory spell on both of them, Other-Twilight replied.

I nodded, turning to Spark. “Alright, here's the game plan. You hold her in place, and I'll cast the spell. You know that spell I used to restrain you?” I asked.

“You mean the tentacle spell? I liked that one,” Spark said, winking.

“I... I didn't really need to know that,” I said, graphic imagery filling my mind that I didn't really want to see. I shook the bad thoughts away and focused on the here and now. “You need to use that one. It should hold Twilight long enough for me to cast the memory spell. She's not weak, but she is losing grip on reality. We need to help her.”

Spark grimaced. “She's responsible for every bad thing in my life, Star... why should I help her?”

“Because it's the right thing to do,” I said. “Now hurry up, and let's end this.”

“Fine, but I'm not doing this for you,” Spark said with a growl. She flared her horn. “You and I, we still have unfinished business. See you on the other side, Radiant Star.”

She charged at Twilight, casting the restraining spell. Tendrils of magic erupted from all sides around Twilight, catching her off-guard. The purple mare writhed as the magical bonds grasped her legs and wings. Twilight growled loudly, her horn blaring as she dismissed the spell.

“Going to have to do better than that, Spark!” she shouted.

“I aim to please, Twilight,” Spark replied, lowering her horn and slamming into Twilight hard.

The immortal alicorn went flying into the side of the barrier, grunting. I moved to the side, letting Spark do her thing while I focused my energy to start casting the memory spell. I felt the gentle touch of Other-Twilight in the back of my mind, gently nudging my magic into an ever-so-slightly different form. Spark shouted and I opened my eyes, seeing her writhing in the air from Twilight's own restraining spell.

“Little help here?!” Spark called out.

I growled, firing a blast of countermagic at Twilight. I wasn't sure if it would work, but I had to try. Other-Twilight's magic bolstered my own, blowing Twilight’s magic-tentacles away like smoke in a stiff wind. Spark fell to the ground, yelping as she landed. Twilight moved to cast a bolt of telekinesis at me.

“Sorry!” I called out, bringing up my shield spell, not the one that Twilight's brother had created, but my own. It caught the blast and reflected it back at the purple mare. Twilight responded in kind, shielding herself from harm with a mere blink of her horn.

This isn't working! I called out to the Other-Twilight. We can't drop her defenses!

You have to try, Star! I know you can do this. I believe in you, Other-Twilight replied calmly. If you don't this world will not survive the outcome. I grimaced, nodding.

Other-Twilight was right about one thing. I needed to end this, and I needed to end it now. Spark was pushing herself back to her hooves, trying to recover from a very powerful series of telekinetic blasts that had sent her groaning into the side of the barrier. She slumped to the ground, not moving. It was down to me and Twilight. The purple alicorn held a predatory grin on her face as she circled around me.

“So... now it's just me and you,” she said, purring softly. It was...creepy. “Give up, Radiant Star. You will never win. Your body will be mine, and hiding behind your friends, Spark, even that Lucky spirit of yours will not stop that.”

Her horn glowed brightly, magical tendrils of energy circling around me. I leaped to the side, avoiding them as best as I could.

Twilight snarled, directing the magical tendrils around the room at me, trying to snare me. I yelped as one of them nearly got me, yet somehow I was able to slip it’s clinging grasp. I suspected Other-Twilight was using her own magic from inside my mind to help me. I worried about her trustworthiness, but she hadn't given me much of a reason not to as of yet.

“Is that all you got, Twilight?” I called out, grinning widely. I knew what I had to do. Twilight was smart, but she wasn't so smart that she couldn't be goaded into making a mistake. And this particular half of herself had shown that she was not completely stable, either. Each passing moment she degenerated further, her mind seeking only one thing... me. I knew I couldn't let that happen, and I owed it to the Other-Twilight to do my best to save her.

“I will show you my true power, Radiant Star!” Twilight replied angrily. Her horn lit up brightly, tendrils of purple magic covering every inch of the floor. One of them lifted Spark's body into the air, the spirit still not moving. They converged on me, ready to grab me.

