Twilight Sparkle sat on the hill.

She had a magnificent view of Equestria and everything that made it spectacular. She could see the small town that she had grown to love called Ponyville, the plains of Appleloosa, and even the royal city where she spent most of her life, Canterlot. Equestria was a place of magic and mystery and Twilight could only admire it all in awe.

How did she get here?

She didn’t know nor care. The view calmed her heart and soul; a feeling that was very foreign to the lavender mare these days. She didn’t feel angry nor hateful, and any dark thoughts that once had hold of her mind for so long were banished by the sheer beauty of the land.

Twilight looked up into the airborne sea of colors.

The sky was red with tinges of orange and yellow, and at the center of it all was Celestia’s sun. It didn’t hold that bright yellow it once had, but a burning blood red. The birds and pegasi seem to not mind as they casually flew through the air with not a care in the world.

Twilight watched with admiration as the sun began to set down, signaling the end of the day and welcoming the night.

But something was wrong.

The sun was setting down, but there was something appearing across the star of fire. They looked like cracks of some sort and more of them were appearing as it descended lower.

Consumed in fire...

Twilight’s eyes went large hearing a voice she once thought was gone forever. She looked around her lonely hill but no pony was present but her.

Cleansed by the ashes...

Twilight now held her head as she felt a small throbbing pain in her skull. This voice she held dear to her heart was tormenting her with riddles that she didn’t understand. She tried to speak, ask where this voice was coming from, but no audible sound came from her mouth.

Only when the twilight appears will she be redeemed...

Twilight now screamed her lungs out, but still, she was silent. She didn’t know what was happening. The feeling of calm and peace were leaving her and were replaced with sudden confusion.

Everything was beginning to set in; her once sedated mind was now running with questions. Now she was asking how she had gotten here and why she was hearing her deceased teacher’s voice. Why couldn’t she speak and why the sun was riddled with burning cracks, but no answers would come and what happened next threw her questions to the wind.

Some odd force made her look back at the setting sun, telling her that there was more to see. It disappeared from the horizon and gave way for the night; not this time though.

Twilight’s ears rang as they heard something far off into the horizon. It sounded like something had exploded. She looked off into the distance, her eyes searching frantically for the origination of the sound.

The Sun does not forgive...nor forgets the sins committed against it...

What Twilight saw was not something that some pony caused of some sort and she knew it was nothing of the natural. A tidal wave of flames appeared and headed for Equestria, spreading and consuming everything in it’s path. It spread over mountains and grassy terrains, reducing them to nothing but ash. Twilight could feel the scorching heat from it and it was nowhere near her.

Her eyes went to the small village of Ponyville as the flames came closer toward her beloved town. She could see the crowds of ponies that were gathered and their looks of confusion, oblivious to the burning death that was coming. Twilight tried to scream to them, trying to tell them to run, but still no sound came.

With no control, there is no salvation...

In a blink of an eye and to Twilight's horror, the flames swept across Ponyville. She heard screams; blood-curdling screams of searing pain. She could hear their pleas of help but none could save them, not even her. In seconds, there was nothing left but more ash. It was as if Ponyville never existed.

Tears ran down her face and she wailed in heart-aching pain, but this world would not hear her cries. This world that she had moments ago thought as beautiful was now burned and black, reeking of death. No matter how hard she cried, these flames would not stop and continued it’s destructive journey. Appleloosa burned and Canterlot disappeared in the fire, along with every soul that was caught within it. Like a plague of death, the fire swept over Equestria and left but scorched land, erasing every living thing and every sign of life.

Only when the twilight comes will it’s rage be calmed... and life itself be spared it’s wrath.

The flames consumed Equestria and the echoes of stallions, mares, and small foals screamed in her head. Her mouth was agape and tears poured from her eyes. They were all dead and nothing- not even a blade of grass- remained.

Except one.

None will be spared if it’s not stopped.

Twilight wanted to run but she was held in place like stone. Even if she could, where was there to run? Everything was ash and soon she would become one with it. Her heart raced and her body went cold, preparing herself for her imminent death. At long last the grip of death would finally have her; it’s ultimate prize.

