‘Celestia, where are you?’ Princess Luna thought to herself as she walked briskly down the ornate castle hallway.

The dark coated alicorn was worried. She’d gone to the throne room to check up on her sister’s progress with the telepods, only to find the room dark with no one in it. Luna was immediately worried. She didn’t think there was anything that could tear her away from this work, especially with her pupil’s time running out. Ever since the death of the scientist a few days ago, Celestia had been acting different. She’d cried her eyes out in her sister’s hooves that night like a frightened child. She hadn’t even noticed Big Mac’s presence. To say it made him uncomfortable would be a gross understatement. Luna assumed since he had little sisters, he was uniquely sensitive to a mare’s sobbing. He’d simply left the room, not even bothering to excuse himself. Considering the circumstances, his actions were welcomed. There was nothing he could have said to ease the situation, and he knew how important it was for the sisters to have some time to themselves. He’d known the feeling all too well growing up with siblings of his own. Once he left, however, the two sisters didn’t speak that much. Celestia cried her eyes out into her sibling’s chest right there in the doorway. Luna simply stroked her mane, trying to get her to calm down. Once she was calm, she explained the situation before breaking down again. Luna was mortified, but she knew she couldn’t show it. If she did, she ran the risk of adding fuel to the fire. Therefore she did the only thing she could do. She offered her sister support and told her it was going to be alright. Luna hadn’t discussed the incident with anyone, not even Big Mac. She felt bad keeping it from him, but her sister had requested that no one outside the two of them be made aware. Finally reaching her destination, she knocked on the door of her sibling’s room, announcing her presence.

“Celestia, are you there? It’s me, Luna,” she said.

She waited a few moments for an answer, but none came. She was getting anxious with each passing second. Suddenly, she heard shuffling from the other side of the door.

‘What is going on in there?’ Luna thought to herself as she used her magic to turn the handle.

The princess of the night had allowed for courtesy long enough. She wanted to know what her sister was doing, and she was going to get answers, regardless of her lack of decorum. Opening the door slightly, she poked her head through the entryway. She gasped at the sight. Books and papers were floating about in magic auras, from one side of the room to the other. As Luna walked in, she found her sister in the middle of the room, surrounded by several tomes, taking notes furiously. Luna was somewhat puzzled. She walked into the room, using her magic to close the door behind her slowly and quietly. She approached her sister gingerly, clearing her throat. The action startled her sibling as she yelped, dropping some of the books.

“Doing some research for the telepods, Tia?” Luna inquired.

“Well, not exactly. Although this does have to do with helping Twilight,” she answered cryptically.

Princess Luna quirked an eyebrow at the response. As she approached one of the stacks of books, she began sifting through them, reading their titles. With each title she read, she became more nervous. Every book seemed to be about writing magic, and its application in science. Her neck snapped to the side as she stared at her sister wide eyed.

“Tia, please don’t tell me you’re doing what I thing you’re doing!” she shouted, as she walked closer to her sibling.

With a heavy sigh, Princess Celestia allowed her magic to dissipate slowly, gently placing the books and notes down. She bit her bottom lip as she turned towards her fellow alicorn. She needed to explain her position. She just hoped her kin would listen.

“Luna, I know what you’re going to say, but…the telepods may become nothing more than a dead end. I…I have to save her somehow, so yes, I’m doing some research on spells that can change ponies on the molecular level,” she admitted.

“Celestia, please, you heard what the doctors said! This type of magic is incredibly dangerous to the caster! It could even be deadly!” Luna scolded.

“Luna, I’m not some cut rate unicorn who just started studying magic yesterday! I’m the one of most magically powerful being in Equestria! I’m an alicorn, and an immortal at that! If anyone has the best chance of making this spell work, it’s me!” she countered.

“Just because you’re immortal doesn’t mean you can’t be hurt! Plus, this is largely uncharted territory! You’ll be trying something that no one has ever attempted, especially on this level! We…we have no idea what could happen to you if you try to write a spell like this!” the moon princess said, her tone becoming more exasperated with each word she uttered.

