Pony POV Series Season Three: Butterflies

by Alex Warlorn

First published 16th of July, 2012

Discord beaten. Reality restored. But invisible wounds must heal too. Time for butterflies to fly.

Discord beaten. Reality restored. But invisible wounds must heal too. Time for butterflies to spread their wings. Dying is easy. Living the real challenge. After the dust settles it's time to LIVE.

Season three of the Pony POV Series is here on FIM.

Take a look at the citizens of Ponyville one by one as their decisions effect not only themselves, but each other.

Laughter, tears, smiles, actions, adventure, frights, darkness and light and heart-warmings ALL await you!

The Audio adaption Is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GqJMx6kYyU&list=PLABD0AEFCD46D56DA&feature=plcp
ORIGINAL fan-art, ORIGINAL fan-music and VOICE ACTORS galore await!

I promise this will be one ride that will not disappoint.

Recursive fanart and fan stories are here. http://alexwarlorn.deviantart.com/journal/MLP-FiM-Pony-POV-Series-Fanworks-audio-adaption-274110361 Many are rubber stamped by me as optional canon stories that reveal some of other sides of these stories.

Tropes page found here. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanFic/PonyPOVSeries

Pony POV Series Episode 24: "Bolts Of Wonder"

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic
Pony POV Series Side Stories Nights 'Bolts of Wonder'

Why was I even bothering coming at night? I was a lot less likely to disturb her if I came during the day. And it wasn't like anypony was going to recognize me out of my flight suit anyway. Nopony ever did.

It could be a hippogriff under that costume and no pony would know the difference. I was as interchangeable as anypony else in the group. Some of the casual fans were actually confused about how big the group is.

Well let me settle that right now for you. There is no 'fixed' number of Wonderbolts as a lot of the uninitiated think. The group's numbers decrease and increase as old members retire and new blood is pumped in to take their place.

None but my, pst, our true die hard fans bothered to learn what some of us excelled at and fell short of. After all, underneath the flight suit, I, we could be anypony. How many actually cared that Fleetfoot was the quickest? Well, some betting ponies I'm sure, but those sitting in the stands watching us perform? You think they care what my name is?

Rapidfire had me and Soarin' be the ones to attend the main Gala after the show because he said we were the most photogenic. Of course no one said 'Soarin' and Spitfire' are here, it was 'The Wonderbolts' are here. Even though over half of us were missing outside of the VIP lounge. Like we were part of a collective.

Oh don't get me wrong. I LOVE to fly, and I take pride that I've managed to get this far and I've kept my place not because of relatives like the tabloids said once before they flirted onto somepony else. I'm a 'Bolt because I AM that good! Because I move like lightning and I can turn on a bit! The crowd cheers because me and my team understand and trust each other; we've each worked long and hard to pull off the stunts we do! It's a privilege paid in coats of drenched sweat and sore wings. Being a Wonderbolt is an -honor-!

These thoughts give me strength as I raise my head high, flying a lot slower than I normally do, without a trail of thunder clouds behind me. I fly over Ponyville but I don't land, the village isn't my precise destination.

Maybe why I came at night wasn't about Ponyville, it was about the rest of the crew. I have a family just like everypony else, but being part of the 'single greatest' kingdom-wide famous flight team didn't leave much time for loved ones, so your teammates became your family or you could let yourself die a little inside instead. And I didn't want to explain to the others why I was making this visit. In particular when management suggested we lay low for a while in this neck of the woods until the dust settled.

Soarin' -simple, polite, direct stallion he is- would tell me to just roll with it and let it go. I wouldn't blame him. As long as he could fly, and eat what he felt like he was happy, he didn't care what other ponies thought of him.

Rapidfire would tell me I was being emo and I'd get over it, and I wouldn't be -that- upset with him. Some bonds are thicker than rainbows.

Fleetfoot and the rest would sympathize, but think the pony I was going to was a bad choice. It'd be a rational objection. Why go to a pony you've met exactly twice in your life? Okay, a pony that saved your flanks from certain death, but still somepony you met only twice, only one which I started out conscious.

And the second time you couldn't speak to her for three minutes without being pulled away by one of the dozens and dozens of other ponies who wanted to have their photo taken with you or catch a few precious seconds of your time whether she was your personal invite for the 'Bolts' lounge or not.

But while I had a place in the Wonderbolt's hall of fame, she had still achieved something I hadn't. And she was the only pony I could ask my question to.

Dang. Ponyville must have some really good or really cheap construction ponies. You can barely tell which buildings were ruined when ... when ... when it happened. Though given all the disasters that have hit this place in the past year or so, the construction ponies are probably really experienced at rebuilding the place.

Now that I think about it, I remember reading something about Canterlot giving Ponyville a rather large loan with very forgiving interest fees to recover from the recent . . . incident.

Some relatively nearby towns like Trottingham and Hoofington were actually complaining about the 'hick-town next to the forest of death' getting special treatment. And were asking if they needed to have a dragon storm through and ruin their main street before Canterlot started throwing bits at them too like they were going out of season.

The tabloids said Prince Blueblood actually fainted at the news he'd have to cut down on his milk baths this month (providing himself with a nearby couch first, duh).

The identity and fate of the dragon that had trampled Ponyville was a total unknown. By the time I was out of that giant watering can it'd shoved us in, it was already gone. We had all silently agreed to beat wings rather than stick around to ask questions.

Princess Celestia's only official announcement on a dragon ravaging a town so close to the capital was 'the matter has been resolved, there is no danger of future related dragon attacks.' What The Princess says goes, but of course this didn't pacify ponies who wanted a better answer. All she let slip was the Elements of Harmony had taken care of the dragon the same way they had another dragon last year. Given those girls have saved Equestria twice, that satisfied some ponies, but I didn't like being fed an incomplete story.

I wondered if I should ask who I was visiting for details about the short but intense fight that could have gotten me and two of my teammates killed but was told nothing about later. But it wasn't really the purpose of my visit. Still, it didn't stop me from feeling incredulous.

I did a perfect four point landing on the cloud house's front yard. I knocked on the front door as well as you could with clouds. Sure, arriving unannounced is generally considered rude for ponies you aren't personal friends with, but given who the inhabitant was, I knew she wasn't going to mind.

++++

When I first brought home Tank, Scoots looked at me like I had blown a fuse. To be honest, I'd probably have reacted the exact same way if you'd told me when the pet search started I'd be going home with a slow tortoise. "So let me get this straight. You turned down the chance to have a super-cool falcon for a pet and you went for a non-teenage non-mutant non-ninja turtle instead?"

"Tortoise Scoots."

"Whatever."

"Look short stuff. Tank -saved my life-. I could have been eel chow if not for him. Out of all those pets, he was the only one loyal enough, even after I kept rejecting 'em, to stop and -help- me."

That gave'er some good stuff for her brain to chew on.

"Er," She knelt down in front of Tank. "Thanks for saving the coolest, greatest pony in the universe Tank."

Tank just nodded politely. Then he went inside his shell and took out a daisy for Scoots. Where does he keep that junk? Meh, likely the same place Earth ponies keep their bits.

Scoots blushed a little when she took the peace offering. But look at me with a renewed sense of confusion.

"But why didn't you let me be there? I could have taken part." She asked like I had denied her a chance to get her cutie mark. Personally I was beginning to think those blank flanks -were- their cutie marks and they just hadn't noticed.

I looked her in the eyes, "Because you're NOT a pet Scoots! You're Scootaloo and . . . and you're with me." I gave her a small hug, she returned it, then Tank joined in.

Now it had been a long day, using my day off to visit Cloudsdale. I had asked around, being as careful with my questions I could. I wasn't all that good at this. I should have asked Twilight or Rarity, or even Flutters, but I didn't want to make Scoots' life more complicated than it had to be.

So far, I hadn't found any leads yet on Scoots' folks. No sign of 'em at all. Part of me was beginning to worry I'd never find them. At the back of my head, a tiny part that hadn't been there a month ago was more worried that I -would- find them! And that was the real reason I hadn't asked the others for help. Yeah, I was being selfish, what else is new?

On top of that, what if they turned out to be jerks or something? I definitely don't want them to make Scoots' life miserable and it be my fault if they did. Or worse, they turned out to be perfectly good and well off ponies who were now capable of taking care of and raising Scootaloo a lot better than a mare like me and were now able to take back their foal.

I hadn't told Scoots what I was up to. If I could, it would be a surprise, if I couldn't, I didn't want to crush'er little heart.

Dangit! When did I get so soft? First I act nice towards some bugs that turn out to be one of the ten pony plagues in disguise, then I bring a foal under my wings, followed by adopting Tank because he was as dauntless as me (Twilight strapped me a chair and forced me to learn what the word meant). And now I was getting worried about the orange little bundle of responsibility being taken off my hoofs? Geeze.

Scootaloo was already in bed, and Tank was fast asleep. I was happy the two were getting along, or at least respecting each other's personal space. Though Tank of course wasn't one to mind one way or the other. I hope sleeping with that helicopter thing isn't too uncomfortable. It's not that I don't trust Twilight and Trixie's cloud walking spell, I just don't feel like risking it, even if two Elements Of Magic cast it.

I was going over weather plans for tomorrow when there was a 'knock' on my door. My neurotic little brain quickly imagining up a pair of pegasi waiting outside for the return of their foal, the fantasy quickly expanding into them being perfectly well off and in no need for their foal being taken care of now, and then jumping it another trot with them being secretly gangsters I'd rescue Scoots from and win guardianship over in a custody battle where Twilight would dig up evidence and Pinkie would delay the verdict with her antics and- the door 'knocked' again.

Or I could just answer the door.

I opened the door a tiny crack, and nearly fainted on the soft plush clouds. Okay. Check please. I HAD to be dreaming! I was sure I had had this dream before too! Except she was always wearing her flight suit and had one for me in her hooves.

I stared like a zombie for several seconds making a fool out of myself before I finally broke. "Omagodomagodomagod! S-s-s-s-s-s-Spitefire! I mean Spitfire! COME IN! COME IN! I mean if you want to come in! That is! OH MAN! OH MAN! Did you dye your mane? Where's everypony else? I mean, not that I'm not happy to see YOU of course! You're my favorite Wonderbolt! Okay -a- favorite Wonderbolt, but still a favorite! Er! That came out wrong! Whatcha here for! UGH! What can I do for you!" I nearly laid myself on the floor in front of her.

"Hey Dash." Said the naked Wonderbolt. Naked! She's naked! Oh man! Wait. Ponies are normally naked. Never mind, that didn't come out right. "Can I come in?"

"YES YES YES YES YES!" I said in my best Twilight Sparkle impersonation. "Uhhhh . . . yep. Come in right in."

+++

Not that bad a place. Only a little more messy than I figured it would be. Rainbow turned out to be not that bad a host once she stopped tripping over her own hooves at having one of her idols in her own home without any time to clean up or tell all her friends.

To Rainbow's credit, she somehow managed to get through the whole thing without asking me to sign anything and only made me sit through narrations of two of her own personally designed stunt maneuvers and prodding me for pointers that I halfheartedly gave. I was a flier not an instructor, any advice I gave Rainbow besides the basics was likely to screw her up. Still, at least she actually knew my name and could recognize me without a stunt suit on.

I graciously accepted a drink of something that made my insides turn, but I managed to keep it down. Having my host go catatonic from me giving her even the slightest criticism wouldn't be good.

Finally, the winner of Year's Best Young Flier calmed down enough to actually think to ask me what I was doing there.

"I actually came here to ask a question, Rainbow. It's, kinda personal, and you're the only pony I can really ask and feel comfortable asking."

I saw the gears turn in her head in all the wrong directions even if I couldn't tell -where- they were going! My fellow pegasus turned purple with blush. "Erm . . . okay. Is this, the sort of thing I should prep myself for . . . or . . ."

"Rainbow. please." I asked lowly and almost pleadingly, almost. I could understand a bit. Having your idol give you a heart to heart wasn't exactly something most ponies got on a daily basis.

"Uh. Alright. Ask away." She said. I guess she wasn't used to the idea of her idol being a flesh and blood pony. Considering she's a hardcore enough fan to know who I am without my flight suit, I can understand that a bit too.

I take a deep breath, and drop the bombshell. "Rainbow, what's it like to be a hero?"

She drops the cup she was holding in her hooves, and unlike the clown she was acting like at the Gala she didn't grab it at the last moment and lift it up for all to see. This one just hits the floor and saturates the clouds. She looked at me like I've said day is night and night is day. "S-Spitfire, you ARE a hero!"

I sigh, I let my defenses drop, no teammates here, no cameras, no manager. It feels good to take off the mask once in a while you know? A lot like those flight suits. I wouldn't want to perform half of those stunts without'em, but they're still a nag to get into and get stuffy at ground level. "No, Rainbow, I'm a sports star, I get my face on cereal boxes."

Rainbow held her head. I could see this wasn't where she thought this chat was going to go. "Ah man. Spitfire." She looked at me, pleading to take back what I just said. "Come on. Stop jokin'. You're a Wonderbolt! Of course you're a hero! There's no way you -can't- be a hero!"

I narrow my eyes ever so slightly at her. You know, I hate doing this just a little bit. I really do. But I've already set my flight path and there's no returning to base.

"Do you know what we all did when Discord ravaged Equestria, Rainbow? Soarin' was turned into a helpless Earth pony and had to run away from flying pies trying to eat him! Fleetfoot was made the laziest pony this side of a bag of nachos. Rapidfire was ranting how we were all holding him back and wanted to fly solo as THE Wonderbolt. Me? I was crashing into every wall and trees like a retarded foal with crippled wings with what I THOUGHT was the 'Bolts, my parents, and my first grade flight instructor, laughing at me saying I made a better flying clown act. And the rest of us were too busy licking ourselves or sucking on our hooves in Cloudsdale to care!"

I saw her look downright sick at the last one. And . . . guilty?

"Look it's not your fault, it's not like you caused it to happen. I was thinking about this a lot anyway. Though Fleetfoot kept telling me I got off easy. She kept saying Discord just tortured me. Discord VIOLATED her mind, she said. We ... argued a lot about that. I'd never seen Fleetfoot cry before when she explained what it was like. Rapidfire crawled into his bed and wouldn't come out for days after he was told us after he was grayed out. None of us was able to do a mooned thing to help Rainbow! Not a thing!"

She stared silently at me. I hope I haven't ruined her. This was a pony with dreams bigger than mine had ever been, I didn't want to see them vanish.

"C-Come on Spitfire! Don't be like that! You can't handle a spirit of chaos. But-but-" I had really knocked her off balance. The pegasus I met at the Gala and 'Free Day Hanging Out With The Wonderbolts' winner' would have mentioned that she -had- dealt with the 'spirit of chaos' and that somehow made her a good stunt flier. "But you guys HAVE done heroic stuff!"

"Like what?" I asked flatly. "Getting knocked out by the pony we were trying to save? And having to have my flank saved by a newbie? I'm just happy everyone was more interested in you becoming a living legend in the blink of an eye than laughing at one of Equestria's legendary fliers trying to save someone and then NEEDING to be saved!

When Princess Gaia's army of . . . things attacked Cloudsdale: me, Soarin', and this kid were among the few pegasi who knew how to fight who weren't turned into foals hard and fast. We managed to take down a dragon, Rainbow! A dragon! Or at least Princess Gaia's imitation of one. Then a whole flight of them showed up. And soon enough me and little Soarin' were playing flight tag while that kid went to check on his girlfriend back in Ponyville."

Rainbow head lowered in surprise, shock, a strange look of realization, then shame and lowered her head.

"But, we still took down a dragon. And Cloudsdale always wants heroes. After all, our history is built on them! Heroics is what pegasi are supposed to be best at besides flying! Pegasus, the first one, no one's ever forgotten him. . . . So, the papers did what they do best and exaggerated things into an action story. And so Ponyville and some other towns got the idea of us becoming a quick response team for trouble. Not a bad idea really, we're fast, we're coordinated, and we know what we're getting into.

"Then we came here. To YOUR new home away from home. Trying to save the SAME PONY we couldn't save before! You know, I felt a little excited inside when I saw who that dragon had? I thought 'time to make up for last time' . . . and we ended up sidelined like bugs in a jar! In the dark. No way out. No idea how long the air would last or if that dragon was going to finish us off. No idea if anyone would come and save -US- again and . . ." I shuddered. I don't like closed in spaces. Not many pegasi do.

"The point is Dash . . . I love being a stunt flier, the thrill, the challenge, the cheering, all of it. But those ponies in the bleachers? I'm MORE than that to them! I'm buckin' SuperStallion! There's supposed to be nothing I can't do. No, there's nothing the WONDERBOLTS can't do! And what happens? Every time we actually try to do something useful besides making ponies clap we fail, miserably. So tell me again, how am I a hero?"

She looked at me, she's cornered, she's trapped, she looks scared. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. She gritted her teeth but her ears and wings were wilted. She says nothing.

I breath in deep, then I breath out. "So Rainbow Dash. What's it like to be a hero?"

+++

I think back to Mare Do Well. I think back how I revved up the crowd to cheer my name even louder after I saved the lives of a group of elderly ponies. I think back to the swelled head I got when the others finally put a pin in me. I still think there's nothing wrong with a hero declaring how great they are but, send it to the moon, AJ was right! I -was- going to get somepony killed with all the posing I was doing before getting to the rescuing!

I had a fan club, merchandise, autograph signings, I had Spike ghost-writing my autobiography. I had it all. Yep, I was a hero. Just like . . . just like I always imagined the Wonderbolts to be heroes.

And before all that I saved the world twice already and had two stain glass windows in Canterlot Castle with my friends, without a 'Elements of Harmony' coffee mug for sale in sight.

So yeah. Me. The clearest thinking pony in Equestria I'm not. I get it.

So what was being a hero then? It had felt so crystal clear before.

An orange pegasus filly flashed through my mind: hounding me like a shadow, worshiping the air I flew through, the only pony who thought I was as great as knew I was. And flapping a pair of small, underdevelopment wings, not giving up, not ever, determined to fly. Just wanting to join me in the air.

++++

I looked at Rainbow as she stared into space for over a minute. But I was patient when I needed to be.

Finally, she turned her head and was able to look me in the eyes. She gave a soft smirk. "You tell me."

I gritted my teeth. "Dash." I warned.

"You're, you guys, you're my inspiration!"

I startled at the truism. Or was it?

She let it all out with crossbows blazing. "You guys! All of you! Becoming one of you is the whole reason I've pushed myself to my absolute limits again and again until I met my friends! And I would have -never- been able to help them if you guys hadn't all inspired me! I love hearing ponies say how great I am, naw, I live for it! But that ain't what a hero is! Okay, give me a sec', I'm not used this part. And, it's a little hard to say. Here goes. Ahem. There's more than one type of hero in the world. We succeeded and kinda sorta sometimes fail at others, but what makes us heroes is that we -try- and that we inspire others to try too! That's what it means to be a hero. Uh, right?"

I wasn't sure what I felt. Angry that she retorted me? Hopeful she could give an answer? Insulted that she hadn't really addressed that I kept trying to help during disasters and kept just needing saving myself? Happy that she wanted to give me a light in the dark? Or just a headache from the verbal mishmash?

My conflict was showing because she was trying not to looked scared at me. After all, a word from me could seal or destroy her lifelong dream. Wouldn't be good if she got on my bad side.

"Rainbow Dash . . . you can be naive sometimes."

Rainbow Dash sighed. "Trust me. 'Naive' was me two months ago, a pony who saw things in easy black and white. There was the right choice and the wrong choice. Things changed."

I heard myself asking. "What happened?"

"Discord hurt you. He deflowered Fleetfoot. He -broke- me and my friends. There's nothing worse than seeing something you've taken and made a part of you and seeing it turned on its head. Finding out that when you're loyal to everyone, being loyal to anyone can hit a snag." RD's voice wasn't angry or defensive, if anything, she was sad.

I knew better than to prod. The same story across Equestria, the ponies Discord had left with scars that you couldn't see with your eyes.

And we just sat on the cloud coach in silence. No Elements of Harmony, no Wonderbolts, just a pair of pegasi in the night who both wanted their ideals back. Or that's what I wanted at least.

"Hey, Rainbow." My voice echoed a little.

"Yes?"

"Thanks. Maybe all I needed was an outsider to let it all out to. Nothing's changed. But maybe I can face it all a little bit better now. Thanks. I better get going before Rapidfire and Soarin' begin to wonder where I am. Thanks for letting me in at this silly time of night." I got up off the coach and began to trot toward the door. It was a it was going to be a dark flight back to Cloudsdale.

"Hey-hey! It was nothin'! I was awake anyway! Always a pleasure! Think nothing of it! You're welcome! Hey! Er! Spitfire?!"

I turned my head back towards her, "Yes?"

It was weird hearing anything but confidence from this pony's mouth. "Hey. You. Me. Let's be friends. Ya know. For reals? It would be blast!"

"Er, I don't exactly have time to hang out. Like ever. Get used to that if you want to be a star--oh who am I kidding, yes! Sure thing! Though I don't think we'll be exactly able to visit each other."

"Hey, it's alright . . . as long as friends stay loyal to each other, then it doesn't matter how long they're apart. As long as loyalty holds, it doesn't matter how taut the string's pulled."

Still naive. But, it was a good naive. There were some things in the world that should be believed in because they were worth believing in. "Sure thing Rainbow. And thanks."

I left the house and took off for home. Wasn't sure what I'd tell the others if they asked. I'd tell them I was taking a flight to clear my head, which was true enough. Maybe I just needed some more time to think things through.

++++

"Hey Dash . . . who was that?"

I turned to see Scootaloo holding a blanket made of clouds rubbing one eye. Even I have to admit, that was kind of cute.

I grinned ear to ear. "Oh. Just a friend who needed somepony to talk to. And it's way past time for little fillies to be in bed."

"Ah come on, I bet you stayed up late all the time." She moaned.

"You bet! Which is exactly why I'm not letting you do the same. Come on kiddo. Back to bed!"

~ FIN

Pony POV Series Episode 25: "Trixie's Last Hurdle"

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic
Healing Pony POV Series

It is about time you got around to interviewing the One and Only Trixie. Yes yes, I know I was in a catatonic state during your previous visits, but that didn't seem to deter you with others. My adoring fans wish to know what I have been up to. Overexposure? Moi? Of Trixie? That is an oxymoron! What was it like when the others actually had time to think about me being a . . . -second- Element of Magic? Well, of course they were naturally more interested in Fluttershy's not-so-imaginary friend inside her head, hard to believe I know. As talented a storyteller as I am, even I couldn't make something like that up. I would have had much more to say about a Cute-ceañera for a split personality created by the same spirit of chaos that had destroyed me, but I had my own problems.

Princess Celestia, in her infinite and infallible wisdom, chose to hold a celebration in honor of the good results of Fluttershy's attempt to crown herself another Princess of Equestria after being accidentally driven mad by the same personality she was insisting on holding a Cute-ceañera for!

Celestia also in her list of perfect decisions chose personally to have Trixie perform. In public. After I had been a laughingstock and catatonic for weeks. Having not even practiced my old routines, let alone having time to come up with new ones. On short notice. With none of my costumes or props.

I did what any rational and reasonable pony would do at such bountiful news from our perfect sun goddess. I emptied a bottle of sake and cups of salt and ... The One and Only Trixie does not really recall what happened.

++++

What?! You want to know what Trixie did while -drunk-?! Thorough aren't you? Okay fine. I suppose I can tell you. Just please don't tell her I told you. Please. just don't.

"And that is how I defeated twenty Ursa Majors In D Minor with my horns tied behind my back and my hoof shinning as brightly as Princess Luna's sun!" Declared Trixie with sloppy dramatic gestures, the fireworks sparking again.

"Oooh! Tell me again! Tell me again!" Pinkie Pie hopped up and down.

"Ha! The Only and One Trixie never repeats the same story thrice!" Trixie slurred.

"Oh. Okay. How about another?"

"Good idea." Trixie agreed as she took another swing of the sake, nearly falling backwards.

I still don't know where Trixie found all that sake or all that salt -or- the bits to pay for it.

Yes Trixie is still terrified of Ursas, but Pinkie helped her so she can now think about them while drunk without breaking down into a cowering wreck.

This was after we had all been formally introduced to Fluttercruel. It was rather awkward introducing ourselves to someone else using Fluttershy's body. She might not have -quite- been acting like the shameless bully Discord warped Fluttershy into, but I kept my eye open for water buckets.

Trixie on the other hoof had no comparison, and was more fixated on Fluttershy apparently having a co-inhabitant.

We were all tired after saving Equestria and Fluttershy from herself, so the impact of the Flutters, and that Fluttercruel was an Element of Kindness, had to take backstage to Everfree restoring itself and Princess Luna's sudden arrival and her doing something to Fluttershy, and us having evening dinner with Princess Celestia. Then the others got hit by the double whammy of Trixie having the same Element of Harmony as me. Well, Pinkie Pie apparently already knew. Don't ask me how she figured it out.

But before any of them had a chance to ask Trixie questions, let alone figure out that I had known 'all along', Celestia transported us all back to our homes and all of us had to reset our priorities with seeing our families safe after Fluttershy's, er, Princess Gaia, ugh, Nightmare Whisper's rampage.

We barely got a chance to collect our wits the next morning when everypony was acting like themselves again, but nearly everypony in Ponyville was calling Fluttershy 'Princess Gaia' with affection!

It was all so much, so fast, too much I think. I am very proud of myself for not having a breakdown that morning. My psychologist would be thrilled.

Sorry if this is sparse on detail, there was so much going on at once, I had trouble keeping track. If this was an experiment or a magic equation it would have been easy. But ponies never seem to fit into nice neat variables. You can ask Fluttershy, I mean the Flutters on Fluttercruel's special day.

