A thousand doubts assailed the mind of Twilight Sparkle as they neared their destination. She had spotted the heights of the Canterhorn a whole half hour ago, and Canterlot itself not long after. She knew from Celestia that her friends would be waiting there for her, and it scared her. She'd told them what she'd done to a point, but a lot more had happened since then, and there was plenty she hadn't told them, and plenty she never would. But that wasn't what worried her. What worried her was them accepting the pony she'd become. She was still Twilight Sparkle, but not the same one as before she'd left for Mareitania almost a year earlier.

Her companions hadn't bothered her since Canterlot had been spotted. Fleur, Octavia, Summer, and the filly chattered away to each other about various things, while Trixie stared out of the window on the opposite side of the carriage, flanked on both sides by a pair of white pegasi in the pristine, golden armour of the Royal Guard. Unnecessarily so in the eyes of all there, but only a word from Celestia herself would have turned them from their duty, and she was now far away. Not even Luna was inclined to interfere.

"I think it time for me to away," Luna said as she entered Twilight's vision, her ethereal mane softly floating on an unfelt breeze. "It'll be much harder to maintain the illusion I never left if I'm seen arriving with you."

"Where will you go?"

"My children and I shall take a more hidden route by wing. Worry not Twilight, I shall see you in Canterlot soon enough, as I will all of you in a few days for your debriefing, which I assure you is only a formality. For now though, I must say farewell my friends." Luna bowed to them and left their carriage for the ones behind where her thestrals were located, shutting the door behind her, but not before they caught her last words. "Come my children, lets fly to the castle!"

Twilight watched through the window as the thestrals presumably leapt off the still moving train and took to the sky, the distant figure of Luna leading them. She wished them the best, then sunk back into her own thoughts as they swirled relentlessly around her head. It wasn't until the carriage tilted on its ascent up the winding track to Canterlot that she realised they were only minutes away from arriving.

"That's Canterlot?!" the filly said as they had a closer look at the shining city haphazardly stuck on the side of the mountain, it's domes and towers gleaming in the sunlight. She bounced up and down with excitement, "I can't believe I'm going to be living here!"

Summer's thoughts were rather more muted, but she still smiled broadly, as she had ever since they passed over the Mareitanian border. "It's beautiful."

The carriage jolted as the train slowed and they pulled into Canterlot station. As Celestia had promised there were barely any ponies there, which made it all the easier for Twilight to spot her friends waiting on the platform.

"You think they would've at least informed Vinyl I was coming," Octavia said as she surveyed the few ponies at the station, not really recognising the five mares and baby dragon as being Twilight's friends. "Oh well, it's not too long a walk to where I live Summer."

Twilight's Ponyville friends clustered impatiently around the door to the carriage as the conductor opened it, only to be disappointed as Fleur stepped out, followed by the filly, Octavia, and Summer. Twilight took a bit longer, her legs unwilling to move from her fear of them rejecting her.

"Twilight?" Twilight almost jumped as Trixie spoke to her. "You know they'll be happy to see you."

"But what if they're not?"

"Twilight, stop being an idiot. They're here to see you and you alone, now get out there. I would say I'll be right behind you, but..." Trixie glanced at the guards to her left and right, "Yeah..."

"Stop being an idiot." Twilight nodded to herself, "Okay, I can do that. Thanks Trixie."

"Oh, anytime."

Twilight inhaled deeply and steeled herself, then stepped out before she had time to think further about it. It didn't have the desired effect. Her friends faces lit up at seeing her, while her own went stiff as her heart thundered in her chest. She froze, unmoving as what she was going to say to them left her completely, and in the end it was Applejack that spoke first.

"Twilight, are you alright?"

The looks on Twilight's other friends said it all as Applejack asked the one thing they'd diligently learnt to not ask. A lesser part of Twilight wanted to laugh at Applejack for asking it. Unfortunately the greater part of her, which was a whirling tempest of emotions, burst into tears.

"I'm sorry!" she babbled. "I'm so, so sorry! I didn't want to leave you guys, but Celestia made me, and I thought you'd be mad at me, and I'm so sorry!" Twilight drew in a breath to continue her tearful tirade, but was forced to abandon both her tirade, and her ability to breath, as Pinkie leapt on her, bowling her over.