“I DON’T CARE!” Princess Celestia screamed, causing her sister to cringe.

“What do you mean, ‘I don’t care?!?’ Tia, you’re a co-ruler of a country! You raise the sun! You…you can’t risk harming yourself! You have a responsibility!” she shouted back.

“Do not lecture me about my responsibilities! I know what I’m doing!” Celestia snapped.

“Tia, I…I don’t want to have another fight. Not after…not after what happened last time. Look, I know that you blame yourself for what happened during the matter buffer experiment, but…I’m just worried about you! Please, don’t go down this path!” Luna pleaded.

“Luna, I don’t want to fight about this either, but…what would you have me do? The telepods aren’t working, Luna, and time is running out for Twilight. How could I live with myself if I didn’t explore every option? Look down every avenue? You know I have to do this, sister. I have to at least look into it,” Celestia answered.

The princess of the night approached her kin, putting a hoof on her shoulder. She needed to get through to her, lest her elder lose herself to something that even she couldn’t control. It scared her to think about how obsessive she was becoming.

“Tia, please. I…I know you love her, and I know that you’d do anything for her, but…but this is too dangerous. I…look, you lost me for a thousand years because of my own foolish obsessions. Do…do you really want to put me through that? I…I just don’t want to lose you, Tia. Please, leave this be,” Luna whispered.

Princess Celestia sighed again, looking away from her sibling. As much as she wanted to admit she was right, she also had unique knowledge in regards to the telepods. She’d seen their gruesome effects, and she knew that this spell was quite possibly the last viable option. Celestia also understood what her sister was trying to tell her as well, however. She had already been walking a fine line, and her task was beginning to consume her. She needed to continue this research, but she also had to reassure her sibling that she had everything under control, even though she knew she didn’t. She turned back towards her sibling, and began walking towards her with a smile. She wrapped a hoof around her bringing her into a hug.

“Thank you, little sister. I…I guess I’m just so worried about Twilight that I let my common sense get away from me. I swear I didn’t mean to worry you. I…I just need some rest, and then I’ll get back to work with the telepods. I still think that’s our best answer to saving Twilight. Can…can you please tell the workers that I’ll be ready to resume my work in a few hours?” she said.

“Yes, of course. Thank you, Tia, and remember I’m always here for you,” Luna answered, returning the hug.

After a few moments, they broke the hug, and Princess Luna left her elder sibling alone to go summon the other workers and scientists. Once her door was closed, Celestia stared down at her notes. They were mostly scribbles, but she’d been at it for a while and so there were quite a few pages. She bit her lip again as she stared down at them. She could just throw them away, like her sister wanted, but she had a nagging feeling. Her intuition was telling her that it’d be in her best interest to hold on to them, despite her sibling’s protests. The sun princess hated misleading her sister, but she thought it was necessary, and she couldn’t afford another argument. She used her magic to collect the notes as she placed them on a shelf in her room.

‘Just in case,’ she thought to herself as she activated her horn to begin cleaning up the stacks of books that littered her floor.

-

Applejack slowed her pace as she walked down the ornate hallway, the sound of her hooves clacking against the marble floor her only company. She was not looking forward to this meeting, but she knew she had to go. Yesterday had been a bit too dramatic for her taste. The argument was one of the worst her and her friends ever had, and Rarity’s behavior puzzled them all. It seemed like she’d been taking Twilight’s transformation a lot harder than she let on. After their meeting, Applejack heard about Rarity’s breakdown in front of Twilight. The fact that she had to be dragged away made her more worried about her than angry at her. She was still upset at her lashing out, however. There was no excuse for hitting Fluttershy like that, no matter how much she felt like she was being ganged up on. In the moment however, she couldn’t bring herself to call the mare on her actions. It wouldn’t have done any good, as she was clearly disturbed. What made matters worse was that when they broke the meeting, the remaining element bearers didn’t even exchange goodbyes. They simply turned and walked away. Applejack was getting worried. She felt like the bonds that held them together were slipping away. She huffed as she stopped for a moment at one of the windows, looking out over the Canterlot Gardens.

