“I’m sorry, Ms. Sparkle, but there really isn’t anything more we can do,” the unicorn doctor said solemnly.

Twilight Sparkle’s head drooped forward as she felt Princess Celestia’s wing drape over her. The princess wore a frown as she pulled her student closer to herself. In the two weeks since the first telepod test, the unicorn’s condition worsened dramatically. Her appearance kept getting more grotesque with each passing day. Her grey flesh was now covered with boils as large as her hoof, giving her a hunchback, with pockets of white webbing adorning her sides and legs. Small hairs were growing out of random sections of her torso, as well. The doctors were trimming them and running them through every test they had in an attempt to get more information on her pupil’s disease. No analysis ever bore fruit, however, and just led to more frustration for the both of them. To make matters worse, Twilight’s mental capacity was also beginning to feel the effects of the transformation. At first it started with small pangs of pain, but now, she’d randomly get full blown crippling migraines. They got so bad that a few days ago, Princess Celestia had to relieve her of their work, as her condition now made it too dangerous for her to be in the throne room. Twilight didn’t argue. In fact, she didn’t even say anything. She just slowly walked back to her domicile without so much as a sigh in protest. To Celestia, it seemed that she’d given up. She couldn’t blame her, as the situation did look hopeless.

‘I’ll just have to have enough hope for the both of us,’ the royal alicorn thought to herself.

“Come, Twilight. Let’s get you back to your room. You need your rest,” the princess stated, trying to maintain some sense of normalcy.

“Rest. What does it matter?” Twilight mused aloud.

The princess frowned at her student’s words and tone. She turned to the doctor giving him a soft but forced smile.

“Thank you, doctor. Please, give us a moment, will you?” she said.

“Of course, your highness,” he said before giving a quick bow and exiting.

Once the door to the infirmary room was closed, Celestia turned to her pupil, kneeling down bringing her eye level with the unicorn. It broke her heart to see her student so defeated. She’d truly surrendered to her assumed fate. The royal alicorn brought her horn to hers as she whispered.

“Twilight, you mustn’t give up hope. As long as you are still you, there is still a chance. You’ve faced down the odds before, and this is no different,” she said softly.

“Princess, I…look at me. I’m getting worse and worse every day. There isn’t anything you can do anymore. There isn’t anything anyone can do,” Twilight Sparkle answered dejectedly.

The sun princes bit her lip as she took in the unicorn’s words. She looked away and sighed, closing her eyes. Twilight picked up on her teacher’s change in demeanor, but unsure of the reasoning behind such a shift caused her to eye the alicorn curiously.

“Twilight, I didn’t want to tell you until I’d already tested it, but I…I’ve been working on a possible solution,” the princess said.

“Another trial run isn’t going to do anything, Princess. I don’t want any more creatures suffering because of me. Too many have died already,” Twilight countered.

The princess turned away at the statement. It was true. Over the past two weeks they’d tried a variety of settings on various creatures. A flamingo, a cat, a small monkey, and a few more had died just as gruesomely as the rabbit did on the initial test. She hadn’t been allowed in the room for the last few days due to her debilitating state, but she’d heard the reports and read the findings in order to help with troubleshooting. She could tell by her mentor’s puffy eyes that she’d been crying. Her face was even paler than usual. She was taking these deaths hard, internalizing the pain, the same emotional stress that Twilight had gone through so long ago.

“Yes, Twilight. I…I know. And that is what made me come up with this idea. Please, come with me. Let me show you,” the princess urged.

Twilight sighed heavily. She just wanted to be left alone now. The bitterness and hopelessness that welled up inside her over the past two weeks had taken its toll. She was done. She felt it was time to accept her fate. However, she was still the personal student of Princess Celestia. She promised herself that she would be even with her dying breath, however soon that may come. Regardless of how she felt there was still one thing that was a part of her even more than the wretched DNA that was destroying her. She trusted Princess Celestia. Nodding, the two of them walked out of the infirmary and towards the throne room.

-

As the large ornate doors opened, Twilight’s eyes went wide. There was a bustling of activity around the telepods. Engineering crews and scientists worked side by side, and hadn’t even looked up to greet her or the princess as the two walked in. The royal alicorn let them go, however. They were here to do a job, and as time was of the essence, she preferred them concentrating rather than observing simple protocol. To say Twilight was shocked would be an understatement.

