Evening fell over Canterlot, as a certain princess paced around the royal throne room, her colorful mane flowing violently, less vibrant than usual. Her usually charming smile had been replaced with a look of burden and concern. All of the sudden, a sealed envelope appeared in front of the throne. She galloped to it quickly and opened it.

She read the first few words, then frowned and threw it to the ground. Her letter had been returned to her for the third time. “Why isn’t Twilight receiving my messages?” She said agitated. Had she not been princess of Equestria, she would have flown down to Ponyville and confronted Twilight Sparkle face to face. But her kingdom needed her here. She felt helplessly imprisoned in the castle, waiting for word from her most trusted pupil.

Princess Luna then walked into the room, looking disheveled after her sleep. She walked up the red carpet and to her sister.

“Good evening sister. Did you not sleep well?” Princess Celestia asked, turning to her sister.

“I did not.” She answered, raising her head wearily. “Throughout the night I felt that something was wrong. I just felt…empty.”

“I have as well, sister.”

The two walked down the steps side-by-side, looking grimly at the dimming sky. Luna turned to one of the stain glass windows featuring six ponies vanquishing the spirit of chaos. She stopped and quietly asked, “What is happening sister?”

The two walked over to the window and stared into the colorful glass solemnly. Celestia stared at the figure of Twilight Sparkle for a moment. She looked down to her sister and said, “I don’t know Luna… I don’t know.”

The two stood silently for some time, waiting for the other to say something.
Suddenly they both felt the backlash of a nearby spell. Turning back to the throne, they witnessed an ethereal gate open to a familiar scene; Ponyville’s library, but an unfamiliar face. As the strange pony stepped through the portal he flexed his powerful wings, horn glinting in the dying rays of the sun. He strode closer to the two princesses, a grim smile resting upon his face.

Luna cowered behind her sister, who took a defensive stance. Celestia glared at the dark gray figure and commanded, “Who are you? Speak intruder!”

“Do you like them?” he asked, showing off his recent additions. “We just got them. And these are merely the beginning.” He smirked.

“I said, who are you?” Celestia demanded, stomping her hoof down.

“What? Dear Celestia, don’t you recognize us?”

“Should I?”

“We would hope so. Of course, our appearance has changed since we last met. You were much angrier then. And much more violent.”

“Enough games, tell us who you are!”

“My my, aren’t we impatient? Very well then. If you are so against conversation, then we’ll tell you. Our name is Devil-Ish.”

“That doesn’t ring any bells.”

“Then you may remember me as Doubt.”

A look of horror crossed the younger one’s face, while the elder’s horn grew all the brighter.

“Ah, so now you remember me. The spirit you banished into an eternity of nothingness! To forever wonder the barren realm of the spirit world! Did you think I wouldn’t take it personally!?”

“Luna, run.” Celestia growled. “I won’t let him hurt you again.”

“B-but sister-“

“Go already!” She yelled. “I’ve killed him once, I can do it again.”

Scrambling to her hooves, Luna bolted out the door.

“A futile gesture.”

“You shouldn’t have come back Doubt. You’ll find I’ve become much stronger in the time you’ve been banished.”

“Don’t think you’re the only one who’s been growing. It’s that kind of attitude that almost got Luna killed last time.”

“A mistake I don’t intend to make again.” Celestia moved back to the red carpet, lining herself up with the stallion. The magnificent white mare looked into his bright yellow eyes and said, “So tell me, Devil-Ish, just how did you cheat death?”

He scoffed for a moment. Sitting on the princess’s throne, he smirked and said, “We couldn’t have done it without a particular pony. One by the name of… Twilight Sparkle.”

Celestia’s breath caught in her throat at the mention of her favorite student. Her eyes widened in shock, then glared in rage. “If you’ve done anything to her…”

“Then what? You’ll kill us again?” Devil-Ish grinned menacingly. “While we’re on the subject, her potential was quite… delicious.”

“I’LL SEND YOU BACK TO OBLIVION, YOU MONSTER.” Her divine fury suddenly boiled over. Her powerful roar shattered the stain glass windows all about the throne room. Her horn glowed even brighter with the magic of many millenniums manifesting maliciously in the mare. The sun outside grew in brightness with its master and she prepared to strike.

Her mane turned to Technicolor flames as she wildly charged at the fiend. Unfazed, he teleported behind his attacker, who turned mid-charge to face him again. She scowled at him, not taking her eyes off of the stallion. A golden aura enveloped the royal throne before flying towards the intruder.