"Don't be silly Twilight! We'd never stay mad at you! We missed you too much for that!"

"You aren't angry?"

"Of course we aren't darling!" Rarity said as Applejack pulled Twilight back onto her hooves. "I'm not saying it didn't sting a little that you left us here, but we all understand and appreciate why you did it-"

"Not all of us."

Rarity groaned and rolled her eyes at Rainbow, "Most of us understand and appreciate why you did it, and there was no possible way we could blame you for wanting to keep us out of it. That 'Mareitania,' sounded like an awful place."

Rainbow lived up to her name and dashed up to Twilight so their faces were almost touching, "Just don't do it again, okay?" Twilight nodded nervously, knowing full well that it wasn't a promise she was guaranteed to keep if she made it. "Now quit your crying and give me a hug."

Twilight gasped as Rainbow slammed into her and squeezed the breath out of her again, followed a little more gently by the rest of her friends. "I'm so happy to see you guys," she cried, dripping tears onto their coats. It was fair game though as they cried tears onto hers, as equally happy to see her as she was to see them.

The hug broke up and there was a short moment of giggles as tears were wiped away. Then they saw Trixie being escorted off the train like a criminal, one guard in front, and one behind, and saw the restrictor on her broken horn. "Aw cripes," said Applejack, "What has she been up to?"

Twilight's hoof was halfway to Applejack's face before she even realised it, and she had to force her hoof back down to the ground. It was too late to pretend it was anything other than a postponed attack, and Twilight immediately backed off, stammering apologies until Applejack told her to stop.

"Hey, it's okay Twi, really. No harm no foul, right? I guess I hit a nerve, and I shouldn't of said what I did."

"No, I shou-" Twilight stopped herself. "I'm sorry, but Trixie has stuck by me all through my time in Mareitania, like the others here as well, and I would really appreciate it if you didn't speak like that about her." Twilight walked over to Trixie where she and her escort had stopped after Twilight almost hit Applejack, and pulled the blue mare into a tight hug, that was gingerly returned, but with no less affection. "I'll see you soon Trixie, okay?"

"Okay." Trixie glanced about, then whispered conspiratorially into Twilight's ear, "Bring peanut-butter crackers. I doubt this fancy hospital you're sending me to has anything quite so low class."

Twilight laughed, "Whatever you want Trixie, just take care of yourself."

"Isn't that what the doctors are for?"

"You know what I mean."

Trixie opened her mouth to speak, then turned it into a grin. "I suppose I do." She looked over Twilight's back to Fleur, Octavia, Summer, and the filly, "What? No hug from you guys?"

"Well, if you insist," Octavia laughed as they all piled into the hug. They held it for a moment as they said their goodbyes, then broke apart and watched as Trixie was led to a small carriage to take her to the hospital.

"So," Fleur said after a minute, "are you going to introduce us to your friends Twilight?"

"Oh! Right, yes. Guys, meet Pinkie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Spike, and Fluttershy." Twilight pointed at each pony and dragon as she said their name. "And these are Fleur, the filly, Summer, and Octavia," she said for the benefit of her Ponyville friends.

"The filly?" Applejack questioned suspiciously.

"I'm not ironically a colt if that's what you're thinking," the filly said back. "Offically my name's Swift Wings, which I should get used to, but to these guys I'm always going to be the filly, since that's what they've called me since we met, on account of me not really wanting to use my name."

"Because you have no wings?" Rainbow said tactlessly.

"That and I'd probably get killed if ponies found out I was a pegasus."

"What's wrong with being a pegasus?" Rainbow looked to Twilight, "What is she talking about?"

"It's a long story-"

"But she doesn't have wings! How can she be a pegasus if she doesn't have wings?!"

"I had wings," the filly said coldly. "If I cut your wings off you'd still be a pegasus, wouldn't you? Twilight, is this pony just dense, or an asshole?"

"Hey! Twilight, what's this punk's deal?"

"Stop! Both of you!" Twilight tiredly ran a hoof down her face, "Filly, these ponies don't know what it was like in Mareitania, so you'll have to forgive them for not really understanding the situation. And Rainbow, I swear I'll explain as much as I can to all of you, just not right now. Just believe me when I say she is definitely a pegasus."

"Okay, but..." Rainbow drew the word out and pointed at Summer, "she's a pegasus and she still has her wings."