‘Ah just don’t know. Sometimes Ah wonder if we’re even still…’ she thought as a sound startled her out of her musings.

“A.J.?” the deep masculine voice uttered.

Applejack turned around towards the source, revealing her brother Big Mac. She offered him a soft smile as she walked over to him bringing him into a tight hug. He returned the embrace, as they just stood there for a few moments. They’d been through a lot over the past few weeks and, for Applejack, to know this bond was still strong meant the world to her. They broke the hug mutually as Applejack spoke.

“Big Mac, what are you doin’ here? Ah thought you’d be with the princess,” she asked.

“Nah, Ah was just meanderin’ for a little. This here castle is somethin’ else. Ah can’t help but get lost in it, ya know? Helps me think,” he answered.

“Oh, Ah get it, believe me,” she said.

“Mind if Ah join ya on yer stroll, then?” he offered.

“Um, actually, Ah do. Ya see, Ah was on my way to see… Twilight,” she said sheepishly.

“What…what do you mean, A.J.?” he pressed.

“Look, she’s…she ain’t doin’ too good, Big Mac, we both know that. Ah…Ah just want to see her. Ah got some things Ah wanna say, just in case, you know?” she said.

Big Mac huffed in disapproval. He had never felt comfortable with his sister being around Twilight, especially in the state she was in now. Regardless of her feelings, she was still his sister, and he didn’t want anything to happen to her.

“Applejack, Ah don’t think that’s such a good idea. Look, Ah get what yer doin’ ok? Ah know that the two of ya have a lot of unfinished business, and ya wanna reconcile before anything drastic happens. But, no one knows what she’s really capable of. And that scares me. Don’t it scare you?” he said.

“Well, o’course it does! But, this may be my last chance to say goodbye and Ah can’t let my fear get in the way of that,” she stated.

“A.J. Ah don’t want ya to go. If anything were to happen to ya…” he said before his sibling cut him off.

“Ah don’t need you to worry about me. Ah’ll be fine. Ah’ll be surrounded by guards and everything. They can handle…whatever happens,” she said a bit unsure of herself.

“And what if they can’t, A.J.? What if…” he started as the mare interrupted him.

“Look, we can debate this till the cows come home, but this is my decision, not yours. Ah know yer just lookin’ out for me since Ah’m yer little sister and all, but this is somethin’ Ah gotta do. Besides, Ah already cleared it with Princess Luna,” she argued.

“Wh…what?!?” he questioned as his mouth dropped.

“Yeah, not too long after our meetin’ the other day, ah went to see her, and she said this was the best thing for me to do, and Ah agreed. She didn’t tell you?” she said surprised.

“No, Ah…Ah guess she was tryin’ to protect yer privacy. Or something…” he mumbled as his eyes narrowed into a scowl.

Applejack sensed the tension immediately. She put a hoof on his shoulder as she offered him another warm smile.

“Look, it ain’t like she talked me into it or anything. My mind was pretty well made up when Ah went to see her. She just offered me a little encouragement and advice, that’s all. This was my idea from the start,” she stated sternly.

Each word his sister uttered was making him angrier and angrier. He needed to talk to Luna. The fact that she seemingly disregarded what they’d talked about infuriated him. He gently removed his sister’s hoof from his shoulder as he turned to walk way. Applejack’s smile turned into a frown as she watched him. She’d hoped that he wouldn’t take her talking to the princess personally. With the relationships between her friends deteriorating, she needed his support. After a few steps he turned back around to face her. Worry mixed with anger poured through his eyes as he addressed her again.

“Excuse me, sis, Ah got someone Ah gotta talk to. Please, just be careful, ok?” he said softly.

“You know Ah will. And you watch yerself, too. Don’t go causin’ any trouble, ya hear?” she answered.