So she waited in terror as the roaring flames came to claim her. She closed her eyes and waited to be taken from this world. The roar of fire came closer and closer, screaming into her ears, until it passed over her. Her fur instantly burned right off, revealing her bloody flesh. Her mane disintegrated and her face was torn away, revealing muscle and nerves... but not even this would last. She opened her eyes and silently screamed, but this would only make it worse. The flames penetrated her eyeballs, making them explode in her skull. The blood didn’t even have time to pour from her sockets and evaporated away from such searing heat. Finally, the muscle and nerves were burned away and only skeleton and organs were left. Her bones turned to dust along with her innards and just as quickly as it came, the flames consumed her and Twilight Sparkle was finally dead, nothing left to even tell she ever existed.

Equestria burned and not one soul remained. The sky was full of fiery remnants and meteors plummeted from the sky. Everything was lost, and only one voice remained as it said it’s final message.

This is the way the world ends... my faithful student.

Twilight ran the faucet, and filled her glass to the brim. She quickly brought the cup to her mouth and drank the liquid hastily. Sweat ran down her forehead and she was having difficulty keeping her breathing controlled. It was erratic and shallow; her heart pounded in her chest.

It was just a dream Twilight... just a dream... we’re all still here.

She repeated the sentence in her mind over and over but the image of Equestria burning was still there, imprinted on her brain. Dreams were just a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a pony’s mind during sleep. It wasn’t reality. She knew this but, yet, it seemed so real.

Was it the same dream again?

Twilight went over to the small dining table in the kitchen and sat her rump on the chair. Only one candle burned and lit the semi-dark room.

I don’t want to talk about it.

This was the fourth time this week that she had had this dream, though this one seemed much more real than the others. The past other times they were just vague images, like some type of slideshow and simply confusing. Never had she seen things so clearly, let alone hearing Celestia’s voice. It sounded hollow and sad, almost in despair, as if there was no hope left in her voice.

This was worse, wasn’t it Twilight?

I said I don’t want to talk about it. It was just a dream and that’s all.

If you talk about it then maybe you will feel-

I SAID I don’t want to talk about it.

Very well then.

Twilight didn’t mean to go off on... herself... but she really didn’t want to recall such confusing and horrific images. For a month she has let this entity simply known as the essence of magic have presence in her mind but still hadn’t gotten used to the fact that it was there and could hear her every thought. It’s not that she hated it or loathed it; it was actually pretty helpful at times but there were just times she really didn’t want to hear it. Regardless, it was the one who told her that bringing her friends back was possible and about the necklace that was the key to their liberation, Rebris.

Rebris...

Her hoof went up to her neck as she now thought about the dark trinket that now hung around it. She ran her hoof across the jagged black gem. How she hated this necklace, but she knew that was a lie. It wasn’t this gem that she hated, but the pony who used it for such a dark goal. A pony who killed her friends so long ago and made them suffer in ways never thought imaginable.

Princess Luna.

The mere thought of her name made Twilight’s blood boil. There was a time where she trusted Luna, even viewed her as maybe something more than just a princess, but a friend that cared for her. She was a fool then. Either way, Twilight now knew better than to surrender to her anger. If one thing she had accomplished over this month while hiding from the self-proclaimed ruler of Equestria, it was maintaining her anger and rage, but she still had her moments, just not as many... and not as destructive.

This is the way the world ends... my faithful student.

Twilight rubbed her temples, trying to push the sound of Celestia’s voice out of her head. Her voice was haunting her, repeating the same last sentence. Though her voice sounded much darker and filled with sorrow, the fact that she knew that it was Celestia’s made her heart ache. It reminded her that in reality, Celestia was dead.

No matter how much time passed or how bad she just wanted to simply forget about her, she couldn’t. How could she? Celestia had essentially raised her, taught her everything she knew. Nopony could forget one who had such a big part in one’s life.

Even if she could forget, there was one thing that she knew would stay with her in her mind forever.

She had witnessed Celestia’s final, painful, bloody moments. She saw the pain she was in; she felt her pain, and where was she? Lying in a hospital bed, safe and sound. It was because of her that Celestia was dead and no matter what Pinkie told her or her brother, that was something she would always carry with her.