Don't worry, Star. I can stop this, Other-Twilight said from inside my mind.

My horn flared with a life of its own, taking a hold of the purple magic. I pushed with my own magic, directing the power back at Twilight. The tendrils grabbed a hold of Twilight's legs and wings instead, one of the tendrils wrapping around the base of her horn.

“No!” Twilight shouted. “I will not let you do this!”

I took step after step calmly forward, my horn glowing as I prepared the memory spell.

“Twilight, it's time for you to meet the other half you've been missing,” I said. “It's time for this to be over.” I was deathly close to her now.

“I will have your body,” she uttered as I lowered my horn to hers.

Ignoring her threats, I cast the memory spell, reaching out to grab a hold of Spark as well. My entire world went stark-white as I fell into my mind.

I stood upon a crystal plateau, the sky rolling endlessly above me. I breathed a sigh of relief. I'd done it. I looked over at Spark. The purple and black alicorn's expression was pure comedic gold.

“Equestria to Spark,” I said, getting her attention. “Glad to see you're with us.”

“What...? Where are we?” she said. “This isn't my mind.”

“No,” said a new voice. “I changed the perspective focus component of the spell. This is Radiant Star’s mind.”

I followed the voice to see a regal elderly purple unicorn. Her mane sparkled and her coat shimmered. Twilight stepped forward out of the ether. Spark's eyes widened.

“You.” Spark started to move towards the other mare, murder in her eyes.

“Calm thyself, Magic,” Twilight replied. “I am not the Twilight that betrayed your trust.”

Spark stopped short. “What is going on here?” she said, turning to me. “Why is she here?”

“Because this is where things get a little fuzzy,” I said. “Twilight sealed part of her soul, the part that knew goodness and love... friendship. But she didn't seal you away when she sealed Spark, did she?”

“I'm afraid not, no. She sealed me away before that,” Twilight said with a shake of her head. She looked down for a second before raising her head and gazing at Spark. “Had I known what she would have done to you... I never... I never would have...” Her eyes filled with tears. “I'm so sorry, Magic.”

“I... I don't know what to say,” Spark said.

“There isn't anything to say,” I said. “But rather, there is something to do. We need to rejoin this Twilight with the other Twilight. Only then will this all be over.” I started walking forward, across the plateau.

“How do you plan on doing that?” Spark asked, stepping up next to me.

Twilight walked on my other side, looking pensive. She didn’t really know what to do either, it seemed.

“I've been thinking a lot on that one... and I think I know just how to do it,” I said. “It's going to take all of us, all working together.”

“All of us?” Spark said.

I nodded, grinning as I stopped. “There she is,” I said.

Laying on her side across from us was the other Twilight. The purple alicorn looked like she'd been through hell and back. Her coat was shaggy and her wings were ragged and bloody. She looked up at us, pushing herself into a standing position. Her eyes were bloodshot red as they pierced at me.

“Come to gloat, have you?” she snarled. “Do you really think that you've beaten me? That I will not stop until I have your body?”

“No, Twilight. I don't,” I said. “I think you need help.”

“What I need is to claim what is rightfully mine, Radiant Star,” Twilight said, growling. The Other-Twilight stepped out from behind me, causing the first one to stop. “What...? What is this? Who are you?”

“I'm you, Twilight,” the mare said. “The part of you that you sealed away. You know when.”

“No... No. It can't be you,” Twilight said angrily. “You're gone.”

Other-Twilight smiled softly. “It is me. Do you remember the day we ascended? The day we became an alicorn? Or do you remember Pinkie's parties, Applejack's apple cider season, and even Rainbow Dash's tricks? I remember it all, because I'm a part of you.”

“But you don't remember the war. The sacrifices I had to make for Equestria,” Twilight retorted. “The things I had to do to ensure that I could be free of the war.”

“I remember as much as I needed to,” Other-Twilight said. “I remember when she came to us. She promised us a way out. She offered it to us, even. The stress of the job, it was too much for us.”

“Who?” I asked, interjecting.