“Too late for that,” he muttered as he turned back around, walking away from his sibling.

-

“Sirs, can one of you please let the princess know that I’m finished with my meal? Thank you,” Twilight said as she used her magic to push the cart towards the doorway.

As one of the guards nodded, she turned back around and made her way to the posh bed that occupied her domicile. She felt their eyes burning into her, but she didn’t care anymore. At first she was embarrassed with the guards being able to see how she ate, but with her condition worsening every day, she gave up being concerned with their grimaces. It was an odd sensation. With each passing day, her feelings melted away as the inevitable approached. She began to feel numb. She just roamed around her room wandering aimlessly from the bed to the bathroom. None of her friends came to see her. She’d get updates from the princess, but nothing more than a few tidbits of information here and there. She couldn’t blame them, really. She’d accepted that she was a monster on the outside again, and her friends didn’t want to be around her, especially since she looked almost exactly the same way she did during the final escapades of her first life. At least she thought so from the few times she worked up the courage to look in a mirror. Lost in thought, she didn’t hear the royal guard approaching, as he cleared his throat getting her attention.

“Ms. Sparkle, you have a visitor,” he stated professionally.

“A…visitor? Who?” she inquired.

She heard the hoofsteps clack closer, as the unicorn walked towards her see through wall in order to get a better view. Her jaw dropped as Applejack made her way from around the corner, locking eyes with the mare. Neither of them smiled, as they both knew this reunion wasn’t a happy one. Feeling self-conscious again, Twilight turned away, crossing her deformed right hoof over her body. Why was she here? The scholar’s mind was flooded with questions at the earth pony’s appearance. Finally, Applejack approached the wall and spoke.

“Hi…Twilight,” she said simply.

Twilight didn’t say anything, and merely offered a nod in the mare’s general direction. Undaunted, Applejack continued.

“Look, Ah…Ah don’t wanna beat around the bush here. Ah got some things to say, and Ah want you to hear’em, ok?” the farm mare began slowly.

“Just…get to the point, A.J. What do you want?” Twilight said dejectedly.

“Look, despite everything that’s happened between us, Ah just wanted to let ya know that Ah ain’t happy yer like this,” she stated.

“Are you saying the others are?!?” Twilight shouted.

“What? No! They…” she began before the unicorn cut her off again.

“Of course they’re happy I’m like this, why wouldn’t they be?!? I started this whole thing, right? So, what is it Applejack, are they amused by my torture? I bet they’re having a good laugh over my current predicament, aren’t they?!?” Twilight yelled again, her voice increasing in volume.

“Sugarcube, that ain’t what Ah meant,” Applejack said softly in a vain attempt to reassure her fellow element.

“LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, I’M A MONSTER! COME ON DOWN AND SEE THE WILD BEAST IN HER CAGE! WHY DON’T YOU TELL THE REST OF THEM TO BRING SOME ROTTEN FRUIT SO THEY CAN THROW IT AT ME! WOULDN’T THAT BE FUN?!?” Twilight screamed, as she pranced around in a mock dance routine.

The action made Applejack’s heart sink. It seemed the unicorn’s paranoia would make any sort of meaningful conversation impossible. She had so many things to say, but she didn’t think the mare would listen to her now. Applejack silently cursed herself for waiting as long as she did to approach Twilight. Now, she didn’t think she’d ever be able to tell the unicorn what was on her mind.

‘No! Ah ain’t gonna give up just because she’s havin’ an episode or somthin’!’ she thought to herself as she put her hoof up on the clear wall of Twilight’s room.

“Now, that’s enough, Twi! You know me better than that! And you know that Ah’d never stoop so low as to laugh at someone who’s sick!” she said sternly.

“Really, A.J.?!? Remember what you said to me the first time I came to see you when you came back?!? You said that didn’t think you could ever forgive me for what I did! So, what is this you’re doing now, huh?!? Are you here to gloat?!? Because you’re out there and I’m in here?!? Is that it?!?” the unicorn pressed.