The guilt of not being there for her teacher.

The regret of not being stronger.

The anger of not being able to kill Luna while she had the chance.

All of this she carried inside her heart, bound by the darkness she so wished to wreak upon the dark alicorn. She wanted her to suffer more than ever, wanted her blood sprayed across the walls, and her head ripped from her body.

Alas, this was all just a dark dream of hers and only until she had her friends back would she be able to have her revenge.

Twilight rubbed her eyes as they now began to burn. Exhaustion was beginning to sweep over her. The mare ripped herself away from all her reminiscing and heart-wrenching memories to focus on the sensations of fatigue. She looked over to the clock wondering how long she had been up now.

Two in the morning...

Only an hour had passed since she woke in a cold sweat. She really didn’t want to go back to sleep, fearing that the same dream would come back to haunt her, but she had another long day ahead of her. There was more research to be done on Rebris and she also had to get ready for Sweetie Belle’s birthday. Of course Pinkie would be in charge of that but Twilight wasn’t going to let her marefriend do all that work by herself, though Pinkie had insisted that she didn’t have to help. Her brother and Cadence would be taking Daisy Song for her checkup and Sweetie Belle would accompany them so they would have time to set up her surprise. Spike on the other hand would stay with them so he could also help, considering that he knew a lot about what his special somepony liked.

Twilight finally got up and pushed her chair in quietly, resolving that she needed to get back to sleep and not wanting to wake the other residents of the small apartment. She left the kitchen and entered the living room. It had it’s black couch with a small coffee table in the front of it. Pictures of Cadence and Shining adorned the walls along with their small foal, Daisy. She dragged herself until she made it to the stairs. She ascended them and made it to the narrow hallway that held sleeping ponies and a dragon.

Let me just check on them.

Twilight didn’t know if this was her being paranoid but anytime she got up in the middle of the night for a drink or some other reason, she would have this habit to check every room and make sure everyone was accounted for. Did she know why she did this? Not exactly, but inside she had this hidden fear of somepony going missing... or worse.

She went to the first door to her left and quietly opened it. Her number one assistant snored in his bed, drool coming down the side of his mouth but he had his arm over something. She entered the room to get a better look at what he held onto so tightly. There snuggled in his scaled chest was Sweetie Belle, also snoring the night away with a small smile on her face.

Twilight couldn’t help but a smile at such a heartwarming sight. How proud Rarity would have been to see Spike being so caring and loving of her sister. She pulled the blanket over both of them and kissed them both on the cheek. Call it a motherly instinct, but she had raised these two for most of their young lives and despite being a shell of what she used to be, she still maintained her love for the dragon and mare.

She left the room, leaving the two lovers to their dreams and proceeded to the next one on her right. She opened the door to see how her brother and wife were doing. She poked her head in and saw that they were both sound asleep with Daisy in the middle of them. Twilight couldn’t help but stare at the small foal and admire how innocent she looked. There was a time she thought the world and ponies were innocent and good at heart, but that was long ago. Anypony could be consumed and corrupted... just like herself. She turned away and left, gently closing the door behind and went to her room.

Opening the door and making her way to bed, she climbed in next to the pink mare that was sprawled out over the sheets. She gently laid herself next to her and laid her head on the pillow that awaited her.

Twilight...

She grimaced inside, hearing the return of her inner companion.

If it’s about the dream from earlier, I already said that I don’t want to talk about it.

No, you made yourself clear earlier. There was something I just wanted to say.

Twilight sighed softly. It was either going to be some lecture or self-righteous wisdom she was going to hear but she went ahead and let it speak.

Okay. Tell me.

You know none of this is your fault right?

Twilight’s heart stopped. She knew what it was referring to.

I never said any of this was my fault.

You don’t have to lie Twilight. You may not say it, but I can feel it in you. You blame yourself for Celestia’s death and putting everypony in jeopardy.

It was right. She did blame herself for all this.

I... I have to sleep.

The voice didn’t reply and left Twilight in silence. She turned over in her bed, now face to face with a sleeping Pinkie Pie. All of this was her fault and she knew it. She had already mused over this earlier but it was now really hitting her inside. If she would have just ended Luna, everything would be back to normal, she would have had her friends back by now, and they would all be truly happy once more.