“Luna,” Other-Twilight replied. “She saw how the war was affecting us. She came to us one night, telling us that we could be set free of our obligations. The part of me that was irrational and stressed out, the part that wanted so desperately to pass tests and never fail... she took control that night.”

“You were sealed away then? Not when Twilight sealed Spark?” I said, motioning at the spirit, who yawned.

“Indeed I was,” Other-Twilight said. “We became obsessed with passing Luna's test, because that's what it was. It was a test to ensure that we were loyal. The crown was increasingly paranoid after Big Macintosh died, that Luna needed to know with an absolute certainty that we were still hers.”

“She couldn't handle it,” Spark said finally. “She snapped like a twig. Her mind couldn't take the stress.”

“I... I...” Twilight stammered.

“It's okay, Twilight. I don't blame you for it,” Other-Twilight said softly, a smile pursing her lips. “You needed help, real help, and your friends were in the same situation you were in: hurt, scared, paranoid. You did the only thing you thought you could do... you cut out your feelings. You cut me out.”

“I did what I had to do,” Twilight said, regaining her composure. “I was stronger for it.”

“No, Twilight. You were weak,” Other-Twilight replied casually. “You took the easy route out. All of Equestria did. But no more, Twilight. You need to see the present for what it is. The future for what it can be. You need to stop clinging to the past and face the future, face eternity.”

“Old world blues,” I muttered to myself suddenly, finally realizing after so long that I'd been doing the same as Twilight had been. My mind had been stuck in the past, spending time focused on the world of Equestria that was. I was lost there because I didn't have a past of my own. I was nothing, not even a pony. I looked up, hearing my name.

“Look at Radiant Star, Twilight,” Other-Twilight said. Twilight glowered at me in reply. “She's not us. She's not even as smart as we are.”

“Hey!” I said. “I'm not that bad.”

“Sorry, Star. I meant no offense,” Other-Twilight said with a chuckle before returning to look at Twilight. “What I mean is… she’s not our body. Our body is long gone, Twilight. It's time we moved on. We must, for the good of Equestria and for the good of our soul.”

“I can't,” Twilight said defiantly. “I have too much more to finish here. I… I can’t be over!”

I sighed. I knew we needed to convince Twilight to merge with her other half, but I was finally at a loss as to how I would actually do that. I had hoped, as I'm sure Other-Twilight had as well, that the two of them finally being able to talk would allow it to happen, but Twilight seemed as obstinate as ever. I did the only thing I could think of to do at the time. I sat down, slumping to my haunches.

“Star?” Other-Twilight said. “You alright?”

I shook a hoof. “I'm fine. Just thinking,” I said. “Twilight's obviously not going to listen to us. I don't know what else to do.”

“My body has the right of it,” Twilight interjected. “I will not listen to you. I am Twilight Sparkle, Princess and Goddess of Equestria. I will not let you stop me.”

I rolled my eyes, looking down at my hooves. I supposed it would take some time to think this through, to figure out how to reconcile the two spiritual mares. As my brain ran through every possible outcome, I got distracted by my own hooves of all things. Huh. I never really appreciated what I had until now, I thought. My hooves are so... amazing. My body moreso. It's a miracle of life. I don't want to lose it. It's what I am. It's... It's who I am.

I closed my eyes. No... you're nothing. You're not even a real pony. You were an experiment. A creation. Nothing more, I thought.

“Silly filly. You're so much more than you know.”

I looked up into her eyes. Violet stood over me, her green eyes rimmed with tears. I blinked.

“How...?” I said.

“This is your mind, remember? I'm not the real Violet. I'm a part of your mind,” she said with a smile. “Your mind, not hers.”

She pointed at the three other mares, who still appeared to be arguing loudly. I realized they couldn't see Violet, or didn't care enough to look. Twilight looked tense, but they weren't fighting yet. Why weren't they fighting?

“Because they can't, not here,” another voice from next to me said.

I looked up, nearly falling to the side when I saw him. Steeljack. He looked as healthy as the day I’d met him, and happier than I’d ever seen… except when he’d learned about his children.

“You make the rules. This is your mind. And you won't let them.”

