"You sick, corrupt, manipulative bastard." said the black alicorn in disgust. She rose to her hooves and walked slowly towards the trembling Aquarius.

Aquarius gulped. "N-Now you wait just a minute. Everything had to happen for a reason."

"If not for you, it all would have been different. You made me this way. This is your fault." she accused.

Aquarius covered his face and squealed as the alicorn stood above him. "If I hadn't become general, you wouldn't even be here right now! You should be thanking me!"

She growled deeply and narrowed her ghostly eyes. "DOES THOU THINK THOU HAST HELPED US?! THOU HAST GIVEN US NOTHING SAVE MISERY AND TORMENT! WE HAVE BEEN ALONE HERE FOR THIRTY ORBITS, AND THOU IS TO BLAME!"

"No. You are to blame. This was all your decision." he said, in disbelief that he had been so courageous as to say that.

The alicorn smashed a hoof into the throat of the pegasus. It was enough to keep him down, but not kill him. She put her muzzle to his ear. "Now you listen to me." she whispered. "I'm going to torture you. I'm going to heal you. I'm going to torture you again. Then, I'll repeat the process to my hearts content. It's about time I got some entertainment around here." she whispered.

Aquarius immobilized as dread claimed his facial expression. "You... You can't do that..."

The Queen smiled. "Oh, but I can, and when I get bored of you, I'm going to give you the worst punishment I've ever known. A thousand years on the moon. Unless..."

He almost screamed it. "Unless what!?"

"You bring me Discord's head."

----------

As Celestia finished her story, Applejack and Rainbow Dash stared at her in disbelief. "You're Twilight's mom?" asked Dash, finally.

"Yes." replied Celestia.

Applejack's curiosity got the best of her. "So, if she'da lived longer, she'da grown wings?"

Celestia giggled. "Huge, powerful wings. All six Wonderbolts combined wouldn't of been a fraction a good a flier as Twilight would have been."

Dash grit her teeth. "You wait just a minute! She wouldn't of been as good of a flier as me, would she have been?! I can do a sonic rainboom! I can clear the skies in ten seconds flat!"

"All of which a very nice, Rainbow. However, an alicorn can reach hypersonic speeds in just a few seconds, without putting much effort in at all. Even if they are moving upwards." said Celestia.

Dash's mouth hung open. She couldn't think of any response to that.

"I believe a part of me always knew." interrupted Spike.

Celestia looked up at him. "What makes you say that?"

"Her seemingly infinite magical ability at such a young age. The part of her mind that always wanted your approval, no matter what. She could never go a day without sending you a letter. When she went to the gala the first time, she did absolutely nothing but stand next to you. Even if she never knew it, some subconscious force made Twilight love you like a daughter." he said.

Spike realized his mistake as Celestia lowered her head. He was going to try to comfort her, but he knew that anything he would have said would only make her feel worse. What could he have said anyways? That Twilight was in a better place now? That she would have loved her if she lived? No. He might as well have driven a nail into Celestia's heart before saying that.

"We should get moving." said Celestia.

"Where?" asked the draconequus.

"Rainbow Dash, Applejack, would either of you know where to find Pinkamena?" asked Celestia.

Dash laughed. "You mean pinkie pie?"

"Uhm... Yes?" said the alicorn.

"When Twi passed away, Pinkie took it really hard... She went up and left all of us 'ere for that old rock farm ah hers." added Applejack.

"Quite a ways away. Applejack, do you want to ride on my back?" asked Spike.

Her eyes lit up. She had never flown much before, except with Dash, who struggled to carry her more than a few feet off the ground. "Boy, would I!"

Discord looked at the alicorn. "It's settled then. Shall we get moving?"

"Yes. Whenever you are ready."

Discord turned from Celestia and looked at the orange mare. "Applejack. When Twilight was inside my mind thirty years ago, she had been thinking about some conversation with you. I wouldn't have usually been able to tell, but the thoughts were overtaking her. She was struggling hard to focus on keeping me trapped. What were you two talking about?"

"Twi was goin' off about Luna and how she had to kill'er." said the earth pony.

Discord looked confused. "You had no response to that?"

"Ah did. Ah told her that we should all go together. But she didn't listen. She went off and killed 'erself."

Discord sighed. "Is there anything significant about Twilight you noticed in the month before she had gone to Canterlot to fight Luna?"

Applejack thought for a moment. "Yeah actually. When she got back from tha Canterlot library, she was all doin' these weird things in her house..."