PART ONE: REBIRTH

Twilight Sparkle floated in a blank white void, unaware even of herself.

A sense of up and down returned to her first, followed by a feeling of weight and, eventually, the sensation of a cold floor underneath her prone body. She heard a bird trilling in the distance, and closer by she could hear the whisper-faint rustle of feathered wings moving. She drew breath – a deep, heaving gasp that seemed to take hours to fill her lungs – and smelled old books and hot tea; the smell of home.

"Spike…? Owlowiscious?" Twilight's voice was weak and thin. "I had a terrible dream…"

A soft, matronly voice answered her. "I am sorry, my student…but it was not a dream."

Twilight's eyes snapped open.

She was in Canterlot, in the private tower-top study of Princess Celestia herself. She was lying on her side on the smooth stone floor. The Princess sat nearby, looking down at her. Twilight lurched to her hooves, and backed away from the spot where she'd lain. A dark red stain marked the ancient white stone. Her gaze darted from the stain, to the Princess, to her own side, where the last hair-thin remnant of a fatal sword-wound was fading into invisibility. Twilight's eyes widened. Her pulse quickened as her most recent memories crashed back into focus. She gasped.

"Y-you...you told them to…!" Twilight looked behind her, but the Pegasus guards were gone. She and the Princess were alone. "Why?" she demanded, her voice cracking. "How could you?"

Princess Celestia still sat on a broad velvet pillow in front of the tower study's window. She regarded her student with an uncharacteristic look of sadness on her regal features. "I am so sorry to have put you through that, Twilight Sparkle. It pained me more than you can imagine. But some lessons can't be taught from a book; they can only be experienced first-hoof."

Twilight scowled. She fixed her stance, took a deep breath, and:

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT! This is CRAZY! They stabbed me! Was this a punishment? Would you rather I didn't stick up for my friends? What in Pony Hell was killing me and bringing me back supposed to teach me?" Twilight panted, shaking with fury. As the echoes of her tirade faded, Twilight remembered who she was speaking to; she backed down slightly, blushing. "…Your Majesty," she added sheepishly.

Celestia fought away tears. "Oh, Twilight…my dearest, most faithful student. This was no punishment. I could never raise a hoof against you in anger. It was all I could do to give the order. But try to understand…the lesson was that you brought yourself back."

Twilight stared, and then frowned in frustration. "'I brought myself back?' That's impossible! How could I have used magic while I was dead?"

"You didn't use magic, Twilight Sparkle. You are Magic."

Twilight's tilted her head. An array of outraged, dumbfounded and shocked expressions crossed her face in quick succession. "I…I don't...what do you…" She staggered, her knees suddenly weak.

"Please, Twilight – have a seat. A cup of tea will do you good." Princess Celestia gestured with a wing toward the pillow next to hers. She magicked the teapot resting on the low table between the pillows into the air, and poured a fresh cupful.

Twilight numbly trotted across the room, and flopped down onto the pillow. She shakily magicked up the cup, and took a small sip. It was the Princess' personal blend, imported from Xiao Ma; as upset as she was, Twilight couldn't deny that it was delicious.

The two sat in silence until they had both finished their tea. Twilight spoke up first:

"What is this, Princess? What did you mean?"

The Princess let out a tiny sigh. "Twilight…it's time I told you more about the secrets of the Elements of Harmony – the secrets that no book has ever detailed. The secrets of their power…and of the burdens that they press on their bearers."

A sudden knock at the study's door caught both Ponies' attention. A cultured Canterlotter stallion spoke up from the other side:

"Begging Your Majesty's pardon…the Tsarevna of Stalliongrad and her retinue have arrived."

The Princess sagged, but when she spoke her voice carried the full weight of her nobility:

"Very well. Direct them to the Main Hall. I will be there shortly."

"As You wish, Your Majesty."