“Princess, what…what’s going on?” Twilight inquired as she walked slowly next to her mentor.

“We are adding a device that may hold the key to curing you. We haven’t tried it out yet, but it’s called a matter stream storage unit. I designed it myself,” Celestia said.

“What does it do?” Twilight pressed.

“The issue we’ve been having is the signal degradation during the actual transporting process. Either the computer isn’t calibrated correctly or something happens to the pattern before it can reach the other pod. This device will act as computerized storage of the pattern before it even leaves the first pod. A ‘copy,’ if you will,” she explained.

For a few moments, Twilight forgot what was happening and began focusing on the science. It seemed ingenious to her. Suddenly, her mind filled with questions, as she began blurting them out.

“But…but what about a power source? Do we have one strong enough to maintain the integrity of the atoms? And what is the scale of degradation? How much could a pony lose and still survive the trans…” she rattled off before the princess stopped her by raising her hoof.

“We don’t really know yet. As I said, we have yet to test it, but thanks to your work and designs, I was able to come up with this. Right now, my magic can power it, but not for very long, at least according to my calculations. I believe I can power the unit for about five minutes before the matter starts to break down,” she answered.

Suddenly, the princess turned around at the clacking hoofsteps that rang out behind her. It was one of the technicians. He bowed slightly before speaking.

“Princess, we are ready for the first…” his sentence interrupted by the sight of the deformed unicorn in front of him.

Everyone else stopped what they were doing and turned around. Their faces dropped at the Twilight’s appearance. The scholar immediately shifted under the gaze of the workers. The princess felt a twinge of anger at the development. She knew they didn’t mean any disrespect, but she needed to put a stop to this immediately. She also knew that she needed to do it delicately, however. Making a fuss would only make Twilight more self-conscious, and she couldn’t have that, especially right now. She cleared her throat before speaking.

“I believe you were about to tell me something?” she asked sweetly, doing her best to change the subject back to the telepods.

“Y…yes, your highness. The…the unit is in place, and we are ready for the test,” he said dutifully.

“Very well then. Please bring in the subject and we shall begin,” Celestia ordered.

They all turned to the side of the throne, as an earth pony worker brought out a dog. It was a medium sized canine leashed, walking happily and curiously sniffing all of the wires and equipment. Twilight whimpered as soon as they came into view. She couldn’t help fight the visions of Wynona and her friends’ pets from that horrible, horrible night. The flood of memories was almost too much for her as her knees became weak and she sat on her haunches. The princess put a hoof on her shoulder.

“I know you are apprehensive about this, but please. This may be our only chance. Believe me, I know what you’re thinking, but this is a risk we must take,” Princess Celestia whispered as he leaned her muzzle right by Twilight’s ear.

The words did nothing to stop the unicorn from shivering. She had a terrible feeling. Based on all the research and tests they’ve conducted so far, this could only end badly as far as Twilight was concerned.

‘Trust the princess, trust the princess…’ she repeated over and over in her mind.

Once the worker and the dog were at the entrance to the telepod, the earth pony dropped the leash from his mouth and took a spot by his colleagues. Princess Celestia approached the animal slowly putting on her best smile. Ever since the first incident, Princess Celestia made it a point to usher in the test subject herself. She explained to Twilight that she wished to carry the burden since this was her experiment. She would be the one to carry that weight, as she was the princess of the land. She knelt down in front of the happy looking canine, using her magic to remove the leash.

“Alright, now, get in the pod, sweetie,” she said softly.

With a quick bark, the dog complied as it shuffled its paws, its tail still wagging. It turned around a few times before finally settling down within the confines of the telepod. Celestia’s eyes became misty at the sight. He seemed to be settling down for a nap. Once again, that awful feeling in the pit of the royal alicorn’s stomach returned. The guilt was getting to her, and everyone could see it and she knew it, which made it harder. She knew she needed to show strength, rather than show any indecisiveness. She was their leader. They took their cues from her. Therefore she needed once again to bury that side of herself deep down, but she needed to show control, lest she lose the faith of her subordinates. The inner balancing act was beginning to teeter.

‘Please, please work,’ she thought to herself before taking her place in front of the large computer in the center of the room.

