Bean bit at the rope. Maybe he could chew their way out. He read that in a book, once. Bug wiggling only made it harder.

"Bug! Bug, hold still!" The dusty brown colt shouted as his brother's hind leg jabbed his back.

Bug sobbed, pulling against the ropes. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Bean bent his neck again, gnawing at the restraints. The heat sucked the energy right out of him, and it was steadily getting worse. Bean risked a glance over the edge of the pillar. His guts twisted at the sight of the magma. It was so... close. He hurriedly continued his work.

Bean groaned in stress to see that he was getting nowhere. All he succeeded in doing was getting the rope wet and getting scratchy bits of it in his teeth. Just as Bean relented, he felt a jerk as he was lifted into the air. The oxygen in his lungs left with a jolt.

Eyes watering, he looked up. The blue Pegasus from the beach was carrying the both of them.

"Don't worry, I gotcha!"

She whisked them away from the pillar, taking them back up to the ridge. Bug trembled from shock, and Bean only stared in awe. The rest of the ponies above cheered, shouting grace in joyous relief.

The mare allowed a minute smile to form on her face, before setting Bug and Bean down in front of their parents.

"Okay, you guys take care of the boys," The rainbow-maned Pegasus nodded at them. She turned to where a bright show of lights was being orchestrated. "I still gotta stop those two maniacs."

"Wait!" Bean's mom struggled in her chains. She looked at the Pegasus with silently begging eyes. "Thank you. Thank you so much, Dash." The Pegasus stood still, refusing to respond. "I love my babies, Rainbow Dash. I need them. Please. Please don't hurt Starswirl."

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at Firefly. "I'll do my best."

Firefly nodded, her eyes reddened from crying. "Thank you." As Rainbow turned to fly away, she spoke up again. "I know you don't want to believe it, but I love you, too."

Rainbow Dash said nothing, launching herself into the air towards the ongoing duel. Still laying at their parents' hooves, Bean squirmed in protest.

"I'm not a baby..."

~~~

Uncertainty. It was absurd. It was unjust. For centuries, Starswirl waited for this very moment. The moment he would be reborn into a body capable of things only recorded in the most ancient of textbooks.

And this pony- no, this abomination created the mere possibility of failure. The rainbow one had already retrieved his sacrifices while he was distracted.

"You idiotic creature!" Starswirl roared. "Do you realize what you're doing?"

Twilight panted, shielding herself from a nasty incendiary spell. "I'm stopping a power-hungry sorcerer from harming innocent ponies!"

Starswirl bared his teeth. "You foal! Only under my rule can ponykind thrive. Only under my leadership can we survive!"

"I get the feeling that somepony who would be willing to burn two children alive doesn't have Equestrians' best interests at heart." Twilight quipped.

Clover and Starswirl both advanced suddenly, simultaneously casting lasers at Twilight. Twilight was quick to form a shield; she was quite practiced at that. As the lights faded, Twilight saw that Clover had broken away, and was now galloping towards the trapped herd of ponies. Twilight called out in alarm.

"No you don't!"

Clover was tackled to the ground a second time. Rainbow Dash snorted, pounding her hooves on the floor in a challenging fashion. Twilight let out a small sigh of relief.

"How are you fighting me?" Starswirl spat in rage. "I have studied ancient techniques and forms beyond your comprehension!"

Twilight shrugged indifferently. "I have a bad habit of reading books that I shouldn't. And while you're not the pony I admired, I still spent my lifetime studying you, Starswirl the Bearded."

"Have you now? What an interesting concept."

The foal dashed forward at an amazing speed. Before Twilight could react, he touched his glowing horn to her chest. She gasped, losing all sense of feeling as the world faded to white.

~~~

What?

Starswirl paused, dazed by the rush of information. He had been expecting a list of things to expect when fighting this nuisance. Not... this.

I guess the first look wasn't enough, was it?

Starswirl spun around. In the dreamy whiteness, he was joined by the Alicorn.

Impossible. How can you possibly resist a mind-seizing spell?

I'm not. Not at all. In fact, I let you in, Starswirl. Welcome to my mind-scape.

Starswirl felt dizzied. All around him were the outlines of memories. How had she gone through so much, and still remained the victor? Yaks, Dragons, Griffins, tyrants, monsters, and so much more. He saw the Crystal Empire, the gates of Tartarus, the Royal Castle, a Changeling hive, and... Alicorns.  There were five Alicorns?!

How did you do all of this?

Look carefully, Starswirl. What do you notice?

Starswirl tried and tried and tried to see the answer. He did discover a trend; along with the young Alicorn, a small group of ponies consistently appeared in significant memories. The rainbow one was also heavily present. But what was their relevance?

I guess there's one thing the history books got right. You really don't know the magic of friendship.

...You're joking.

I am the Princess of Friendship, sir. I do not joke when friendship is on the line.

'Princess'? That must be how you discovered my study. I designed it so that only the Royal Alicorn Sisters could enter. But you... how?

I don't know how, or why. I just know that I am. It is my purpose to spread the magic of friendship. And that is why you will not succeed in hurting any of these ponies.

~~~

Starswirl gasped as he was forced back into reality. Friendship? Friendship conquered lethal foes, and united Equestria? It was an insult. A hoof-bite at all of his work.

The Alicorn looked at him expectantly, waiting for his next move. Behind her, Clover was pinned to the ground, receiving a knock to the back of her head for her struggling.

"You... you're trying to fool me! You have something up your sleeve."

Twilight shook her head. "I have absolutely nothing. Nothing but the faith that you will take a chance and do the right thing. What you're doing isn't just hurtful. It's wrong.

"You said that you want to help protect Equestria. And you tried to tear apart a family. End the lives of two innocent boys with just as much potential as anyone else. If you truly want to do Equestria a favor, then stop what you're doing.

"The magic in ponies has protected us time and time again. The love of family, the love of friends... and the love of the pony you want to spend the rest of your life with." Twilight detected Rainbow Dash leaning forward to hear through her peripherals. "Please. Let go of your fear, anger, and distrust. Even for the smallest of moments, I ask that you take my hoof in friendship."

~~~

Clover? The dusty old Unicorn wheezed. From the blanket of nothingness, a green mare trotted forward.

Yes?

Was I wrong, Clover? Have I spent all of these years for nothing? Planning for a threat that never existed?

I think... I think we were both wrong. I'm sorry, Starswirl. I waited so long, I forgot what I was waiting for. I let this become about power.

...Is it wrong for me to fear the end? For so long, I awaited my chance to be reborn. And just when I had a taste of what it felt like to live again, this happens. I don't want to let go.

You're scared? I'm terrified! Clover chuckled. ...It doesn't hurt.

Starswirl sighed deeply. Very well.

You know, all that mooey-gooey lala friendship stuff she was talking about actually kind of made sense. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.

Together?

Clover took Starswirl's hoof.

Together.

~~~

Starswirl blinked. The first thing that hit him was the pang of hunger. Then a blast of heat. He was sticky with sweat.

"Wha-?"

"Welcome back, Starswirl." Twilight gave a rueful smile. Starswirl shook his head.

"Is it over over?"

"Yes, Starswirl," Twilight laughed. "I think it's over over."