Princess Celestia turned back to Twilight Sparkle. "I'm sorry, my student. You need to hear these things, but it would be unfair to my subjects to put our private discussion ahead of affairs of state like this. I hope you understand."

Twilight bit back her frustration, and forced a smile. "…Of course, Princess. I understand."

Celestia smiled. "Good. Please…if you head to your old chambers, I will be there as soon as I can. We can continue our talk then."

After the Princess departed, Twilight Sparkle slowly trotted down the tower's winding stairs, across several broad hallways lined with tapestries, paintings and ancient suits of barding, and out into the early evening air. She trotted up the exterior steps of her old tower home, and magicked open the blue wooden doors.

The place was almost as Twilight had left it, but the room's tall burgundy curtains were drawn, covering the west wall's picture window and leaving the room somewhat gloomy.

A deep purple Alicorn with a pale blue mane sat at a desk in the middle of the library-like chamber's raised study; open books on history, science, poetry, magical theory and astronomy sat on the wooden table's surface, as did a small clockwork orrery, a pot of ink and several quills, a sheaf of parchment, a half-eaten bowl of dried flowers, and a well-worn abacus.

"Oh…it's you," said the Alicorn, magicking a blue-framed pince-nez off of her face and setting it down on the cluttered table.

"Princess Luna…!" said Twilight. "I didn't expect to find you–"

"–in my own room?" interjected Luna, raising an eyebrow.

Twilight froze, momentarily dumbstruck. "But…this wasn't–"

The Alicorn interrupted again. "–Not my original room, of course. That was in the old Royal Castle. But my sister had this tower built just for me when this palace was constructed. She set it aside from the noisy hustle and bustle of the palace`s main halls so I could sleep through the day in peace, filled it with books on all of my favourite topics, made sure it had a commanding view of the night sky, and put in an hourglass counting down the time until my…release. She kept it pristine and ready to use for more than nine centuries. I suppose she thought it would help to appease me. A welcome-home present for her poor, misguided little sister."

Luna stood, and trotted over to the purple Unicorn. She was taller than Twilight, but thinner. She had a lean – almost gangly – build, her feathered wings almost totally covering the sides of her slender torso. But even so, her presence was only slightly less overwhelming than Celestia's. At a distance, she seemed a bookish recluse; up close, she was a Goddess of the Night.

"Of course, all that changed when you came along. She gave you this place without a second thought. She thinks I don't know, but I was watching from up there – every single night." She loomed over Twilight, casting a darker shadow over her in the already-dark room. "I moved in here yesterday – I haven't gotten around to telling her. I trust she won't mind that I spoiled her surprise." Luna looked down her nose at Twilight. "But where are my manners? Was there something you wanted?"

Twilight shifted from side to side, uncomfortably. "P-Princess Celestia told me to wait for her here. She wanted to tell me more about the…" Twilight lowered her voice. "…the Elements of Harmony."

Luna chuckled. "Ah…I see. So she hasn't told you about the curse, yet."

Twilight's jaw dropped. "The curse?"

"Oh my, yes. Magic that powerful doesn't come without a price, you know. The Elements force their bearers to become living embodiments of their virtues – and no mortal Pony can be expected to personify such a perfect state. The ones that try are slowly. Driven. Mad."

Twilight's eyes shone. "That can't be true…" she whispered, but her thoughts darted back to the last she'd seen of her friends: a fierce brawl, punctuated by screams, shouts and tears.

"I'm sorry," said Luna, her tone making it abundantly clear that she wasn't.

Luna's revelation stripped Twilight of what little endurance her resurrection had granted her; she slid down onto her knees, and hot tears slid down her face. "What have I done…?" she whispered.

Behind the two Ponies, the setting sun shone into the room through the thin gap between the curtains. The shaft of light fell on them both.