“S-S-Steeljack?” I stuttered.

“You know I'm not real, but I also know that deep down in your heart, you're always thinking about the real Steeljack,” the gray stallion said. “I'm not the only one who's here, either. We're all here.” He motioned behind me. I turned my head, my eyes widening.

Standing at the head of the crowd of assorted creatures was Patch, cradling two wonderful foals on her back. Standing next to her was Lucky, who simply smiled and waved. Sunshine Sky grinned widely from next to Nixis, who looked perfectly dapper in an old war suit and top hat. On the other side of Patch stood Lilith, the version of Lilith I'd always imagined she could be. Her wing blades were gone, revealing two beautiful black wings with tinges of gray running through them.

Past them, there were others. Envy, Pride, Sloth, even Gluttony, Greed, and Wrath. Apple Danish. Thin Mint. Gray Knight. The ponies of the MMMM. The ponies of Arlington. Nurse Care. Finishing Touch and Featherjoy. They were all here. Every creature and pony I'd interacted with since the beginning of my journey.

“You see, Star,” Violet said as I looked back up to her. “You're you. If you weren't a pony, we wouldn't be here. There wouldn't be a Radiant Star. Twilight messed up in one big way. She gave you a life. A life filled with friends who love you, who support you. She made you real, and that's why she can't touch you. You've always been a real pony.”

“I... I...” I stammered. I couldn't believe it. Violet was right. I was a real pony! I had to be, or else I wouldn't have all the memories of my times with the others. I blinked, realizing that I knew the answer. I knew how to help Twilight. I stood with some urgency, drawing the attention of the others.

“Something wrong, Star?” Other-Twilight said, smiling.

Twilight growled at her. I looked back for Violet, seeing that she and the others were gone. I muttered a small prayer to Luna that this would work. Turning back to the others, I grimaced.

“Spark,” I said. “You might want to stand back from this, please.”

The spirit mare scowled at me, but started inching away from us. My horn began to glow brightly, startling the two purple alicorns.

“Star, what are you doing?” Other-Twilight asked.

“I'm fixing this,” I said, releasing the magic in my horn. “From one to another, another to one. A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled...”

Magical energy swirled from my horn, engulfing the two mares in a blaze of glorious light. Both mares yelped in surprise as the light embraced them, then froze into immobile stillness. As I poured more magic into the spell, I started filtering in the true payload of this most potent weapon: memories. Memories of me, Violet and the others. Memories of Twilight and her friends. Days of joy, sorrow, love, and even pain filled the void around the two alicorns.

“Friendship. Remember it. Remember how it makes you feel,” I intoned, gritting my teeth at the intensity of the power surrounding us. “Remember its power. Remember what brought you together!”

More memories filtered into the spell. I felt the gentle and loving touch of Violet's hoof, the rough smile of Steeljack. The warmth of Patch's foals. The laugh of Pinkie Pie. The kind softness of Fluttershy. Rarity and her generous heart. The striking loyalty of Rainbow Dash. The brutal, but fair honesty of Applejack. It was all with me, every moment of the spell.

“From all of us together, together we're friends. With the marks of our destinies made one, there is magic without end!”

As the last of my magic sputtered out, I gasped loudly for breath and fell to my front knees. The images of my mind began to flicker in and out amidst the swirling tornado of energy that was surrounding the two alicorns. I couldn't see through the veil it created, only pure light.

And then suddenly... it was gone and she was there. She was laying on her side, breathing hard. Her wings were old and ragged, but her coat was still shiny and warm. She opened her eyes, violet orbs that were now rimmed with tears. She looked... sad. I pushed myself up and she cringed.

“Don't hurt me!” she called out, shrinking away from me. I sat down in front of her, saying nothing. Twilight looked down at her hooves and began to cry. “I'm... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry.”

“Twilight?” I said softly, getting her attention.

“You must hate me,” she said, trying to catch her breath with every sentence. “The things I did to you... I hurt you more than I hurt... oh Goddesses I hurt my own brother... I killed him... I don't... I can't....”