Everyone held their breath as Princess Celestia activated the large computer. Once again, the throne room was filled with a familiar light as the loud, dull hum of the telepod activation sequence permeated the group’s ears. With another flash, the canine was gone, and in seconds another flash in telepod number two showed the transport was complete. As the machine powered down, Princess Celestia activated her magic once again, powering the matter stream storage unit. Her eyes narrowed in concentration, as she focused on the task in front of her.

“Can…can someone please check…the pod?” the alicorn stammered.

One of the scientists immediately ran over to the second telepod as the door opened slowly, allowing the mist to dissipate rapidly. Before anyone could move, a shape burst forth from the pod, knocking the scientist on his back. Everyone gasped at the sight. The dog had been transformed. It was now twice the size of what it was before and its fur had disappeared. The canine’s skin was a deep red with blotches of purple adorning his torso and back. It bared its teeth and growled deeply at the earth pony underneath him.

“SOMEONE HEL-AAHH!” the scientist screamed as the beast sank its teeth into the pony’s neck, crushing his throat.

The princess heard the screams from the other ponies in the room, as she turned just in time to see the monster canine attack the poor scientist. She deactivated the matter unit and reactivated her magic, encasing the beast in an enchanted bubble. After using her power on the new device, however, she felt herself getting weaker as the dog thrashed about within its prison. Each push of the dog’s paws sapped her strength. She needed to do something soon, or she would lose her grip on him. As the seconds ticked by, she ran through her options. She tried to call for help from some of the other unicorns in the room, but her mouth wouldn’t open. She needed every ounce of focus in order to keep the creature subdued. This only left one alternative for her, and it was the one she dreaded most. She’d have to hurt it. The only problem with that was she didn’t know how far to go. Too little strength and she would only daze it, not stop it completely. If she used too much power, however, she ran the risk of killing it. She’d promised to never do something like that, especially to a monster that she herself created. It was her fault the canine was like this, and he was simply angry and in pain. Her magic bubble started to crack under the dog’s pressure. She needed to make a decision.

“PRINCESS, HELP!” she heard on of the workers shout.

She panicked. With one final push of magic, she screamed as she put an ethereal hold on the creature’s neck, snapping it. The sickening crunch echoed throughout the room, as the beast’s head was turned completely around, facing its own back. As her magic dissipated, her captor slumped to the ground, lifeless. She too fell on her belly, taking in gulps of air. No one said a thing. The only sounds that could be heard were the princess’ own breathing and a few faint whimpers and cries of the staff. After a few moments, Celestia finally caught enough of her breath to speak.

“Is…is he alright?” she stammered.

One of the victim’s fellow scientists rushed to his side, inspecting the damage. Immediately, his head drooped at the sight. He stood up, staring at the princess with tears in his eyes.

“N…no, princess. He…he’s dead,” he choked.

The princess’ eyes widened as she felt the world around her stop. If her stomach contained any contents, it would have been expelled right then and there. This was one of her worst fears and it had been realized. Someone got killed because of this experiment. Whatever barrier the alicorn had up in order to keep herself civil and the leader she knew she needed to be, was about to shatter. She needed to get everyone out of the throne room before she exploded. Standing up, and visibly shivering, she addressed the crowd as her voice cracked.

“Pl…please vacate this area immediately…I…please…wait a few…moments…and send in some medical staff…to…to…remove the body,” she said slowly, using every ounce of control she still had left to maintain her composure.

No one moved. She watched them as they just stared back at her. The looks they gave her ripped away at her inner wall of control. They were frightened. It was obvious that they weren’t just scared of the mutant canine that murdered the scientist. They were scared of her. Petrified. Horrified at her actions, regardless of their intent. She’d killed something right in front of her subjects. The citizens she vowed to protect. She couldn’t take any more.

“LEAVE! I ORDERED YOU ALL TO LEAVE, NOW GET OUT!” she bellowed, her eyes wild with anger.

The other ponies scurried to the doorway as fast as they could. Soon the princess heard the door shut, as she turned to face the animal that she just killed. She walked over to it, inspecting the body. It wasn’t far from the body of the scientist who lie equally dead right next to the telepod, a pool of blood under him. The damage was grotesque. He wore the puncture wounds around his throat like a blood-stained necklace, each cut slightly wider than the dog’s actual teeth. No doubt this was due to some thrashing on the victim’s end, as well as wrenching from the beast’s attack. The poor pony’s eyes hung halfway open. Celestia shivered again as she looked into them. They had once contained a soul mere moments ago. Now, all that remained was a carcass. An empty shell. And it was her fault.