In the palace's opulent Main Hall, Princess Celestia sat at the head of a vastly long wooden table surrounded by visiting dignitaries and local gentry. At the far end of the table sat the Tsarevna of Stalliongrad. The demure scarlet Unicorn's long golden-yellow mane was restrained by a simple gold wire tiara, and a similarly-designed yoke adorned her long neck.

The two heads of state were discussing trade routes, importation laws, and the synchronization of the lengths of their respective seasons. Celestia paused in mid-sentence as a warm yellow glow flashed across her eyes, bringing with it a flicker of insight; she stifled a gasp.

The Princess stood, spreading her wings for silence. The room obeyed in a heartbeat.

"Прости, царевна," said Celestia, switching to her visitor's native language as a sign of respect. "но я должна вас покинуть. Тысяча извинений!"

Without waiting for a reply, the Princess gave a slight bow and trotted out of the room.

"Shhh…there, there…it's alright. Don't cry…" Luna rested a sapphire-shod front hoof across Twilight's heaving shoulders. Her voice was as soft and gentle as crescent moonlight. "I know…I know what it's like to be swept up in my sister's plans. To be a pawn. You couldn't have known what you were getting yourself – and your friends – into…"

Twilight sobbed in despair, covering her eyes with her hooves; she knew that the Alicorn was being insincere, but the thought that she had condemned the first friends that she had ever made her heart break nonetheless.

Luna grinned a small, vindictive grin. "…And when they're gone, you'll have to live with that you did to them forev–"

A blinding explosion of sunlight erupted in front of the two Ponies. In its wake appeared Princess Celestia, her full resplendent glory unrestrained.

Luna hopped backward and cringed, averting her sensitive eyes from the Princess' searing light. "B-big sister…!" she stammered from behind the shade of one of her wings. "I found the room you made me! It's wonderful–" Celestia cut her off:

"Little sister, you go too far." Celestia stomped a gold-shod front hoof; the curtains jerked open and let in the full light of the sunset. "I know you haven't forgiven me for…what happened…a thousand years ago, but Twilight Sparkle is not to blame!"

Luna gritted her teeth. She leapt to her hooves and faced her sister, her eyes streaming and squinting nearly shut from the glare. "Isn't she? It's right there on her flanks! She's the Sixth! The Spark! She's the one you picked to use the Elements because you were too afraid to do it again!"

"ENOUGH!" Celestia's voice echoed off the vaulted ceiling."Your quarrel is with me, sister. If you are going to let hatred back into your heart, then direct it at me alone!"

Luna's lower lip quivered. "You know I can't…" she whispered. She spread her wings, and took off toward the door. The scattered possessions on the tabletop glowed, hovered, and swarmed after her like so many startled birds.

As the door slammed behind her sister, Celestia let her blazing glow subside. She trotted over to her protégé, who was still sobbing curled up on the floor, her hooves covering her face.

"I am sorry you had to endure that, my student," said Celestia, her voice softening. "My sister has a great depth of feeling, but she has never had much skill at expressing it. It sometimes pushes her to make…unwise…decisions." Celestia looked over to the large, gilt hourglass nearby for a moment.

"Is it true?" asked Twilight, her voice barely above a whisper. "Are the Elements of Harmony what's making them suffer? Are they all going to…to…"

The white Alicorn sat down next to her student. "Yes…and no. What is making them suffer is the lack of an Element, Twilight Sparkle. The five lesser Elements yearn to unite in Harmony – to support and foster the sixth."

"Magic…" whispered Twilight.

"Yes, my student. They need you. Not just your presence, but your wisdom. Your guidance. You give them purpose. Without you, the Elements' urgings stretch them beyond their limits, and they collapse like an arch missing its keystone. Magic is at the heart of friendship, Twilight. It's what turns familiar faces into lifelong companions. Magic is what makes it…complete. As bearers of Elements of Harmony, your friends represent that companionship, and you represent that Magic."

The possibility of hope bolstered the purple Unicorn. "A keystone…. So I can help them, just by being there for them?" She frowned. "But I do that all the time! At least one of us has some crazy crisis once a week – or more! I'm always helping them!"