"Oh, that's because I was a sex slave, not a...uh...regular slave." Summer looked innocently at Octavia as the grey mare rapidly shook her head. "What? Was it something I said?" Summer asked, knowing full well what she said, and why she said it. The filly smirked on the other side of her.

"I beg your pardon?" Rarity said carefully, as her friends glanced uncomfortably at each other. "Did you just say you were a...sex...slave?"

"I was, yes, then these guys saved me."

"Oh. Good! That's good! By the way, it's lovely to see you again Fleur," Rarity said to unsubtly change the subject.

"Likewise Rarity."

"I can't help but notice you're sporting a rather grubby bandage though. You weren't injured were you?"

Fleur thought for a moment, then decided to show a little solidarity with Summer and the filly. "Actually I was captured and tortured by a pony named Pearl." She slid the bandage down her leg and showed them the pattern burnt onto her leg, "She cut off my horn, hammered hot nails into my hooves, and burnt this onto my leg."

"Oh my heavens!" As hard as it was for her, Rarity turned a little paler as she stared at the burns.

Pinkie swallowed nervously, "You didn't have anything bad happen to you, did you?" she asked Octavia.

"Not like that. I was mostly involved with helping the wounded-"

Pinkie perked up, "That's great!"

"And easing the passing of those too wounded to save." Octavia took a subtle step towards Fleur and the others. The ponies that understood.

Twilight clasped her hooves over her face, "For fuck sake."

"Twilight!" Fluttershy gasped, "Language!"

Twilight ignored her and went to talk to her comapanions, "I'm sorry about this. I'll try and talk to them, to make them understand. It's probably best if you head off for now."

"Yeah, alright," Fleur sighed as she slid the bandage back up her leg. "Sorry Twilight, that was wrong of us-"

"Fleur, stop. I think this is something we're all going to have to get used to." She pulled all of them into another hug, "Bye guys, and thank you so much for everything."

"Thank you for getting us through it," Octavia said back. They broke apart, and with lingering glances, went their separate ways, leaving Twilight with her Ponyville friends, with whom she wished to have some words.

"I thought Celestia told you all about Mareitania?"

Rarity nodded hesitantly, "Some things certainly, but she never told us about that poor pegasus being a... You know. Or about what happened to Fleur. Actually meeting ponies that have been through all those things Celestia told us about was shocking enough without those extra bits thrown in. I'm sorry if we were offensive Twilight, but you'd likely be the same if you hadn't been there too."

Twilight closed her eyes. She knew Rarity was probably right, and felt bad for being annoyed with them. "Okay, I get it, and I swear I'll explain as much to you as I can."

Spike clutched onto Twilight's leg, "Nothing like that happened to you, did it?"

Several dozen things flashed through Twilight's mind, and for a moment she felt the blade that killed her. She fought it off, and smiled as she nuzzled the top of Spike's head, "No, nothing like that," she answered, which wasn't technically a lie.

"I think all that's going to have to wait though," Applejack said with a half-smile. "We were asked to take you to the castle after meeting you here. Princess Cadence and your brother would've liked to meet you here, but she's due to pop, so we said we'd fetch you up to see her instead."

"Oh!" Twilight almost bounced with excitement, "I'd almost forgot!" She slung her saddlebags over her back, "Let's get going!" Twilight led the way, the smile on her face combatting the memories that had been running through her mind a moment ago. She almost jumped when Fluttershy talked to her.

"Twilight, are you really okay?"

This time Twilight was more prepared for the question, and snorted into laughter. "Fluttershy, that is the wrong question to ask, and a terrible question for me to answer."

"Oh. I'm Sorry."

"Don't be Fluttershy, don't be."

The filly strained her neck as she looked up at the large house in front of her, built from the same white stone as the rest of Canterlot. "Holy crap on a crutch... You really live here?"

"Yep," Fleur replied cheerfully.

"With your gay not-a-boyfriend?"

"That's right. Technically it's his house, but who cares about that." Fleur pushed the door open, not bothering to knock as she really didn't feel the need, and frankly the butler usually took his sweet time to answer it anyway. "Fancy! I'm home!"