“Twilight, Ah just wanted to say that Ah want to be here for ya through this. It was a tough decision, but Ah realized that ya paid for the mistakes you made before, and that ya don’t deserve this. Ah…Ah never wanted this to happen to ya, especially now that yer back,” the earth pony said.

“So, then do you forgive me?!?” Twilight shouted, prodding the farm mare for an answer.

“Twi, look, Ah…” she began before the scholar cut her off again.

“It’s a yes or no question, Applejack! Do you forgive me?!?” she asked again.

Applejack’s ears lowered as she closed her eyes. As simple and direct as the question was, she honestly didn’t expect it. It was a completely reasonable and obvious inquiry, however. The problem was Applejack honestly didn’t know how to answer it. She wanted to be there for Twilight, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized she wanted to be there out of a sense of obligation rather than acceptance. The self-realization made her feel lower than she’d ever felt in her life. She wasn’t here out of love, She was here because she thought she had to be. Her memories of the recent argument between her and the rest of the elements came flooding back to her. She’d scolded them for not having the courage to be here with her, but she was just as guilty. She may have physically been here for Twilight, but her reasoning was all wrong. She’d lied to herself. Finally she opened her eyes and gave Twilight her honest answer.

“Ah don’t know, Twi. Look, we’ve been through a lot together, and…and Ah just wanted to let you know that Ah’d be here for ya, regardless of what you’ve done in the past. All of that…what happened…what you did, what we did…it just doesn’t really matter now, does it? Please, Ah just wanna be here for ya!” she said.

Twilight frowned and turned, walking back towards the bathroom. She’d heard enough from the farm mare. As hopeless as her situation was, she still hated being pitied. Applejack’s words made it clear that she was only here out of a sense of guilt and obligation. She hadn’t really forgiven her, or even tried to move past everything, no matter what she said. Cranking her neck to the side, she closed her eyes as she spoke again.

“Just leave, Applejack. You don’t really want to be here anyway. Right, element of honesty?” she snapped, before disappearing into the room, leaving a heartbroken Applejack with her hoof still on the wall.

-

“Are…are you sure? I…I’d really like to see her. Please?” Pinkie Pie begged as her eyes gazed down to the floor in front of her.

“Look, Ms. Pie, it’s probably not a good idea. Ms. Applejack was just here not too long ago, and things…didn’t go very well,” the royal guard explained.

“I…I understand, but...I…I really need to see her. I…I may not get another chance. Please?” she whispered.

The stallion closed his eyes, letting out a long sigh. He nodded towards the pink party mare before turning around and leading her towards Twilight Sparkle’s room. Pinkie Pie shivered with each step, as she felt her stomach drop. The thought of seeing Twilight in such dire straits was starting to become too much to bear. She needed to talk to her, though, regardless of how painful it would be for her. Twilight was still her friend. She didn’t care about what she did in the past. None of that mattered to her, as far as she was concerned. All that mattered was comforting her best friend in her darkest hour. She gulped as she rounded to corner, taking in Twilight’s new accommodations for the first time since the unicorn moved in. She stopped right behind the guard as he cleared his throat to get Twilight’s attention.

“Ms. Sparkle you have another visitor,” he stated.

“I don’t want another visitor! Tell them to go away!” she snapped, her back facing the see-through wall that enclosed her space.

“Twilight, please, it’s me, Pinkie!” she said running up to the wall.

“Pinkie? Oh, not you too! So, you’re just here out of guilt too, huh? I thought you were better than that, Pinkie,” Twilight scoffed as she walked towards her bed.

“Guilt? No! Twilight, I love you! You’re my best friend! Please, please don’t walk away from me!” Pinkie shouted as tears began to fall from her eyes.

Twilight stopped, turning slowly towards the earth pony, a snarl on her face. Her eyes narrowed as she trotted over to the magic wall, bringing her head low.