How did everypony react to Trixie being an Element of Magic after we had time to collect their horse sense? Well:

+++

"You're kiddin! You gotta me kiddin! Miss 'I'm-Better-Than-Everyone!' is an Element Of Harmony? Magic?! She's nothing like you! She's the OPPOSITE of you! She should be the Element of Anti-Magic or somethin'! This makes absolutely no sense! This has gotta be a fraud!" Spike's incredulousness turned to pleading, "Twilight please! This is too much! Just say this is a joke! Please-?!"

+++

So yeah, Spike didn't take it all that well. He and Trixie did a lot of shouting I am NOT going to repeat thank you very much! I certainly didn't teach him such language!

The climax ended with Spike admitting Trixie wasn't a nag anymore and managing a hoof/claw shake. After which I marched him straight to the bathroom and washed his mouth out! He won't be saying any of those things again.

The others had time to digest the news however, and had time to see Trixie wasn't as awful as she used to be, so things went a little bit better. In the order I first ran into them in Ponyville:

"Hmmm. Should we have Fluttercruel's Cute-ceañera party first? Or Trixie's 'welcome to the Elements of Harmony' party first? The reveal with both has been building up for so long I can't decide. Huh? Oh don't worry Twilight the more the merrier!"

"Look Sugahcube, Ah still think this is plum-loco. But Ah know you, Trixie, and the Princess ain't lying. So I'm just gonna haveta accept it! Look! Ah -know- yer techin' Trixie not ta be an uppity nag. And she watched our flanks durin' the fight with Fluttershy's Nightmare as truly as any of us. But learnin' ta be nice ain't the same as embodin' an Element of Harmony!"

"It's all kinda creepy if you ask me. Hey don't look at me that way! I finally get where she's coming from and maybe she's not a jerkwad anymore, but it's still a little creepy how we ended up crossing paths with her. Huh? Like us and my Sonic Rainboom? Okay, okay, I get it. Just don't tell me next she got HER Cutie Mark because of it or I'm flying into the nearest mountain! If she's gonna be part of the team, I promise not to make her feel like horse apples. I guess there really was a good filly underneath all that bragging, boasting and 'I'm better than everyone.' Yeah like me... HEY!"

"I cannot say I am not surprised darling. Heavens, I am completely shocked! I never imagined there were more than just the six of us! I suppose it's better than there being a seventh Element of Harmony that somehow has gone without note or reference up until now. As for it being -Trixie- of all ponies? That is something else all together. Another great shock I must say! I can't believe she of all ponies would have kept something like this private rather than parading it for all to see! I . . . I honestly don't know -what- to think Twilight! I won't be so small as to hold a grudge against her after her violation of my mane after she had experienced similar damage herself. But I suppose I'll have to wait and see what this New Trixie is going to turn into."

"Pst? What do I think of that Trixie having the same Element as you? Heh. Personally I think it's a blast! If she could have only waited a little while longer to actually say it! Geeze! I mean come on! What happened to my day in the limelight-?!"

"Erm, sorry about that Twilight. 'Cruel's not mean, just opinionated. And I feel happy for Trixie. She's come a long way. And I think this is going to help her become the good pony I know she can be! And if we're all there for her, I know that she can do it! Yay!"

+++

So yeah, a lot was happening, all at once, and we all learned a lot at the same time, and it took us a while to figure it all out.

I'm just happy everypony and Spike accepted I couldn't tell them because Trixie was my patient and it was wrong for me to tell them.

-More- about Trixie when she was drunk? Fine. But you don't get to ask again!

"Say, Robin, when did you become a filly?" Trixie said eying Pinkie Diane carefully.

"Robin? I'm not a Robin! I don't even know Batmare!" Pinkie Diane laughed, "But seriously Trixie maybe you've had enough."

Yes. For the hundredth time. We've gotten used enough to Pinkie's new attitude that we don't go crazy when Pinkie uses the word 'seriously.' Can we move on from that now -please?-

"Don't tell your big sister what to do Robin." Trixie said holding the sake protectively. She pointed at AJ, "And Puck you should . . . you should . . . I forget what you should do big brother . . . "

AJ turned beet red. "Okay. It's Pinkie Minus Coffee time."

"Roger." RD said at once and the other nodded except Pinkie Diane who tilted her head for a minute before nodding and grinning.

Drunk unicorns aren't quite as dangerous as you think we are. Magic takes concentration, which when you're drunk . . . is really not there.

"Lexy, sorry for not paying more attention to you. Mixie, you're bossy but you're still my big sister." Trixie shot off looking at RD and Rarity. Rarity managed her self control while RD didn't know what to say.

"And Nyxie." Trixie looked right at Fluttershy.

"Uh, yes?"

"Thanks for always being there when mom and dad couldn't little sister." Trixie hugged her. Fluttershy stiffened and blushed.

The others carried away the contraband as Trixie fell asleep in Fluttershy's wings.

I carried her off to bed myself. Trixie opened her eyes slightly and focused a bit on me as I carried her up the stairs. By process of elimination I guessed I was Pixie.

"M-mom?" Trixie whispered.

Well, I've been wrong before.

"Yes Trixie?"

"I, I made you proud right? I'm a good magician, aren't I?"

"Yes, yes you are Trixie." I whispered back to her as she went back to sleep.

+++++

The get together wound down after that, though AJ did strangely chose that time to ask Fluttershy why she acted like she didn't know who Trixie was when she had been in the audience during Trixie's show. I myself realized that was a perfectly logical question!

"Well . . . we didn't talk then. And, er, that is, it was the first time Fluttercruel had met her."

When AJ proceeded to ask the same question of Pinkie Diane, her eyes shifted for a bit before saying. "Well. Honestly speaking. I had never met Trixie before then. I hadn't met any of you before I came down the stairs at Sugar Cube Corner! That was Pinkie Pie who saw her before! Pinkie finally made up with Pinkamena and became me remember? It's not like I sent mane dye to Spitfire with a fake note from her manager too and I'm trying to cover up plot holes so I don't have to witness the recycling of everyone I love again." AJ just stared with her jaw hanging loose, and went for the cider. And kept drinking it until she went home, taking the bottle with her. I later overheard Applebloom telling her friends that AJ didn't stop hugging her for an hour when she got home.

+++++

And the rest I'm sure you know. I, Trixie, ended up getting mystery gifts to help my first show as the One and Only Trixie be presentable. I made sure they weren't from Discord, and ended up celebrating. Twilight's shadow was along as my chaperone, but was soon out like a light.

And I was ambushed on all sides with all six of my siblings, my brothers and sisters, all together. I was subjected to Equestria's biggest hug from a family I had done my best to pretend I didn't have. The show I put on was a smash, or at least it was greatly successful! It was a new routine, and it felt rather alien not to challenge the audience and bait those with enough pride in themselves for me to trip up for the on-lookers to laugh at.

At least my impossible stories were taken a lot more warmly. Strangely I didn't get any neigh-sayers about how my stories were obvious fiction. And ponies did love my fireworks. I tossed in some electrical shows the audience ate up. I did not, and will never use the spells that thing gave me ever again.

Yes, yes, Fluttershy made her speech to everypony, one tried to start a public stoning and nothing happened, no, I didn't see who it was. And Fluttershy managed to win over the crowd completely and utterly with barely a few words and one duet with herself. I found myself wanting to ask her, them, ugh, for pointers.

My family stayed as long as their wallets allowed. Sorry! But what I spoke to them about is private! . . . We talked. It had been so long. I couldn't even figure out what to say. They did most of the talking. Telling me what had been going on in their lives, for the first time I could remember, I CARED. They told me how badly mom and dad wanted to be there too, but they were both needed back in Hoofington. I didn't ask with what. And for the first time in a LONG time, I wanted to see them. Mother. Father. To be near them. To be with them. To hold them. To touch them. To tell them how much I loved them. Not just go through the motions like I did every Hearth Warming's Eve! To see my REAL mother instead of that... that... that THING with her face that had been living in my head for Celestia knows how long.

Mixie told me to come back with her and the rest of my siblings. Pixie said mom and dad would be sad if I didn't come back with them. Puck told me to make my own choice. Robin looked at me with puppy dog eyes I had to look away from. Lexy said she'd tell every one of my old classmates about my time as a robot if I didn't come back. I will confess, the look on her face when I told her I didn't care was priceless. Nyxie said please.

You have NO IDEA how close I came to breaking and trotting along like a loyal sister from that last one.

I promised her I'd be back home to mom and the rest soon. When was the last time I made a promise with no intention of abusing loopholes? I can't remember anymore.

That evening I trotted along Ponyville, seeing it for the first time. It had a face, it had a name. I took a look at each of the . . . other, Elements' houses. No, I didn't go in. I don't know what kind of magic it was, but I felt like a tiny string in me was pulled taut as I walked from each.

It was like I was leaving Hoofington again. But that's a lie. I never once looked back, and I didn't feel a thing when I left home.

Was this how I was supposed to feel?

I think it dawned on Twilight Sparkle that I had spell-copied her teleportation magic when I appeared on top of her library. Princess Luna's nights were cold and turning colder. I wished I still had my old costume.

I didn't see but felt Twilight teleport next to me.

"Hello Trixie. You ... you like star gazing too?"

"Not really." I said, glancing at her. "I never saw the point. It's always just the same sky."

Twilight smiled and shook her head enthusiastically. I realize what I've brought on myself. "No no no! No it isn't! It's always changing! Princess Luna's sky is always changing! Even the cycle is always changing slowly. The positions of the stars isn't static! Two thousand years ago the stars were in slightly different positions! And new stars have been born and old ones have died. Orion The Hunter no longer has the Ursa pair with him in the heavens. There's entire schools based around mapping and examining the night sky! Most of them are now under Luna's authority, I bet they never stop asking her questions! I wonder if seeing those pop up since she's been gone made her happy... Oh! Um. What are you doing out here?"

"Looking at the sky."

"But you said-"

"I said I didn't like to. I didn't say I didn't."

"Oh."

"Don't ask why. Call it an impulse. Maybe I just want to see if the sky is really going to be the same here as it's going to be back . . . home." No word. has any right. To induce that much confusion!

Twilight gasped. "You're going back to Hoofington? But Hearth's Warming Eve is coming up and . . . that is exactly why you have to go," Twilight said in saudade.

"You were hoping I'd be here." It wasn't a question.

"Celestia is talking about us putting on the dramatization of the founding of Equestria in Canterlot. You're a show pony. I figured you could pitch in."

"Heh. I'd make a good Princess Platinum don't you think?"

I saw Twilight grin ear to ear. "I know you would."

"I'm surprised, Twilight. I didn't think a pony like you would care for a show that was as much fluff as fact."

"It's not about the story, it's about the message it gives for ponies of all ages." Twilight said with a small hint of pride I wasn't used to hearing from her before her tone became more sober. "When are you going?"

"Tomorrow. Morning. Early. I'll try not to wake you up."

"You told the others?"

"No."

"Trixie. Let us say good-bye."

"NO! I mean! Agh! You have enough to handle! And I have enough waiting for me! There have been enough complications."

"Friends aren't complications. They're a gift. . . . I take that back. Friendship is a gift, friends are something you earn. And you've earned them. You saved my life. Remember all the fun we had singing that song on Pinkie Pie's machine? And 'Cruel's Cute-ceañera? Heh. We've had some good times haven't we?"

"Twilight! I don't . . ." And the truth hits me. "I don't want this to be any more painful than it has to be."

"Trixie . . . you're not going away forever. You can still visit. And I know Ponyville would welcome another mage-unicorn in town!"

"This town . .. this isn't, isn't my . . . " I try to force the last word out, it's lodged in my throat. I sigh. I chose another path. "My family is waiting for me. They have been waiting a lot longer than when you took me here to save me from Discord."

"I understand. Hey, maybe we can all visit you instead! It's not the first time all six of us got together and got away from Ponyville just for the sake of someone! When's your Winter Wrap-Up?"

"That wouldn't be very practical if you're hoping for everypony to take part . . . it's been taboo to use anything but magic in Hoofington to change the winter season to spring for over a hundred years."

Twilight stares. "But Hoofington was founded by Earth Ponies!"

"And now the majority are unicorns."

Being a fellow unicorn, I appreciated Twilight didn't ask if it was because of the stereotype among Earth Ponies that unicorns were physically frail. I hauled a gypsy wagon across half of Equestria by myself! I know some Earth Ponies would say that's only because my father is one of them, but they clearly hadn't met Rarity or Twilight. It was almost as aggravating as the old ponytale that magic wasn't labor.

I should have known what Twilight was going to ask next. "What about the Earth Ponies?"

"They pretty much take the day off. Some unicorns take it a step further and ONLY use their magic for everything on that day. My mother told me it was supposed to insure unicorns didn't neglect the gift Celestia gave us. 'Magic is a gift. It should be worn proudly. Not used as some last resort.' "

" 'Magic is a muscle. Exercise it like any other.'" Twilight finished the quote.

"Ugh. You have no idea. Lexy used to call it 'Horn Warm Up.' "

"Let me guess. The Great and Powerful Trixie always spent the day after with a horn ache?" Twilight smirked.

I bristled. "Don't you dare laugh."

"Haven't you learned anything Trixie? When friends laughs, it's NOT to be mean."

Learned anything? And it flashed through my mind. That day coming to Ponyville. Just another spot on the road. Doing my normal show, say the lines I had said a hundred times. Tell the defeat of the Ursa Major. Put a few more upstarts in their place who dared challenge my Ego. Getting the two slavishly devoted fanboys I always wanted until I actually had them. I quaked like a leaf at the image of a blue mass of stars and teeth.

"When I fought the Ursa Major, er, Minor and you . . . " I, Trixie said reluctantly, "Saved my life. Trixie does not believe, she ever thanked you. Thank you, Twilight."

++++

"You're welcome Trixie." I smiled warmly. "There's no real need for thanks though, I would have done the same for- I mean, I never had any intention of holding a grudge, Trixie. You humiliated my friends, but I wasn't about to let you -die- for it."

Trixie looked at me, small and embarrassed, "Twilight, I, er, I wasn't -that- horrible a pony was I? When we first met?"

'You just acted like you were queen of Equestria, took a sadistic pleasure in those you humiliated on stage, and panned off your tall ponytails like they were fact.' "You weren't that awful." I told her what she needed to hear.

'From what everypony else told me. You screamed like a chicken and ran for your life seconds before your house got crushed. You only tried to fight it when cornered and Snips and Snails encouraged you, and you tried your hardest even though you were scared out of your mind. Then you ran like Pony Hell again when you came close to being squashed or Ursa food.

'I was there for the rest of the 'show' when Snips and Snails talked about you 'vanquishing it' and you finally admitting you invented the whole story just to improve your image. I pushed my magic farther than I could remember besides purifying Princess Luna. I saw the look on your face when I said that it was the infant half of the Ursas that just destroyed your carefully crafted lie of being the best thing since Starswirl. It brought me no pleasure Trixie, not in the least.

'I don't know what Rainbow planned to do to you if she caught you after your last immature and pathetic attempt at a comeback then running away. But I'm happy she listened when I asked her to stop (no matter how reluctant she was). I wish I could say it was because I hoped there was a good pony inside you somewhere. But I think I was just tired and didn't think you were worth the trouble. I think I was talking to myself more than Rainbow when I suggested you could one day 'learn your lesson.' As if I wanted to justify it somehow.'

Then I thought the one thing in a thousand years I never believed I would (and I'd have called you insane if you told me I would) . . . 'I'm sorry Trixie.'

+++++

I felt a chill run through the air, and I hoofed my non-existent cloak. So many winters. So many Hearth Warming's Eves.

"You think unicorns -took- Hoofington away from the Earth ponies, don't you?" I asked.

"WHA?" She gasped. "No, I didn't! I wasn't even thinking that!"

"You ever wondered why the Windigos appeared as they did? Instead of as unicorns, pegasi or Alicorns? One of my teachers offered the theory it wasn't random luck they looked the way they did. Unicorns and Pegasi looked down on Earth Ponies like beasts of burden. Unicorns saw Pegasi as thugs. While Pegasi saw Unicorns as weaklings, snobs, spoiled, and you get the idea.

But the Earth Ponies were special. They didn't just want their tyrants gone. They wanted the other two tribes dead. Those horned and winged freaks who endlessly extorted their crops and harvests from them as little better than slaves. Who treated them like dumb animals that knew how to speak. They wanted to see them extinct, to disappear, right after seeing them cower before the Earth ponies they stood on the backs of."

Twilight drew strength from words we had both heard since we were fillies, " Though quarrels exist their numbers are few. "

"We're not foals Twilight."

"That isn't the point. The point of Hearth Warming's Eve isn't that selfishness doesn't exist or that ponies don't find important things they can't agree on that effect them all! The -point- is that love and friendship can and should always triumph over those flaws."

"Makes you wonder why ponies were given flaws at all."

"No it doesn't. Because those flaws exist, so we can all know by experience how great love and friendship really are. Light shines brighter in the darkness."

"Ah gag me!" The voice of Twilight's servant called out behind us.

Twilight didn't even look behind her, "Owlowiscious."

"Who-Who!"

"Hey! Put me down! Watch it! You feather-brain!"

"Who-Who."

"Am not!"

With that distraction out of the way, Twilight looked me, in the eyes. I saw that loathsome pity that I hated so much. Or was it something else? . . .

"Trixie . . . I'm sorry you had to hurt like that. I'm sorry there are ponies who still cling to that unicorn 'pure-blood' nonsense."

"I never suffered it once. Not even a little." I said with a perfectly straight face.

"Liar."

My ears flattened, "Have I really gotten that bad?"

Twilight shook her head, "No. I saw it all in the memory spell remember? I saw the image of your mother defending you in front of a unicorn who thought you had less worth for being you."

"Oh right." Somehow I kept forgetting this pony has been inside my soul in a way no other pony had ever been or could hope to be. I laughed. I didn't sound funny. "That has never been my reason for being the way I am, Twilight Sparkle. Blue Flame herself said it wasn't my genetics that made me not be able to excel at anything. She said that was giving me excuses. She laughed and said I was just a slacker... "

"No one goes through that without it leaving a mark on them Trixie," Twilight said in a no nonsense tone.

I let go. This last time. Before I bid this burg farewell. I let go one last time. No one can see but us, no one hear it but us. No one needs to know but us. Twilight won't say a thing. I, I trust her. "What is that everyone thinks of when they mention my name in Ponyville?"

She tried to say it kindly, bless her soul. "Er, outside? Storyteller? Boaster?"

"Say it."

She lowered her head said breathed out, "'Liar.'"

"And you never once asked. How I became a master of lies? You've asked about everything else about me."

"It . . . it didn't matter to me."

Twilight was a very poor liar.

I slip into my stage persona, even for an audience of one, even for a story that I wasn't going to embellish on, I had my pride of showmareship.

"You know Twilight, I didn't lie to my parents when I broke something, after all, it was something -I- did. Something that was my mark on the world.

"Heh sometimes I lied about something Mixie and the others did, bad or good, saying it was me, just for the attention ... some spanking got that knocked out of me." I let out an ironic laugh. I knew Pinkie Pie would be overjoyed that I had finally learned to somehow laugh at myself.

"Lexy learned lying from me! It's ... funny ... I never realized how much she was modeling herself after me until just now.

"I just assumed Nyxie, Pixie, and her were all trying to be like Mixie as the 'master copy.' I took it for granted. I never tried to understand."

And the barrels of toxic waste I had buried for so long were dug up at last.

I looked at the crescent moon, silently, begging Princess Luna herself for forgiveness as I remembered it all. With a painful clarity no memory had a right to have.

~

While it wasn't exactly a day's journey from the school to the town below, most parents as a rule much preferred to pick up their foal whose time table didn't allow for the bus.

The tribes of unicorn colts and unicorn fillies sat on opposite sides of the great stairs, the rail acting as the sacred barrier neither side could cross.

The colors of the unicorns ranged from neon-green to electric-red. After all, if you couldn't have a pure white coat like Celestia, it was still a sign of prestige to have fur that defied Earth color schemes. Celestia's repeated declaration that her white coat was in fact all colors and that the Alicorns themselves embodied all three surviving tribes united as one had been glazed over.

A bright green unicorn said to small assembly, "You hear? I heard more half-dirt unicorns got accepted with my eavesdropping spell!"

A dark red with a black mane grumbled. "Greedy old fogies. They'd teach a Diamond Dog if they had enough bits thrown at 'em!"

A unicorn a lighter shade of red than the first said, "Isn't half the town dirt? So aren't we all a little dirt?"

"Bite yer tongue," said the bright green unicorn. The majority of the other fillies chose to keep their distance from the small group repeating their parents' prejudices. One chose to keep her distance from the entire herd. And like lone herd animal was vulnerable to predators.

"Hey! New girl! You half-dirt?" Called the green one.

The dark red unicorn said, "Don't be rude! Mother says innocent until proven dirty! Besides, she says they have tiny bumps for horns. That's how you can tell."

The new girl with a pale blue coat barely looked at them, closing her eyes and spoke in a proud practiced tone. "Heh. Of course not. Do you really think they'd let anything but a unicorn of exception and special ability into these fine halls? Your rumors are nothing but nonsense. Your eavesdropping spell must be faulty."

"Hey!"

"Anypony can get in here with the right connections or enough bits." Said the dark red filly. "It's those who manage to STAY here that are worth something."

"Well just you watch. This filly is going places while you're going to be lost in the crowd."

"Heh! Nice talk, but talk is cheap. Only those who accomplish something have a right to say what they wish."

"Oh I am. I am." The new girl grinned at the dark red pony.

"Hail and well met my princess! Your knight has come to bring thee to our homely castle! Thy mother is making cookies! Don't worry! She promised not to magic the fire this time!" Said a dark blue Earth Pony with a lighter blue mane. His cutie mark was a knight's helmet.

The fillies all looked from the little blue newcomer to the Earth pony.

~

"So I told them the stallion who they saw that day wasn't my father, but a servant of my family. Yes, servants.

"And my father he . . . HE WENT ALONG WITH IT! He never once shouted at me! Never once frowned or cried! He just played along whenever he needed to keep up the illusion I made. . . " I must have looked ready to break down into a brawling mess. I knew I was just rambling by this point. I didn't care.

"Trixie," Twilight implored. "There's no way your school could have been that infested by bigots! They're ghosts! Only a tiny handful of pony have been enthralled by this nonsense for eons!"

"And I know that, now. And . . ." I swallowed hard. "And The Little Filly Desperate For Attention Trixie realized that too soon enough! But I didn't -want- to stop lying! I had power!

"That was the day I realized how easy it was to lie to get what you wanted. It was more powerful than any magic I had ever learned. Invent a few words, breath them through your throat, and ponies believe what you want them to believe."

Twilight asked. "Let me guess . . . you told them your father defeated an Ursa Major?"

I blushed and tapped my forehooves together, "Heh-heh. That did sort of become a trademark of mine didn't it?"

She asked breathlessly. "I figured you'd -like any- attention."

"That was before I went to Hoofington's magic school. I told myself I just wanted an even playing field. After the Want It Need It spell, I told myself I'd do it without being pitied or felt sorry for. Of course, like any new talent I wanted to see how far I could push it. You have no idea the sense of power it gave me. I taught myself what to say and how to say it. Tell ponies what they want to believe, or fear to believe, and they'll eat up anything you slip between the lines.

"My mother recognized as an arch mage in Canterlot? Of course. Not banned from magical studies when all she could learn were spells that blew stuff up!"

"She couldn't have been that crippled in her diversity."

"The name 'Morgan' was synonyms with explosions even after she left. She lasted exactly half a lesson in the 'caring of familiars' class. She doesn't say what happened. Apparently some of her classmates needed therapy."

Twilight looked ill.

"The only thing I couldn't lie about were my sisters. No one believed three and later four fillies could all just happen to look exactly like me. So I lied about my brothers instead. And they just PLAYED ALONG. Without even being ASKED! They smiled and nodded at every lie I said about them in their presence! I remember . . . during a school outing, and we ran into each other. And I said to the other students, 'Naw, I don't know them.' "

My stomach clenched, the muscled ring inside my throat provided futile resistance. So much for medical science. And I ended up staining the top of Twilight's tree with my dinner.

"They never told our parents. They never even mentioned it. My family are saints and I threw them under a carriage to save my own flanks! The illusion began to fall apart by the time I left. All my teachers knew of course. Blue Flame found out early, but she never told anyone. She said she didn't want me to have any excuses to hide behind when I fell short. 'Failures and weaklings don't deserve excuses. We each get what we earn.' She said.

"When I left, I told her she could think what she wanted about me. I'd have millions who'd think greatly of me soon enough.

I also told Mixie to be on the look out for that sort of thing when I gave her my scholarship. She didn't try to hide what she was not. Not for a minute, not for a second. She wasn't a coward. She added a new spell to the books by the time she graduated as a full grown mare, and even claimed to have found a way to translate Zebra voodoo into unicorn magic. No one gave her funding."

Twilight hugged me. I didn't stop her. "Trixie. I won't lie and say those weren't awful things. But Trixie, you're free now. You don't have to lie anymore."

"You know what scares me the most, Twilight? All this time, I never felt sorry. I was able to lie about my family TO THEIR FACES and I never felt sorry... Now I feel like glue!"

"Well, you ARE a New Trixie."

"I TOLD YOU NEVER TO CALL ME THAT!"

" . . . sorry. But Trixie. When we fought Nightmare Whisper, I realized something. We're never the same. We're always becoming something new."