“No... I don't hate you,” I said softly. “If anything... I have to thank you. You ultimately gave me what I needed to stop what was happening to you.”

“H-H-How...?” Twilight stammered.

“By giving me a life,” I said. “You see, Twilight. By allowing me to have a mind, a soul, a body... you gave me a life. It's... almost like you knew what would happen.”

“I...” Twilight tried to say, pushing herself up a bit so she could sit.

“A life is nothing though... without friendship. They saved me. I was more than just a replacement body to them. I was, and still am... Radiant Star,” I said. “And for that, I thank you.”

Twilight looked back down at her hooves once more. “I ruined so many lives. The war... Shining Armor... I don't know that I can face them now,” she said. “I don't know if I have the strength...”

Something past the mare caught my eye and I smiled, giving me hope that everything was going to turn out for the best.

“You may not have the strength, Twilight... but I know that they do,” I said, pointing behind her.

Twilight craned her neck back, seeing what I had seen. I don't know if they were really real or not. Hell, I was pretty sure I was still having some sort of screwed up fever dream after drinking too much. From out of the mist, several ponies had appeared. One of them was a white unicorn stallion with a brilliant blue mane. Behind him... it was them. The Ministry Mares.

Twilight gasped softly, standing. The stallion stepped forward, stopping in front of the purple mare.

“Twily,” he said simply.

Twilight's eyes filled with tears and she started to sob uncontrollably. “No... No I can't... I can't… I can't do this...”

“Twily,” Shining Armor said. He rested his hoof on his sister's shoulder, pulling her close. Twilight sobbed wildly in his embrace. Shining smiled, patting her. “Little Twily, it's okay. It's okay.”

“No... No it's not...” Twilight cried out. “I... I did so many bad things... I killed... I killed you...”

“Twilight,” Shining said. “I forgive you. We all do.”

“Right-o-rooni!” Pinkie Pie called out from behind the two. The other mares nodded, smiling brightly.

“But I... I hurt all of you...” Twilight said, pulling back from her brother.

I took the opportunity to make my way next to her. “I think that's the beauty of it, Twilight,” I said, smiling. “No matter what happens, your friends will always give you a second chance.”

She looked up at me, nodding. Her eyes were puffy red from crying so hard, but I could see it there. I could see her sorrow, her pain. I could see that she was ready.

“I… I’m so sorry for everything,” she said, glancing back to Shining Armor. “If… if I still can, I’m ready to go, now.”

“Let's go home,” Shining replied, grinning.

He turned, nodding at me before disappearing into the mist. The rest of the Ministry Mares nodded as well, turning silently away. Twilight looked at me and Spark, who was just sitting there, staring at what had just happened. Twilight trotted over to her.

“I know that some of the things I did... I can never take them back, Spark,” she said. “I... I'm sorry. I wish that I could take them back. But I can't. All I can ask is that you remember me and hope you forgive me.” She turned away from the other mare, looking at me. “I'll be ending your spell now. Once we're back in the real world... I will leave. You were right... this world doesn't need me. It needs ponies like you. Ponies willing to do the hard things for others. I wish I'd have been strong enough to see that at first.”

“I... Thank you,” I stammered. “Does... does this mean that I'll get to look like myself again?”

Twilight chuckled as the world around us began to fade.

“Yes. Yes it does.”

My eyes fluttered open and I groaned. My head felt like it had been placed into a refrigerator and the door slammed upon it repeatedly. I placed my forehooves in front of me, pushing myself up. It was then that I saw her. Twilight Sparkle. Not the half mare that had tried to take my body over, but the real mare. She stood over me, a soft smile on her face. She lowered a hoof, which I took gratefully.

“Hello, Radiant Star,” she said. “I do not have much time left before I must go.”

I looked over at Spark. The mare was still unconscious, lying on the ground. The barrier that had surrounded us had disappeared. I could see my friends watching with rapt awe. They appeared to be unharmed.

“What happens now?” I asked.