Twilight scooted near Pinkie and wrapped her legs around her. Pinkie’s body was warm and the smell of candy and other sweets filled Twilight’s nostrils. Pinkie Pie stirred but didn’t wake.

Twilight closed her eyes and let sleep take her once more, in hopes that her dream would not come back to haunt her.


Deep down though, she knew her dreams would return along with her horrible vision...

It was just a matter of when.

Little did she know that the pony who slept by her was having a dream as well, a terrible, frightening dream. One that Pinkie would never dare tell her in the morning when they wake.

We’re going to have so much fun, aren’t we Pinkie Pie?

She trembled violently. She wasn’t cold or scared, but filled with excitement. She held the long, shining butcher knife in her hoof, trying to just keep her body still.

Are you ready to have the most super party ever?

Pinkie Pie nodded.

Four tables appeared before her and had bodies on top of them, covered with white sheets. They did not stir and lay idly, not moving an inch.

Go ahead... I know you want to.

Pinkie looked at the knife that she held. It seemed to glisten and tease her with it’s sharp tip. Thoughts of what this tool could pierce into clouded her mind, filling it with gruesome thought that nopony would even fathom.

Use it...

Pinkie Pie went over to the first table. She didn’t lift the sheet and obeyed the voice. This voice only wanted to help her have fun, and Pinkie always wanted to have fun. She was the very definition of fun!

So why not?

She lifted the knife, knowing what she had to do. It almost felt like second nature to her.

Do it.

She obeyed and thrust the blade into the body that lay under the sheet. She felt the blade pierce smoothly right into the bodies flesh, hearing it sink into the body. The sheet began to turn a dark red and her heart raced within her chest. It’s beautiful color spread until the sheet was no longer white, but drenched in blood.

Take it out. The fun is only beginning.

The pink mare pulled the knife out with a sick, slipping sound. She looked at the blade covered in dark blood, her eyes wide in admiration. It had such a mystical presence about it. Was this the very liquid that gave every pony life? Was it this precious fluid that she had an urge to touch and feel?

“What... what do I do now?”

Whatever you want to do with it. Ponies don’t appreciate our parties Pinkie... remember Luna? Remember how selfish she was, not letting us spill her blood? She hated our party...

Pinkie’s head began to throb and she heard a small laughter echo in her brain. She put her hoof up to her cranium.

You like it don’t you?

Pinkie held the blade closer to her face. She could smell the blood. It smelled of a metal but also sweet... like candy. Pinkie knew she shouldn’t be enjoying this, but something inside told her otherwise. It told her that she should be loving this, adoring it, relishing it.

What do you want to do with it Pinkie?

Pinkie Pie brought the knife even closer. She knew what she wanted to do. The burning desire in her stomach knew what she craved. The shaking mare stuck out her tongue and gently slid the knife across it, licking up the red fluid. The thick blood splashed around her mouth and covered her taste buds.

See how delicious the blood of others is? See how good you feel now?

Pinkie felt more than good. She was elated; exhilarated. She wanted more. The urge for blood grew stronger within her and she needed to not just taste it, but feel it all over her body. She wanted her fur now drenched in it.

“I... I … I want more,” she stuttered, keeping her bubbly, innocent tone of voice. In the back of her mind she knew this was sick but something kept her from caring.

Then get more...

Pinkie went back to the now blood soaked sheet, hiding the body that was underneath it. The fire that filled the bellows of her stomach was insatiable. She didn’t want to stab the body again. No, she couldn’t settle for just that when now she finally had a taste of such a beautiful sweet substance.

Pinkie needed it all. She needed to tear the body open and have all it’s blood drowning her. She put her hoof on the sheet and threw it off, revealing the body underneath, but it was not what she had expected.

She yelped and dropped the knife, staggering away from the body that now terrified her. Instantly she felt tears well up in her eyes and her sick thoughts and lust for blood disappeared.

The body that lay on the table before her threw her mind in shock and confusion, but mostly horrifying terror. What lay on the table, no longer concealed in the sheet, was herself.