"I . . . Great and Powerful Trixie, One and Only Trixie. But . . . OH TO THE MOON WITH IT! First I say that the old me is dead! Then I still feel guilty over everything I never so much as felt a drop of guilty about before! And now here I am. Acting like a filly, on top of a house-tree, being a baby! Needing help -again-, needing ponies to stop what they're doing to help ME along, again. Twilight, I loved attention, I still do, but Trixie always wanted to be her own pony!"

"Then maybe it's about time this Trixie, decided what it was she really wanted."

"They were a family better than I deserved."

"Family is a gift. It's not meant to be deserved. But what do you REALLY want Trixie?"

I don't know what magic was secretly transmitted through Twilight hug, but I felt something flow through us. Something kind and gentle that wanted me to be honest with myself for once. Something that made me, for one brief moment, laugh at how foalish and foolish I kept being. Something that didn't mind being part of something greater with bonds that were stronger than simple obligation. Something that was willing to give what I needed at expense to itself.

" . . . . I . . . I . . " I swallowed. "I, I WANT TO BE A PART OF MY FAMILY! I want to be The One And Only Trixie whose loved for her performance! I want to be a great magician whose magic is remembered and respected after I'm gone! And ... and ... I want to be loved by my FRIENDS!" The last one was like lightning struck me from the inside from all directions at once.

Force pulled at me from a half dozen directions, I was scared I was going to be torn apart, then I realized, it wasn't tearing me, it was supporting me! It was like I had been so small before and now, and now--white light.

I gasped out and fell to all four hooves. I panted. I was covered in sweat in the cold cold night. Twilight's gentle hug never let go. We stayed like that for a few minutes before I said anything. "Twilight. Thank you."

"It's what friends are for."

"I've just been a comrade at best. I've barely done anything for you or the others as a friend."

"Good thing friends don't keep score cards then. And I promise they'll be waiting for you, I'll be waiting for you too when you come back."

"Thank you Twilight and--" What I said next, I felt no humiliation or shame. It was strange, but not a bad strange. "I'm sorry for being ... cruel to your friends under false pretenses when we first met."

"Already forgiven."

We stayed like that for a while more, before going inside before we could die of pneumonia.

Twilight insisted on me using the bed one last time.

I don't really remember what I dreamed about, just a sense of peace and comfort, and just that I was safe.

Next early morning just as Celestia's sun rose, I looked around at Twilight's bedroom that had been mine for so longer that I had stopped caring. It felt so natural now.

I was startled when I found a spell book next to the bed that hadn't been there the night before. Looked like a laymare's version of one of Starswirl's books almost. On top of it was a small folded note with my cutie mark.

I tentatively read the inside.

Dear Trixie,
I got powerful not just because of any Element or my friends. I also studied. I learned. Long and hard until my eyes nearly fell out. Here's a book on magical academics. I hope it proves useful to you. I hope you fulfill your dreams. Happy Hearth Warming's Eve.
-- Your Friend, Twilight Sparkle

I took the book with me.

I stepped out carefully, having memorized which stairs steps creaked under my hooves and which ones didn't. I had five or ten minutes time ahead before Spike woke up.

There was Twilight sleeping peacefully on the couch. I didn't disturb her.

I didn't really have anything that was my own, I had always been in transition here. I floated the book in front of me. But I felt like I fit better here than even my own gypsy cart. But this wasn't where I belonged. At least it wasn't where I belonged the most.

I stopped at Twilight's spare desk in the living room. And I felt one final wave of insanity overcome me.

Dear Princess Celestia

I am not sure what I've learned that's new. But I've learned many of the lessons I thought were true were false. Lying is the easy answer, but easy answers are often not the right ones. I thought standing alone would make . . . I drew a blank. I tore it up and started again. I made it out just before Spike woke up.

Dear Princess Celestia

I learned last night I shouldn't be scared of myself changing if those changes are for the better. And if I have friends I can trust and believe in, they can help me see if those changes are bad or good. Also, family -and- friends are both wonderful things. Neither is about whether you're -worthy- or not. And they can sometimes blur. Blood is where family starts, but it isn't where it ends.

-New Trixie

Pony POV Series Episode 26: "'Nights Princess Luna'"

So thou hast finally arrived. Tis finally time that ye spoke with us. Verily, we are Her Nightjesty of Dreams and Nightmares Princess Luna Nyx Selena Equestria.

We are fully aware of thine interviews with the Elements of Harmony.

Thou wishes to know how the Elements were split between Our sister and ourselves when we imprisoned Discord? That would be meaningless. Laughter? Kindness? Generosity? Magic? Loyalty? Honesty? The Elements went by completely different names when our sister and ourself used them. Or to be more precise, they took on a different iteration. Just know it was half and half and allow that to be that.

The rumor that Princess Gaia personally harmed the Element of Generosity in retribution for dosing her cat in hot water to add credence to a lie Generosity told? We can assure you that while fair Fluttershy would have been upset at this coming to light, she tis enlightened enough now to see no true harm was done.

Honesty upset over Generosity telling multiple lies? Honesty has become perhaps the second most enlightened of all the Elements in their recent spurt of growth. She would admonish Miss Rarity for not thinking of a more reasonable response to her situation, but she would not verbally abuse her. NOR think less of her for being a flawed mortal pony! For Miss Applejack to do so would be to contradict her Element by turning a blind eye to the truth.

Also, one of ye ripped several pages from our personal royal diary. Yes. That one. We do not appreciate our private thoughts being documented without our royal permission. Our Night Guard would like to have a word with thou. No no no, the rest of you are free to stay.

We will admit. we were rather shocked to learn the little town outside of our sister's new castle was founded by the descendants of the Earth Pony who won our respect a thousand years ago where his two brothers, ahem, did not. It was even more surprising to learn the produce that had kicked started Ponyville into existence was actually one of many random creations of . . . well, maybe it is best ponies of Ponyville do NOT know who brought into existence magic apples that grow after a series of ominous dark signs and only last a day and to bring out their true flavor require a plethora of absurd antics and arcane rituals that do not make any sense. Their market value would drop like a rock. Do not think about it.

My opera? Much like The Hearth Warming's Eve Pageant, it is better you do not know how much of my play The Three Pony Brothers is fact and much is fiction. Because that is not the point.

We feel ashamed in that we think perhaps our sister should have let all of Equestria's aristocrats and elites experience Princess Gaia's 'play day', instead of simply our Nephew and his poor poor bodyguards. It seems to have done the impossible and granted the foolish foal of a stallion a smidgen of decency. He even tolerated Generosity during her visit in Canterlot, something we admit we believed impossible prior to this, given their history at the Gala.

Why did we allow there to remain a holiday in honor of our time as a slave to our own jealousy and rage? It was a personal favor to a friend of mine.

No, not Twilight Sparkle. Though we are quite grateful to her for being one of the only ponies who never once demonstrated fear towards us on that night.

Our sister has actually suggested that when we were Nightmare Moon that we were subconsciously putting Twilight and her companions through situations that left them no alternative but for their Element to rise to the surface. Yes, we remember everything we did as Nightmare Moon. Does thou think we bawled for forgiveness to our sister for blacking out for a thousand years after a tantrum?

Yes, wanting attention and respect and our form of Nightmare Moon being a fearsome fully adult mare was not coincidence.

If ye wish to speak more of our time as Nightmare Moon then we shall disappoint thou. We, I, have more pressing things to think about! Now if you will excuse me.

+++

A thousand years, a thousand years, I had gotten so used to the slow pace at which ponies' civilization evolved that it was dizzying to see how much things had changed.

You think I mean technology? Pfft. After the, er, 'incident' involving some kitchen appliances I dove into learning the progress ponies had made in craftsmanship and various 'technology' . . . That word is as strange to me as the word 'fun.'

No. I shall settle that right now! The word 'fun' is only three hundred years old, I was imprisoned for a thousand years! I certainly know what it is to be merry thank you very much! 'Technology' is only a slightly older word. And even with it I have a good deal of confusion, it's meaning has changed a great deal since I was imprisoned. The meaning you know of it now is only 200 years old.

I won't bore you with the many 'learning experiences' I had in my year of recovery. But suffice to say, I've learned much, but Nightmare Night showed that I still had much to learn. For a goddess this is rather infuriating.

Technology? I've gotten a grasp on the improvements in magic, science, and alchemy in my absence. It's a tiny bit surprising how exponential progress has become.

What still catches me off guard? It's the way ponies speak to one another, what they can say, what they can't say. It's the way ponies treat their parents and family. How ponies can express their feelings, and how they can't. What feelings are proper, and what feelings are not. Some spheres have expanded, while others have shrunk.

If my nephew was not a spoiled narcissist, I would find his royal manner rather comforting.

My original scheme was to make the day when ponies rested and the night when they labored. After Celly got down on her hooves and begged me to end this insanity, dared to make requests when during night she was to be submissive to me, I decided she hadn't learned her lesson and need to have her day gone completely! Already I imagined mushrooms and nocturnal plants that would -somehow- feed off my reflected moonlight. The insanity of this plan did not occur to me until after I was cured.

Even though I was free and sane, a thousand years of fearful tales ran deep. Instead of Discord, I had become the boogy-mare. Is it any wonder they didn't think I could be what I appeared to be at my second-advent as Nightmare Moon?

They all so readily embraced me again as a filly. I was seen as a victim, the Night Guard willingly and knowingly became mine. My new court accepted me like a newly ascended heir, but they were loyal.

Then a thousand years caught up with me and I entered the flux between filly and mare. As my power restored itself my coat darkened and my mane became ethereal like Celly's.

Ponies' looks at me changed. Now they saw the object of their foalhood fears made real.

Nightmare Night. Prove them wrong. Only make things worse. Try to change. Things get worse. Begone this mockery of my sins. Twilight Sparkle. Slip into my Nightmare form. Play their game by their rules on their terms.

And the colt who was more terrified of me than any other after I saved his life, declared that -I- was his favorite Princess.

You have no idea of my joy. For the first time in a thousand years, a pony had chosen me over my sister.

A thousand years since Appledancer, Fate Bell, and Far Sigh.

Of course I told Celly everything about that night. Though I might have left out Pipsqueak. Why? No. It was not a secret. Celly and I promised there would be no secrets between us ever again.

She laughed when I said how I had taught Rainbow Dash some manners on inappropriate pranks. Celly had always possessed a great sense of humor.

Events that happened during the day while I slept were shared with me by Celestia and my court when I awakened at night. Thankfully I had centuries of experience catching up on daily events before I went about my nightly business. Of course, Celestia's chats would center around her student. It was stunning to hear Celestia always talk so highly of her, save for the bone-headed disaster with the Want It Need It spell.

With the new activity in my court, finding time for my artistic pursuits had become a luxury rather than a distraction from empty nights with empty rooms. (No I didn't mean Pip dofus! I mean my plays, poems, and paintings).

I didn't try to hide my personal project of helping Pipsqueak from Celly.
It was the same magic I used to change myself into the Shadow Bolts really: my avatars would protect him during the day, and I would guard him during his sleep. And occasionally give some of his bullies their just desserts in their dreams.

And I think I finally began to understand why Celestia was always so merry when she talked about Twilight.

Then the fog appeared. And I felt what I thought I'd never feel again. The power of a new Alicorn. It was like an Alicorn with all the experience of a newborn brought into the world with the magic of a full-grown mare! The magic reflected its master, naïve and well meaning and blinded by tears.

Celly woke me barely after sunrise. I hadn't yet gone to sleep while feeling the impossible.

She could only tell me what she sensed, a change that had been familiar but she had turned a blind eye to when she had felt it a thousand years ago.

She promised that Twilight and her friends would deal with it, while Celly on the other hoof dealt with everything ELSE.

As the misty feelings of happiness and foalhood spread across Equestria, Celly of course maintained her control. Philomena kept the fog from touching Canterlot. Celly duped our nephew into getting himself exposed along with his guards. And with my sister's absolute authority during the day, I was made babysitter of Blueblood's guards while Celly took care of business elsewhere in Equestria along with the now much more agreeable colt that was Blueblood.

We both sensed no ill-will from this new source of magic, but it was childish, irrational with grief, and inexperienced. It was like seeing a foal with a crossbow. Celestia showed her unbreakable faith in one little mortal mare and promised me Twilight would take the cross bow away from the foal, while Celestia made sure nopony got shot.

Celly and I plan when sunrise and sunset is months in advance to avoid squabbles. I was very vexed when I realized Celly was keeping the sun up past due. Well two could play that game! No! No! Not like that! Not literally! I sincerely hope you don't allow that to get to the tabloids, they say enough about me and my sister as it is!... But I also sensed something that belonged to me, with its seal broken, which was supposed to be impossible.

But I sensed something that -felt- much more important to me. Another Alicorn's magic was trying to invade past the wards I had placed around Pipsqueak. Trying to make him its own. An Arctic storm exploded inside me without warning. I poured my will and consciousness into keeping him safe without hesitation. My 'charges' momentarily cowered behind me in awe.

Leaving the foals in the hooves of two of my own guards and taking two more, I retrieved my property after Twilight and her friends had, as Celly assured me they would, dealt with the problem, and learned much of the full truth of what had transpired: a little filly who barely understood how things worked wanted to rewrite the rules.

No. So we can settle this. My property did NOT make Fluttershy a goddess. It did not. Understood? She already had power akin to that of an Alicorn in order to break the seal on my property.

And I came in the presence of a pony who would be an Alicorn who became a pony again: an Alicorn who had wanted to turn the world upside down because she was drowning her own sorrow.

And I made sure one pony would never forget the full scale of her foalishness. And she would never ever forget that she had trespassed on the sacred ground of another goddess. I didn't resist the feeling of sweet satisfaction as I saw her cower before me in guilt and sorrow.

Her friends were ready to throw themselves like the tide against boulders at my guards and myself. But I had been awake for an entire day, and didn't have time to humor them. I took us back to Canterlot: I wasn't all that surprised to see Celly already waiting for us.

She sensed the new Elements as quickly I had. I knew this meant much. But I didn't care. Pip was safe. I was tired. I had punished the transgression committed against me. I looked at my defaced Guards and told them I appreciated their service and loyalty and barely took the time to raise my other self into the sky before finally crashing to sleep.

"Why was I so angry?" When I became Nightmare Moon, the anger was like being in a desert. When I watched our family die, it was like I had been gutted like a fish. When Nightmare Night degenerated into a disaster, it was a buck in the face. I had never known this. All I knew was, was to lose Pip, to have anyone touch him, to harm him, to have him, was a crime I would pardon to none.

A filly with power she had never been taught how to properly use, driven mad by her darker emotions, and decided to rewrite the rules of the world to suit her own taste. My gut twisted inside.

On the day of Hearth Warming, the day after the pageant in Canterlot (my adopted pets providing lovely special effects), I spent the morning with my Sister. Our second Hearth Warming Day together, and this time I wasn't trapped in the castle by doctor's orders. You have no idea how wonderful it was! We exchanged gifts: I showed Celestia my new constellation and Celly showed me the new species of 'moon flowers' she had created for me.

The Elements, all of them, spent the day with their families, as they should. I swear I heard the guards say that they Fluttershy putting a ring of flowers around Discord's petrified neck.

My nightingales were my eyes in Ponyville. Rarity for the first time in years apparently spent the day with her family. The Apples were much the same. Twilight, trying to make up for seeing none of them on her birthday, spent the entire day with her parents and Spike. Rainbow spent the day with her pet and ward but made time to visit the Flutters as well.

The Flutters spent the rest of the day in the Everfree Forest bringing gifts for the damned. The mournful neighs of the dead crying out for what their patron goddess could no longer give them. Though I'm certain the Flutters would tell me otherwise.

Pinkie Diane would spend the day with the Cakes and their children. But then went up to her room, and held a one pony celebration for a very similar holiday that wasn't supposed to exist in this universe, with socks by the fireplace with the names of ponies who had never been born.

You wish more details? Like spoken words that give stories meaning? I am sorry. Much happens in Equestria, and there is so much to cover, and it feels like things are changing only faster and faster. So so very much. I hope you can forgive me for being so abrupt. I know it is not the Alicorn way, but I feel so tired.

"It's time Lulu," Celly said at dusk, that point between night and day where we were equals.

"Right 'Tia." I said dragging myself from bed. I raised the moon almost robotically and followed behind like a good little sister as we teleported to a room that had been moved from our castle in Everfree stone block by stone block. The room was in one of Canterlot's many tall towers. It had several long thin windows but no doors. It was spartan, but Celly and I took a little time out of each year to clean it ourselves.

Only a handful of ponies besides ourselves knew this room existed. It wasn't a secret. We simply didn't speak of it often.

Neither of us said anything.

In the room was six statues, all life-size on equally sized pillars. They surrounded us in a circle. There was a stone imitation of an Earth Pony, a Pegasus, an Unicorn, an Alicorn, a Hippocampus, and a Flutterpony with tiny stone feelers. We removed the rainbow colored bouquets from last year and placed fresh ones at the base of the statues of the hippocampus and flutterpony.

Ringed along the round room's wall below the windows were gold engraved symbols, twenty two to be precise. These symbols included a pony skull, the sun and the moon, a globe, a jester's hat, and musical note. Together we each said a prayer to most of them. Nuzzling each other, the statues, the symbol, then each other again, we teleported out. We restored the protective seals on the room for another year.

As my loyal stars filled the sky, a snap decision occurred to me. I nuzzled my sister again and teleported straight to the kitchens.

"YOUR PRINCESS COMMANDS YOU! COOK ONE OF EVERY POSSIBLE HEARTH WARMING TREAT AND DELICACY IMAGINABLE AT ONCE! CROSS OFF ANYTHING ALREADY MADE IN STORAGE AND HAVE THEM ALL WRAPED FOR PRESENTATION AND TRAVEL!"

They likely would have gotten it done faster if they hadn't spent ten minutes cleaning up everything they dropped hearing my Royal Canterlot Voice.

Assembling my Night Guard and servers who had drawn the short straw for being on duty this night, I made a royal procession straight to Ponyville. This one didn't end with everypony running from me in terror.

We stopped at a very modest dwelling. I knocked on the door myself. "OPEN IN THE NAME OF PRINCESS LUNA!"

I had never met them in person, but I knew their names. A mare named Mouse Squeak peaked out the upper half of the door with her husband Quick Squeak right behind her.

"Y-yes . .. your Majesty? Er, Darkesty, Nightmaresty, uh, Nicesty? What may we do for you?"

"WE ARE . . . I am here to visit with my subjects. Is Pipsqueak home?"

Mouse Squeak fainted, Quick Squeak broke her fall with his own fainted body.

"Mom? Dad? PRINCESS LUNA!" Pipsqueak cheered, now wearing a winter cap and a scarf rather than his pirate costume.

The foal ran through the kitchen and over his unconscious parents into my forelegs. "It's great to see you!"

"AND WE, and I you."

"Uh . . . what's wrong with mom and dad?"

"They're just . . . napping. Do you mind if I have Hearth Warming Day dinner with you?"

"Uh . . . no?"

"Royal Procession, enter."

They moved like a swarm of Parasprites, dressing up the Squeak's modest dwelling in minutes. I rather liked it as it was. It felt nostalgic.

After fainting once more and finally staying conscious the second time, the Squeaks were gracious 'hosts.' They were actually happy to meet the Princess who their son had spent so long talking about. It felt . . . I believe the term is 'nice' for my conversation with them, I felt no heaviness, and even with my Night Guard at every door and my servers running to and throe, I felt I could forget my troubles for a minute. I can see why my sister cherishes moments such as these with our subjects.

"It is . . . a very wonderful meal Princess Luna. Very wonderful." Mouse Squeak said choosing her words carefully around her goddess.

"I'm glad you like it. You'll be keeping the leftovers." They nearly fainted again.

Pipsqueak ate until his belly was a ball.

I then asked, "Pipsqueak, is there anything you want for Hearth Warming Night? Anything at all?" Tongue slip.

"Well, there WAS this one toy I think I saw these well-off foals had and-"

"SAY NO MORE! Mr. and Mrs. Squeak, I will be borrowing your son for a moment."

They didn't dare protest.

In my black chariot and with Pip holding onto me, my night guards flew us to Manehatten in record time. Pip for his part was star struck at the city that looked to be as big as a country to him. And the flying, heh, oh yes the flying.

"LUNA I'M SCARED!" And three seconds later, "LUNA DON'T STOP THIS IS SO COOL!"

On a whim and knowing Pip's love of fearful tales I whispered, "Would you like to know how I got this chariot?"

Pip nodded.

"It began once upon a time, about fifteen hundred years ago I'd say-" I started.

"-and so the half-demon centaur Tirek fell, As all have fallen who had attempted to rob the Throne of the Night from me. With their lord gone, his creatures of the night swiftly bowed to their new Princess. And while the Chariot of Darkness no longer had ponies turned into dragons to pull it, I fancied the color and took it as my trophy." I finished as we touched down. Pip's eyes had never left me the entire story.

Yes, the Princess of the Night arriving in the middle of a major city's square on a major holiday did cause a stir. But I wasn't paying attention.

With my guards and Pip as my guest, I entered one of the nearby building. They found the toy Pip wanted rather quickly. I then bought out half the store for him for good measure. "Uh, Princess Luna? I don't think I could fit all this in my room," Pip said VERY reluctantly.

"I understand." I immediately ordered one of my attendants to buy one of the warehouses in Ponyville with the deed legally to me but Pip given the keys.

Pip looked about nervously, "Miss Luna? Er, everyone's looking at us."

"Really?" I realized my mistake. Pip was underdressed. I nuzzled him, "Don't worry we'll fix that!"

I then took him to one of the city's major tailors and had a dress suit customized to his size. He looked absolute adorable on it. I tore it to shreds and orders a new one made when he got out the hundred bit fabric was making him itch.

"Where would you like to do next Pip?" I asked, I couldn't keep the excitement out of my voice.

Pip said, "I'm feeling a little tired." My heart sank. "But I've never gotten to stay up this late before! What do you wanna do-?!"

I squealed in delight. By good chance there was a theater showing Deadpony's Chest which Pip was delighted at seeing.

The theater staff were sure they were dreaming when I stepped in. I noticed my guards were giving each other nervous glances but I didn't care. If my sister could enjoy a day with her beloved Twilight during Gaia's festival, why shouldn't I do the same? And I had no intention of disguising myself, Princess Luna was here and everypony was going to know it!

Finally I showed Pip Equestria's largest ice rink.

"I . . dunno how to skate." Pip confessed.

"I don't know either! Come on! We'll learn!" I shouted like any excitable teenage filly. "How hard can it be?"

Pip got the hang of it enough to stay on his hoof screaming as he sped uncontrolled along on the ice while I kept falling on my royal plot.

It was now after midnight back in Ponyville.

I wanted to end the evening on a bang, but I was coming up blank. I saw a mall pony dressed up in a fake white beard and red robes. I asked Pip if he'd like to meet Santa Hooves. And like any innocent faithful foal of course he said yes.

Let me tell you trips to the North Pole are a lot more complicated then they used to be.

On the top of the world, performing the grandest display of magic I could remember, I created the largest aurora borealis in a thousand years. A private light show, just for us. Pip was mesmerized by the shifting colors in the sky blanketing my stars. The heavens dancing just for him. Pip fell asleep on my side.

I wanted to wake him, to have my constellations themselves perform for him. But, he looked so peaceful. So beautiful. So innocent. It was like some holy perfection I didn't dare disturb. I only watched his slow rhythmic breath.

With a pegasus truck full of toys behind me, I took Pip back to the Squeaks. Like the loving parents they were they were wide awake and took back their son with a heartfelt thank you. Quick Squeak saw the mountain of toys outside, thanked me for showing his son a good evening, and fainted. Mouse Squeak put her son to bed, carefully taking off the dress suit, kissing him on the cheek, and then fainted.

I returned home smiling, lowered the moon, and fell asleep with the dawn.

+++++

The Next Night

"Lulu! Have you read the tabloids tonight?" Celly called out. I was surprised. I figured she'd be in bed by now.

"What? Did I miss one of Sunny Day's articles? I know how much you love me reading them. I promise I'll get to it," I said with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.

"Luna, I'm serious." Celestia floated the yellow rag over to me.

I was surprised to find myself and Pip on the cover. I read aloud, "'Princess Luna Likes Foals?' So?"

Celestia let out a cry of frustration that startled me. She looked ready to bang her head against the throne room floor. "LUNA! I! AGH! LOOK! THAT DOES NOT MEAN WHAT YOU THINK IT MEANS!"

"What? I know what they mean. Big deal. We've had it legal for all ponies to love each other even before my sentence."

"Luna ... LUNA! THAT has not been considered proper for over seven hundred years! Not since the noble ponies ceased arranged marriages! Foal marriages don't exist in Equestria anymore!"

"But foal marriages were always so adorable."

"Luna, Luna, LUNA! Listen to your big sister very carefully! YOU KNOW those kinds of marriages aren't physical! But when ANYPONY thinks of the word 'loves' these days they think of one thing first!"

I stared at her silent for several seconds. Then my eyes widened, "BUT THAT'S INSANE! Just because . .. just because . . . AGH! Don't they think ponies have free will!? Love is not an illness! And ponies CHOOSE how they act on their feelings!"

"I know that sister! You know that sister! Most ponies know that! But when they see someone innocent with someone who has power, they naturally assume the person with power is going to exploit the one who does not! They jumped on me like a pack of wolves when I took Twilight as my personal student!"

" . . . I see." I whispered lowly.

"Even now that she's a mare, some won't let that go! When they saw how young you were when you were returned from being Nightmare Moon, some of them even assumed I was..." I see the pain this thought causes my sister, I decide to end that train of thought as soon as possible.

"Celly, is this a good time to mention I already gave Pip's family invites to our next banquet?"

Big sister fall down go boom.