“Princess? Are…are you…” Twilight whispered as she approached her mentor tentatively.

It was all the unicorn could say. She had a bad feeling about the experiment, but she had no idea it was going to be this horrific. She’d already resided herself to her fate, but to have another pony suffer like this was too much. To have an innocent pony, one who was simply trying to save her life, lose his over one of these tests was something she hadn’t even considered. She almost laughed aloud at the tortured irony. Every time she thought that it couldn’t get any worse, fate had other plans. Her soul felt numb, and even when she asked the princess if she was well, it was simply an automatic response to her recent stimuli. Suddenly, the princess’ expression darkened. Her eyes narrowed and she bared her teeth, much like the beast from before. Twilight had never seen her teacher like this. It frightened her.

“Pr…princess?” Twilight stammered.

With a scream of rage, Princess Celestia activated her horn and encased one of the far tables in her magic. The tools and machine parts all fell to the ground making metallic clangs as they made contact with the ornate marble floor. In seconds, the table was flung to the other side of the room, smashing to pieces. Twilight gasped at the action. Turning to her mentor, her eyes widened at the display. The royal alicorn breathed heavily as she trembled. A mixture of anger, sadness and helplessness welled up inside her. Everything she tried, everything sacrificed, and It was all for naught. As she felt her blinding rage return she activated her magic again, and was about to levitate another of the machinists’ tables, when she caught sight of Twilight Sparkle. Looking into her pupil’s eyes caused her magic to dissipate immediately. She’d frightened her. Not like before, as Twilight was lucid right now. This was the real Twilight Sparkle. And the real Twilight Sparkle was now terrified of her teacher. The sadness in Princess Celestia’s soul overtook the anger and eventually replaced it completely. She collapsed where she stood as tears dropped from her face.

“What have I done, Twilight, what have I done,” she sobbed as she put her hooves over her head like a foal.

The image was sobering to say the least. Twilight walked awkwardly over to her mentor, lying down next to her. She couldn’t help but think back to a time when she herself uttered similar words upon finding out that she’d fused with a fly.

‘What did I do, what did I do,’ the words echoed through Twilight Sparkle’s mind as she repeated the scene over and over in her head.

As she nuzzled the princess, she tried desperately to think of something to say, but the only words that came were the words she’d already said. She’d said them so many times, she started to wonder if they’d start to lose meaning after a while. With only those words at the ready, she uttered them as the only thing could say.

“I’m sorry, Princess,” Twilight whispered.

-

“Ah dunno, Luna,” Big Mac muttered as he stared at the floor.

“Look, I’m not saying they have to be friends, but we need to face the fact that my sister is no closer to a cure for Twilight Sparkle then when she started experimenting with the telepods,” she explained.

They’d been at it for hours. Princess Luna sensed that her sister was becoming more and more frustrated with every failure and based on the prognosis that the doctors created, the unicorn’s time was running out. She knew what it was like not to have a chance at closure, and she wanted to make sure that the rest of the elements of harmony didn’t go through that. She’d mentioned it to Big Mac, and he was immediately apprehensive. She knew that he just wanted to safeguard his sister, but she thought it best for all of them to get together one final time to talk things over before it was too late. Big Mac approached her shaking his head.

“Ah understand that, Luna, but Ah’m worried. What if Twilight has another breakdown again? If Ah ain’t there…” he started before being interrupted.

“I’ve already told you, this is something that they will have to work out. I know that you want to protect your sister, but as much as it pains me to say it, you weren’t there when everything happened back in Ponyville. These were experiences that they shared together, and they are the ones who are going to have to work it out before…before it’s too late,” the moon princess said dejectedly.

“Look…heartache, emotional pain, feelings…all that stuff is…ya know… intangible. My sister ain’t. Ah’m not comfortable with this, at all,” he said in a quietly stern tone.

“It has to be their decision, Big Mac,” she said placing a hoof on his shoulder.

The stallion sighed and turned away, rejecting his lover’s touch. The action caused the royal alicorn to frown. Things had been going so well between them, and Princess Luna couldn’t afford an emotional rift, especially at this critical state. She herself was in a very fragile place as her own memories of the jealousy she felt before her transformation and the inability to reconcile with her sister for over a thousand years weighed heavily on her mind. It hurt her to think of the girls she treated not getting a chance to make things right.