“Aha! So THAT’S why you’re here! You just don’t want me to go, so YOU don’t have to be alone, is that it?!? I’m here suffering, but it’s all about you, isn’t it Pinkie?!? You don’t really care about ME! You just care about how many ponies YOU can surround yourself with!!” she shouted.

“What?!? Twilight, no! That’s not it! All I’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy! Please...please don’t be mad at me!” Pinkie Pie answered, her tone becoming more exasperated by the minute.

Twilight shook her head in disgust as she straightened up, and turned around. She walked slowly into the recesses of her chamber, when she heard something she never thought she’d hear again-laughter. She turned around to see Pinkie Pie chuckling to herself. The unicorn had been through many different emotions since she came back. She’d felt sadness, hate, and even guilt. She never thought she’d feel both rage and confusion at the same time, however. She turned back around, stomping towards the earth pony. Just before she opened her mouth to scream at her, Pinkie cut her off.

“Do…do you remember the Winter Wrap Up when you first came to Ponyville? When we went ice-skating?” she said with a smile on her face, and tears streaming down her face.

“Wh…what?” Twilight inquired softly.

“You…you ended up crashing into me, and then…then Spike…and…and then we all landed in a snow bank! Oh, that was hilarious, wasn’t it?” Pinkie Pie continued, giggling softly.

Twilight’s gaze softened, as her head drooped. She began to feel guilty for insulting Pinkie the way she did. The pink party mare really did care about her. It became obvious what she was trying to do. She was trying to cheer her up. After all the accusations, and arguments, only one of her friends was really on her side, and she was standing right in front of her.

“Or…or how about when…when we all went to our first Grand Galloping Gala together? Wow, none of us got what we wanted that night, and we ended up wrecking the whole thing!” Pinkie Pie continued.

“Pinkie,” Twilight whispered.

“Oh! How about when we came to the castle for your birthday! And…and Rainbow Dash started a cake fight, and Rarity wore that dress! That was such a good time wasn’t it?” the earth mare inquired.

“Pinkie,” Twilight said a little louder.

“Or when you all helped me get the Cake’s prized desert over to the competition here in Canterlot? I can’t believe that Fluttershy fibbed about eating some of it! But Applejack was able to control herself, I guess…” she mused.

“PINKIE!” Twilight shouted, startling them both.

Pinkie Pie opened her eyes, as they started at each other blankly for a few seconds. They’d done this same routine before, whenever Pinkie Pie would go off on a tangent, it would always be up to poor Twilight to rein her in. The memories came back to the unicorn instantly, and soon, they both began to laugh. For a few brief seconds, they were stuck in a happy little moment in time. Things were the way they used to be, just for an instant. Soon, Twilight’s laughter slowed as she opened her eyes, looking away. Pinkie Pie opened her eyes as well, looking at the unicorn intently.

“You know, I tried to apologize to everyone. To Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy, but I don’t think I ever apologized to you, did I Pinkie?” Twilight asked.

“No, but that’s ok,” Pinkie Pie answered.

“No, it isn’t ok. I’m sorry, Pinkie. I should have said I was sorry to you from the moment I woke up back in this world, and I didn’t. That was my mistake. I‘m sorry, Pinkie Pie. For everything I did, and everything I said, it’s just…” she began as she crossed her right hoof over her body.

“It’s alright, Twilight! I don’t care what you did in the past, you’re my friend, and that’s what…” she started before the unicorn cut her off.

“I’m dying, Pinkie. I’m dying and I’m scared. I’m so scared, Pinkie,” she whispered, her voice cracking.

The earth pony whimpered statement. The reality of the words hit her like a hard kick in the stomach. She looked at Twilight standing before her in the state she was in, and her heart dropped. For the first time since Twilight Came back to the castle, she actually studied the unicorn’s form, and she felt her fear rise exponentially. Twilight was dying. Dying, or at the very least losing who she was to this phenomenon. Either way, her immediate future was uncertain. It was in a state of chaos, and there was nothing she could do about it.