+++++

Big sister said she had no intention of me being inflicted by the tabloid's 'Molestia curse.' Sunny Day produced a horde of articles. Everything from Pip being a cancer patient I was giving a good time to as part of the Sky Wishes foundation to Pip being a midget.

Celestia's seating arrangements at the banquet also put Pip's family as far away from me as possible. I sighed.

"Don't worry Lulu." Celestia whispered, "In a few short years Pip is going to be a stallion and no one will blink an eye at you being his benefactor. . . I've managed to repair the damage, but on this subject there is something else you greatly need to think about. You lost your friends on the night I sealed Nightmare Moon. But you've ... you've never had to see them . . . see a friend grow old. It's different than watching Discord kill... kill her as he did. It's even different from watching what he did to Mimic. Shock numbs the pain of that kind of death, but it's not the same as what I'm describing. You need to be prepared to accept that Pip isn't going to be with you forever, he's a mortal pony, not an immortal Alicorn. It's easy when it's a pony whose a 'subject,' a 'servant' or even an 'ally,' but for a genuine friend it's... it's very different. You aren't USED to such feelings Luna, you have to be prepared."

As I munched down mindlessly on some expensive food imported from half way around the world not even tasting it, the wheels in my head turned dully. Then lighting struck my brain and I spat out the small kingdom's worth of greenery. "OH MOTHER FATHER! PIP!" I felt fear welling up inside me. Everyone suddenly looked at me. "PIP IS GOING TO DIE!"

Celestia looked about like she was watching the castle burst into flames. "Luna! Calm down! Yes, Pip is going to die of old age someday and--"

That was when I heard the faint crying of Pip. And I realized I had spoken in the Royal Canterlot voice, I didn't feel so well.

"Sister . . ." I whispered sickly.

Celestia glared at me and said to all, "Princess Luna was merely referring to what awaits us all. Life is short! Drink and be merry!" This calmed down most. But it did barely any help for Pip. My little friend.

"Celestia . . ."

"Luna, don't start. Please! For your big sister. Twilight and the others will be gone one day too! But we have to live for the precious time they do have! Eternity is our burden!"

I saw a deep blackness, I saw a candle finally light the darkness, and then the candle was snuffed out before I could even fully see it was there.

"No," I said lowly.

"Luna," She said sternly.

I gritted my teeth. I would not. Would not permit. Would not allow. "I, am a goddess! What I say is, is what is! What I say is not, is what is not! I can do anything I want! If I say Pipsqueak is never going to die! Then he is never going to die!"

"Luna! Listen to yourself!"

I didn't care who was staring anymore. Let these vermin stare. "How about YOU listen for once! A thousand years and you never could listen to anyone but yourself Celly! You wanted me to make friends! You wanted me to connect with our ponies! You wanted me to form bonds with them! But when I finally do, you tell me they're not the right kind, or not with the right ponies, and that I should just happily let them go away! Friends don't let friends die right?! I AM NEVER LETTING PIP DIE! EVER! I'll bring him back from death as many times as I WANT!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH! CALM DOWN! WE'LL SPEAK OF THIS LATER! You are causing a scene!"

"I'm an Alicorn! A goddess! What should I care what they think! There's only one pony I care the opinion of! And he'll always be with me!"

"LUNA! This is what I MEANT! Mortality is Mortis' domain, eternal life can be as much a curse as it is a gift, and if we went and did it for this ONE mortal, eventually, they'd hate us for not doing it to ALL mortals!"

"And you'd know all about that, right sister?"

"LUNA! I was going to tell you! You can't baby Pipsqueak like you were his parent! Keeping him from even getting so much as a scrapped flank or even a paper cut just turns him into a pet!"

I roared, "YOU WOULD KNOW RIGHT CELLY-!? WHO DOES TWILIGHT SEE MORE OF? HER MOTHER?! OR YOU!"

Celly backed away like I had lanced her through the heart. Her eyes wobbled. For a moment, she looked so old. "Luna . . ." she gasped out. Now everypony was looking only at us. "You think you're the only pony who knows what it's like to be alone? Do you think anyone offered me comfort after I had to seal you sister? That I had to imprison in her own domain my own flesh and blood after she went mad? That I had to imprison the other surviving member of my kind? They made a festival out of it! Your loyalists were ostracized and your royal guard were turned into pariahs! It didn't matter how many actually knew you were Nightmare Moon! And I had to just smile and nod at it when I tried to help innocent victims of paranoia behind their backs."

I twisted the knife. "And whose fault was that big sister?"

She snapped back, "MINE! If we hadn't been busy rebuilding an entire country that was still getting used to the idea of their ruler, now being two Alicorns with their best interests at heart, instead of one whimsical monster and that their efforts WEREN'T going to be wiped clean the next moment for the amusement of a tyrant, I might have noticed the warning signs. If She had still been with us, she could have taught and guided us through both our foolish and foalish mistakes, but we only had each other and we were forced to learn lessons the hard way unlike all other Alicorns, who were taught by our family!"

Blood pumped through my brain till I felt it was going to burst. "You've always been a fool big sister! You never had what it takes to change things! You just bend over backwards for everyone else!"

"I once promised, no matter how black one of my little pony's hearts turned, no matter how much they closed themselves off from everypony else, I would not give up on them. That is why I did not obliterate Sunnytown out of existence. It's why I didn't kill you when you became Nightmare Moon. Because I want to believe! I don't exert my power because I don't want to become another tyrant!"

"Luna, PLEASE stop! Family doesn't fight!"

I knocked the annoyance away. I heard a small shape hit the floor, then the walls, then the floor again, with a sickening crack. I turned my head. I saw Pipsqueak. He wasn't moving. My insides twisted into a black hole.

I teleported along side him. Parts of his skull were caved him, he was bleeding internally. A small light nopony else could see began to float away from him. I CHAINED IT to his body as it was struggling to escape.

A wall of blackness prevents his parents from getting close.

I dump a mountain worth of magic into his small body. Pip blinks his eyes open and he pushes himself up. Celestia glares at me like fire. She can see he still isn't breathing. I dropped the barrier and let his parents push me out of their way; hugging their son, not noticing his cooling touch. He looks at me, he isn't scared, he isn't hateful, he looks, worried? "Luna? I feel weird."

"Don't talk to that mare!" Her mother said hugging him.

"Luna . . ." Celestia hissed in my ear teleporting right along side me.

I looked at her rudely. "What?" I asked like she had the idea to be angry at me for eating breakfast with the wrong spoon.

"Luna . . . Luna, agh!" She commanded to everyone, "The banquet is over now! Everyone leave! Except you!" She pointed at the Squeaks.

"Shut up." My forehead burned, I felt like my body was covered in sweet.

"LUNA!"

"I said shut up, Tia! WHAT DO YOU KNOW! YOU HAVE NEVER KNOWN ANYTHING! YOU'VE NEVER CARED ABOUT WHAT I NEED OR WHAT I WANT! IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT CELESTIA! YOU COULD NEVER ALLOW ME TO SHINE ON MY OWN!" Hell erupted inside me. I welcomed the devils with their pitch forks with open arms. It felt good. Familiar. Proper.

I blasted her through a wall, then another, and finally outside. I may have vaporized a couple of guards and guests while I was at it. Oh well, line of duty. I'd write a letter to their families. I put a barrier around the Squeak just to be on the safe side.

"Luna don't hurt her."

"Don't worry Pip." I smiled back at him reassuringly, "I'm just going to make sure my big sister can't tell us we can't be friends ever again."

I flew out after her.

She was on the mountain side. She magically repaired her broken bones and torn muscles. Everything in a ten hoof diameter of her had been reduced to its component atoms.

She stood up. And glared at me. She shouted at me boldly, in the Royal Canterlot Voice. "LUNA! STOP! PLEASE! RIGHT NOW! THIS INSANITY HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH! You are NOT THINKING STRAIGHT! DO NOT MAKE IT ALL REPEAT! WE BEG YOU!"

"DURING THE DAY YOU'RE ABSOLUTE! DURING THE NIGHT I AM TRUTH! DON'T YOU DARE SAY WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO!"

"NOT AS A GODDESS BUT AS YOUR ELDER SISTER!" She pleaded.

"I'M SICK OF YOU SWINGING THAT WORD LIKE IT WAS A SCEPTER!"

Celestia looked at me like I had gone mad. "What-?! Luna you're not well! You need help!"

'I could not assign form or substance to the bubbling raging storm of emotions inside me that blasted up my throat. "HURT PIP AND I'LL GRIND YOU INTO DUST!"

"YOU did that yourself already! You're so obsessed with having him with you forever that you haven't thought about what this will do to him or his family! All you're thinking of is yourse-"

"WE COMMAND YOU TO BE SILENT!" A thousand black threads of darkness came from me and speared towards sister. They completely covered her like a cocoon and impaled her inside from a hundred different ways like an iron maiden. "Now stay in there! I'll fix Pip with or without your help! NOTHING is going to stand in my way!"

Release me right now Lulu. I won't stand by and watch you go mad a second time. If I have to put you down before you kill anymore of our ponies I will. I heard her voice in my mind. Her mouth was currently wrapped closed tight and full of her own blood after all.

"You'd threaten your little sister over her keeping her best friend from dying? Now whose the tyrant?"

I'm not dictating when my ponies live or die! Don't make me fight you! What you did first was unspeakable but only thoughtless! What you did next was a crime against not only the natural cycle but to Pip himself! Slaughtering ponies who have sworn to protect us with their lives? THERE IS NO WAY YOU ARE YOURSELF LUNA!

If you force me...Only one of us will survive, Luna! And I can't afford it to be you! You've already shown you're willing to trample our ponies underhoof to get what you want! And if you kill me, even if the Elements Of Harmony stop you, controlling the sun and moon is a lost art only the two of us know! If we're both gone, the world dies! Stop this before it's too late! Not again please! I won't warn you again.

"You? Warn me?" I asked drolly. "You're not exactly in a position to tell me what to do anymore, are you, Celly?" I made the threads close in tighter to crack bones. "You say you love them, but you just let them die, one after another. It's time that was fixed. With or without you."

Celestia's tone completely changed. It became grim, but somehow proud. I have had a thousand years to prepare for another rogue Alicorn little sister. I hoped and prayed it would not be you. But I am more than ready. ORION!

The Black Death Coffin exploded, the dark threads vaporized. Celestia repaired her earthly vessel with a thought. The ball of fire around her expanded in the blink of an eye. Her royal attire melted off her. I brought up a shield of darkness from the explosion.

My sister floated, not even using her wings. I stared with a gasp.

"Behold the true and terrible power of the Daymare, baby sister." Celestia now floated in a giant flame figure. It was the size of the castle of the Royal Pony Sisters.

Its upper body was shaped like that of Orion The Hunter, in one hand a spear, and the other a shield, the lower half was that of a centaur. The flames turned night into day and I heard the distant cries of alarm and panic of ponies. She grunted out at the strain of power she was letting out.

My sister had said she would not warn me again, and she always kept her word.

The giant flaming centaur stomped one of its hooves down almost on top of me. I turned to night and went in several directions at once before reforming. It left a crater where it stomped. Canterlot herself shook.

I wouldn't surrender. I wouldn't give up! Never again! I let out a scream. A blast of sheer destructive magic aimed right at Celestia. The giant's shield blocked it.

"So be it, you've made your choice, sister," said Celestia, I unable to see her face clearly within her fiery titan. "I'm sorry, Luna. All I ever do is fail you."

Its spear dove at me, but I teleported away only to be blindsided as the pillar of flames whacked me in the side, burning away fur and flesh. I healed myself with a thought.

I couldn't exponentially manipulate my mass or I would shape changed into three giant snakes to crush the giant. So instead I dove down INTO solid rock mountain side, slicing through it like a Quarray Eel, causing it to collapse under the giant.

As the titan fell to its four hooves I levitated several boulders and threw them right at Celly. The giant brought up its shield to protect her, but it couldn't defend her and itself from the second volley aimed at one of its back legs, disrupting the construct.

The spear vanished, and its hand free the giant tried to gasp me. I summoned a trio of Windigos who formed a sphere of solid ice around me that exploded into mist as the flaming hand came into contact.

In that moment, I fire another blast of magic, teleporting behind the giant in that moment of obscurity aiming at Celly in its body. She gasped out as my spell speared through her titan and herself and she bled like a river from her back and belly. The giant flickered, its lower body falling apart.

I grinned in triumph and was backhand away like a fly by the giant's shield.

I landed hard against the mountain side. The spear formed in the giant's hand again, and I barely had time to come to my senses as the spear bisected me.

Or what Celly thought was me. I thanked my loyal pet for her sacrifice. Our spiritual essence similar enough to fool even Celly.

A tower of black ice speared through the damage Orion construct, lasting just enough for me to crush my big sister.

"Don't worry Celly, our ponies are in good hooves," I whispered, "I'll make sure none of them need to be separated again, or need to die again. Pip shall only be the first."

I gasped out loud. I saw my beautiful northern lights. I felt someone close to me. I looked down to see Pip smiling, snuggled close to me, breathing slowly in contrast to my now rapid breathing and racing heartbeat, his body feeling warm against mine. The silence of the Arctic North surrounded us, the only sound being that of cold winds of frost. My two Night Guards wide awake looked at me asking together. "Your Nightesty are you alright?"

"I . . . I am going to be. Let us head back to Ponyville."

"Yes, Your Nightesty." They said together as they began to carry my personal chariot away. I folded a wing tightly around Pip and kissed him on the forehead.

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
Pony POV Series
Healing Pony POV Side tale: Nights "Luna's Nightmare"
By Alex Warlorn

I hold Pip close with one wing, and I feel my forehead with another. Do I have a fever? Or have I caught something that wouldn't manifest until tomorrow night?

The vaporized dust that had been loyal guards flashed in my mind.

I whispered, "Dust Wind, Dusk Wings."

The startle at me saying their personal names but they somehow manage to keep their voices mostly in sync, "Y-yes,Your Nightesty-y?"

"I would never harm either of you. I swear as an Alicorn, and your Princess. I would never harm either of you. You have always been loyal and true to me in your year and half of service, and I will always repay that loyalty in kind."

"O-o-of course/w-we know, Princess/Your Nightesty."

"Thank you," I breath out.

I arrived at the Squeak's house. I ordered the giant cart of toys out of sight. Of course they'd be awake. They were parents who loved their child. Of course they'd stay up waiting for his return after their ruler had taken him from them for a night on the town. I had no right to keep him from them.

Mouse Squeak asked first as mothers will, "Your Nightesty, is Pip alright? Did he behave himself?"

"Your son was a perfect gentlecolt, Miss Squeak. He is more a knight than most noble ponies several times his age. You should be proud of him. He is the bravest, curious, and most noble foal I know. If your family ever enters dark times, but send a word to Castle Canterlot, and I'll personally see to it after sunset. You've raised him well, continue to do so please." I bow my head at them. "You are better parents than many other ponies with far greater wealth or power. Take strength from that. Your son is a wonderful colt. I am honored and humbled to be his friend."

The Squeaks and my Guards look at each other.

"It's . . it's an honor Princess Luna! An honor!" Said Quick Squeak.

"Again. If your family ever has troubles. Do not hesitate to ask for my help. It's the least I can do for the family of a friend. And tell your son, when he is a stallion, he will be welcome as a member of my court."

They fainted together. Mouse Squeak still safely and gently holding up her boy in unconsciousness.

As they blinked back to consciousness, I said simply, "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Squeak. And thank you Pip. For everything."

Myself and my entourage returned to the castle, leaving the giant box of toys with a note outside with a giant bow.

I didn't think it was possible for an Alicorn to get sick, but I took some preventive medicine the royal physician recommended. Just in case. He strongly suggested against me magically cleansing my body of pathogens least I accidentally wiped out my digestive bacteria. I was asleep on my hooves when I lowered the moon and crashed onto my bed.

I had never been so happy to have the dream of playing legos on the moon as a foal with a blond human.

I did not order my server to send three invites to Ponyville that evening.

I wasn't surprised when Celly spoke to me the next evening holding a tabloid with her telekinesis. She was normally asleep by now. "Lulu! Have you read the tabloids tonight?"

"Yes I have. Don't worry Celly . . . I've . . . as of tonight I've stopped torturing Pip's bullies in their sleep. And I've removed the protective geasa on him. You're right. If Pip is to become a stallion, he needs to experience scraps and bumps like any foal. I can't treat him as he was my property. I-I don't have that right. I was the one acting like a foal... I just . . . Celly it's so wonderful to finally have a friend. Someone who sees just Luna instead of Princess Luna or Nightmare Moon. You understand, don't you?"

"Yes, I do Luna. I feel the same way about Twilight. But I'm not her mother. I love her like the foal I never had. . . . Maybe that's why I visit Starlight ever year."

"Starlight?"

"Twlight's mother."

"Oh right."

"But Luna, you need to know that when Ponies see you and Pip together-"

"I know, Celly, I know. They'll see what they want to see or are scared to see. And they'll see something that can break the trust we have with our people. I know. But Pip IS my friend, Celly. I won't break off that friendship just because of what others say or think, understand? Please?"

" . . . I understand. Seems Sunny Day has some work to do."

Using a huge amount of my own power, I forged a small light and dark blue bird with white spots like the stars in my sky. As much a part of me as a separate entity. She chirped as she looked at me. "Be there for Pip when I can't be. We'll protect him, but we won't smoother him." I nuzzled her and sent her flying on her way.

"Celly, how do you deal with knowing they'll all go away someday?"

"I treasure the memories. I enjoy the time I do have with them. And I remember, just because this vessel's eyes can't always see them, doesn't mean they won't be waiting for us when this world runs its course. They are no more truly creatures of flesh than us sister. Their spirits will always endure. Even if we have to wait for creation's lifespan before we are allowed to join them."

"I think I understand . . . maybe."

Celly put a hoof on my shoulder as she trotted next to my throne, "I can help you understand little sister."

"Big sister. Thank you." I hugged her.

"You're welcome Lulu." She hugged me back. "And Luna, I was tempted to let Princess Gaia create her kingdom of foals, just to see them all so happy, to have just the joy of discovery and the mirth of being with others. It reminded me of kinder times. But I couldn't go through with it. There's something transcendent, about seeing a wonderful foal become a wonderful pony. Like I have seen you become Luna."

You have no idea how much effort I put into not shedding one tear at those seven words.

"Tia', do visions always show what can be?"

Of course she was confused but she whispered, "They never show lies. Nor is what they show incomplete. But sometimes, what they show us is a reflection of what we need to see to grow."

"I think I see. 'Tia. I, want you to know. I don't think I ever thanked you."

"For what?"

"For stopping me. When you sealed me. And for still believing I was still good pony somewhere in there. And for putting Twilight on the path to save me from myself, and Equestria from me. I promise. I'll never try to hurt you again."

"You don't need to promise me that Luna, I know you never would."

I kiss my big sister on the cheek.

+++

Dear Princess Luna
I just want you know I really had a great time last night. It was scary but fun! And I hope we get play together again! You're my favorite Princess! I'm gonna remember last night for the rest of my life! Thanks a lot! I can't wait to fly again!

P.S. Mom said not to tell you this. But we've had to give away most of what you left us. It won't fit in our fridge.
P.P.S. Dad says not to tell you. But I think I'd have been happy with just the first toy. I just wanna spend time with you.

--Pipsqueak The Pirate First Class Pirate of the First Pirate Fleet of Trottingham

Dear Sister
Yes I know it is rather silly to write you a letter instead of saying this to your face. But I'd like something to remind me of this lesson myself.
I recently had a chance to look at myself from the outside. I have been reminded that I am not a perfect goddess. While I have been wronged, this does not mean I am flawless. Just because I can love does not mean I can not be avaricious. I am not Our Parents. I only hope that Their wisdom continues to guide me.
And I've realized, I can be selfish. I can mask something and call it love when I was possessive. To truly love a friend, you think about what they want and what's best for them, not what you want, but more important, it's not just WHAT they want. Friendship is not about giving them things. It's about being together. To share. To learn. To Experience. And to get to know each other.
And I think the first thing you need to do is see things from their point of view.

--Your sister, Luna.

++++

There was a knock on the door. Pips parents were busy so he opened the it. He came face to face with a small earth pony filly with light purple coat and a light blue mane. Her cutie mark was a crescent moon with a star.

"Hi," Pip said simply to the smiling filly.

"Hi," The filly yawned even though it was just after school, "I'm Moonlight. I'm new around here, wanna play Pirates and Cowponies?" She grinned. "I hear you have a super-size Jack Stallion plush doll from the best Princess ever."

Pip startled, then smiled and nodded. "Okay! Let's play!"

~Fin

Author's Notes:

Made a major change to near the ending to better justify Luna's horror and dismay.

Pony POV Series Episode 27: "AJ's Dreams Part 1 of 2"

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic
Pony POV Series Side Story Nights: AJ's Dreams
By Alex Warlorn

Mah hat? Mah hat was mah pa's. Mah parents left us the farm, but mah pa left me his hat. Darn tootin' it meant a lot to me! It held a lot for me! Memories, of him, of us together, of him and ma, before me and Big Mac had to take care of Sweet Apple Acres, Granny Smith, and Applebloom by ourselves. When the apples were shinier, and Granny Smith could dance, well on her own without Discord messin' with her. When Ah had it with me, I had him with me.

Are you crazy? Of course Ah hadn't told Fluttershy! Like Ah told Rarity, poor girl is beatin' herself up enough over what happened. Ah'd bet bits to donuts the filly is sobbin' herself to sleep each night! Learning I lost pa's keepsake while saving Equestria and 'Shy from herself? Girl would be crushed. Ah ain't gonna pour salt in the wound! That would be cruel.

Cruel but truthful? . . . Look Ah, Ah want ya to know, it's... it would be meaningless. 'Shy girl's already punishing herself, I got a replacement hat from Rarity: telling her would be pointless. There's a big differences between tellin' a painful truth cause it needs to be told and tellin' one when all it'll do is hurt somepony. 'Shy already apologized for hurtin' all of us, that's enough in my book. If she asks about mah hat I'm gonna say it wasn't as important as savin' a friend and the world. And that's gonna be the truth!

Huh? Now you wanna know why Ah think so many ponies can just forgive her for what she did? Ah'll admit, I'm the Element of Honesty and Ah didn't get it at first. Little Spike had to explain it. Princess Gaia, Fluttershy, all them ponies she turned into foals? She loved 'em, she was crazy but she loved'em dangit! An they loved her! You think feelin's care whether they're magical or not? All her magic goin' away did was give them ponies back the brains to see mama's plan was crazy. So let me ask you just one question. How easily would you forgive yer mama? If she went nuts? And when she was herself again she wouldn't stop sayin' how sorry she was? Would ya really tell'er you still hate'er?

Do ya really have ta wear them dang sunglasses? I swear that's gettin' annoying! Ya make it sound like Ah've got mind control eyes or somethin'! I just see truth, that's all. Now if you'll excuse me, mah apples ain't gonna sell themselves.

+++++

"Ya hear about Family Appreciation Day? I hear the school is sendin' out letters every which way to make sure no parent misses out. Applebloom's acting a little funny about it, but I know she'll see Granny Smith is an Apple to be proud of!" AJ happily and casually said to RD and her shadows who had stopped for a quick bite to eat.

"'Every which way'?" RD repeated. She and Scootaloo exchanged worried looks. Hovering slightly above the two ponies in his 'copter gear, Tank just looked between the two ponies bemused.

"Oh don't you worry none! I know you think Derpy's a bit on the ditzy side, but she can handle the extra work load."

"Huh?" RD looked at her confused.

"I mean Ditzy Doo! Ya know? I know you think she just messes up anything complicated. But I've never heard any pony complain about their mail deliveries from her!"

"Oh! Oh right! Heh. No skin off my flanks." Rainbow grinned. "You're right. I shouldn't be worried about that at all." Rainbow Dash unconsciously spread a wing around Scootaloo.

"RD, there somethin' you ain't tellin' me?"

"Nothing. Nothing -you- need to worry about I mean. Don't worry everything is fine. Nothing that's -actually- bad!" Rainbow quickly corrected herself in an almost panicked tone.

Rainbow clopped her back hoof in a short beat. Instantly Tank went into his shell and pulled out a pair of sunglasses that he put over Rainbow Dash's eyes.

Applejack growled in annoyance. "Now ya see here. Ah can appreciate there are some things a pony keeps private! And Ah ain't none appreciatin' that you think am gonna start flappin' mah gums every time I learn somethin' bad 'bout one of mah friends! Now take them sun glasses off and trust me!"

Rainbow Dash startled and Scootaloo actually hid behind her as steam started to come out of Applejack's ears. Reluctantly Rainbow Dash removed the sunglasses just as Scootaloo worked up the nerve to come between the earth pony and her idol.

"If it's nothing Applejack, I don't need to talk about it, if it isn't nothing, I don't want to talk about it, because it won't change what's gonna happen," Rainbow Dash said simply.

"Alright Dash, but if ya need something, ya come straight to me ya hear?"

Rainbow Dash just nodded and the small flock took off and took off FAST, like they were on a time table and zipped around several corners.

"Rainbow! Rainbow! Oh darn!" The Flutters flew by next, slowing to a landing a few feet from AJ's cart.

"Hey Flutters!" AJ spoke to her friends, "Where's the fire?"

"Oh!" Fluttershy said just noticing AJ. "It's, it's nothing, we just wanted to talk to Rainbow Dash, she's always around town so much with all her flying, and uh, er, we were, kinda sort of hoping she could help us with something."

"Oh? And what pray tell?"