“Ah dunno, Ah just…” the stallion whispered as he looked out the window shaking his head.

Suddenly, a furious knocking at the princess’ chamber door startled the bickering couple. Luna hurriedly made her way to the entrance as she used her magic to open the door. She gasped at the sight. Her sister was standing before her, shivering with tears in her eyes, breathing heavily.

“Sister, what happened?!?” Princess Luna exclaimed.

“I…I…oh, Luna, I…it’s all my fault!” the elder alicorn wailed as she collapsed in front of her younger sibling.

-

As Rarity made her way down the ornate hallway, she couldn’t help but shiver. It had been weeks since her impromptu meeting with the doctor, and she thought that by now, her nerves would have calmed. They hadn’t. Waking up in cold sweats, nightmares, and even the loss of her appetite plagued the mare. It was if she’d gone back in time to over six months ago when she first came to the castle, as the symptoms were familiar enough. The worst part about it was keeping up the façade with her lover. At every encounter he seemed to want to push even further than last time, but every motion, every kiss and caress made her sick. They were nothing more than constant reminders of Twilight’s dominance from that horrible night they all shared. After he’d leave, she’d break down or dry heave in the bathroom for a few minutes. And as if it couldn’t get any more complicated, as much as she hated the intimacy they shared, she felt herself actually falling for him. Falling for his personality. She’d never wanted to be with someone so badly while simultaneously hating being around them. It wasn’t his fault, and her logical mind knew that. Her emotional side told a different tale, however. Rounding the corner, she stepped into the lounge area where they usually had their group sessions. There hadn’t been that many lately. With the news of the telepods being reactivated, and Fluttershy’s recent accident, there hadn’t been much point. There was also the added factor of Rainbow Dash meeting with Princess Luna privately for flying rehabilitation, in which the princess apparently made it a point to work in some therapy. Luna didn’t see the need for double sessions, as she thought it would be too much for the pegasus.

“Ah, good. You’re here,” Princess Luna announced.

Rarity nodded as she observed her companions. Fluttershy had a few band aids on her cheek and flank, but other than that she looked alright. She stood over to one side of the room with Rainbow Dash. Facing them were Pinkie Pie and Applejack. The unicorn could see the tension as she walked closer to the group. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were glaring at each other intently, while Fluttershy and Applejack also exchanged scowls. Big Mac was there as well, standing next to the moon princess.

“I’ve…I’ve talked with my sister in regards to the telepod research. Unfortunately, they have not made much progress in regards to a cure for Twilight Sparkle’s condition,” she said.

No one moved or said a thing, other than some small changes to the mares’ facial expressions. They’d experienced the pods before, so they were not surprised, no matter how many of them were hopeful. Princess Luna stepped forward to further address the group.

“Twilight’s condition has worsened. At…at this point, her change, in whatever form it’s going to take, will happen soon. You all know where her room is, and I know you haven’t been to see her, but…but, I implore you. Please go and see her. This may be your last chance to say goodbye. And…I know how some of you still feel about her, but I don’t want you not doing something you may regret once that chance is gone I, nor my sister will force you, but…we…we just wanted to make you aware of the situation,” the dark coated alicorn said as she began to choke up.

Big Mac was at her side in an instant, the others just stared at the floor. There was nothing to say. After everything that’s happened, they were now approaching the endgame. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity weren’t even sure what it was they were hoping for in the first place. They weren’t even sure if they wanted Twilight to remain alive or to die again, and that fact sickened them. Those happy days in Ponyville- going to parties, walking through town-seemed like they were a lifetime ago. Everything had become so twisted since this nightmare began that even their own instincts betrayed them.

“A.J. Are you alright?” Big Mac whispered as he put a hoof on his little sister’s shoulder.

“Ah…Ah don’t know, Big Mac. Ah mean, Ah…Ah knew this was a possibility, but Ah…Ah guess Ah still wasn’t prepared to hear it is all. Could…could ya’ll give us a few minutes. Ah think we have some things to discuss,” Applejack answered.

“Of course, Applejack,” Princess Luna stated as she and Big Mac exited the room slowly.