‘Chaos…’ she thought to herself.

Discord’s face entered her mind. Everything she did, her deception, her theft of the leg, all came back to her. With the little time that Twilight had left, she debated whether or not to tell her. After a few seconds, though, she made her decision. She needed to know. She deserved to know. Sitting down, Pinkie Pie sighed heavily. This wasn’t going to be easy, but she couldn’t keep it in anymore.

“Tw…Twilight, there’s something…” she started before the scholar’s blood-curdling scream cut her off.

“TWILIGHT!” Pinkie Pie shouted as she jumped up, banging on the clear wall.

The unicorn fell backward, as she shut her eyes. The pain she felt was unbearable. She rolled from one side to the other on her back, as a small nub appeared on her left side, pushing forth from her ribcage. Twilight’s eyes shot open, as she looked over at her side, watching her own flesh pull itself apart. Her gaze shot over to Pinkie Pie, who was now surrounded by guards. Struggling to speak, she opened her mouth as she looked into her friend’s eyes.

“Help…me…please…someone…help…me!” she stammered.

“SOMEONE HELP! HELP HER! SOMEONE GET THE PRINCESS!” Pinkie screamed as she banged on the door of room.

“GET HER AWAY FROM THE DOOR!” the lieutenant shouted as two royal guards, grabbed Pinkie Pie, dragging her from the entryway.

“YOU! GO ALERT THE PRINCESS IMMEDIATELY!” the commanding officer yelled again, pointing to a pegasus, as he powered up his horn, as magic began swirling around it.

The winged guard didn’t even stop to salute as he flew down the hallway as fast as his wings could take him. The other soldiers and Pinkie Pie looked on as the power built up around the unicorn’s horn. The earth pony looked back to Twilight, gasping as she saw a shape burst forth from her side, revealing a hideous insect leg. Twilight continued screaming, as the appendage flopped from side to side, with mucus membranes spilling clear fluid onto the floor beneath her. Pinkie Pie fell forward away from the two soldiers who dragged her back, as she screamed at the Lieutenant.

“PLEASE, YOU HAVE TO OPEN THE DOOR! DO IT NOW!” she shouted with tears streaming down her face.

“I’M…TRYING…THE PRINCESS SEALED THIS WALL…HERSELF! IT’S…IT’S TAKING ALL OF MY POWER TO ATTUNE TO HER MAGIC!” he bellowed back.

Every second that passed seemed like hours. Pinkie Pie threw herself into the clear wall, banging her right front hoof into the structure as hard as she could, trying desperately to get her friend’s attention.

“TWILIGHT! THEY’RE TRYING TO GET THE DOOR OPEN! JUST HANG IN THERE! PLEASE!” She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Twilight began to whimper as her eyes started to glow. Pinkie Pie gasped at the sight. The unicorn’s horn began to power up as well, as she lifted herself off the ground by her magic. She shrieked, as another appendage sprang forth from her other side, spraying blood and fluid on the wall by the earth mare, almost sending her back in fright. As a bright flash illuminated the space, blinding the royal guards and Pinkie Pie, the Lieutenant’s concentration was broken as he shielded his eyes. Once the light dissipated, Pinkie Pie rubbed her eyes, trying to clear the spots from her vision. Once her eyesight returned, she looked around nervously for the scholar. She screamed at the scene playing in front of her. Twilight stumbled around her now destroyed room, as pieces of her flesh began falling off, making wet thuds as they hit the ground. It was starting. Twilight only had one phrase go through her mind as her sentient consciousness began to leave her.

‘Get away…get away before they hurt me…get away…’ the words echoed through her mind as she stumbled into the bathroom, leaving the view of the guards and the pink mare.

“Tw…Twilight? TWILIGHT!” Pinkie Pie shrieked, as she continued to bang on the wall.

-

“WHY DID NO ONE ALERT ME TO THIS SOONER?!?” Princess Celestia shouted as she ran down the hallway as quickly as she could.