The Flutters' body language and tone changed, her colors becoming darker. "If you have to ask. We got an unmarked letter under our door this morning, not even through the mailbox. Wasn't signed or anything. It said 'Be prepared to use Gaia's power on the purple pony at the mental ward for a day or she may be erased.' 'Shy's not taking it too well."

"'Gaia's power', wait are ya all sayin'-"

"Yes. Keep it under your hat, cowpony. You can guess 'Shy doesn't like it. And 'Shy put a 'Pinkie Proof' seal on it on plain view. And no, we're not telling you more."

'Ah REALLY hope this doesn't turn out to be another 'surprise reveal congo', dealin' with all that after savin' 'Shy was bad enough!' AJ thought more vexed then worried that Fluttershy might still have a fraction of the power that had nearly conquered Equestria. "Fine. I'm an honest pony but Ah ain't no gossiper. Ah ain't gonna go blabbin' it for no reason."

"I wouldn't have said anything cowpony if I didn't trust you," 'Cruel said like AJ was pointing out the annoyingly obvious.

"Well if ya really want ta find RD, she has Tank and Scoots with'em, so maybe you should check Sugarcube Corner."

'Cruel looked like she was about to say 'They actually finished rebuilding that place from 'Spikezilla'?' But then 'Shy nodded graciously and politely, "Oh thank you Applejack! Have a nice day! And-oh! My! Oh excuse me, please!" Fluttershy apologized.

"No problem Miss Fluttershy." Applebloom said though she seemed to stiffen a bit at the mare's presence until she had fluttered away. "Hiya, big sister!"

"Hello Applejack." Sweetie Belle waved a hoof smiling. Both fillies were carrying bags over their shoulders.

"Whatcha doin' here little sister? Ah thought you and Sweetie Belle were hangin' out with, That Filly, at Rarity's today."

"Her name is Silver Spoon," Sweetie Belle said frowning.

Applebloom shrugged, "She says she got this note sayin' she should spend times with her folks today cause 'the folks she knows might be goin' away soon' . . . Ah think it's some sort of prank but it scared her good! So she's invitin' us to her house instead."

"If I ever meet the pony who did that sort of prank, I'm going to give her a piece of my mind!" Sweetie said striking a regal pose.

AJ sighed. "Look, Ah know it's the honest truth That Filly ain't being friends with ya to cause trouble. But Applebloom, just follow Sweetie Belle's lead around her folks 'kay?"

Slightly confused Applebloom replied, "Okay Applejack."

AJ leaned against her sales stand slightly. As she sold several barrels worth to Dr. Whooves who was mumbling something about the 'fate of the universe' she thought, 'Well how ya like that, all mah friends are comin' along right after the other like they're takin' turns. Wonder if Twili' is gonna show up next.'

+++++

"There!" Spike declared in victory, and with Owlowiscious snoozing, there was no to take it away from him! "House tree clean up complete! Isn't it great Twilight?"

"Yeah Spike it is." Twilight smiled politely as she looked about the place. 'At least he's not complaining about having to clean up for two unicorns now. Trixie, you really gotta learn to clean up after yourself. Though I gotta admit,' "Spike I got to say you've really made the library live up to my name today."

"Thank you thank you!" Spike bowed.

Twilight looked at the organized books and trotted over to her personal collection. There was a place with one empty slot. She reached out to correct it, but stopped, like it was some sacred marker. 'Why do I need proof Trixie was here? It's not like I'm going to forget she was here any time soon.' Twilight nearly laughed at the silliness of the thought. 'I've taught that unicorn way too much to forget her now.'

"Come on Spike, let's eat."

+++++

'The nerve of some ponies,' Rarity thought. As a matter of course she always kept copies of every design she made: including the design for Screwball, er, Miss Golden Tiara.

The strange thing this morning there was somepony asking to buy off every copy of the design she had out of the blue. The pony absolutely refused to give their name or their reason for wanting them. Rarity had staunchly refused of course. Those designs were private. The pony had left apparently disappointed.

Rarity wondered if the pony had been employed by Onyx Tiara. Rarity sighed, for Tiara's sake she really needed to talk to that stallion.

+++++

Pipsqueak nervously looked at his companion. "Are you sure we should be doing this Moonlight?"

Moonlight looked at him with an assuring smile and a gleam in her eyes. "Oh don't worry Pip. My big sister told me all about this. It's called a prank. It's nothing too harmful."

Pip shuffled his hooves. "Well, if you say so."

Moonlight put a hoof around the little colt's shoulder. "I promise Pip, we're not going to do anything bad." Moonlight let out a yawn and the two trotted over to AJ's apple stand.

"Howdy Pipsqueak!" Then AJ noticed the small filly with him. "Hey there little darlin'! Ain't see ya 'round here before! Where ya all live?"

"You don't need to ask where I live."

"Ah don't need ta ask where ya all live."

"Myself and Pipsqueak are the cutest couple you have ever seen."

"Yahself and Pipsqueak are the darn' cuten'nest couple Ah've ever done see."

"There's nothing strange about you repeating everything I say."

"There ain't nothin' strange 'bout me repeatin' everything ya say."

"Pipsqueak is the best pony in the whole wide world."

"Pipqueak is the best pony in the da whole wide world."

"You DO have an accent."

"Ah DO have an accent."

"You'll give me and Pipsqueak apples free of charge."

"No way doin'!"

"Hey!"

"Sorry, but free samples are fer family only."

"You should go and take a nap!"

"Ah should go an' take a nap-soon as mah shift's over of course."

Moonlight startled. Pain was like a railroad spike hammered into her brain one moment and was gone the next. At the same instant the image of a one armed clock ticking towards noon flashed in her mind. 'No.' Moonlight thought in dismay. 'Blast it why did events have to drag on for so long?'

++++

AJ had a really pleasant afternoon after the short visits by her friends and Pip and his play date. Nice to see the kid was making friends in town considering his family had to start over here in Ponyville. Her last surprise guest of the afternoon had been Zecora, who with a negative amount of stealth had informed AJ she was now in perfect mental health. She took it in stride that Zecora had a few more doctor visits set just to make sure she did not backslide.

She wanted to keep going, but the idea of needing to take a nap wouldn't leave her.

It would be just her and Granny Smith until the late evening. Applebloom was at That Filly's house, and Big Mac had a big job in Canterlot.

Apparently Sweet Apple Acres' reputation had finally taken off as the farm was requested by name to cater to a Stallions' Club in Canterlot. However the request had included a note that only male ponies were allowed inside. It was about as sexist as that 'No Colts Allowed' sign she stuck on her club house door as a filly, but Applejack was actually mature enough to accept this. If mares wanted private time, she was willing to give stallions their space too.

Big Mac wasn't all too happy about this, but a sale this big didn't happen every day! AJ just needed to give him a slight push out the door.

When AJ was trotting up to the farm house she saw a blue and black nightingale fly into her bedroom via an open window.

"Well that ain't good. Them poor critter's gonna make a mighty fine mess in there." AJ said to herself. She let herself in, said hello to her grandmother, and trotted upstairs.

She opened the door to her room so not to frighten the poor thing. She then let the door swing open and said,

"What the buck?"

"Charmed," Princess Luna said in a deadpan tone. "Greetings Abigail Jacqueline V. I apologize that we can never seem to see each other on positive occasions."

Four night guards hup-to. AJ eyed them, noticing that they were in the corners of the room with their eyes trained on her. AJ's body tensed.

The Night itself caught her eyes' movement, "They are not here to fight you Abigail Jacqueline. They are here to sacrifice their lives and sanity to buy me the precious few seconds I'll need to inform Celestia if you fall into black magic."

"SAY WHA?" AJ said her concentration breaking. "Black what-?! And what in tarnation are you doin' in mah house?! Er," AJ shook her head, "Your Majesty?"

"Allow me to answer your question with a question. What do you remember when you took your sister with you to meet with my sister? Just before she showed you the path to the Truth? Think Abigail. What contradiction exists between what was said and what is now?"

AJ couldn't help but grit her teeth, but kept her manners to her self imposed royal house guest. She hated riddles. She rattled her brain for an answer. Then Applebloom's voice echoed back to her. "WOW! Can I have it too-?!"

AJ said in realization, "Yer big sister said Ah wouldn't be gettin' 'truth vision.' "

Princess Luna sighed. "You were not supposed to look into The Gate of Truth as long as you did Abigail, and even that besides, nothing should have happened. We underestimated what your bond with, the Element of Honesty, would do to you. Honesty cries out to Truth. It calls out to truth, and truth answers back. You have become more. Your eyes are becoming open to greater things. Both wonderful and horrible. Things mortal ponies aren't supposed to bear." Luna looked at Applejack almost apologetically. "Sorry AJ, there are burdens an Alicorn DOES have to bear alone."

Applejack startled. That was the first time Princess Luna had ever called her by her nickname. She spoke calmly, almost pleadingly, "Princess, what is all this about?"

AJ would have found Princess Luna's speech long winded, but hearing Luna speak in singular person on business was jarring enough to keep her attention.

"The world we exist in is fact just one of several Applejack. You learned this already when you looked into The Gate of Truth. But what you didn't see was that our world and countless others are all tethered to a singular world whose reality all worlds born from it must bow to. When something in that heart world changes, then all others worlds must submit to that change, or have their connection broken.

"Some of these worlds become strong enough that their own truth can survive on its own without an umbilical cord to the heart world. Many do not. A deceptively significant event is due soon in this world and the heart world that could very well cut our timeline's connection to it. So far we've been able to prevent such a thing from happening. We were hoping our timeline would have had time to mature before something like this could happen. But this change could strain our link past the breaking point.

"Applejack. You were never supposed to have received the gift/curse to see truth. But it is now an integrated part of your being, in order for it to sleep you would have become unworthy of being the Element of Honesty, I doubt that I need to tell you the risk that would carry. Applejack, if our world loses its connection to the heart world. Your gift to see truth WILL become a curse."

AJ would have considered what Luna was saying was crazy, if it wasn't being said by a goddess and AJ's vision told her this was truth. So she quite scared inside. " . . . okay. How so?"

"The truth of this world, and that of the heart world will clash. To a pony who lacks your ability, this will pass without them knowing, but for you, it'll be very different. You will lose your ability to tell them apart. You will go completely mad. Truth should be unifying, not divisive. When you behold this divisive truth: your base nature will know only one desire. To make truth absolute. It'll be the only way you'll be able to endure the agony of simultaneous conflicting realities."

" . . . how do you know all this?"

"I've . . . been having dreams. Dreams of what then did happen, or could have happened. And I saw what YOU will become Applejack. There is only one solution."

'I ain't dying tonight.' AJ tensed every muscle in her body waiting for the first flicker from the goddess' horn.

"You must complete in one night what was supposed to take you a life time. You must embrace an opposing truth of yourself in your heart. And with the unification of two sides of yourself, you'll be able to remain sane if our link to the heart world snaps."

AJ startled so badly she nearly fell on her belly. "Wha?"

+++

Pinkie Pie panted, her hide covered in sweat. Her legs felt like lead as she dragged them along. The bag of paint, letters, and cupcakes now feeling like a boulder compared to this morning. She would apologize to Dr. Whooves for stealing the keys to his funny blue shed earlier. "Must-! Prevent-! Universe-! From, being, jossed!"

+++

AJ collected herself. "So, we're goin' ta be givin' that Truth fellah a visit again?" AJ steeled herself.

"Not quite. You will be looking into yourself Applejack. The image of Truth becomes Truth. Right here. Right now. There is, however, also the risk that these could cause you to fall into corruption now instead of later. Your brother is out of harm's way as insurance. If another Element of Honesty is needed to purify you, he is the safest bet as you know, he has taken your place in at least one other timeline."

"Bet-?! Wait-wait-wait, you got us that job so Big Mac wouldn't be here? This is all happenin' way too fast!" AJ had never felt so incredulous.

"We don't have TIME for a better plan!"

"Shouldn't we doing this in Canterlot then?"

"This is to protect Canterlot from you!"

"How about ya use them fancy smacy Alicorn magics and have us do it in the desert then-?!"

"Doing it here actually gives you the greatest chance of coming out whole. And you SAW what happened when Fluttershy fell to black magic in 'nowhere!' Even if I tell Celestia where you'll be ahead of time, having it happen -away- from those you love and places you are familiar with will only make your 'maturation' happen faster! This is for YOUR sake Abigail Jacqueline."

"Now hold on an apple bucking minutes! This happened to you! This happened to Fluttershy! And now yer sayin' unless ah go on some fancy 'spirit journey' or somethin' it's gonna happen to me too! Yer gonna tell me right now! What da hay is ah Nightmare anyway?!"

The original Nightmare lowered her head sadly, almost shamefully. "An Alicorn is a part of everything. A Nightmare is when a part of you, is the only part of you."

"Truth doesn't need no compromisin'." AJ said with finality.

Luna backhoofed her.

AJ gasped. When had any Alicorn actually hurt a pony? Her mind wobbled. "Wha'? Did Ah say something' mean ta Pip this time?" AJ asked her brain spinning.

" Listen to what you -said- Abigail Jacqueline V! Honesty has become your trusted companion ever since you and your friends cured me, Abigail. But as you are now, a mortal pony, this will ultimately run wild and devour you. As my night devoured me! And Fluttershy's kindness devoured her! I won't see another pony become a slave to that blackness if I can do something to stop it!"

AJ finally noticed the royal guards were as shocked by their Princess' act of violence as AJ was.

The Princess panted. AJ saw tears in Luna's eyes. "And that is a Nightmare."

"So yer sayin' if we don't do this right here and now, Ah will turn into a Nightmare, but if we do this then Ah might turn into one anyway."

"Yes."

"Then promise me somethin'. Or I'm just gonna just sit on mah flanks eatin' apple fritters till ya do. Yer gonna make sure mah granny and Applebloom are safe."

The goddess lowered her head to the mortal pony. "You have my Word. If you become a Nightmare, I'll protect them. I will honor the spirit of these words and not their dictation."

AJ tiled her head, "Wha was that last part?"

"I promise not to abuse the wording. It's ... a harsh lesson my sister learned and she passed it onto me. Now I suggest you take that nap now."

AJ blinked, the idea suddenly felt like her own.

"Tah thad nap now." AJ repeated in a drunken slur before falling on her side.

++++

AJ opened her eyes, but she couldn't move her body. She was completely limp. She must have been dreaming. She was laying on her back on her own bed. She felt something heavy on her hooves and moved her eyeballs. There were some long heavy metal rods standing on top of her hooves. AJ dully noted the rods were chained together at the top. Her legs were spread out making her feel like a bug on display.

A hoof gently pushed her head so she was looking out at the top of her bed.

"Abigail," The night Alicorn's voice whispered softly, "Do not panic, the restraints are merely to prevent you from harming yourself and to buy a few precious seconds incase of the absolute worst case scenario. Now listen carefully. You are now going to look into the truth that is a part of you. Your heart will seek out the version of you that is both complimentary and contradictory to you. But you'll also see many, many other possibilities and impossibilities along the way. Once inside your own soul, there will be nothing I can do for you. But you won't be alone. May My Parents grant you the understanding to grow, my little pony."

A large mirror was placed in AJ's line of sight. And AJ looked into her own eyes. And she saw herself looking into her own eyes. And she saw herself looking into her own in the reflection of looking into her eyes in her eyes' reflection of looking into her own eyes.

And Applejack realized she was looking into The Gate of Truth.

====

AJ was having a nervous break down! She had followed that witch Zecora into the woods all by herself to save Applebloom through those weird blue flowers and now AJ was a zebra?! Just wait until she got her hoofs on that witch! . . . As soon as her own friends stopped running in fear from her of course.

=

Prince Blueblood endured loop after loop of the same day of the Grand Galloping Gaia. The fear and confusion has long since worn off, along with the novelty of his actions have no consequences. He had married Sapphire Shores, he had set fire to Canterlot, he had committed suicide one thousand three hundred and ninety two different ways. All that was left now was trying to make one night for a white unicorn with a purple-curled mane utterly perfect, even if it would vanish into oblivion with the dawn.

=

"What's your name little filly?" Twilight asked kindly.

"I think, maybe, it's Nyx?"

=

Two images at once. Almost the same. Fluttershy was nursing someone back to health, ever so slowly teaching them empathy and how petty and small they had been. In one it was Trixie, in the other, it was Gilda.

=

All six bearers of the Elements of Harmony, weeks after the defeat of Discord, were all hotly debating how it was possible for the six of them to be pregnant when none of them had ever even been mounted!

=

"Pony Babies where make believe comes true!"

"ACH! NEXT! PLEASE!" AJ heard her own voice cry out!

=

"YA CAN'T WIN PONIES!" Gildar boasted in her giant war zord robot Grifclopsys.

"Let's keep it up!" Shouted Purple Pony Ranger in their Mega-Pony.

"Right!"

"Morphin'!"

=

Sunny Day panted in the giant blast crater. Around her neck was a golden lock and chain. Twilight and the others stood along side her, scorched but otherwise unharmed.

Hovering above them was an Alicorn stallion. His cutie mark was a chariot being pulled by two different colored creatures. Connected to one wing was a spear and the other a shield.

"Why you persist Celestia? The judgement is final. Stop this nonsense. You can't win. Nothing can defend against my spear and nothing can penetrate my shield. It is the very symbol of my loyalty, so it won't break!"

"I'm gonna show you loyalty!" Rainbow snapped, "I'm gonna break that stupid shield of yours!"

"Then come at me my little pony, show me this inner strength that drives my sister and that she believes in so readily that she'd stand against her own family!"

=

Twilight gasped in horror and shock. Wrapped around Zecora were transparent ghostly horse like creatures. They constricted around her unarmed left foreleg like snakes.

The others circled around her, Rarity was still thawing out Rainbow Dash from the surprise attack.

"Y-you're controlling the Windigos-?!"

Zecora shook her head slowly, the act seemed painful. "Controlling? No. We simply understand one another."

One of the Windigos reached out and grabbed Twilight by the leg and slammed her into a wall. Zecora shouted, "Twilight! This is the true Witch Of The Mare, you've been searching for!" The blades on three of Zecora's legs slashed across Twilight's midsection as Zecora tossed her across the room.

Zecora gasped out, "Twilight! Only you!"

=

Twilight could only gasp in horror, unable to even lift her keyblade. The ghostly feelings of hate and malice covered her like weight chains.

"The Windigos! Come from you-?!"

Nightmare Moon nodded in a simple act of triumph. "It happened when I first embraced my inner dissonance. The cold feelings took the shape of these monsters. They are what I feel. And what I feel is very much hate and anger! And the best part is, no matter how many times you destroy them, their dark feelings return to me. You never had a chance, Twilight."

=

"Who are you?!" Surprise snapped at the cyan pegasus.

"Does it matter? I'm here for the rest of Pinkie Pie's heart." Said the blindfolded mare, a gray and rainbow colored keyblade connected to one wing.

"PINKIE! PINKIE! PINKIE! I'm sick of hearing about Pinkie! I am me! And I . . . I just want to be with her again!"

"Her? You mean 'Minty'? It's a struggle just to remember her name now isn't it? Soon she'll fade from existence completely."

""Out of my way!" She summoned her's and Minty's Keyblades at the same time and charged. "I'll be with her again and freeing Kingdom Hearts is the only way to do that!"

"If you try to make contact with Kingdom Hearts, the last thing you'll get is Minty back. The Sisterhood will destroy you."

"SHUT UP!" She charged.

"HOPE YOU'RE FAST!" The cyan pegasus shouted and seemed to come at her from several directions at once before hammering her into the ground. "SLOPPY!"

=

"Everyone far and wide!" Mayor Mare shouted, "Let everyone welcome the newest Princess of Equestria! She who has helped bring peace and love to all ponies everywhere! She whose kindness and love is above question! She to whom we all admire as an inspiration to all Ponykind not only of today but all generations to come! Let us welcome her with open hooves! She who has risen above and become one with the gods themselves! We welcome! We welcome you! Princess Bubbles!"

A beautiful gray coated Alicorn humbly bowered her head at the cheering crowd of thousands. Her mane was like a golden waterfall. Her white harness and mantle gleamed in the daylight. Her cutie mark a spiral of bubbles. She eyed what were now her subjects as part of a trinity in two directions at once.

A pair of unicorns held up a sign in the crowding saying 'Love You Mom!' Or would have if they weren't standing alongside her in the most beautiful Gala dresses imaginable blushing as they stood alongside their mother. Behind them of course would be Equestria's biggest muffin.

=

"Okay," Said a violet dragon with a slightly nasal voice sounding resigned. "Let me get this straight, you're both named Spike too."

A blue dragon said in a cultured tone, "Technically my full name is Master Kenbroath Gillspotten Heathspike. But yes, I do go by simply 'Spike' normally."

A dark purple spike with pudgy belly and a round head said, "Yeah, that's me! And I gotta say I think I'm cuter than either of you! I can't see Rarity falling for either of you!"

"That is debatable," Said the blue Spike.

"Oh yeah?"

"Now hold on!" Said the light violet Spike getting between the two others. "You said someone important to you got taken to this place too right? Like Megan?"

"Yes my Princess Wysteria," Said the blue Spike nodded.

"Twilight," The dark purple Spike sighed.

"Then how about we don't argue till after we save'em?"

"That sounds quite logical. Of course I shall lead."

"Yeah?! Says who?"

"Says that I'm a thousand years older than you and I've read more book than most forests have trees!"

"Well I've . . I've organized more books than most countries have trees!"

The blue Spike crossed his arms, "I'll be sure to note that."

The light violet Spike waved his arms. "Look! I don't care whose in charge! We gotta move!"

=

Pipsqueak cradled Luna's head in his tiny forelegs.

Blood coming from every orifice she whispered, "Pip, I'm sorry."

=

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie pressed against each other in comfort. The red sphere pulsing with all of Equestria's inner demons and the Windigos themselves, all inside desperate for escape. But the pair wouldn't give it to them. Not now. Not ever. Not for the last thousand years, not for the next ten thousand years. This was their duty, this was their fate, it was their choice. Equestria only knew peace and happiness, as it should be.

A massive shrine had long since been built around the two, in honor of their sacrifice.

=

Princess Gaia trotted among her foals and knight. The red grief gem dangled around her neck. After a thousand years, the love and adoration of her children had reduced the heavy weight to the size of a marble.

'After so long, I'm still happy I took Applejack's advice. There's no telling what would have happened if I had kept this a secret from my children. Bottling up my own feelings like that.'

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were in Ponyville for the yearly birthday of her children. Asking each one in turn if they were ready to grow up or would like to remain as foals with their friends for another year. With Princess Gaia's puppets allowing for grunt labor, it was a practical system.

The captain of her Nature Guard, Ditzy Doo, saluted her alongside her daughter Dinky Doo, now an adult mare in armor and butterfly wings like her.

Princess Gaia took a moment to just enjoy the sunlight and listen to the sound of her foals playing. Yes, what a wonderful world she and her children had made together.

=

Inside a spell circle, Applebloom pressed a black boney hoof against the invisible barrier. "Help me!" The fear and pain obvious in her hoarse voice.

The undead filly looked at her big sister pleadingly.

AJ glared hatefully at Twilight, "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST USE YOUR STUPID MAGIC HORN TO UNCURSE MY BABY SISTER ALREADY?"

"But curses aren't real!" Twilight wailed.

"DOES THAT LOOK REAL ENOUGH TO YOU!" AJ snarled taking Twilight head and pushing her muzzle against the barrier Twilight herself had made to quarantine the filly after a heartfelt hug to Sweetie Belle had put the poor filly into the emergency room.

"Plea-ea-ea-eassse!" Applebloom's red eyes would have been crying if they could. "It hurts so bad Applejack! Make it stop! Make it stop!"

"FIX HER DAMMIT!" AJ hissed in Twilight's face.

"I-I-I don't know how!"

AJ THREW her into a shelf of books, "THEN FIND OUT HOW YOU LAZY ASS GOOD FOR NOTHING BOOK WORM!"

Twilight slowly pushed herself off the floor, tasting the blood in her mouth. When was the last time any of her friends had hurt her besides time as Discord's pawn? She looked at AJ, but there was no apology in those eyes, only an overwhelming desire for Twilight, Celestia, Discord, Cheerilee, anypony to cure her little sister.

"Don't fight please!" The undead filly pleaded, seeing her sister like that, it was like she was a different pony.

AJ pushed herself against the barrier, not caring for the feeling of the warmth being pulled out of her, "Yer gonna be fine Applebloom, Ah promise. Yer gonna be just fine." Applebloom pressed against the barrier as well, she'd be crying rivers if she had tears to shed.

Outside the library Sweetie asked her own big sister, "Please let me in. She didn't mean it!"

Rarity sighed holding up the filly with her magic, "I'm sorry Sweetie, it's not, not safe for you to see Applebloom right now."

Back inside Twilight rambled to herself, "But-but, zombies and curses are just fiction, fantasy. They aren't real. This must be an illusion. A trick by some poison joke. Maybe this is all some collective dream."

"Yer blind." AJ seethed, "ALWAYS BLIND! Yer absurd! Ya won't see the truth unless it's forced on ya! Well okay then! Here's Miss Force. "

=

Nightmare Manacle roared across the sky, blindly hissing and cussing at any pony she laid her eyes on. The inverted spectrum colored Alicorn tore chains from her own body and threw them at various random ponies. The chains connecting themselves and burrowed into the flesh of pairs of ponies, who all suddenly found themselves able to hear the thoughts and feel the pain of the pony they were now chained to.

"THIS WORLD IS FILLED WITH NOTHING BUT BACK STABBERS! SELFISH PONIES DOING THEIR OWN SELFISH THING AND ONLY HELPING OUT WHEN IT SUITS THEM! WELL LET'S FIX THAT NOW SHALL WE-?!" Hissed the Nightmare with solid white eyes. "ONCE EVERYONE'S CHAINED TOGETHER YER GONNA HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER YOU BUNCH OF LOSERS!"