"Fleur?" The great white form of Fancy trotted into view, and smiled broadly as he saw Fleur standing in the doorway. "Fleur!" He galloped up to her and swept her into an embrace, "Good heavens Fleur, you were gone so long! I've been so very worried about you." Then he looked down and saw the filly standing in the doorway, grinning up at him. "Fleur darling, you appear to have been followed by a vagrant of some kind."

"Actually, that's the filly. Or Swift Wings even. She's going to be living with us."

"She is?"

"Yes she is. I know this is a shock, and I promise I'll explain everything to you-"

"Including why you're wearing a bandage?"

"And that, but first you need to grab some bits."

"Why's that?"

"We're going out for ice-cream."

"We are?"

"Yes. Yes we are."

"Here we are," Octavia said to Summer as they trotted up to the modest, verging on small, house she shared with Vinyl. She stopped for a moment, happy to see it at last after so long, and wanting to be back here so bad. Then she walked up to the door and knocked. Then after waiting a while she knocked again, "Come on Vinyl, answer the bloody door."

"Are you sure this is the right place Octavia?" Summer asked as she peered in through the window. "I might not be a hundred percent on houses, but don't ponies usually keep stuff inside them?"

"What?" Octavia moved to where Summer was looking, and shielded her eyes with a hoof as she peered in through the window. As Summer had suggested, the room beyond was completely bare. "It's empty... Why is it empty? What in the world is going on here? Where's Vinyl? Where's all my stuff?!"

"Octavia! Octavia dear!" Octavia dropped back to all fours and looked towards the pony that was shouting her name. It was her neighbour, an elderly unicorn mare by the name of Spinel. Octavia had always found her to be a sweet old mare, but there were always issues where Spinel absolutely despised Vinyl with a passion, which was understandable in a way considering Vinyl's habits, and totally one sided as Vinyl was the kind of pony that liked everypony.

"Hello Miss Spinel," Octavia said in greeting as she covered the distance between them. "I don't suppose I could ask you why my house appears to be empty?"

"You can indeed. Vinyl moved out four... No, five months ago, taking all your stuff with her." Spinel lifted a letter up in her magic, "She asked me to give you this when you came back from your travels. Normally I would have refused to do anything she asked of me, but since it was for you I agreed."

"Thank you." Octavia took the letter in her hooves and read through it for a couple of sentences before bursting out in a loud expletive.

"Octavia! I don't expect such language from you!"

"Sorry Miss Spinel. Uh, thank you for giving this to me. I'll leave you in peace now." Octavia turned and walked away, and waited for her now former neighbour to close the door before speaking again. "I'm going to murder Vinyl."

"Why?" Wordlessly, Octavia passed Summer the letter.

To my dearest, bestest buddy in the world, Tavi.

You're not allowed to get mad because this totally isn't my fault. Not completely anyway. I know I said I could afford to keep our place in Canterlot, which I could have, if it totally wasn't for the horrible and entirely unforeseen situation where my decks got destroyed in a strange incident I don't really remember because I might have been a little drunk. Or a lot. I can only assume so because of how little I remember.

Anyway, I couldn't afford to get new decks and pay the rent, and I couldn't pay the rent for long if I couldn't work, so you see my dilemma here right? In the end I did the only thing I really could and brought new decks while looking for somewhere way cheaper to live. Turns out there's no such place in Canterlot, and I ended up finding us some sweet digs in Ponyville instead, at a fraction of the cost of our current place. (Old place? Whichever.) It's a totally rocking little town not far from Canterlot so we can still travel to work and stuff, and that new princess lives there too! Isn't that awesome? Even if her castle is a bit weird.

Sebastian is totally safe, as is your weirdly big collection of socks which I definitely didn't try on and get a little turned on by, so when you get back from where've you've gone, just ask Spinel to give you this lett So when you get this letter, head on down to Ponyville, ask somepony where to find me, and really, really don't be mad at me. Please?

Your bestest, most loving friend in the whole world, who doesn't deserve to get bucked across a room,

Vinyl.

"Who's Sebastian?" Summer asked once she finished reading the sloppily written letter.

"That's my cello."

"And the thing about the socks?"

Octavia's cheeks turned crimson as she blushed, "Never you mind."

"So what now?"

Octavia heaved a sigh, "Now we walk all the way back to the bloody train station."