Once the door was shut giving them some privacy, they all stared at each other. Again, silence reigned. What could they say after such news? All of the soul searching and therapy, trying to get to the root of what truly caused their pain had finally come down to this moment. The moment of introspection where they assessed if they’d healed enough to say goodbye to someone who was once their best friend, despite having tried to kill them in the past. Finally, Applejack stepped forward.

“Look ya’ll, Ah know Twi was mighty terrible to us, but, she brought us together, and right now she’s sick. Ah still don’t know if Ah truly forgive her for everything, but Ah ain’t gonna ignore her and pretend like she was never a part of my life. Ah’m gonna go see her. Any other takers?” she asked softly as she fought back tears.

Seconds turned into minutes as she waited for an answer. None came. The blond earth pony felt her frustration rise to fever pitch as she turned from the group making her way out the door.

“Ah can’t believe you! Any of you! Ah thought maybe one o’ ya had a backbone, but Ah guess Ah was wrong!” she shouted as she approached the entryway.

“Ya know what, A.J? Forget you!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Pardon me, element of loyalty? You say somethin’?” Applejack yelled as she turned violently trotting towards the pegasus.

“Look, A.J., it’s not as simple as having a backbone!” Rainbow Dash growled.

“Oh, then why don’t you enlighten me, oh fearless one!” the earth mare challenged mockingly.

“Think this through for a second, will ya?!? The doctors said that she COULD die, OR they said that she could change into that creature again! You all may not remember since you were knocked out, but she was more powerful than anything we’d ever seen! What…what happens, APPLEJACK, if instead of dying, she goes through the same change she did in the basement?!? Who’s gonna stop her, huh?!? Are you?!? In case you don’t remember, let me refresh your memory. SHE BEAT THE HAY OUT OF YOU! OUT OF ALL OF US! WITHOUT EVEN BREAKING A SWEAT! YOU WERE BARELY AN ANNOYANCE TO HER! SO WHAT THE HAY ARE YOU GONNA DO IF SHE TRANSFORMS AND FINDS A WAY AROUND HER LITTLE PLAY PEN?!? HUH?!? YOU THINK THE ROYAL GUARDS ARE GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE?!?” Rainbow Dash screamed.

“NO! THAT’S…THAT’S JUST ANOTHER EXCUSE, ISN’T IT, DASHIE?!? YOU…YOU JUST HATE HER! YOU…YOU WANT HER DEAD!” Pinkie Pie bellowed, as she ran up to the flyer, her face contorted in anger.

“LEAVE HER ALONE! SHE…SHE’S RIGHT TO BE SCARED, YOU…YOU DUMMY!” Fluttershy roared as she stomped forward going muzzle to muzzle with the pink party mare.

“STAY OUTTA THIS, FLUTTERSHY!” Applejack screamed back.

“OH, THERE IT IS AGAIN! YOU JUST CAN’T BEAR TO SEE SOMEONE STAND UP FOR HERSELF, OR SOMEBODY ELSE, CAN YOU?!?” the yellow pegasus countered, trembling in anger.

“PERHAPS A SNOOTFULL O’ WINE IS ALL YA NEED TO GET SOME GUMPTION, YA DRUNK!” Applejack yelled back sarcastically.

Rarity watched in horror as the screaming match continued to escalate between her friends. She’d never seen them like this. Even when they were all under the Discord’s control, they’d never behaved like this towards each other. Even Fluttershy, the most timid mare she knew looked like she was ready to come to blows. The constant madness was becoming too much for her. Everywhere she turned there was anger, hate, and fear. She couldn’t even turn inward to escape any of it thanks to her bouts with Twilight and her secret relationship. While they were arguing all she could do was stare. She stared at them as they fought, getting more nervous with each passing second. She couldn’t take it anymore. Reacting on pure instinct, she released a guttural cry, as her face contorted in anger.

“STOP IT, ALL OF YOU, JUST STOP IT!” she screamed as loud as she could.

Sure enough everyone stopped and looked at her. However, none of the anger disappeared from any of their faces. Rarity’s eyes widened at the action, soon realizing the mistake she made. Her outburst now meant that she would become the focal point for all of the harsh negativity that the group emitted. Sure enough, Rainbow Dash stepped away from the others, staring the unicorn down, her eyes narrowing.

“Hey, if you’ve got something to say, then say it!” she shouted.