“Now, you get to be rid of me. I'm sorry for everything, Star,” Twilight said with a smile. She looked down at her hooves. “You know... I'm proud of you. I think this world is in good hooves if there are ponies like you watching over it. Just promise me that you won't ever stop fighting the good fight.”

“I promise...” I said. “Twilight? Can I ask you a question?” The mare nodded in reply. “The resurrection spell... did it really ever exist?”

I glanced back at Lucky. Twilight smirked at me and stepped up next to me. She whispered in my ear, and I smiled as she explained exactly what I'd needed to know.

“I can't give you anything more than that, Star. Once you use the spell, it will be stricken from your memory. I can understand your intentions, but the knowledge is too much for normal ponies to bear,” Twilight said. I nodded. “Now then... before I go... there's something I need you to do for me.”

“What's that?” I asked, cocking my head. Twilight reached in and whispered in my ear again. I nodded as I listened to what she wanted me to do. When she was finished, she pulled away. “I... I can do that.”

“Excellent. Thank you, Radiant Star. Now I owe you one final thing,” she said.

Her horn flared, sending a wave of purple magic over my body. I blinked as I felt... tingly and twitchy. Twilight's magic stopped after a few moments and the mare nodded. She turned to walk away. I looked down, seeing two blue hooves in front of me. I glanced back at my flank. My cutie mark was back! I was me again! I couldn't believe it! I looked up to thank Twilight, but she was gone. Disappeared.

“Star!” Violet shouted, breaking the silence that followed as she grabbed a hold of me and squeezed. “You're... you're...”

“Yes, Violet... I'm alright,” I said softly. “It's over.” I pulled my love in close, holding her. Nothing in this world would ever separate me from her ever again.

“Not completely,” a voice said, cutting my reunion short. I looked up, seeing Spark back on her hooves. “We still have unfinished business you and I.”

“Spark,” I said flatly. I pulled away from Violet, stepping forward to meet the other alicorn despite the protests of my marefriend. “It's over, Spark. It's time for you to move on as well.”

“Ehh... I don't think so,” Spark said. “Despite everything that Twilight did to me... you have to admit that ultimate power is a pretty choice goal. I'll be taking your body.”

The purple mare growled, charging at me with her horn blazing. I sighed softly and flared my horn’s magic, before releasing it with a grunt. I was done. I didn't want to fight anymore. I needed to somehow make Spark see that there was a better way.

I opened my eyes and rushed forward to meet her. Instead of a hoof strike or a magical energy blast, I did the only thing I could think of. I grabbed Spark with both forelegs and I pulled her into a hug.

“What the--?” Spark yelped.

She stopped completely, caught off-guard by my embrace. I held her there for what felt like eternity, the mare thrashing in my grip.

“Spark,” I said softly. “I know it hurts. What Twilight did to you... what she turned you into. I can't even begin to imagine the pain...”

“You don't know me!” Spark snarled, writhing in my grasp. “You don't know how much she hurt me!”

I squeezed harder. “I know. I don't. But I do understand,” I said. “You have a chance Spark, to be more than what Twilight made you out to be. You have a second chance. You deserve that chance.”

“But I --” Spark started to yell before she sighed loudly. She stopped fighting back. “Do... do you really think so?”

“I know so. The world needs you, Spark... but not as a Goddess. As the Element of Magic. It needs its bearer. They're out there, Spark. They're waiting for all six to be discovered, but they're out there,” I replied. “Can't you feel them? They're good ponies, working towards a bright and better future.”

“I... I've known for some time about them,” Spark said, glancing away. “I refused to believe it, but I knew they were out there. Some of them have been found already. I... I was so scared, Star... I was scared that it would be like Twilight all over again, that I'd be betrayed again.”

I nodded, placing a hoof on her shoulder and rubbing it softly.

“It's okay, Spark,” I said. “It's okay. Everything will be just fine. Trust me when I say that you will find a new bearer, one who will love you for who you are. Just like Twilight did.”

“Twilight? But she... she did this to me!” Spark protested.

“And yet, in the end, she was apologetic. She sought your forgiveness. She loved you, Spark. With all of her heart. She was your friend. And no matter what, friends deserve a second chance,” I said.