"This is most irregular," the doctor in front of Trixie said as she paced back and forth along the length of his desk. "I hope you realise that, generally speaking, I don't usually receive medical reports written by the princesses themselves, and frankly some of the stuff she wrote is pretty fantastical."

"Are you calling Princess Celestia a liar?"

"No... Of course not, but dark magic? Fighting a war in this 'Mareitania,' and well, all of it."

Trixie stopped and turned to glare at the doctor, "I was under the impression that the civil war in Mareitania was actually fairly common knowledge in Equestria at this point. Have you been living under a rock for the last six months?"

The doctor bristled as Trixie's jibe, "Actually no, I haven't been living under a rock, and am fully aware of Mareitania and the civil war it's currently enduring-"

"Was enduring," Trixie corrected. "The war's over now."

"Very well, was enduring. It's just that I don't see how you, a pony from Equestria, came to be involved in it."

Trixie stopped pacing, "You mean that isn't in the report?" she asked, genuinely confused by that.

"It says it's classified for the protection of the identity of the other mares involved, except for you."

"Figures," Trixie sighed as she resumed her pacing. "Well if you want to know, I was part of a mission involving three others to overthrow the corrupt Duchy of Mareitania, which led to us starting said civil war."

"Which would account for your presence in Mareitania..." The doctor flipped through a few pages of the report, "And during this mission you fell into the use of dark magic after discovering your parents had been killed some years prior by the 'Duke' to send a message to other ponies wishing to escape the country."

Trixie's jaw went tight, "Yes."

"If you're an Equestrian, why were your parents in Mareitania?"

"I'm originally from Mareitania, but escaped with my aunt and her children when I was very little. My parents were captured."

"I see. So the discovery of the death of your parents was the catalyst in your use of dark magic?"

"Actually I made a deal with a witchdoctor, which almost ended up with me losing my soul, but the contract I'd signed was destroyed."

The doctor raised an eyebrow, "A witchdoctor... And what did you get out of this deal?"

"Power," Trixie stated. "It just happens that the power he promised me was dark magic, but apart from that, yes I fell into using it after I discovered my parents and infant siblings I had never met, or even knew existed before then, had been burnt alive as an example. I wanted revenge on the Duke, and the dark magic gave me the power I needed to get it."

The doctor flipped through a few more pages, then closed the file and sighed. "Forgive me Miss Lulamoon, but all of this sounds a little farfetched. I can accept you were part of a mission to Mareitania simply because it's Celestia that wrote your report, or one of her underlings at least. The rest of it however, sounds like the result of a mind unaccustomed to the stresses involved in what you were sent to do."

"So you're saying I didn't have my horn bitten off in a fight with my friend after I tried to convince her to kill me?" Trixie pointed at her horn, "I still have the fucking bite marks. I hate to say it doctor, but I'm not lying to you about any of this, and if I still had my horn I could show you my dark magic if that's what it took to convince you. Otherwise, if you refuse to believe me, give up now and find me a doctor that will."

"I shall do no such thing. It is clear you're suffering from delusions as a result of what happened during your time in Mareitania, and we must get to the root of what caused you to develop the use of dark magic, which I have to say is almost unheard of in itself. Perhaps if you told me what really happened to your parents we could find where these delusions began."

Trixie growled under her breath, "So in other words, you don't believe me. Why not?"

"Because Miss Lulamoon, the kind of things you're saying simply don't happen. Witchdoctors, dark bargains for power, terrible revenge sought for the death of your parents... You cannot really expect me to believe any of that is real."

"And here I thought coming here was supposed to help me..."

The happiness wore off. As her friends walked her to Canterlot castle to meet with her brother and Cadence, they chatted back and forth endlessly, almost like she'd never left. But she had left, and Twilight wished they'd acknowledge that fact and talk to her about it, because currently it felt like they were purposely avoiding the issue.

"And then Spike gave the scepter to Princess Ember," said Rarity as she recounted her's, Spike's, and Rainbow's adventure to the dragon lands. "It was so very noble of him."

Spike blushed, "Well, I had to. It wasn't like I actually wanted to be Dragonlord. I just wanted to stop that stupid Garble or one of his friends from ruling the dragons, because that would've been really, really bad for all of us. That and I'd have to leave you guys if I kept it."