A home made grenade, not a pie, not a cake, but a very real hoof held -bomb- exploded to one side of the gray and inverted colors Nightmare's face.

"YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN AND LAUGH IT UP DASHIE!" Pinkie Diane said carrying a satchel of hastily constructed weapons. "You're making everyone miserable!"

"THERE IS NO 'DASHIE!' I AM NIGHTMARE MANACLE!" Eight chains sprung from the Nightmare coming down towards the Earth pony from all sides who agilely dodged the attack.

"PINKIE LOOK OUT!" Screamed Mr. Cake's voice as he came up from behind her with a meat cleaver. It cut off part of Pinkie's mane. The chains pulled the stallion's forelegs back for another slash. He was wearing a badly fitting Shadowbolt costume.

Fluttershy/Fluttercruel dove down to try and get at her from above but instead were too busy dodging rainbow colored lighting bolts.

"GOTTA PROTECT DASH! GOTTA PROTECT DASH! GOTTA PROTECT DASH!" Shouted Scootaloo like a broken record. She was moving too fast for Rarity or Twilight's telekinesis to catch her as she ran interference for the Nightmare. Scoots was wearing a Shadowbolt costume with chains around her neck and hooves.

"We've got to pull back!" Rarity shouted. "Get Celestia and Luna!"

"We can't abandon Dash!" AJ shouted.

"We're not abandoning! We're getting help!" Rarity protested. "If we get the Elements then maybe we can actually do something to save her!"

That was when Applebloom and Sweetie Belle from their hiding places jumped and grappled Scootaloo from two sides. "GOTTA PROTECT DASH! GOTTA PROTECT DASH!" The chains on her hooves snaked to life and wrapped themselves around Applebloom and Sweetie's necks. Their eyes bulged as they began to cough up the words, "Gotta, gotta protect, gotta PROTECT-"

"NO!" AJ and Rarity shouted as the costumes began to appear on the two fillies.

====

Rainbow flew at full speed towards the top of the circus tent that covered all of Ponyville. The insane laughter echoing in her ears from every direction.

"Pinkie Pie!!"

"Anger is dead-dead-dead! Pinkamena is dead-dead-dead! Bad foalhood memories are dead-dead-dead! Now there's only happy thoughts!" Said a squeakly high pitched voice.

Coming together to block RD's flight path where three fillies in clown costumes with completely insane looks in their eyes.

"EVERYONE DANCE TO THE SONG OF NIGHTMARE GRANFALLOON!" They cheered in perfectly sync, staying in the air with balloons and tight rope wires.

"Don't make me hurt you!" RD hissed. She had no clue what was going on anymore than the others. All she knew was that she had worked up the nerve to finally confess her sin to the others today, and there was an EXPLOSION from Sugar Cube Corner or something.

"Out of the way!" Hissed a yellow pegasus who did a flying kick to Applebloom's gut and a pair of back hoofs to the other two clownified Cutie Mark Crusaders.

On a lower platform AJ found herself having to buck the entire cake family three ways from Celestia Day.

"Come on! We just wanna cut out yer eyes! Can't you see? HEHEHEH!" Laughed a completely insane Mr. Cake at his own joke. The clown dressed pony and his wife tirelessly stabbing at the Earth pony.

"PINKIE! THIS ISN'T MAKING ME HAPPY!" AJ shouted trying to reason.

The laughter echoed from all around and above, "HEHEHEHEH! But-but-but! You-see-see-see: Bad things! Bad things shouldn't be seen! Cause they don't make ponies happy! BAD EYES GO AWAY!"

"We've tried all the exits, they just lead back inside!" Twilight hissed as she used some circus props to try to harmlessly tie down the ponies who had been infected. The only thing any of them had in common was a balloon shaped locket around their necks, and being completely insane!

"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?" Rarity shouted to anyone and everyone.

In the stands Derpy and ScrewBall fought like mad mares, fighting back to back to protect their fillies from the horde.

RD flew up higher and higher, finally at the top she found her. Grinning ear to ear. Wearing clown make up, in the most garish party dress imaginable. Wings and horn shone in the stage lights. She was now three times RD's size. "Heeellllooooo Daaashie! Let's play! Let's prank-prank-prank! This'll be the party that never ends!"

RD sighed, and blinked away tears, "Let's dance Pinkie."

+++

The giant tent collapsed, falling apart and disintegrating. Ponies blinked and began to cry, all across Ponyville, thousands of wails were heard. They fell to their knees as the makeup and costumes dissolved from the clumsy and crude non-instanteous magic.

Golden Tiara hugged Diamond Tiara, clarity in her eyes that they hadn't had in far too long. "It's alright Princess, mommy's here, mommy's here to stay this time, mommy promises."

Derpy hugged her children and leaned against Golden Tiara expressing similar words.

Rainbow Dash stood cradling a pink unmoving body, the dead Nightmare felt so light. "Dammit, dammit, dammit, DAMMIT! DAMMIT PINKIE! HOW COULD IT HAPPEN!? DAMMIT!"

The other Elements of Harmony gathered around her. RD stood up cradling Pinkie Pie's body. The Cakes looking on in grief.

That was when the piece of glass went straight into RD's brain. She fell over backwards dead before she hit the ground.

Everyone turned at once in horror at Rarity. Tears came down her face like a flood, but it was clear by the look in her eyes that something had just...snapped. "DON'T YOU SEE?! LUNA USED THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY! SHE BECAME A NIGHTMARE! We used the Elements of Harmony! Pinkie Pie became a Nightmare! WE ARE THE SOURCE OF NIGHTMARES! WE ALL HAVE TO DIE!"

Twilight suddenly found herself and her horn wrapped up with pieces of cloth choking the life out of her as Rarity took aim with another glass shard. A crowbar struck Rarity in the side of the head, breaking her neck instantly.

Everyone turned to the thrown weapon's source. Fluttershy fell to all fours, crying as well. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. WE'RE SORRY! WE are so sorry! WE DIDN'T WANT TO! But she was going to kill-! WE didn't want to! It isn't fair! But we had to! It's just . . . we're sorry." Fluttershy sobbed.

=

It was a bright and sunny day in Canterlot, in all of Equestria really.

The six bearers of the Elements of Harmony sat around the round table.

"So what's for lunch today? I hope it's cupcakes! It's always great to have cupcakes!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Darling if it was up to you every meal would be cupcakes. And technically, they're desert dear, not a meal." Rarity corrected politely.

"Oh, okay." Pinkie nodded.

"Ah think Ah'll just go for some salad myself," AJ said.

"I think I'll try that new Veggie Burger they've been talking about," RD spoke.

"Uh, I'll just have whatever you girls are having," Fluttershy said.

"Just a daisy sandwich for me will do," Twilight said, not even thinking about it.

"So what's on the agenda today?" RD leaned back in her throne, covered in Wonderbolt's posters and sporting an eight speaker sound system and build in CD player and miniature TV and a soda dispenser.

"Well now that we've burned Everfree Forest to the ground dears, I'd say it's time for replanting," Rarity said elegantly in her golden and diamond encrusted throne with red plush.

"That was a great idea of mine wasn't it? Celestia should have done that forever ago!" RD said proudly. "That's why I'm Captain Of the Wonderbolts!"

Queen Fluttershy leaned forward a bit in her simple wooden kitchen chair, "Uh, aren't you captain because you told them to make you captain?"

"Like duh! But I did because I come up with great ideas like that!"

Queen Rarity said, "Not as good as my redistribution of wealth plan. It's finally done. There's not a pony in Equestria who has more or less bits than anyone else now."

"Uh, big sister," Said Sweetie Belle in a small voice, "I got the reports from the Reeducation School today. They had several new graduates today."

"Thank you Sweetie! Those school were my best idea for Equestria ever! Isn't that right Applebloom? Your friend Twist is much better now she has pretty hair and has finally gotten rid of that lisp isn't she? And let's not get started on the work needed to be done on Snips and Snails."

Applebloom just nodded, doing her hardest not to frown or think bad thoughts.

"It did wonders for my parents and it does wonders for everypony else I'd say," Queen Rarity said proudly.

"YEAH!" Queen Pinkie Pie hit a button on her own throne, today it was pink with polka dots. Confetti and sparkles exploded from several pipes on the garish monstrosity. "It calls for a celebration! What holiday is today?"

Applebloom looked at a note pad. "Uh none?"

"Oh! Well that's no good! We need to invent one! I got it! Donut Day!"

"That was last month your Pinkieness."

"Oh! Really? Too bad! Don't worry, just get the preparations ready! I'll think of something by the time they're ready."

"Yes your Pinkieness." Applebloom just bowed. "Big sister," Applebloom said, "A pony in Manehatten said he thought the food was okay at a restaurant when he really hated it."

"Burn down his house," Queen Applejack said without looking up from her lunch. She sat in a modest office chair.

"Okay Big sister."

"A mare slapped a stallion for saying a comment she didn't like." Sweetie Belle said looking at her list.

Queen Fluttershy said, "Please see the mare has an anti-violence geass put on her. And have a geass place on the Stallion's voice so he can't talk please. It's for their own good. Can you see that's done, please girls?"

"As you wish," Sweetie Belle said, doing her best not to sigh, not so much as twitch an eye. Keeping her face exactly as was expected.

"Miss Cheerilee was heard crying in her house last evening in Ponyville," Applebloom read off the report.

"Make her cupcakes." Queen Pinkie Pie said, "Make sure they're a kind she likes. She's not leaving the Happy House until she's eaten every last one, double the amount of Happy Sauce in them."

"Yes your Pinkieness."

"So Twilight, er, Queen Twilight," Spike said.

"Spike, it's okay, you can still call me Twilight, we're friends remember?"

"Oh, right yeah. Well... We finished burning those banned books from your newest list from every Library in Equestria. Including books on Alchemy, Zebra Voodoo, super-naturals, and styles of magic outside the main eight arts."

"Good. Everypony's going to be cheering now all that irrational and absurd nonsense is gone. And magic's progress can march forward WITHOUT fictional schools of magic to distract everyone. Have anypony found practicing it brought for reeducation. We need to free their minds of all those lies," Twilight said proudly, sitting on Celestia's old throne.

"Yes Twilight."

"Big sister," Sweetie Belle said, "Don't you think we should let mom and dad out of that . .. school now? They're doing much better! They sure look pretty to me!"

"Oh Sweetie Belle." Rarity patted her on the head. "You'll understand when you're a grown up. These things take time. They SAY they believe in beauty and equality, but they have to BELIEVE it too. Don't worry dear."

Queen RD took a can from the soda dispenser on her throne only to realize it was empty. "HEY! HALF-PINT! I TOLD YOU TO KEEP THIS THING FULL!" She threw the last empty can at Scootaloo, hitting her square in the head.

"Sorry Your Super-Duper-Awesome-Radicalness."

Another can hit her in the face. "YOU LEFT OUT ULTRA-COOLNESS!"

"OH! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" Scootaloo said getting on all four knees bopping her head up and down. Her court jester costume was orange and blacks.

"Oh dear, sounds like someone needs a strong dose of happy today." Queen Pinkie Pie said looking at Scootaloo. "Don't worry we'll fix you right up!"

Queen Twilight meanwhile looked behind the throne at a pair of silver and golden statues. "I'm sure you've changed your mind about our new system by now Princess. It's much better this way. No chance for Alicorns to fight among themselves. Everything working perfectly. And all the things you couldn't do without ruining your image or having to go through all the red tape. I know you've realized and accepted the new system by now. I know you have." Twilight said smiling at the golden statue set in a gigantic clockwork system of gears and cogs manipulating the Royal Pony Sisters' magic to keep the sky running in perfect order.

"Now let's get the important things out of the way." Queen Twilight said pushing a button next to her throne. This made a hole open up in the middle of the round table, bringing up a restrained Zecora and Lyra.

Queen Twilight was happy they had gotten much better control of their Elements since the old days. They had made sure Trixie, Blueblood, Upper Crust, and the Flim Flam brothers were all kept comfortable. The process had left Trixie so brain damaged in particular she was practically a wind-up doll. Twilight still took time out each day to apologize to them.

"Hello Zecora," Queen Twilight said politely. "Hello Lyra Heartstrings."

"Please. Just do to me what you have to the sun, do not act as if this is fun." Zecora said simply keeping her head held high.

"PLEASE! I Shouldn't be here!" Lyra begged.

"Don't worry," Queen Twilight said, "We do this every day to cleanse ponies like you of disharmonious thoughts and feelings!"

"And according to Bon-Bon," Queen Pinkie Pie said, "You've been cranky in the morning, telling lies about not being sad, AND this is your second reharmonization in two months! You should feel happy that Bon-Bon cares enough about you that she was willing to tell us."

Lyra just cried.

"Let's begin girls." Twilight said as the Elements of Harmony they all wore shone bright and became their rainbow that washed over the pony and zebra.

=

Twilight Tragedy pushed her horn harder and harder against Rarigreed's head, almost piercing her skull.

"Get out! GET OUT! THESE MEMORIES MEAN NOTHING TO ME NOW! I HAVE WHAT I WANT!" The dirty white mare hissed.