Spark nodded, pulling out of my embrace. “What about us?” she said. “Are we... are we friends?”

“Yes. Yes, we are,” I said with a soft chuckle. “I'm not your Bearer though. There's somepony else out there that's better at the job than I am. I'm just Radiant Star.”

“Thank you... Radiant Star,” Spark said. “I... I suppose I should go. I have a lot of... catching up to do with the others.”

“Absolutely correct, darling,” a voice said from behind us. We turned and looked, seeing five alicorns: white, orange, blue, yellow, and pink. They were translucent, but ultimately they were there. The white one stepped forward. “Magic, dear. It's time for you to come home.”

“Generosity?” Spark said, a twinkle of tears forming in her eyes. “But you... you all...”

“We believe in Miss Star's assessment of the situation,” Generosity said. “You deserve a second chance. We miss you, dear. Come be with us once again.”

“Are you... are you sure?” Spark said sheepishly.

Generosity nodded, smiling. “Of course, darling. After all... the Elements of Harmony cannot exist without their Spark. We have eons to make up for this tiny little transgression. Right now though, the world needs us,” she said. “Are you ready?”

Spark nodded, turning to look at me. “I guess... I guess this is goodbye.”

“It's never really goodbye, Spark. How's about when you find your bearer, you come look me up?” I said. “We'll call it... 'see you later, radigator.'”

Spark chuckled, turning to walk back to the group of alicorns. They surrounded the poor mare, hugging her and talking amiably as they disappeared into nothingness.

“What in the frickity frack just happened?” Lilith said, whistling.

I turned to face the others. I had one further thing I needed to take care of.

“It's over, for good,” I said. “Well... not quite. There's still one more thing left that I need to do.”

I trotted over to the stone circle, using my magic to gently lift the alicorn bodies back onto the slabs. There were two left that were intact. It would do. Violet came over while I was examining the second one, her eyes questioning.

“What are you doing, Star?” she asked as I prepared the body.

“Something I promised, Violet. Something I promised,” I said. I cocked my head at her. “Violet? Can I ask you something?”

“I suppose,” she said, sitting down on the floor near me.

“When you and I first met... was I... different?” I said.

Violet grimaced, but nodded. “You were a little robotic at times, almost like you were in some sort of shock. When you told me later that it was right after the Goddess' death, I figured that had something to do with it,” she said, looking down at her hooves. “This is about what Twilight said, isn't it? Star, you don't --”

I cut her off with a hoof. I’d heard enough.

“Don't worry, Violet. It's alright. I was just curious,” I said softly. “Besides... Twilight was a lying bitch. I wouldn't worry about anything she said.”

“Are you sure?” Violet said, looking surprised.

“Sure. Now, go and join the others. I have to do this alone, I’ll be back as soon as I can. I will be along shortly,” I said.

Violet nodded and kissed me before returning to our friends. I turned back to the body on the slab. I wondered if I'd looked like this at one point when Twilight had... had made me. Violet's recounting of my actions post-Unity confirmed the basic similarity, but I didn't care. Whatever Twilight had expected to create, she'd messed up. She'd created not an empty vessel, but a pony. A pony with flesh and blood, and with friendships that would last forever. I knew deep down in my heart, my heart, that it was true.

I flared my horn and I set to work.

The journey back to the surface was long and arduous, but thankfully we were able to avoid anything particularly nasty. Twilight's final message burned into my thoughts with every step. She certainly had laid a big burden on my shoulders with her passing on. I wasn't quite sure where to begin with it, but I knew I wouldn't let her down. I owed her that much. We’d destroyed all access to the nadir, and all the passages down as we passed. Nopony should ever go to that place ever again.

The others were fine, Twilight's shield had protected them from the effects of our attacks as well as it had kept us in. None of them had moved the entire time that was going on, intent on trying to find a way through the shield barrier and save me. Lucky, as it turned out, had indeed been unable to gain access back inside the barrier once Twilight had removed her from it. Thankfully the excess energy that Twilight's barrier gave off allowed the rest of my friends to actually see her. Small miracles, I suppose.