"And that Ember was pretty awesome," said Rainbow, adding her own opinion to the story. "And no-one would mess with her because her dad was huge! Like size of a mountain huge."

"Don't exaggerate Rainbow," Rarity chided, making Rainbow roll her eyes. "Certainly he was large, but not the size of a mountain by a considerable amount. Maybe a small hillock, but that'd be it."

"Enough chit-chat!" Pinkie said suddenly, stopping them outside the doors to the throne room. "We're here, and that means it's time for Twilight to see Cadence!"

"Yes Pinkie, we know," Applejack said slowly. "It's why we're here."

"I just want to prepare Twilight for seeing Cadence, because she might not recognise her because she's so, y'know..." Pinkie held her hooves out, miming a large belly. "She's a bit bigger than when Twilight last saw her."

"Pinkie, I'm sure I can recognise Cadence just fine."

Pinkie pulled a face, "Alright then, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Twilight's horn lit up and she pushed the large doors open into the throne room, "You're being ridiculous," she said as she trotted up to the throne where her brother and Cadence were sat side by side. Her pace slowed as she saw just how large Cadence's pregnant belly was, "Oh wow... Pinkie wasn't joking. How many foals are you hiding in there Cadence?"

"Just the one apparently," Cadence replied with a smile. She waited as Twilight closed the distance between them, and pulled the smaller mare into an embrace. "It's so great to see you Twilight. We all missed you so much."

"And I missed all of you." Twilight released Cadence and pounced on her brother, hugging him around the neck, "Hi Shining!"

"Hey Twily! I'm so glad you're back."

"Glad to be back." Twilight released Shining and stepped back so she could see both him and Cadence together. "Ooh! I can't wait to meet the little one as well!"

Cadence smiled and held a hoof to her bump, "It won't be much longer Twilight; a couple of weeks at most. None too soon either as he, or she, kicks like a trooper."

"I bet." Twilight held a hoof to Cadence's stomach, hoping to feel a kick herself. She was smiling broadly, but it slowly died away, concerning those around her. "I promise you I will never ever let anything happen to your baby. Ever."

Cadence and Shining looked awkwardly at each other. "That's good to know," Cadence said slowly. She lifted Twilight's hoof off her stomach, and held it in her own. "I think Shining wants to have a private word with you," she said quietly.

"Okay, should we go somewhere else then?"

"No, you two stay here." Cadence smiled and looked up at Twilight's friends, "I don't suppose you five could come and give me a hoof while Twilight talks to her brother? I know you've organised a little something Pinkie, and I better start walking there now if I don't want to be late." Cadence winked at Twilight as she passed, and left her alone with Shining.

"What's wrong Shining?"

"How are you feeling Twilight? Really?"

"W-what do you mean?"

"You've just come back from a war Twilight. I've never even done that, and I'm the trained soldier here. I can't even begin to imagine the things you've seen- The things you've done. I know for a fact that you don't just come back from that and laugh and joke with your friends like it never happened. So tell me Twilight, how are you?"

"I-I'm fine, really. I-"

"You're a terrible liar Twilight, even when you aren't stammering. I know you Twily, and I know you don't just forget things." Shining placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder, "You don't have to hide it around me Twilight; I know this can't be easy for you."

Twilight's gaze dropped to the floor, "Shining, please," she said shakily, "I'm fine."

Shining wrapped his legs around Twilight and cradled her head against his chest, "I got you Twily, you're safe now."

"I- I- I-" Twilight tried to fight it, but here, held in the legs of her big brother, she couldn't. "It- It was-" Twilight gave in. Tears dripped down her face, and her chest heaved with sobs. She leant completely against Shining, her legs giving up on supporting her as raw emotion robbed them of all their strength. She didn't know long how they were there, and she didn't care as Shining held her and rocked her back and forth as she cried and cried until her throat was raw.

"I got Twily, I got you."

Celestia's horn served two purposes right now. Primarily it was lighting the way, which was useful for it's second purpose of carrying a small tray of food and water down to the cell where Faust was still imprisoned, and was likely to remain so as the mare ignored every attempt Celestia made to try and get through to her. Over a month of trying, and all Celestia had to show for it was the suspicions of ponies that wondered where she took the tray of food to every day.