Twilight snarled as she forced the memories of Sweetie Belle to the surface. Making the discorded pony gasp in shock. "A pony whose willing to throw away what's most important to her has no right to call herself Greed!"

~~~

Twilight Tragedy, Liarjack, Derpy Hooves, Apple Pie, and Greedity stared at the two Bearers of the Elements of Discord.

"The past is DEAD Twilight!" Angry Pie snarled. "AND SO ARE YOU!"

"I'm so happy to disappoint you Twilight dear, because I'm afraid the Fluttershy you remember ceased to exist a LOOOOONG time ago!" Fluttercruel grinned as she took two out bloody bladed weapon with her wings.

"If that's the truth. Then so be it. No more lies to myself anymore." Greedity said simply. "But Greed is straight foreword and honest. And what I want more than anything now, is to no longer be master's slave!"

=

The silver filly wore garish gray and pink armor made in the same style of the Royal Guards. her glasses gleamed like her armor. One of her wings was a bird's, the other was a bat. On the front of the armor where there was the symbol of the sun or the moon for the Day or Night Guard, there was a diamond. "For her Majesty!" She shouted as ponies likes her and creatures from the worst depths of imagination charged.

In response, ponies with pegasus, bat, and butterfly wings in golden, black, and platinum armor clashed with the horde. The armies of the Three Princesses of Equestria boldly sought to defend their home and their families from the reincarnation of their people's worst enemy.

++++

"OW!" The orange pony bumped her head. Her voice echoing. Where was she now? Wait. She WAS somewhere! The visions had stopped for now. "That's a relief." She said her voice still echoing. It looked like some was in some faint smoking black void. The 'floor' was kinda like water when she looked at it, but it wasn't wet in the least. "I hope that is the end of that." She said, her voice echoed again, but came back distorted.

The visions, those other worlds. What did the Princess call them? Possibilities and impossibilities? She had enough now to last a lifetime. The Princess was right. Seeing those all at once would drive anypony crazy. But what was this now? Was this where the 'contradictory truth' was? But what did that have to do with her?

"Gracious," She sighed.

"Dang," her voice echoed back.

Now she was agitated. "Now see here! That is nothing like what I just said!"

The echo replied. "No! Yer nothing like what Ah just said!"

She startled. Okay, rebate please, she'd like to check out now. "I spoke first!"

"No Ah did!"

"I won't argue with an echo!"

"You're the echo!"

She trotted back, and bumped right into another pony's rump. She startled, heard herself startle twice, and groaned. That echoed too.

She turned around and gasped.

"YOU!" They shouted together at the exact same time.

She looked at her. Cowboy hat, long pony tail for both her tail and mane, muscular, not a trace of poise or refinement, and a cutie mark of three apples. She even carried herself differently than her, with a less formal, more relaxed posture.

She looked at her. No hat but a business vest, short mane and tail, slightly pudgy, not as muscle toned, but moved with an air of sophistication and grace, and a cutie mark of three jeweled oranges. She carried herself with an precise, refined stance, like those Canterlot ponies did.

"NOT FAIR!" They shouted together again. Both let out a growl of frustration.

Orangejack spoke first, "You were supposed to be an uneducated, thuggish hillbilly who never accomplished anything in her life! You weren't supposed to save the world!"

"Well YA were supposed to be a heartless and miserable business nag still wearing that stupid hairdo and a blank flank! You weren't supposed to be HAPPY and NICE!"

"How could you get so many friends and I didn't-?!"

"How did ya find a stallion and have kids that both love ya when Ah didn't?!"

"How could you throw your future away?!"

"How could you throw away our roots?!"

The two 'Jacks pushed their skulls against each other.

"What are you doin' in my brother's vision quest you hayseed? And where is he?"

"BIG MAC'S VISION QUEST? What are you doin' mah vision quest anyway?"

"Yours-?! You arrogant, self-centered-"

"Yer the arrogant self-centered one!"

"At least I've APPLIED myself! You've done nothing but sit on your flanks staying in the same spot your whole life!"

"OH NO YOU DIDN'T! YER the one whose never worked a hard day of work in her life since leavin' the farm!"

Steam came out of Orangejack's ears. "You . . . you . . . you think books on economics and culture read themselves-?! You think businesses run themselves?! You know how many sleepless nights I've had keeping Aunt and Uncle's businesses from being eaten by corporate sharks?! . . ."

"Oh yeah?! Yah think a farm just runs itself? Yah think all those apples fall into baskets and ship themselves to market all by themselves? But Ah guess pushing papers sound so much harder than buckin' apples! Fatty!"

The slightly pudgy Orangejack turned red, "FAT? You wanna see what somepony with a personal trainer in karate can do, ugly!?"

"UGLY?! We'll be seein' whose ugly after Ah buck yah in the face! Oh it's on!"

The two ponies turned on a dime and bucked hooves.

"here OJ! I need these paper done about half an hour ago."
"Nice bucking AJ, now let's see you do the next tree."
"Sorry, but they offered me a better discount. Sorry, deal's off."
"Yes yes, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner but we don't need the pies now."
"I'm going to make orange juice out of you aristocratic stiffs!"
"Your apple farm's gonna be apple cider by the time we're done!"
"Sorry Madam, Discord's airquake completely toppled the building."
" . . .those damn parasprites, Ah wish they DID eat the harvest instead of the barn, the farm house, and everything else!"

The two ponies panted and pushed themselves up. They were shaking and covered in sweat.

"H-hey," Applejack said first, sounding a little bit scared. "Nice . . . nice kick."

"Not . . . not as good as yours I guess," Orangejack replied in a similar tone. She sighed. "Why did you have and go and make something of yourself anyway?"

"Heh. Why did you have to go and be happy and be a good pony too?"

"I buckled down. It was my choice and I was going to make the best of it. I wasn't going to be a quitter and go back to Ponyville. But I was going to make my -own- mark, not just be put into a slot."

"Just because the farm was where Ah was the most happy didn't mean Ah was gonna stop . . . Ah dunno, Ah wasn't going to put all my effort to nothin'. The farm needed a smart business pony too."

"I actually began investing in Sweet Apple Acres when I had the income to spare."

Applejack startled, "So . . . you never forgot about them?"

"Don't tell me you never spoke to Aunt and Uncle again?"

Applejack blushed, "Not 'never'. . ." AJ quickly changed the subject. "Yer hubby, and Firebloom, and Orange Chance. You really love'em don't you?"

"Heart and soul. . . . Your friends, you really trust them don't you?"

"With mah life."

"You're . . . you're really HAPPY at the farm?"

"Yep."

Applejack startled as she saw OJ sniff.

"OJ?"

"It's not fair. I'd rather die than live without my family! He makes my life feel alive! And . . . my foals. I don't want to know there are worlds where they aren't around. But, you got to be happy, just turning around and walking back? I earned everything I have but . . . you just . . . you just gave up and-- you got it anyway!" OJ said with tears.

Applejack looked in awe. "OJ . . . Ah earned what makes me happy too. It wasn't just handed to me. And it's kinda funny, Ah thought going back to Apple Acres was proof Ah wasn't givin' up . . . Ta be honest, it hurts me to know there are worlds were Ah don't have my friends. So how 'bout we call it even any say neither of us gave up. And at least Ah know yer foals got a good mama."

"I hope I am."

"Eh?"

"Discord's day ... when he touched me. I treated my foals like rag dolls! Pulling them along like toys! I would play one game with them for less than a minute then drag them to another! I did not notice when Firebloom bumped her head against on the door frame! We always wanted to spend more time together! And, the devil made me a parody of it!"

AJ hugged herself, and herself startled, then hugged back. "And Ah know exactly how ya feel. Discord touched me too. He made see being honest can backfire, Ah didn't want to accept that, so Ah just began lying. Thanks to that, Ah lied and let him hurt my friends and nearly destroy our friendship for good. Twilight fixed Discord's taint, but it took some time to get me to accept truth's face. But OJ, the OJ that hurt yer kids, that -wasn't- you."

" . . . Big Brother Dearest told me the same. I couldn't be there for him. And I couldn't be there for Aunt and Uncle Dearest. I . . . I was weak."

"Ah feel sorry, Ah was weak too. Weak enough to fall for Discord's lies. Weak enough to not realize Ah was making my own fears come true. Too weak to admit Ah just didn't want to admit to bein' weak when Ah talked to the Princess and she let me see into Truth."

"You really are me."

"An' no matter how much Ah didn't wish it was so. Yer me too. Naw. Ah ain't sorry. Ah'm happy to know Ah could have made it anywhere!"

"And I'm happy to know . . . I can be a hero too if given the right chance."

"OJ, Ah think bein' a good mama to yer foals and a good wife to yer husband makes yah a hero too. There's more than one way to be a hero."

"...Thank you Applejack . . . Heh. We are quite the couple of stubborn donkeys are we not?"

AJ laughed. "That ain't all that proper and polite ta donkeys."

But then a thought hit OJ. "But where are the rest of us?"

"Huh?" AJ looked at her confused but not breaking their hug.

"There has got to be a million Applejacks and Orangejacks out there. So why us? Why just us? I saw a several versions of me. So why just us two? That does not make sense."

AJ's blood turned to ice at those word. "'Doesn't-make-Sense?!'"

"Because an army divided, is easier to stamp out."

The entire limbo rumbled.

Pony POV Series Episode 28: "AJ's Dreams Part 2 of 2"

A hoof pushed it way out of the reflective 'ground' and pulled up its leg and a horn piercing the surface next, followed by a giant head and a pair of wings, a pair of a pair. The wings reflected everything at angles that they shouldn't have.

It wasn't as big as Nightmare Whisper. But it was still the size of a large gypsy cart squared. More than enough to look down on even an Alicorn. And made the little ponies feel the size of newborn foals to this giant.

Both 'Jacks felt fear. But the more Applejack looked at it, the more she felt something -wrong- with this thing. If she had to put a word to it, it was it wasn't quite 'real' not that it was an illusion, but more like, it didn't quite have an existence.

It had made its own existence, it had bent existence itself to give itself one! And AJ and OJ both felt something in themselves being tugged towards it.

AJ could make out details, like solid green eyes that reflected like glass at impossible angles, and armor like the most polished silver. The armor was like liquid, not staying in one shape constantly shifting. Its mane and hide were like a water color painting of a sunset. Oranges, reds, and yellows mixed in a gradient pattern, the shading burring and mixing together again in an endless cycle. For a moment it was like its wings were plant like, then they were almost MECHANICAL before looking a lot like Nightmare Moon's wings. But always reflective, always reaching, grasping.

For Orangejack, it was like someone had done a picture of an Alicorn and had gently applied a light coat of paint thinner. She felt sick to her stomach looking at it. OJ had once seen a sculpture of a pony in a wax museum partially melted under some poorly chosen lights. The shape was right, everything was there, you could even tell who it was supposed to be, but details were smudged when you looked at it, mane and tail blended into the hide, only the glass eyes chosen had remained exactly the same, the contrast had made OJ's wrench. She felt her stomach clench and she swallowed bile.

On its flanks were three green apples with red leaves. The slightly off familiarity made her feel only more sick.

Orangejack found her voice, her elegance shaken and her stature cracked. "W-Who are you?"

"Nightmare Mirror
Cruelest of Truths."

Orangejack turned pale. "This . . . this is a Nightmare?"

If you want to call me that. I am truth. Everyone dies eventually. Everything is forgotten about eventually. Everything eventually resets to zero. No matter what you accomplish, you still end up in the ground. Everything you've left behind will turn to dust! And cowardly ponies who are too afraid to face the truth, well, then quite honesty, SHOULD BE DRAGGED INTO THE LIGHT! Those great emerald eyes flashed, along with a number on its wings all staring through the business mare like spears.

"OJ! Don't look!" Too late.

Those many emerald eyes look into Orangejack's eyes.

'I'm just a little ungrateful pony who never loved her grandma.'

"No."

'I'm a selfish business mare who doesn't care what she has to do to get ahead.'

"Stop it."

'I'm worthless mother who doesn't deserve the kids she's got.'

"No-I-"

'I only work extra hard because I know deep down I'm just a country bumpkin pretending she's something special.'

"Please stop!"

'I'm only worth anything because of the money paid for my books, the money paid for my teachers, the money loaned to me to make my own investments. Without the money my Aunt and Uncle had I'm completely and utterly worthless!'

"No, that's not true, that's not true, that's not true-"

'Can't save anyone! Had to watch all those ponies in your office building die! Worthless little business pony.'

OJ wanted to rip out her own eyes, but she couldn't move.

AJ told herself she'd visit the farm for the Summer Sun Festival. But there was family union for the entire Orange clan that day and Auntie and Uncle wanted to introduce their new ward to the rest of the family.

She said she'd visit for Hearth's Warming Eve, but . . . the weather had been so harsh to travel due to pegasi weather teams getting their wires crossed.

She wanted to visit her family in Ponyville but . . . she had a lot of reading to catch up on before the end of the school year.

As the funeral for Ma and Pa died down, AJ looked in the bathroom mirror and looked outside at the farm outside. In her mind's eye she super imposed her image with that of the farm. No matter how she tried to make it fit, the truth remained. She didn't fit.

Orangejack looked at the letters to her family in Ponyville she had just finished writing. She sighed and torn out and tossed them in the waste basket.

"Don't lie to yourself." Orangejack turned to see a small pale orange filly with wings and a horn sitting on her bed. Her eyes were downcast, the only part of her face visible her grin. "You're not scared of what they'll think of some city pony who used to be family. You know deep down you were never one of them. You were just pretending. Trapped on that farm with wooden fences as stone walls. You wanted out of that prison. And you know, if you go back, those doors will shut and they'll never let you out."

"But I-but I-but I-"

"But what? They love a filly who left home a lifetime ago. When they see you, that's who they see. That is what your heart tells you. If it's true, then you have nothing to go back to . . . . but if it ISN'T true, and they do still love you, which they do . . . then that makes just you a selfish nag in a fancy dress. And if you COULD leave if you dropped in a visit, which you could, that just makes you a coward whose scared of herself. You selfish little liar."

Orangejack wailed as she turned gray and fell on her side and began hugging herself. Black splotches began to appear on her. But her eyes still didn't leave the gleaming emeralds piercing her.

The little filly Alicorn trotted over, patting her gently on the head, okay, more like harshly prodded.

Become one with me. Become one with truth. And the pain can end. And you'll be able to accept all truths because you will be all truth. And that is an honest answer. No more lies. No more deceit. Accept all the black parts, all the shadows.

"STOP IT!" Snarled a voice with an accent. "THAT AIN'T THE WHOLE STORY!"

Truth is truth.

"Cherry pickin' the truth's the same as lyin! In fact, it's WORSE! Truths twisted like that are the blackest lies!" Orangejack felt someone take hold of her and force her head to look at another pair of green eyes. They were the same as the swarm cutting through her piece by piece, but there was an, empathy to them.

I don't lie. I'm just showing her the parts of the story she's been hiding from. Any coward who can't stand and accept those parts deserves to, no, NEEDS to be broken to be made into a better pony who will accept and speak all truths!

The voice with the accent shouted right at Orangejack. "YOU LISTEN TO YOURSELF THIS INSTANT GIRLFRIEND! That's the truth! Now here's the WHOLE truth! You've done good AH'VE never been able to do! Not all choices are about one being the better one! We BOTH made our choice work! You stuck to yer guns and didn't give up! And that is the honest truth! And in the END . . . our parents always give us what we start out with! WE DECIDE TO MAKE SOMETHIN' OF IT OR NOT!!!"

Orangejack looked into Applejack's eyes.

Auntie Orange declared, "My dear! Incredible, first your formal social debut and now we have your Cute-ceañera to plan! I must say the way you handled yourself was making the other young fillies there green with envy! I told everyone you were a fast learner and this proves it!"

"Hey, this ain't money." Said the hobo pony.

"No, it's a ticket for a non-refundable free meal at the restaurant across the street." Orangejack said matter of fact.

"Hey AJ, thanks, thanks for pitching in."

"It's Orangejack Brother Dearest and . . . I simply have a legal share in Sweet Apple Acres, this is, this is just an investment."

"So you're that big sister Ah keep hearing about who keep sending me them fancy smacy dolls?" Said the yellow filly with the leather collar around her neck.

"And you are the little sister that your grandmother and brother can not get a dress on even if they tie her down."

"Ya wanna try?"

"I fail to see the profit in that business venture."

"Hey boss you shouldn't be here, just let us clean up this mess." Said the worker pony cleaning up the rumble from Discord's air-quake.

"I wanted an excuse to visit the salon today anyway."

"Granny, that was a wonderful dance."

The grayness washed away and the black splotches faded away. OJ slowly breathed in and out as her eyes came back into focus.

AJ helped her stand on her own four hooves. Something all 'Jacks had in common, there was no 'Jack in all the worlds that was a leech.

"T-thank you," Orangejack said shaking.

AJ looked at Nightmare Mirror who was looking at them with all the indifference of a winter's night.

It hadn't even tried to stop Applejack.

"That ain't just mah Nightmare. It's yers too, and yer Big Brother Macintosh's too Ah bet. And maybe some other AJs too ah think. Who knows, maybe this thing is another of us who went Nightmare already, maybe it's just a Nightmare whose trying to be, don't know, don't really matter either, it's every one of our problems now."

I can hear you silly fillies. The Nightmare's voice breathed off cooly.

"Hear us or not we're gonna kick yer flanks!"

Orangejack exclaimed looking at AJ. "This is suicide! No one can face their own Nightmare alone!"

AJ looked at her smiling. "Then ain't it a good thing we aren't alone! Besides, if Ah'm goin' down, Ah'm gonna go down fightin'!"

The two of you shall complete your journey and become one with truth. And I am going to bring absolute truth to every one of us. And each of us are going to help bring our world into absolute truth. Princess Luna told me a Nightmare is when a pony lets one part of themselves become uncompromising and the whole. No one's going to lie ever again! And you're both being too blinded by Princess Luna's colored facts to realize we'll be saving the world. Truth doesn't need compromising.

AJ shuddered at the Nightmare and coughed out, "This ain't 'bout that! It's-it's-it's-dang!"

"Allow me," Orangejack said collecting herself and spoke calmly and in control. She didn't let the Nightmare seen her back hooves were shaking like leafs. "Ahem. From everything Big Brother Dearest told me about the Elements, they're meant to function together. None of them are meant to stand above the others. You're thinking backwards. A world where no one lies isn't an ideal world. A world where no one NEEDS TO lie is an ideal world. Otherwise, you're not even addressing the actual problem."

Nightmare Mirror spoke deadpan. Nice speech. Bravo city girl. Now I'm going to make you see absolute truth anyway. Then farm girl too so she can become what she was meant to become the moment she looked into the truth. But when you have become me, I'm sure having the moral high ground and all that meaningless tripe is gonna be a real comfort. Congratulations. And goodbye.

The black glass beneath them rumbled. "OJ SCATTER!"

The two ponies went in opposite directions as glass spikes jetted their way out of the ground. It was like a mine field, where the mines could change position any time they wanted.

AJ was no Pinkie Pie, but she was earth pony! Every shudder of the ground beneath her sent a twitch through her body, each movement a lightning fast reflex that would impress the pegasi! Even as the spikes tried to impale her at random angles AJ showed just why she and RD jockeyed for position of Ponyville's best athlete!

She tried to move in close through the forest of death to attack the thing in melee, but a wall of glass thorns sprouted around the Nightmare all the spikes point outward. AJ kidded to a halt, and managed a backflip just before a glass spike at a forty-five degree angle impaled where her brain had been a second before from behind.

Orangejack's heart was pounding in her chest. She desperate shuffled everything her weekend martial arts teacher had told her not panicking. But all those lessons fell away like sandcastles against the tide as adrenaline pumped through her and fear for her life pulsed in her skull. Like a primal equine before a predator all she could think about was running! She didn't even think about how to fight back! She just wanted to run! Escape! Escape!

The spikes formed a funnel on either side of her, growing into black glass apple trees, the apples fell, and burst into spikes from every direction. A mass shaped like her elder brother rose out the glass ground like it was melting in reverse and opened its mouth at her. A pole of black glass ending in a spear shot at her. OJ ducked and felt the glass cut through her mane and scalp, blood going down her neck and face in two streams. She skidded and broke the shape's legs. Its connection with the ground gone, it stopped moving and fell over and shattered, tiny bits of glass bite at her side like a small swarm of mosquitos.

Panic crowned itself king and OJ screamed.

AJ reversed course and sprinted faster than she had in her life. She jumped and twisted in midair between the glass trees as the branches tried to grab AJ. Landing for less than a second she leapt at OJ, tackling her as spikes came up where she had just been between the glass trees again. AJ skidding herself to a stop before spikes popped where she would have been if she hadn't stopped. AJ didn't think, she just moved. She hoisted OJ on her back and just moved!

"Calm! Calm! Calm! Cool! Center! Calm! Calm!" OJ held her hooves to her head she shouted out the mantra. "Calm! Calm! Calm!"

The glass spikes melted.

Cheater.

"Yer one ta talk cheatin' sister!"

OJ looked around, "I think I get this, this place I dare say, is as much ours as it is hers. She can only alter this place if we let her!"

Too bad darlings that you have no experience in this place where I much experience in converting others. I think I should tell you, you are the forty-seventh and forty-eighth AJ or OJ I'll have made see absolute truth. Including that pair of stallions.

OJ wet herself. AJ bite her tongue, the pain helped her focus.

She ain't real yet. Not here. Or we wouldn't still be standing here.

Orangejack however exclaimed wildly, "How are we going to beat a NIGHTMARE without the Elements-?!"

"Think solution! Not problem!" AJ shouted.

"Sorry!" Orangejack said her brain pulling itself together like sailors would rigging during a monsoon.

Nightmare Mirror 'shattered into pieces, like glass. For a brief moment the 'Jacks hoped the monster had gotten so angry she had smashed herself into nothing.

But the pieces didn't fall. They moved like a swarm of parasprites. And every last shard was flying straight towards them.

AJ stopped and hugged OJ and used herself as a barrier. What was a few more pieces of glass in her spine? That was when a wall of glass came up that blocked the swarm of Nightmare Mirror shares ricocheting them away and off course.

"What-tha?" AJ gasped as the barrier dropped.

Absurd Nightmare Mirror swore, the swarm of glass remelted into the half-existence Nightmare.

Realization came to OJ's face. This place IS controlled by everypony here! OJ screamed. "You are a coward! A weakling! For an Element of Honesty you have to retort to half-truths to play us-?! A real Element of Honesty wouldn't have needed to twist my perceptions like that! She would have been able to show the whole truth and trusted us to see things from her point of view! OR ARE YOU THAT UNCERTAIN OF YOUR OWN VIEW-?!"

Absurd filly. You did not. Little fillies like you who talk back to their elders earn themselves a spanking. Not that it matters! Once you are part of me, yer not gonna care one way or the other! Cause you'll be me!"

"You're not making the least bit of sense! Are you combination of several Orangejacks? Is AJ right and you have versions of my brother too? No. I know you don't. Because my brother is WAY TOO STRONG to fall for such cheap LIES like yours! And my brother wouldn't hurt me for anything!"

I DO NOT LIE!

OJ wanted to collapse like a house of cards, but saw the landscape ripple. "That's what my lawyer says."

Now who is weak?

"A WEAKLING doesn't admit when they're over their head! Because they're too weak to swallow their pride! Like you."

Applejack's brain was cooking from the verbal riposte Orangejack was throwing one after another at the Nightmare.

Nightmare Mirror crashed down right where AJ and OJ had been a second before, AJ ran and ran fast!

"YA SURE WHATEVER YER DOIN' IS WORKIN'?"

"Be silent. If you knew Morse Code then I could just tap my hooves and give you instructions!"

"Hey! Remember who your enemy is!" AJ shouted.

"You know . . . " OJ narrowed her eyes, "You're right."

A spike suddenly came out of the ground and stabbed AJ's foot, OJ went flying but was caught by a glass slide that reacted more like rubber or a pillow. "That was me," OJ said simply.

"THIS AIN'T FUNNY!"

"It was not supposed to be," OJ said with a face like ice. "It is called business. I am not an Element of Harmony. I can not turn into a Nightmare. I am not 'food.' You on the other hoof are. So guess what? I've decided there's no logical reason why I should make my children orphans and my husband a widower for a pony I just met."

"Yer jokin'!"

"Do I look like I am joking?" OJ closed her eyes. Shackles that acted like cast iron suddenly formed around AJ's bleeding hoof followed by the others. "Nightmare Mirror? How is this for a business venture? I offer you a free meal rather than dealing with trouble of having two prey that are giving you trouble? Much more cost effective don't you think?"

OJ looked at AJ coolly, an almost apologetic tone in her voice. "It's nothing personal. Please understand Applejack. I have nothing against her. And I have nothing against you. I am doing this for my family. I think that is something we can both understand."

AJ snarled at her, "YER JUST SAVIN' YER OWN SKIN!"

"And I have family that depends on that skin. Same as you. I am just choosing my family's welfare over the welfare of your family. Nothing else to it."

AJ began cussing obscenities at the other orange pony.

"AH SHOULD HAVE KNOWN! AT THE END OF THE DAY YER JUST ANOTHER MANEHATTEN NAG!"

"Sticks and stones." OJ said, with a absolutely smug tone. "And it is not like you are real anyway. You are just a choice I could have made."

I would call you completely selfish garbage. But I can appreciate you seeing that you do not actually have a way of winning and are willing to accept the truth of the least painful loss. Nightmare Mirror flew herself down and right behind AJ and grasped the little pony.

"By the way AJ, one last thing," Said Orangejack sadistically. "There's another big difference between us."

"Yeah?" AJ burned holes at her.

A small smirk crossed the mare's face. "You and Big Brother Dearest are Elements Of Honesty, I am a liar."

A glass shell formed around AJ at once. Then spikes the size of telephone poles grew all in all directions and impaled the Nightmare from all sides, actually BRANCHING OUT from the inside like a cancer!

Meanwhile AJ sank below the floor like a bubble, traveling along below the surface before being pushed back up next to OJ. AJ gasped for air.

"Did I fool you?" Orangejack asked simply.

"You, kinda sorta had me fooled for a bit there."

"Sometimes deceit is needed for both allies and enemies, sorry." She looked at the Nightmare that was quickly breaking free of her bounds. "That was supposed to kill her!"

AJ thought for a minute, "Okay, now that we got'er pinned. Let's blast her. Ya figure there's a zillion of us right? And she all said she cut us off from the herd right? Then let's call in the reserves! If this place is what we want and feel then Ah want to zap her and Ah feel that Ah could have been ANYTHING IF AH CHOSE IT!"

The world shock waved. The black misty horizon and sky became white and cloudy.

AJ, OJ, and Nightmare Mirror startled.

There were now four more AJs present.

One AJ was wearing the armor of the Day Guard with a scar going down one side of her face. Wearing the element of Loyalty.

There was an AJ wearing trinkets around her neck and a small set of glasses. She had a limp. She had the Element of Magic.

The third AJ wasn't dressed up like a clown like AJ was sure she'd be. Instead she looked a lot like AJ herself, only without her father's hat, her mane not in a ponytail, and there were seven apples for her cutie mark not three. She might have had Derpy eyes, but AJ figured she imagined that part.

The final one was . . . whao. "What the buck?" It was a gray discorded AJ and she was . . . holding the Element of KINDNESS-?!

AJ didn't bother asking where the Element of Honesty around her neck came from.

She did hear OJ gasp when she found the Element of Generosity around her neck.

The familiar lines of color connected between the elements, forming a six pointed star with the Nightmare in the center. "ALL SIX OF YOU TOGETHER? ABSURD!"

The Nightmare's emerald eyes shone in all directions as she spread out her wings. The Elements flickered.

'A pony who failed to save her little sister.'

'A cripple who choose to hide in books rather than try to recover.'

'A fool who was good for nothing else.'

'A pony who let the world fall into the claws of the devil.'

"AND MADE SOMETHING OF IT EACH TIME!" AJ shouted, the echo forcing back the Nightmare's thsousand gaze.

The lines of light between the six points rotated all colors and became white.

The Nightmare broke free of its glass impaling . . . just as the spark awakened in the Magic AJ, and the all too familiar and comforting Rainbow rose . . . and crashed down on the Nightmare, enveloping her in a tornado of the Elements magic. "Absurd."

AJ would swear, she saw the image super impose forty-five times over.

The familiar flash of white light, and just as suddenly the other AJs were gone. But the discorded Applejack seemed to stick around for a moment more. She smiled, looking wistfully at the two before vanishing.

AJ wasn't all that surprised when she saw a dull orange Alicorn surrounded by shattered pieces of bright silver armor adored with emeralds. AJ remembered how Princess Luna looked when first purified. All AJ saw now was a very tired and worn down pony who had tried to put the world on her shoulders. The Alicorn forced herself to her hooves and looked at the two. "Dammit . . . Ah just wanted, everyone to see the truth . . . no more lies, no one turning blind eyes . . it's all Ah wanted."

Orangejack stared in awe at the sight. 'She's so small now.'

"Unless they're willin' to accept that truth then it won't do'em one bit of good," AJ said simply.

The Alicorn gave a snarl. "You don't know that! Don't you remember how much lies hurt everypony? They do nothing but cause everypony pain! Don't that make it right to wash em' all away?!"

"Yes it would, if ponies were perfect," said Orangejack, taking a step forwards to her other self. "But they're not perfect. Lies are like weapons. Even if you take them away, you won't change how ponies actually act."

"And it ain't always right to tell the truth either," said Applejack, looking at the Alicorn. "Sometimes we got to tell the truth, even if it hurts, but telling the truth when it only hurts is just bein' a bully."

Orangejack nodded. "She's right. I won't tell a lie just to get ahead in a way that hurts somepony else, but I will if it will save somepony from getting hurt when anything else would only meaninglessly hurt somepony. I just don't use it as my first option. Is it wrong to lie to a mugger that I am sixth degree blackbelt when I am not if it prevents him from stealing the money I am going to use to pay for my grandmother's hip operation?"

"And if he asked, would it be right to tell that mugger that your neighbor keeps their door unlocked when they go out and don't got anything to stop him from robbin' them blind, even if that's the honest truth?" asked Applejack. "That's speakin' the truth, but it don't benefit nopony, it hurts them."

"'If the truth makes your heart ache, sometimes a lie is easier to take?!' " The Alicorn spoke the quote they both knew.

AJ cringed, but then found the truth, "It ain't about what's easy or not. It's about what's right."

"Forgive me for pointing out semantics," continued Orangejack. "But you both seem to have forgotten something. The Element you both bear is Honesty not Truth. There's a difference. Personally, I'd love to live in a world were I never had to lie."

"And Ah'd love to live in a world were there were no truths Ah couldn't tell," followed Applejack, giving the Alicorn version of herself a small smile. "But even if yah have the power of a goddess, deep down yer still a flawed mortal mare like me. Even Celestia and Luna aren't right all of the time. We don't have what it takes to create a world like that, and you can't force it everypony either, it just ain't somethin' you got the right or knowhow to do."

The little dull orange Alicorn look agitated at AJ and OJ, then lowered her head, a conflicted look on her face. "Maybe Ah couldn't see the apple trees through the orchard ... Ah've got some thinkin' to do. . . ." She sighed, "Oh well. RD, 'Shy, Twili, Pinkie, I'm comin'." Her image seemed to dissolve into smoke and blew away.

The two mares looked at the spot in silence. Was that it?

"We make a good team you know," Orangejack quipped, sounding surprised at herself.

"Yeah, Ah guess we do." AJ nodded.

The entire world shook. The black glass they were standing began to crack revealing a glowing white void. The first crack split right between the two ponies. They grabbed each other's front hooves.

"Orangejack! Don't ya dare go one day without tellin' yer kids ya love'em somethin' fierce! A kiss and a hug every day ya hear me? That goes double for yer hubby."

OJ managed to get in close, and whispered her husband's name for AJ to hear. "You have my word! And you do not spend a day without telling your friends that they're the best you could hope to have!"

"Ah promise!"

The world shattered.

AJ opened her eyes. It was morning. There was no weights. No guards. No Luna. All she found was a small note on her table.

Greetings Abigail Jacqueline V.
It is an honor to know our sister's student did not choose unwisely in the inner strength of her friends. The sight of truth is now yours to command fully, and it does not command you. Congratulations Applejack. We believe you have helped yourself and your brother across many worlds find true freedom this night.

Princess Luna Nyx Selena Equestria

AJ smiled, "Ah guess Ah did." She looked at the calendar. Today was Family Appreciation Day at Applebloom's school.

++++++

"Whatever happens." Rainbow Dash whispered as she folded her wings around Scootaloo, "I just want ya to know Scoots, it was great to have ya around. It was a blast."

"Thanks Dashie." Scootaloo nuzzled her in return.

~ Fin

Pony POV Series Episode 29: "Butterflies Zecora"

Pony POV Series
Butterflies Section 1
Zecora "Black and White Butterfly"

By Alex Warlorn and Kendell2

Hello and forgive me if I do not give you much time, it must be hard for you to write this all down in rhyme.

Yes I can cease my verse if you wish, no need to gape at me like a fish.

Ahem.

Some silver and oranges just yesterday I did order from across the border.

Free now of chaos and angst I am, do not think I am a helpless lamb.

That the monster faced justice does not fill me glee, it was simply what had to be.

Angry I was yes, but what happened was only for the best.

Part of his personal circus I was made into, for his defeat I will not go boohoo.