Rarity’s heart stopped at the phrase. She’d reacted out of pain, but she hadn’t actually thought of a follow up. She simply gazed back at the pegasus, unsure of what to say next. Rainbow Dash stomped towards her as she felt the eyes of her other friends bore into her.

“Well?!? Got something to say?!?” the flyer pressed.

“I…I…um,” the Fashionista stammered as her eyes darted nervously from side to side.

“Gonna say somthin’?!?” Applejack interjected shortly.

“Yeah, if you’ve got something to say, then says it!” Pinkie Pie added angrily as she stomped forward, poking Rarity in the chest with her hoof.

Rarity snapped. The eyes, the tones, as accusatory as they were, caused a primal reaction within the mare. As she hadn’t yet figured out how to even begin to approach her issues and the secrets she held, she went on the defensive, striking Pinkie Pie’s hoof away with her own as she felt a scowl make its way to her face.

“WHAT ARE YOU ACCUSING ME OF?!? I…I HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING! I’VE…I’VE DONE NOTHING AND I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, DO YOU HEAR ME?!?” she screeched as she bared her teeth, her jaw clenched.

Everyone was caught off guard by the reaction. They all looked at each other while some confusion found its way onto their faces, mixing with their angry and frustrated expressions.

“What the hay are you talkin’ about Rarity?!? No one accused you o’ nuthin! We’re just tired of the games!” Applejack shouted back.

“Games?!? GAMES?!? LOOK AT YOURSELVES! YOU ARE ARGUING AND ARGUING, FIGHTING AND FIGHTING, AND OVER WHAT?!? WE’RE SCARED, APPLEJACK! WE’RE ALL SCARED, EVEN YOU! BUT RATHER THAN ADMIT IT TO YOURSELF, YOU’D RATHER GO FOOLISHLY HEAD ON INTO SOMETHING THAT NOT EVEN THE PRINCESS’ TRULY UNDERSTANDS! THERE YOU WANTED ME TO SAY SOMETHING, SO I SAID IT!” she retorted at the top her lungs.

“OF COURSE WE’RE ALL SCARED! BUT NOW WE GOTTA DEAL WITH IT! BUT IT SEEMS LIKE SOME OF US ARE MORE WILLING THAN OTHERS TO ACTUALLY CONFRONT THIS AND DO WHAT’S RIGHT!” Applejack countered, as she trotted up to the unicorn going muzzle to muzzle with her.

“AND WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME, OR ANY OF US, FOR THAT MATTER, WHAT’S RIGHT?!? WHAT MAKES YOU AN EXPERT ON THESE SITUATIONS, HUH?!?” Rarity barked not giving an inch.

“OH, SAYS THE GIRL WHO’S JUDGING US!” Fluttershy interjected as she slowly walked towards the farm mare and fashion designer.

Pinkie Pie soon joined in, as they all confronted Rarity on her recent retort. The unicorn began to feel claustrophobic at the new attention. She felt beads of sweat begin to form on her brow as they all leaned in on her. She didn’t cower, however. She stood her ground, letting the rage take control of her as she lashed out at the closest pony, lifting her right hoof and blindly striking as she closed her eyes.

“GET AWAY FROM ME!” she shrieked, as she hit Fluttershy across the face.

Fluttershy yelped, as she stumbled away from the group. Everyone gasped at the act. Surprise replaced anger almost immediately, as Pinkie Pie was by the yellow pegasus’ side in an instant, all previous feelings removed. Applejack and Rainbow Dash turned around, inspecting the scene, and quickly turned back to the unicorn. Their expressions changed completely. Something was wrong. Even with everything that was happening and tensions being as high as they were, no one expected the fighting to become physical. As they began to study Rarity’s demeanor in detail they could tell that something was going on, as a new emotion found its way into their souls; worry.

“Sugarcube, why did you do that? That…that wasn’t like you at all,” Applejack said, her tone much softer than before.

“I…I don’t…Fluttershy, I’m…I’m sorry, I…it just felt like you were all ganging up on me!” the unicorn stammered through the tears as they ran down her cheeks.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack both thought about the recent argument, and closed their eyes, sighing. She was right. They let their tempers flare and without even realizing it, they had in fact ganged up on her. Applejack approached her, putting a hoof on her shoulder.