Her body began to move and suddenly began to laugh maniacally. Pinkie continued backing away in horror. The other Pinkie began to get up, lifting herself from the table. Her eyes were a dark red, her pupils dilated, and her mane and tail was flat. Her coat was a dark shade of pink and blood spilled from the hole that Pinkie had stabbed into it earlier.

“What’s the matter Pinkie? Why do you look so afraid of me? I am you after all...”

Pinkie shook now with terrible fear, now realizing what she had just done and what she was facing.

Pinkamena Diane Pie.

“No... I’m not you!”

Pinkamena snickered as she began to walk toward to the frightened pink mare.

“Then why did you enjoy it Pinkie? Why did you enjoy seeing the blood come out of me?”
Pinkie had no answer. She didn’t know what came over her earlier. It was unexplainable. She simply just had a lust that was present within her that she didn’t even know about; a lust she didn’t want to have.

“No! I’m not that way! I’m not a monster like you! I don’t want to hurt ponies like you do!”

Pinkamena scoffed.

“I wanted to hurt Luna... I wanted her blood and we had the chance to do it! But you had to be a party pooper and stop me Pinkie! You know how mad that makes me?! It makes me super-duper, really mad!”

Pinkie cowered and covered her ears.

“I had to save Twilight... you were going to let her die...””

Pinkie suddenly felt a hoof lift by her neck, choking her.

“I don’t care about her! WE don’t care about her! Our fun is more important than some pony’s life! Don’t you understand?! I was the one who helped you all those years when you ran away and hid, and then you turn around like a big, fat meanie head and deny me my fun?!”

Pinkie gasped for air, flailing her forelegs around, trying to break free of Pinkamena’s grip.

“You can try to hide me away and forget about me but you can’t keep it up forever! When Twilight and the others find out what you really are, they will abandon you and fear you. You’ll be alone again... alone with me.”

Pinkie Pie dropped to the floor. She coughed and gasped, trying to regain her breath. Tears streamed from her cheeks and her heart broke.

“I... I care about Twilight...and the others... you're a liar...” Pinkie said though her gasps.

“You think you do, but I’m your only one, true friend. I love you for the sick and twisted pony you are. Twilight doesn't know what you truly are and will never accept you for it. You know this to be true and yet you say I’m a liar, liar pants on fire? Then why haven’t you told her how you got that necklace from Luna when WE fought her?”

Pinkie recalled her fight with Luna. She remembered how... insane she had become... even to the point of scaring Luna herself. She knew how had she gotten Rebris away from Luna and it wasn’t by sheer luck like she told Twilight, but because of Pinkamena.

“Leave me alone...go away...please,” Pinkie begged, closing her eyes and whimpering on the ground.

“I’m never going away Pinkie Pie. We’re in this party together and you and I are going to have a hell of a time.”

Pinkamena picked up the knife that Pinkie had dropped and ran her hoof across it.

“One hell of a time...” she repeated in her maniacal dark tone. She went over to Pinkie and stood over her with a hellish grin.

Pinkie Pie looked up to the towering shadow over her and saw the knife in Pinkamena’s hoof.

“No... Wait... you're going to kill me?” Pinkie whimpered, realizing what her other self planned to do.

Pinkamena grabbed her Pinkie’s bouncy mane and lifted her forcefully by it, making the pony yelp.

“Why would I kill my favorite pony? You and I are best friends Pinkie; I would never hurt my best friend. I just simply need to teach you how great blood is, and what better way than to show you your own?” she said with sarcasm but also a satisfied tone.

Before Pinkie could even mutter another word, Pinkamena slammed Pinkie’s head against the wall. Pinkie Pie yelled in pain as she felt warm blood run down her face. Pinkamena then pinned Pinkie, her back against the wall, and lodged the knife into her throat. Her blood began to spurt everywhere and she could hear herself choking and gurgling on her own blood. The world around her began to black out and her body was rapidly beginning to turn ice cold, but she wouldn’t die.

Not here.

Pinkamena had much more fun planned for her and she had a whole night to do it.

At least until Pinkie wakes up to only realize it was a dream...