No, little Diamond I have not seen, it is safe to say she had fled the scene.

That I came with little laundry or luggage my story it does not mar, the masks you see did not come from far. I made them myself, I did not buy them off the shelf.

A Timber Wolf I do not fear, it is me they have learned not to come near.

Er. No, that sounds fake, a promise to a purple reptile penguin about a pendant over pizza I did not make for goodness sake!

Can we move now on please? This bores me.

Heh. It was not bad, do not feel sad. You are simply not the first in your time to try to trip me up with words that do not rhyme.

Why do I live in Everfree? The herbs and plants I need here they be. While some in Ponyville can be found, in Everfree most of them abound.

While many creatures this place call home, I am simply careful how and when the forest I roam.

I listen and watch to know if they draw near, that way I have nothing at all to fear.

And I always carry some tricks up my legs if it is for a fight they beg.

An enchantress? I can assure you I do no evil dances.

The rituals that I perform are only from my homeland born.

I admit to you my customs must seem strange, but yours to me are much the same.

Am I truly a herbalist? Yes, I suppose the better word is alchemist.

Yes, Discord did make the switch, fiction to fact, and me a real witch. I was completely mad, it was rather sad.

I am aware my fame is on the rise, sadly my exploits have been dramatized.

Now that I am no longer a thing of fear, ponies seek me from far and near. But lift Discord's curse on me, on my own? That is a new rumor that has simply grown.

The Poison Joke that before was mild, grew wild, tore into my home, and I was as helpless as a child. The plants pulled me taut, no matter how I fought.

Long have I considered Poison Joke a harmless prank, that opinion I shall never again take to the bank.

The vines pulled my mouth open and down my throat Poison Joke was crammed, and so I was damned.

Inside they came and I thought my body would burst, but my mind did first. And no longer do I laugh at Poison Joke being called a curse.

I flew about the sky on my broom, magically giving many ponies gloom. I did cackle like a jackal. Then the wave of Harmony came, ending Discord's wicked game.

Yes I was aloft, thankfully I landed somewhere soft.

I was myself again, but I refrain, Discord's evil did leave a stain.

Nightmares I had, and my hooves shook. I feared again I would go mad, and that would be the end of my book.

Long I meditated on my staff, hoping to cleanse my mental chaff. I thought my mind would break in half. Then there was the nightmare with the mutant giraffe.

Inch by inch over too long a time, I regained the pieces of my mind. Never have I regretted more being so far from home, where my tribe did roam.

Many ponies came after my time as one of Discord's cronies, I found that I was still lonely.

In their fantasies I was a hero, though my resistance to Discord had in fact been zero.

I remember still when I was just a horrid stranger, now I was suddenly the Lone Ranger.

I do not know how the rumor started, I supposed it was invented for the fainthearted.

It was strange, this rumor did not make ponies treat me like dirt, but they still hurt.

Supposedly I had fought off the Poison Joke with a single hoof, when in fact it had nearly torn through my roof.

Some said I had fought Discord even after my mind was broken, but his will I eagerly obeyed when spoken.

They said I galloped to Ponyville help, but my insides were like tangled kelp. From the patch of flower-moss I crawled, at myself completely appalled.

As I vomited Poison Joke I nearly had a stroke. I drank countless cups of my medical tea, to keep from dying from the traces inside me.

I closed my world off from all, on my floor I laid sprawled, I am somewhat proud that I never did bawl. In the darkness I lay, cutting off my senses, dropping all pretenses. In my mind of the damage I did my best to clean, least I again become the queen of mean.

Twilight then came telling me of her mission to save the soul of a selfish magician. Personally I felt her question would have been easier if she had been seeking to invent nuclear fission. Even if my mind had been as it should be, answering her would've been difficult for me.

Even though my hut was as dark as night, Twilight was not blind to my plight.

Twilight told me I should no longer be distant, even if I was resistant.

So I sought one whose livelihood was to repair the mind, even if in a thousand miles I was the only one of my kind.

At least I arrived at a psychologist and not a zoologist, as I thought might happen before ponies learned the error in their terror.

Yes, I was as much a fool when I mistook Princess Luna for a ghoul. Can we move on please before the world does freeze?

I visited the doctor every week, he did not seem to think my future was bleak.

After I was given a short series of tests, he was rather impressed.

After being given such mental damage, he said I should have ended up with the mind of a cabbage.

All the same he said it was best I accepted his help, least I end up with the reason of kelp.

Weeks become over a month, after all, I was not the only victim among the bunch. This of course I had already known, which was why I chose to fight these demons alone.

Accept I am myself, what makes me me cannot be just put on a shelf. The witch that went on that crazy spree I must accept was not me. The mad should not be judged, on that my doctor never budged.

Alone in that room, speaking of fears, I would often hear grown stallions shedding tears. And I would spot ponies, long gone were their mental gears, who had been in treatment for years.

Also there I spotted a pony with friends named Berry Punch, she is fighting demons from before Discord I think on a hunch.

But I was no longer alone in this fight, and I worked towards the light. And yes, Twilight did also give her aid, and so the demons did fade.

Long my wisdom she sought, but in this battle she helped me more than I ever thought.

My spirit she did stitch, and I no longer curled into a ball at the word 'witch.'

And I no longer wished to be made into glue when I saw the color blue.

What help did she and my doctor both give that one of my own saviors I would christen? She simply listened.

Of my demons I spoke, and piece by piece draconequus ghosts we broke.

It was soon enough that it was shown, that I was indeed out of the danger zone. The nightmares had popped, and my shaking had stopped.

Then one afternoon I was a foal again, not even yet I think the age of ten.

The first of equine she converted I was, and my mind deep in fog I swore to her cause.

Inside my mind she went, to resist not one trace of effort was spent.

I eagerly let her in, so we might begin.

Many of my memories she saw, and one in particular left her in awe.

To the cursed village we did go, I did not even slow.

It made her heart ache when the curse she could not break, so indeed the life she gave them was fake.

What they remembered and what they were were now lies, but for the first time in one thousand years there was no suffering in their eyes.

All the world would know her love, and the role of willing servant fit me like a glove.

To banish the last of my monsters Princess Gaia's fog did help do the trick in the end, even if I would not wish it again.

Why do I still refer to her by the name? Because Fluttershy will never be the same.

She may have lost her path, but she did not do what she did out of wrath.

She wanted to take my pain away, and it did work out that way.

I know many who may not forgive, but my forgiveness is mine alone to give.

Then I questioned why, when at home alone I came eye to eye with Pinkie Pie.

Since we last met it was like she had a full personality shift, and she presented me with a kimono as a gift.

I did not know what to say, in particular since I told none it was my birthday.

She claimed it was simply a guess, of that lie I was not impressed.

I asked her of what she had done, and of all gifts, why this one. An answer I could not give in the least, I had never been to the east.

She only warmly and sadly said that it suited me, one look into her eyes, and I let her be.

Of this gift of purple cloth and bells she did deliver, there was something almost ghostly familiar.

Of what I could not pin, as if I was trying to remember what had never been.

Once in Ponyville I was considered a freak, now I am called unique.

It is quite a twist, considering at home I would have never been missed.

But here I am now welcomed to roam, can I really say this isn't too my home?

My family I love, that will never change, but here I am not considered strange, and here I also freely range.

Seeking knowledge beyond our shores my family thought me crazy, but here I am now dancing among the daisies.

I am not alone, this is also my home.

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You want me to talk about Zecora? Sure, I guess I can. I'll admit, I ended up falling for the 'Zecora's a witch' thing just like everypony else, welcome to circumstantial evidence. I'm here in Ponyville to learn, in case you forgot. Anyway, once I got to know her, Zecora and I became great friends. Good enough I'll risk going into Everfree Forest to see her. I've learned the path to her house pretty well and I make it a point to get out before nightfall after that Cockatrice turned me into stone.

Zecora is almost a second mentor to me now in some ways. She's a very wise equine, and I can't tell you how grateful I was when she was able to tell me what was wrong with Spike during his last birthday after nopony else could. I'm not certain I'd call what she does 'magic', but she knows herbs and potions well enough to make it seem like it sometimes. But the magic involved is mainly in the plants she uses, Zecora just knows how to mix them together to get a certain effect. As Applebloom proved during the 'Cutie Pox Incident', mixing up those potions is not easy, it takes years of practice and understanding of how the plants work. Zecora probably only knew how to cure Applebloom's case of Cutie Pox because she knew the plant that likely caused it in the first place. We're lucky Applebloom mixed up something Zecora could fix instead of a lethal poison or something, making a potion with absolutely no idea what she was doing.

So I guess in that way, it's not so different from magic, just the magic is provided by the ingredients rather than generated by the user's body. Yes I know another blow to my 'magic can only be used by those born with it' thesis.

It's quite interesting really, if anypony can use that with the right knowl...Wait, don't leave! What do you mean you don't have time for a lecture? Fine, next question.

Did I help Zecora overcome what Discord did to her? Well, I guess you could say that, but really, all I did is what any good friend would do. I saw she couldn't do what she needed to on her own, so I suggested she go to someone whose job it was to help those in need...Yes, I know, I decided to handle Trixie all alone, but to be honest, I don't think many psychiatrists have any experience with monsters living in people's minds, whatever the hay that thing really was crawling around Trixie's brain. But I can say from personal experience with helping out at the insane asylum, I've never seen anything remotely like that before or since...And I pray I never do again.

Zecora tried to heal herself on her own, something I personally can say isn't possible when it comes to Discord. I didn't go to a psychiatrist until after the Smartypants incident, and I'm ninety five percent certain that would never have happened if I'd gone sooner. You know, seeing Zecora trying to heal herself like she did made me think of how my friends must've felt when I went crazy like I did. How hard it must have been for them... After she began seeing a psychiatrist for it, I stayed right by her the whole time. I've done the same, to the best of my abilities, with all of my friends and vice versa; just because Zecora isn't an Element Of Harmony (and with Fluttercruel and Trixie turning out to be Elements, who knows?) doesn't mean she's any different.

What did I do? I listened, I talked with her, I was there for her...Did I shrug off Rainbow Dash when she was trying to tell me about what happened with Discord and her? Yeah, I guess...Look, I missed warning signs with her and Fluttershy, it was a hectic time for all of us, so forgive me if I didn't see every little detail I should've.

But anyway, all I did was being there for Zecora when she needed me, that was what she needed me for. A true friend doesn't leave a friend when they know they need them.

I waited at the entrance to Everfree, a bit hesitant to enter alone after the Cockatrice incident. I know, I could've taken one of my friends, but this seemed too private. I didn't think Zecora would appreciate having an entourage accompanying her for a mental check up. Soon, I saw the familiar white and black shape emerge from the deep, dark forest. "Hello, Zecora, how are you doing?"

Zecora smiled back at me. "I am doing quite fine, my friend, but a very hard journey it has been," the Zebra replied, trotting along towards town with me.

"I know, believe me, I know..." I said, thinking back at the time that had passed since Discord's release and defeat. It was unbelievable just how much could happen in such a short time. "I'm just hoping we don't have to save the world again any time soon."

Zecora nodded understandingly. "That wish is understandable, Twilight. This time for you has been filled with fright."

I nodded back, that was an understatement. "Just with Discord, all the damage he left behind, then saving Trixie, and the whole thing with Fluttershy becoming ... not to mention all the little things that have happened, I just hope things settle down a bit now..."

Zecora gave me an understanding look, one I was glad to see. "If now anypony has earned her reprieve, it is you I most certainly believe," she replied, then looked thoughtful for a moment. "Twilight, if I may so kindly ask, what made you accept the task? The task of helping guide me to stability, to the best of your ability?"

I gave a confused look. I hadn't really thought all that much about it, to me it seemed like just second nature now to help my friends when they needed me. "You're my friend, Zecora, that's the only reason I need."

Zecora looked back at me in confusion. "While your friendship I hold true, it is not something I am used to. Since I left my homeland, I have not been well treated by strangers' hand. Ponyville's acceptance is something new to me, being an outcast is not easy. But even in my homeland far away, I never quite fit their way. Seeking knowledge outside the homeland's borders, did not sit well with many family orders. So acceptance in another land seemed but a dream, or at least to me it seemed."

I gave a small frown to the sage as we continued on towards town. Growing up with my snout in the books all the time, I could sympathize with that. "I can see why having somepony who cares so much about you would be strange. But a real friend is one who sticks with you no matter what, and after what Discord put me and my friends through, I'm not going to give up on anybody who I care about, even if they're not a pony at all. And I'm sure my friends are much the same way."

Zecora was silent for a few moments as we continued on, then looked to me with a smile. "This fact is one I hold very dear, thanks to you no longer for my sanity I fear. Your friendship means a great deal to me, it's something which I never thought I'd see..." Zecora looked deeply thoughtful, as if thinking something over in her mind. "...Twilight, if I may ask, please explain your royal task. I have heard some of this ideal, and it interests me a great deal."

I gave a smile and nodded at the opportunity, though the change in subject surprised me. "It's not just my task, not anymore. I was sent here to study friendship, and send letters detailing the lessons I've learned to Princess Celestia," I explained. "Then Celestia expanded it to all of my friends as well, so now anytime one of them learns a lesson, they can send them to Celestia as well. It's that simple."

Zecora nodded in understanding, then was silent, looking like she was trying to make a decision of some sort, before finally smiling. "I think I see what you're saying, my friend, but may I a letter send?"

I blinked in surprise. I admit, I probably should've seen that coming. "You want to send a friendship letter to Celestia, Zecora?"

Zecora gave a nod. "Yes, that is what I want to do, for I have learned a great lesson from you. And what good is a lesson if not shared with another? If it is not too much of a bother."

"No, not at all, Zecora," I replied, looking to the library as we passed by on the way to the asylum for Zecora's mental check up. "I'm sure the doctor will wait a few minutes..."

---------------------------------------------

"Dear Princess Celestia, ruler of day in Equestria;

I am a friend of Twilight, your student dear, but never have I sent a letter before I fear. A lesson I have recently learned, after Discord had me turned. I tried to cure his blight all alone, but could not overcome it on my own. Advice from my friends dispelled this illusion, so I sought help to deal with the pain left by my delusion. I used to be an outcast far and wide, but through this your student never left my side. She was with me through it all, she refused to leave until she knew I wouldn't fall. So here is the lesson I wish to share, a lesson I learned from this mare. To find out who is your true friend within, find the one who stays with you through thick and thin.

Zecora, scholar of all fantastic flora,

P.S. Please this message pass Princess Luna's way, I was foolish to fall under slander's sway. After being so long an outcast myself, I should not have put her feelings on the shelf. For this I apologize, her I should not have demonized. Her forgiveness I do seek, for painting a picture of her so bleak. For rumors I know, how unwanted they grow.

Pony POV Series Episode 30: "Butterflies Celestia"

Pony POV Side Story Celestia Optional Canon
Butterflies Section 2 Love Of Never Upon A Time
By Alex Warlorn

It feels good to be able to truly sleep again. After a thousand years of cat naps, Luna ruling the night again is a gift from Mother. Biologically I don't need to sleep, technically speaking, mentally is another matter. While there were many things that separated my kind from mortal ponies, I still need time for my subconscious to sort out my thoughts from the day to keep myself from going stark raving mad.

The only pony's dreams Lulu could not command are her own, and it felt cowardly to ask Luna for peaceful dreams, sealing away my own demons. Especially when it is not a luxury I can return to her.

I wish one of my mothers was here. My Mother and Father of course are everywhere and yes that does comfort me some. Mothers? Don't get the wrong idea.

I've existed in one form or another in every major Age. I am not entirely unique in that regard, there are other ponies who are much the same. We've been with them in one guise or another since Ponies first evolved.

I'll tell you now about my mother who no one remembers now. As an Alicorn, I shall never forget her, which is both a blessing and a curse.

In a history that has now been recorded over, I was born in an Age where Ponies' magic had grown to the point where there was nothing left for them to do with themselves other than plan the next big celebration or outing. They even needed an enchanted book to remind them when their own birthdays were.

Of course no one grew old. And of course since it was believed fillies and mares were nicer, there were no more colts or stallions. They knew what boys were from the living things around them, but the idea of male ponies had become alien to them.

Yes, Father Christmas was one of the few beings still able to visit this world from the outside during that recorded over era.

It was a perfect world with no more natural predators and the dangerous magical beasts long since extinct or tamed, but accidents did happen, once every few lifetimes or so, like a pony falling into a lake in the dead of winter through a crack in the ice and freezing to death. But otherwise, all was good.

Princess Rarity was the last 'generation' of several young fillies born using unicorn magic to fulfill the duties of Rainbow Princess; the unicorns having one of the few jobs that didn't magically take care of itself now. The unicorn Cheerilee, being about the closest thing the young pink Unicorn ever had to a mother, played it by ear like most mothers do.

Little Honolu-Loo on Butterfly Island was born much the same way.

Did I mention, by the way, that the tribes lived in completely separate, self-sustaining communities? They had forgotten the others even existed until happenstance accidentally made them aware of each other's existence again. But these ponies would accept each other as equals rather than oppressive overlords or interchangeable serfs. The hippocampus even made a habit of rescuing the other tribes in distress whenever they found them in such, though they remained a myth until the end. First contact played out much more than kindly that first time around. Ironically, the isolationist flutter ponies (nicknamed Breezies) remained friends of the Earth Ponies from the beginning.

On Butterfly Island, the home of the pegasi, a pony somehow found out what it truly meant to be a 'mother' and where babies had originally come from before the ponies learned how to use magic to do nearly everything for them and set it to automatic.

Her name was Star-Maker. And unlike most ponies in that painted over age, she always was asking questions, she wanted to -know- rather than just accept the world handed to her on a sliver patter.

Then she found a way. She never told anyone how. Maybe she found some hidden or long forgotten spell, maybe she used alchemy, maybe she pleaded and begged with My Parents until they reluctantly granted her petition, all I know is this.

I watched my mother on Butterfly Island slowly gain wrinkles and a graying mane as I grew bigger and stronger, with marks no other pony had on my hooves sides and forehead. And I watched as every other pegasus on the island stayed the same.

By giving birth, she had become a part of the cycle of birth and death again, the immortality spell on her was broken. No one even remembered how the spell worked, let alone how to re-cast it.

It was some horrible disease to them, some terrible sickness they had no idea how to cure or help her, the idea she was infectious never crossed their minds or they didn't care. That was the kind of ponies these mares of the forgotten age were like.

I still remember every day as clear as crystal, when she caught me after I fainted flying so high trying to catch the sun, when she took me out star gazing to help me get over my fear of the dark, explaining to me my extra large wings were nothing to be ashamed of, the way she could make all the world seem a wonder with just a few words. E-excuse me please for just one moment, the lamp light is stinging my eyes a bit.

Once I was a mare pegasus, I simply ceased aging, like any pony in that age. We all watched as my mother grew more frail. I ended up taking her flying myself on occasion once she was too weak to do so herself.

None of the others blamed me, even if I was the 'cause' of Star-Maker's 'sickness.' They never said it of course, they didn't dare. But I knew if I didn't exist, my mother wouldn't be dying.

By then I already knew I was different from the other pegasi, not just the size of my wings and the marks on my body. I knew things that I shouldn't have been able to know, and I was able to sense things I had no way to, and I could do things no other Pegasus could do.

Ultimately, she couldn't leave the bed we made for her. It was a blink of an eye to us, of course, for whom each day was just more playing and searching for something new to explore. For whom life had no end, so time seemed to not have as much meaning.

"I don't regret having you, you were the first thing, the only thing, to give my life meaning. Thank you, Star Catcher."

Those were the last words my mother said to me before she went to sleep and never woke up.

I wanted to see her again. I wanted to see her again so badly! What was this strange disease called 'old age' that had stolen her from me? The others said she was still somewhere, we just couldn't see her.

At the center of our island was a rainbow colored waterfall, more beautiful than any in Cloudsdale. All any pegasus remembered was that there was some -thing- on the other side. They had all forgotten what. Some thought there was some black void beyond. Or monsters. Some even joked there was a frightening land where pegasi didn't have wings, and if you stayed too long, your wings would fall off.

There could have been anything behind that waterfall, including my mother, so one always-summer afternoon I dive through, the first pegasus to do so anyone could remember, some loyal butterflies coming with me.

I didn't find monsters, or my mother, or a starry nothing, but I did find Earth-bound friends. I bridged the gap. And for that I thanked three of my parents.

My Mother and My Father who were eternal.
And my mother the pegasus Star-Maker, who rests in peace.

She was why pegasi stepped into the world again.

And I feel her presence, as I prepare to face the monsters that lurk in my closet every night.

I slowly slip off my royal armor, my horseshoes, my crown, my harness. I wish I was like one of the Celestias I saw once in the pool of truth, whose size and beauty were connected to the enchantments on her armor. Would have made my life much easier. While I am capable of shape shifting, maintaining an altered form distracts from the experience of living in it.

I had also seen during my cautiously brief glimpses into Truth one of the Celestias who could use an enchanted mirror to speak with her counterpart in a world effectively identical to ours, save that all genders were flipped and different names to match. While I was certain such a counterpart to my world existed, or so I hoped, I had never been able to create such a mirror for myself. I even dared take one drop from Truth to try to make such a mirror.

One of my former students accidentally looked into my newly created still unruly mirror when I left it unattended for forty three-seconds . . .

I returned the drop of matter to the Truth and completely abandoned that route.

I stand inside my large fold out mirror, magically closing it behind me, leaving me with only my reflections.

"Who is that mare I see? Staring back? Straight at me?" I sang softly to myself.

"You're an old, old pony whose been carrying the sun on her back for far too long. They build statues to you. They have several national holidays in your honor. But when was the last time any of these stupid horses tried to be your friend? When was the last time they saw you as a living being with feelings instead of as a deity with none?" I feel a wave of disgust wash through me at the gray reflection to my left.

I shuddered at the uncompromising all consuming solar heat behind me. "You are one who lets her ponies be terrified by creatures of the night and forcing them to waste half their day because you selfishly want your little sister to feel special."

"You're a nasty, awful, mean old nag who bullies little yellow ponies who are already sorry!" Snarled a filly Alicorn wearing royal jewelry a few sizes too big for her with magenta eyes and pink mane to my right. I don't want to cry. I don't think I'd be able to stop.

"You're a fair queen who ponies turn to as the constant for law and fairness. You are the goddess who must never be fair and favors kindness over cruelty, love over rage. You're a mother who does things that hurts her ponies but helps them grow. You are eternal. You are a concept. . . and at the same time you're a pony who can bleed and feel pain like they can." The reflection of Sunny Day spoke kindly to me. "You are many things Celly, like any pony, and they are all equally you. A goddess must not show regret, must not show weakness, every decision must be without flaw. A queen must be fair, just, and understanding. And a pony must have friends."

I make a soft gentle laugh.

"And they don't fear you Celly. They fear your disapproval, your disappointment, the same we fear those things from anyone we love. Same as you feared the disappointment of Your Parents. What are our ponies more afraid of? Do you think they fear your power and existence more than the possibility that if they lose you they would have no wise and kind ruler to turn to for guidance and protection?""

"Thank you, heh, Lulu."

I folded my wings around me in my sleep, for the first time in so long, my dreams were beautiful. An island that never was, friends who never were, of days that never happened. But I also dream of the here and now, of those who are here now, and those who love me now, and I know I'll never forget them no matter how long I live.

Pony POV Series Episode 31: "Butterflies Nurse Redheart"

Pony POV Series Side Story
Butterflies Section 3 Nurse RedHeart
Side Story

They call me a Nurse, but I'm the chief physician in Ponyville. It says Nurse on my file, but I have enough medical knowledge for my doctorate. Yes, we have a doctor here, a stallion who needed to give someone a full medical examination to come to the conclusion his patient was a dragon and shrug him off to a veterinarian. I might not have been able to diagnose the real problem, but I could at least see what the patient was and try. He may not have been a pony, but he was still a person...doc' didn't notice how much telling her to take the poor thing to the vet hurt the unicorn who brought him in.

How do I even remotely know any of this? No, not because we work in the same building, you think I'd have time to hear about every patient I -don't- see here?

Twilight mentioned it when I was handed off to do her yearly check up.

What do I know about a unicorn's anatomy? Likely more than most unicorns. How much of their own anatomy do you think the animals Princ-- Miss Fluttershy takes care of knows? I don't know unicorn magic, but I know blood vessels and a vital external organ.

You're right that while they may not look it, all three pony races are unique under the skin. You have no idea how delicate it can be to heal a pegasus' bones, or the long, cautious procedure of healing the cracks of a unicorn's horn. Unicorns and pegasi are not Earth Ponies with things added, and Earth Ponies are not wingless pegasi or hornless unicorns.

Myself and my sister (who is a nurse to me) run the emergency room, and I oversee the delivery of foals and any other number of medical problems in a town within trotting distance of many of Equestria's most dangerous creatures. Not to mention being an Earth pony, I have to remove those timber wolf fangs by hoof and mouth and stitch their gashes without telekinesis. Almost makes me wish Earth pony magic was as flashy as pegasi or unicorns.

Earth Pony magic isn't dirt, plants, or animals, it's understanding life. Or that's what I believe! You may not be able to see it, but it is there.

If I was a doctor, Mayor Mare wouldn't be able to afford to pay me. Leaving only my little sister Tenderheart to be buried under the workload, and another doctor whose patients would likely be dead from whatever they came in to see him about by the time he had properly identified their species.

You think healthcare comes out of thin air? I need to eat too, but Ponyville, and Equestria herself are community minded in the extreme. It's what makes us iron clad as a herd of families and a family of herds.

Heh. Oh, come on...don't look at me like that. Heh.

It's a system I'm proud to be a part of, but I'm pragmatic enough to recognize where some things fall short. It's not a perfect system, only Celestia is perfect. Do I want to move to some big city like Manehatten where I could actually make money with more capitalist minded ponies? I look forward to when Tenderheart gets that idea in her head and breaks out on her own. Me? With Everfree Forest on one side, Hydras on that side, and Quarray Eels on another, as well as the occasional attack by an insane deity, these ponies need me.

That is not a bits symbol on my flanks, only a mad pony would get into this leg of the business thinking they're be retiring on a tropical island somewhere. I look out for every foal in Ponyville like they were my own; I was there when most of them were born and I care for every pony in Ponyville as if they were my family.

I remember after Discord. My sheer apathy after he twisted me was terrifying. Afterwards I was booked solid for every pregnant mare in Ponyville, with Mrs. Cake at the front of the line. Putting my medical knowledge to practice to pathetically try and figure out if their babies had been tainted by Discord's magic. I remember one mare from Canterlot who had to be restrained, convinced her foal was going to be a little Discord or some unholy Draconequus pony crossbreed. I'll admit, that idea gave me nightmares myself.

And right behind them were the scared and fearful parents worried their children outside the womb had been permanently damaged from the mad god's games or black magic. If few ponies knew about Discord before the day of chaos, everypony knew now.

You have no idea how relieved I was when the Cake twins came out whole and normal. And you have no idea how much digging the Cakes had to do in their family tree to assure themselves their babies didn't have the wrong mane, eye, and fur color or were the wrong species. Then carefully and calmly explaining to them that magic surges in developing unicorns was normal, and Pound being able to fly at a month old didn't mean he was going to grow into a stallion at a year old and die of old age at two, that was quite normal too, simple instincts most babies have.

Yes I spent weeks in therapy the same as everypony else. Myself and my sister. Though we put it off. Well, I put it off, and Tenderheart told me I was being stubborn. Finally I got a letter from PRINCESS CELESTIA HERSELF, yes, that Princess Celestia, the goddess, that I needed to take some time off and the medical ponies she had ordered brought in from all over Equestria would be able to handle things, some were even considering permanent residence supposedly.

I can't say it wasn't fun in the sun on the islands. Tenderheart claims she saw a seapony, but they're the equivalent of sighting Big Hoof.

We got back home, okay the hospital, late at night. We found none of the senior staff at the hospital, and found one of the long term mental patients wandering back in. She barked she had joined in a chase with the senior staff for him when a ninja had come in to steal slippers. Or she wanted a bath.

I smiled, nodded, and locked her back in her room (Yes we were taking on 'normal' mentally ill ponies for a while too). When the doctor and nurses came back and explained things, I was as red as my cutie mark! They had all abandoned the hospital -and the patients- in the middle of the night to chase a thief across Ponyville for supposedly stealing slippers . . . Stealing slippers?! Of all the- how could they- was I the only pony in this entire hospital who CARED about these ponies were supposed to be healing-?!

Just before I could kick flanks Tenderheart gave me a drink of something that made the world rosy and we headed home to unpack.

Then there was the time when Princess Gaia's fog came. And broken ponies in beds waiting to die became foals jumping on the mattresses with me joining them without a second thought. It was like the weights were lifted, and Discord's nightmare was just a bad dream I had that I had finally woken up from with mama Princess Gaia there instead.

Call her a mad tyrant if you want, but I had never seen most of those ponies so happy since they had been brought in by their families trying to stave off the end. Some of them were finally lucid for the first time in years. Then the play day ended far too soon and the fog lifted.

After spending a day as a foal Mr. Black Hooves died in his sleep the next morning.

I was the only one who bid him farewell.

I didn't get a single pregnant mare in afterwords, none of them were scared. It was like we all just knew she'd have done nothing to ever harm anypony.

Call her a monster if you want, but you won't find many agreeing with you here except the ones whose husbands or wives are waiting for them on the other side. I'm not going to say she's a saint, but she's not evil.

It's strange really, she came here exactly once after the Gaia Festival. She looked around one time, her eyes misted up, and she left, some actually whispering her name.

That was when the ponies who were marked as terminal began being visited by that butterfly. It would only visit those who didn't have families or whose loved ones would never visit. I've never once tried to shoo it away. Their lives didn't seem to last a minute more or less than what I projected anyway but, I had never seen them look so peaceful, I don't know what worlds they see, all I know is that they're happy. And I couldn't ask for more than that.

And if that's what she's willing to do for them, then that's fine by me, she has my approval as their doctor. And I think she's reminded me just why I stay in this little town, instead of moving to where I'd be paid more, where I could be a success along with my sister.

If I wasn't here, who would be here for these ponies who had been shuffled aside? Ponyville isn't just a collection of houses, it's a family. And they're mine.