“I was dispatched as soon as the incident occurred, Princess! I swear to you, it came out of nowhere!” the soldier answered.

The sun goddess growled to herself as she focused on getting to her student’s quarters as quickly as possible. She cursed herself inwardly for her recent experimentation. Although she put most of her notes regarding magically changing the genetic structure of a pony away, she had been brainstorming another use for the magic, and brought some of the notes with her when she started the telepod research back up again. Unfortunately for her, she was drained of a decent amount of her magic, and couldn’t simply teleport right to Twilight’s location. She quickly put those thoughts out of her mind, however. All she could focus on right now was getting to Twilight to make sure she was alright. Every second seemed to be taking its toll on the princess as each step felt like it was heavier and heavier. It didn’t take long for the royal alicorn to feel that her strain was due to something other than physical exertion.

‘That’s not…magical distortion!’ she thought to herself as she quickened her pace.

After a few minutes, they both rounded the corner, as Celestia immediately began to assess the situation. Pinkie Pie was banging against the wall, screaming, while the other guards were trying to calm her down. Their leader had charged up his horn in an attempt to open the door. The fact that it was still locked infuriated the princess, especially since when she peered into the room, she didn’t see her student anywhere. She stopped right in front of the guard her eyes wide in anger. His magic dissipated instantly under her intense gaze.

“WHY ISN’T THIS DOOR OPEN YET?!?” she bellowed.

“I’m sorry, your highness! Just as my magic attuned to release your spell, Twilight Sparkle had a full blown magic surge! It…it blinded all of us, it was so intense that I had to start over!” he answered.

“WHERE IS SHE?!?” she screamed again.

“She went into the bathroom! Princess…we…we believe it’s starting!” he said, bowing to the princess.

“Stand back!” she said, gritting her teeth.

Princess Celestia took a deep breath, centering herself. Concentrating on what little magic she had available, she focused as much as she could on the task in front of her, trying to quell the worry consuming her. Her horn’s magic illuminated the room, as the door swung open. She turned to her guards, as she stood up straight.

“Do not come in here, until I give the order! I need to assess Twilight’s state before I can let anyone else near her! For now, stay at the entrance, and if anything gets passed me, defend Pinkie Pie to the best of your abilities. Do I make myself clear?” she said, visibly shaking.

“Yes, your highness!” they all said in unison.

Pinkie Pie stood up facing the princess. She’d stopped her futile assault on the wall right after she noticed the princess arrive. She wanted to leap at the royal alicorn’s hooves and beg her to bring Twilight back, but time was of the essence.

“Please! Get her back, Princess!” she stated through tears.

The elder alicorn nodded as she walked through the doorway, into the suite. It was dark and the only light which shown through was from her sister’s moon. The first thing that hit her was the stench. The smell was so putrid, it almost stopped her short. As she examined the room more thoroughly, she gasped as her eyes met with pieces of dead flesh adorning the floor and the bed. Each piece was garlanded with its own splatter of mucus and fluid. Sure enough, the trail led to the bathroom. She took in a deep breath as she stuck her neck inside the room, announcing her presence.

“Twilight? Are you there? It’s me, Princess Celestia. I…I’m not here to hurt…” she began before the sight in front of her cut off her train of thought completely.

The bathtub was shattered, and the plumbing was ripped to shreds. Behind what should have been the far wall of the ornate lavatory was exposed pipes, as the wall had been destroyed. The princess approached the wall, her fear rising with each step she took. One of her worst fears had been realized. In front of her was a large hole which led to the inner workings of the castle, and the edges of the hole were lined with a white, milky substance. Celestia whimpered at the implications. As her heart pounded in her chest, she turned around, running out of the bathroom, shouting as she did.

“GUARDS!”

-

Another chapter in the books! Sorry this one was a little late getting out. I was on vacation for a week, so everything got pushed back a bit. The next chapter is almost done though, and will be off to the prereader soon, so don’t worry!