“Ah…Ah’m sorry we made you feel that way, Rarity. We…we just got carried away is all. Look, Ah know how Ah feel, about all of this, but Ah…Ah guess Ah can’t force ya to see things my way. Ah dunno, Ah…” she whispered as her thoughts trailed.

“Applejack, just…if you’re gonna go see her, make sure you’re safe, ok?” Rainbow Dash said, as she stared at the ground.

The farm mare frowned at the sentiment. She’d hoped that Rainbow Dash would have changed her mind, but it seemed like she was still harboring a lot of ill will towards Twilight. Applejack became sadder and even more frustrated at her friend’s view, as there was nothing she could do about it. She looked over just in time to see that Fluttershy had picked herself off the floor as well, tears dropping from her eyes as well, as she rubbed her cheek gently.

“Fluttershy, please forgive me, I…I’m sorry. I acted rashly,” Rarity said as she approached the pegasus.

“GET AWAY FROM HER!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she jumped in front of Fluttershy, putting herself between the animal lover and the unicorn.

“She’s trying to apologize, Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash growled.

“I DON’T CARE! DO YOU SEE WHAT SHE DID?!?” she retorted, as she kept her eyes on Rarity.

“SHE’S CRYING AND SHE HAS A BRUISE! AND YOU DID IT TO HER! YOU HURT HER! SHE’S YOUR FRIEND AND YOU HURT HER! SEE THOSE TEARS?!? THEIR YOUR FAULT! IT’S YOUR FAULT THAT SHE’S LIKE THIS!” Pinkie Pie pressed as she lowered her stance.

Rarity gasped as she brought her right hoof to her mouth, stumbling back. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both looked on in concern as Pinkie Pie stood her ground. The fashion expert began breathing heavy as she felt the thump of her heartbeat in her ear drums.

‘It’s your fault she’s like this, it’s your fault she’s like this,” the words echoed through her mind.

The sick feeling returned as her eyes darted around the room looking for a lavatory. She only had seconds before the contents of her stomach were expelled as she ran to a corner vomiting just as her horn touched one of the ornate palace walls. The action unnerved everyone in the room. Even Pinkie Pie let her guard down a bit as Applejack and Rainbow Dash approached Rarity again.

“Sugarcube, you overreacted, it’s alright,” Applejack said softly.

“Yeah, I’m sure she’ll forgive you. And we kinda did gang up on you, so I guess it’s our fault too,” Rainbow Dash added.

“It’s not my fault, it’s not my fault, it’s not my fault,” Rarity muttered over and over, causing the group to exchange even more worried and confused glances.

Rarity looked up and out towards her friends. She couldn’t be there anymore. Not for another second. It was too much for her to take. She knew she was reaching her breaking point. Still shivering, she backed away from the wall, and made a mad dash for the door. The harsh sound of her own labored breaths permeated her ears, drowning out the faint calls from her friends. She ran down the hallway, without any destination. There was no thought process she’d gone through other than that of getting away from that room. Her hooves carried her along as fast as she could will them to go. She didn’t know for how long she’d been running, as time seemed to stop. As she rounded a hallway, her mind finally caught up with her and she stopped to catch her breath. She collapsed, taking in gulps of air, her eyes shut tight. After a few moments a voice snapped her back to reality.

“Rarity?” it said.

The unicorn looked up and gasped as she immediately started crying again. She hadn’t realized it, but she was in front of Twilight Sparkle’s new quarters. She looked up at the deformed mare in front of her as she got to her hooves. Twilight’s condition was much worse. She’d looked almost the same as she did the night she died. Twilight stared back at her, as she approached her clear wall. For what seemed like hours they just stood there, staring at each other. Neither of them knew what to do. Soon, the tension reached its maximum as they both ran at each other, crashing into the wall at the same point, wailing with all their might. Their front hooves met, although still separated by the wall between them. There were no words spoken, as they weren’t needed. They both knew how horrible they’d been to each other. They were best friends, and yet Rarity had beaten Twilight almost to death, which may have even caused her transformation, and Twilight had beaten Rarity, and worse, had taken advantage of her and her lover, while she forced her fellow unicorn to watch. There were no apologies that either of them could utter that could possibly be accepted. Therefore they did the only thing they could, the only thing their emotions would allow them to do.

They cried.

-

Well, here is the next chapter folks! I hope you all enjoy!