"Hello mother," she said warily, neither expecting or getting a similar response. Faust had grown progressively colder towards her over the weeks, and Celestia couldn't really blame her as such, simply because if their situation was reversed she'd be sceptical of anypony that spoke honeyed words through the bars of the prison they insisted on keeping her in.

"How long has it been? How much longer do you insist on coming down here, haunting me like the ghost of Platinum herself?"

"You wish me to stop?"

"Yes." Celestia ignored it. It wasn't the first time Faust had said as much.

"You'd rather stay down here than listen to me? What is it about what I'm offering that terrifies you so much?"

"Betraying you, and your trust. I would though, no matter how terrible it made me feel. You can try and tell me how wonderful the world is, but there is nothing you can do to convince me you're right-"

"Because Platinum raised me."

"Yes. You sit on a throne built of lies Celestia, and while I should take no pleasure in destroying it, I would, and you wouldn't be able to stop me." Faust sighed, "You are still my daughter, but if you cannot see the truth, then I will force you to see it even if I have to fight you every step of the way.

"You're betraying me just by wanting to destroy all I care about, so why worry about that? Why not just pretend to be convinced just so I would release you?"

"Because it hurts me to think like that."

Celestia closed her eyes and nodded, "Then at the very least I can appreciate your honesty."

"I can tell no lies Celestia, just as I cannot bear them."

Celestia opened her eyes again, "So you think I'm lying?"

"The way you call me mother is a lie. You don't think of me as such, but you force yourself to say it because you think it'll please me; soften me towards you. It would too, if not for how disingenuous it is."

Celestia was quiet for a moment. Faust wasn't wrong about that, and the threats she made towards all that Celestia loved didn't exactly encourage her to say it and mean it. The number of times she'd been compared to Platinum alone was almost enough to sicken her into not saying it.

More and more Celestia was feeling like this was a waste of her effort, and her time left in which to try to convince Faust into giving the world a chance was growing less with each passing day. Celestia had to make a choice, but at this junction it wasn't a hard one to make. Truthfully, Faust had made it for her by refusing to even try to listen to her.

"You're right," said Celestia, "I don't mean it. I might in time as I got to know you, but you won't give up your crusade against the world. A crusade built on very poor reasons at that. You are a threat to everything I hold dear, and while you might not wish me harm, I cannot stand aside as you destroy everything around me. I'm sorry Faust, but you are giving me very little choice about what to do here."

Faust smiled a little, "That, at least, was honest. I will be free though Celestia. It's only a matter of time, and I have all the time in the world."

Celestia turned and walked away, feeling Faust's eyes on her until she was out of sight. She ascended the stairs, determination powering her actions as it always did in times like these. It wasn't nice being the pony that had to make the tough decisions, but she would, again and again if it meant the world was a safer place. Discord, Sombra, her own sister, and plenty of others had learnt that Celestia had few limits on how far she'd go to safeguard the world. Now Faust would learn too as she languished in her stony prison for even longer than she already had.

She stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to face the entrance. It was still obscured by Luna's illusion, but if Faust were to be fully contained, even that wasn't enough. Further steps would have to be taken.

She pointed her horn at the entrance, a soft golden glow surrounding it that belied the true power held within. At first nothing seemed to happen, but gradually the stone around the entrance started to shift and flow as it started to move towards the middle of the entrance like the slow growth of ice. Celestia kept pumping her magic into the spell, and after a few minutes almost nothing remained of the entrance to the lower cells, save for a small indentation in the now solid wall of stone.

Celestia wanted to say something, to maybe say she was sorry, but she wasn't going to lie to herself. Remaining silent, she left, a unspoken promise to return someday dying on her lips.

Author's Notes:

It's over! I'm free! *runs off into the distance totally butt naked* Seriously though, I know some authors do retrospectives and stuff, or even promises of redoing the earlier chapters to hide their amateurish nature, but frankly I have no time for that. I'm changing the story to complete, and leaving it at that. Until the much vaunted sequel anyway. Expect that to turn up in the next month or so once I catch up on a lot of the reading I've put off while writing this. And finish ME: Andromeda. Seriously, you can spend six hours achieving nothing on that game and still have fun. And 7.2 on Warcraft is out this week... So I'm going to be "busy" for a while. Gah.

Thanks for reading everyone, and hope to see you for the sequel. Love you guys and gals!