"You mustn't just wait for trouble to come to you, Twilight. Some problems lurk beneath the surface. I have watched you every day. I have seen how much time you still spend alone in your library. Friendships are like gardens – they can grow wild and messy if they are not tended to."

Twilight looked away in shame. "I know…but sometimes it feels like there's never enough time."

Something in what Twilight said seemed to cut the Princess deeply; she shed a single crystal-clear tear. "Oh, my most faithful student. You have all the time in the world, now."

Twilight's brow furrowed in thought for a moment, and then a look of inspiration dawned on her features. "Princess Luna said 'when they're gone, you'll have to live with that you did to them forever'…did she mean…?"

Celestia took a slow, deep breath. "Yes, Twilight. Just as the Elements have pushed your companions to personify their chosen virtues, you too have become like Magic: versatile, powerful…and eternal."

The confirmation struck Twilight like a physical blow. "I…I'm…immortal?"

"Yes. Like we Alicorns, you are as much Magic as flesh now, and precious little in this world can do you any lasting harm. The Elements will grant your friends health and long life, but you will live as long as you care to, the centuries passing no harder than the minutes. It is a great gift, but also a great burden."

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Her head swayed drunkenly for a moment; her eyes rolled up, and she knew no more.

Twilight was sitting in a wheelchair in Ponyville, watching Pinkie Pie from afar, when a clumsy delivery-mare dropped the majority of a moving wagon's contents on top of her. A falling anvil landed squarely on her unprotected skull…but she was only dazed.

She was in her library, focusing on an untested spell to grant Earth Ponies wings. As the spell engulfed her fellow Unicorn an overload of magical feedback exploded, sending Twilight tumbling. She landed poorly, and her neck twisted at an unnatural angle…before it popped back into alignment.

She was in a field of lush purple-red berries, channeling foul Neighcromantic energy in an effort to save one friend's life by stealing the essence of another. In her haste and her concern for the two Pegasi, she hadn't even bothered to worry about the years of life the spell would cost her…or would have cost her, that is.

She was standing on the edge of the Ponyville spa's hot-tub. A riot of frizzy pink mane and blue eyes burst from the bowl of sponges next to her, and shrieked:

"FOREVER!"

Twilight awoke with a start, jerking into a sitting position.

She was in a huge, soft bed, covered in luxurious silken sheets and pillows in various shades of pastel pink, blue and green. The bedroom was enormous; its purple and blue marble walls soared to a vaulted ceiling that was almost out of sight. The windows reached from the floor to that same lofty height, bathing the room in warm morning light. The walls were decorated with antique oil paintings of unfamiliar Alicorns, tapestries depicting the moon and stars or Pony victory over Griffons and Dragons, and the occasional relief carving of a stylized sun.

Celestia's personal bedroom! Twilight hopped out of the bed, and hurriedly magicked its sumptuous sheets back into order.

"Calm down, my student. You could have kept resting, you know."

Twilight pivoted, and saw the Princess sitting on a pillow near a sizeable hearth. She had spread a row of six decorated cards in a semicircle on the floor in front of her. The rest of the deck sat nearby.

"Oh! Um, good morning Princess." Twilight trotted over, a feeling of awkwardness stiffening her gait. The revelations that had driven her to faint still weighed heavily on her mind; she had so many questions. The first one that came to mind, though, was: "What are those?"

As Twilight drew nearer, she could see that the cards were labeled in the festive glyphs of cursive Pony writing: The Foal, The Tradesmare, The Charger, The Jewel, and The High Ritesmare were turned to face her, and The Enchantress faced the Princess.

"This is the Equestrian Tarot. In ancient times, ritesmares would use cards like these to read Ponies' fortunes. These six cards in particular represent the Elements of Harmony…and they will show you how to save your friends."

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART TWO: RESTORATION