“Let us see how well these work.” He said, taking to the air. The seat smashed into a wall, splintering below the dark alicorn. Devil-Ish’s horn glowed a neon red and he unleashed a spiraling stream of crimson flame towards the goddess. She quickly opened her wings and ascended to his level, the fire barely singeing her hooves.

As their aerial maneuvers grew in complexity and their blows in strength, the throne room looked less like itself with each passing moment. The sorrow portrayed on Celestia’s face and the rage contained in each attack had not been seen by any mortal pony for eons. The confident, almost joyous look on her aggressor, however, was constant despite their increasingly heated exchanges.

Eventually, the roof couldn’t stand up to their attacks, and a powerful buck brought it down. Celestia protected herself with a magic blast upwards, while Devil-Ish teleported himself outside.

Glancing backwards, he barely had enough time to throw up a shield between him and the concentrated rays of the sun, but didn’t react quickly enough to prevent the flying tackle. As they tumbled through the air, each trying to gore the other with their horn or shatter bones with their hooves, the ground quickly approached them. Gaining a momentary advantage, Celestia threw her opponent to the earth, herself remaining airborne.

Although the landing would have killed any mortal pony, the impact only left him dazed. Celestia attempted to finish him off with a crushing stomp to the head. He quickly regained himself and recovered, transporting himself near one of Canterlot’s many towers. Collecting his strength, he tore the tower from its base, directing its point towards Celestia, and released it with a mighty toss.

The Princess, noticing the attack, barely had enough time to charge a solar beam. Before being crushed under the tower, she fired an immense beam and obliterated the structure. Taking flight, she powered through the falling debris in pursuit. Dodging between towers, their furious ethereal volleys rained down upon an unsuspecting Canterlot.

Celestia continued after Devil-Ish, weaving in and out of the towers. The white alicorn suddenly stopped and gasped in horror at the destruction the battle was causing to the city below. Noting her concern, Devil-Ish formed a wicked smile. “Go on ‘princess’.” He called in a mocking tone. “Protect your ponies!” He laughed maniacally, raining blast after blast of fire upon the horrified city.

Celestia gathered all of her magic and teleported to the ground. Calling upon the quickly fading rays of the sun, she threw up a magic barrier to protect her citizens. The fireballs collided with the shield, spouting flames in all directions and crackling wildly. Finally, the volley ceased, and she collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, as the townsfolk began cheering.

The victory was short lived and the cheering came to a dead stop as the gray stallion came crashing to the ground. He clopplauded sarcastically and chuckled, “Well done Celestia. You’ve managed a little compassion.”

Celestia angrily looked up. “Stop it Doubt! This battle is between you and me. Leave them out of it!”

“Oh but Celestia, that’s no fun at all.” As he approached the exhausted princess, surrounding ponies backed away and cowered from the menacing foe. He kneeled down to her level and let out a low cackle. “What’s the matter princess? Unfamiliar with old magic?”

Celestia glared into his eyes and leapt at the brute pinning him to the ground. “I won’t let you win!” She shouted, holding him down with all of her strength. Her horn glowed brighter and brighter until the two disappeared with an explosive flash.

The two appeared in Whitetail Woods, Celestia still overpowering Devil-Ish. Before he had time to react, she levitated him off the ground and delivered an airborne kick to his stomach. Devil-Ish flew through the air knocking over several full-grown trees before hitting the ground and skidding to a painful stop. Before he could even blink, he was levitated yet again and thrown high into the air.

“You’ll wish you never came back!” Celestia called out just above her opponent, bringing a hind leg down upon his head and sending him spiraling to the ground.

The pillar of smoke and dust cleared to reveal Devil-Ish standing with a broken left leg and a bloodied face. Yet in his wounded state, he mustered a small smile. “What gives you strength Celestia?” he echoed in his two-toned voice. The princess remained silent and still in midair. Devil-Ish winced in pain and continued. “Is it your will to retain your position of power? Or perhaps it’s your desire to prove you are stronger than all who oppose you?”

Princess Celestia’s stare intensified. “My strength comes from my little ponies. I fight to protect them!”

“Yet you couldn’t protect them from your sister’s jealousy. Or the reign of chaos. And you can’t protect them from our rage.”

“Your tricks won’t work on me Doubt.”

“You’re right. It’s been fun, but we’re done playing games. It’s time you learned how it feels to die!”