Violet clung to my side the entire way back up. I wasn't surprised. She'd seen me at my worst, bleeding out on the floor. I doubted she would ever let me out of her sight ever again. Lilith was unhappy that she wasn't able to get a blow in during the fight, but was as happy as could be that I was okay and it was all over. Nixis still looked terrible, the stump of his arm was no longer bleeding, but he was still in a bad way. He carried on though, not letting anyone else see the pain in his eyes. Sunshine was the least damaged, but she was still breathing hard with every step back up the Cathedral. She'd tried several magical attacks on the barrier, all of them failed. She was suffering some burnout effects, but nothing that couldn't be cured by a little rest.

After an eternity, but was really an hour by my PipBuck's time, we found ourselves in one of the main halls of the Cathedral. Soft light filtered through the windows of the main hall, the smell of fresh air assaulting our senses. I pushed open the door at the end of the hall, revealing it to be an offshoot from the central courtyard of the complex itself. I took several steps out into the sunlight, reveling in its warmth upon my coat.

I was me again! I danced a tiny jig across the rocks, stopping dead in my tracks when a shadow formed over us. A massive dragon landed in the courtyard in front of us. For a brief moment I thought it was the dragon that we'd found where Steeljack had died, but it wasn't the same color. I panicked all the same, reaching for Stargazer... and then realizing that it was gone. I blanched white as the dragon regarded us curiously. He was purple with green spines, and wore an eyepatch. Why did he look familiar to me? The others pulled back, Lilith ready to fight at the drop of a hat. The dragon opened its mouth, and surprised us by speaking.

“Who are you? Where is she?” he said, his voice rumbling across the courtyard.

I took a few hesitant steps forward. “I'm not sure what you're talking about,” I said timidly. “If we're intruding upon your property, we'll be out of your spines and on our way.”

“Where. Is. She?!” he shouted. “I haven't felt her magic in so long. Not since before... before...”

Her magic? I thought. I carefully scrutinized the dragon's face, searching for some sign of recognition. My eyes widened when I realized that I did know the dragon, just not at this size.

“S-S-Spike?” I said.

The dragon looked down at me, taken aback by my outburst. The others looked at me with incredulous stares as well.

“How do you know that name?” he said. “Where is she? I felt her. She's here.”

“Spike the dragon,” I said. “I know that name because I knew who you're talking about. You're talking about Twilight Sparkle, aren't you?”

“Yes! Where is she? Is she here?” Spike crowed, thundering the ground with his massive legs in place in what I assumed was a jig of some sort.

“I'm sorry, Spike. She's not here anymore,” I said, lowering my head. “She's gone.”

Spike stopped his dance, his good humor falling away as he swung his head back down to glare at me.

“Where did she go? Why was she here?” he said.

I grimaced, meeting his steely gaze. “I will tell you the whole story, Spike the dragon,” I said. “Soon. Not now though. We are all tired, hungry, and we need to get back to our friend in Ponyville.”

Spike started to say something, closing his mouth before nodding silently.

“You need to get back to Ponyville?” he said. I nodded in response. “I can take you there. I have been away from my cave for too long as it is. I will provide you with the coordinates on your PipBuck... what should I call you?”

“Radiant Star,” I said. “My name is Radiant Star.”

“Radiant Star,” Spike echoed, glancing down at the rest of us. “I should be able to carry all of you. Climb on.”

He hunkered down on all four legs, revealing ample enough space to fit several ponies. The others walked up tentatively and began to climb up onto the dragon's back. Spike met my gaze as Violet and I walked past him. “As we discussed, Radiant Star. I will bear you to Ponyville. But you will come see me, and soon. You will tell me why she was here, how she was here, and why she is gone.”

“Of course. You have my word,” I said as I helped Violet up onto his back. I climbed up next to her and Spike lifted into the air, his massive wings beating hard. The Everfree Forest, the Cathedral itself all became specks on the ground. Violet sighed and leaned back into me.

“So... what now?” she asked.

I smiled softly at her. “Now? Now we go home.”