Pinkie Pie stared blankly at the Draconequus in front of her. She heard the words he said, but just hearing them made her mind suddenly stop. She seemed to be in a daze, processing what had just happened. She went from begging one of the most evil beings in all of Equestria for help, to said being laughing at her, to now said being giving her a warm smile and saying that he would be of assistance. If she were thinking straight, she would have had an exorbitant amount of questions, but she needed to put all of that aside. She broke it down in the simplest way she could; she asked him for help, and he agreed to help her- simple enough. Tears immediately escaped her eyes as she hugged Discord tightly around the neck, sniffling as she spoke.

"Thank you. Thank you so much," she whispered.

With a flash of light Discord was behind Pinkie Pie and the pink party pony stumbled at his sudden disappearance. As she regained her footing, she turned to face him again with a look of confusion.

'Oh no! Did he change his mind?!? D… Did I do something wrong?!?' she thought to herself.

"Now, now, my dear, we will be having none of that, if you want MY help, that I can assure you! Now, we have some items to discuss first." He said sternly.

"O…ok?" Pinkie Pie said with a hint of worry still in her tone.

"Pinkie, I was able to peer into the minds of your friends during my little excursion. Even though they didn't come out and say it, I believe that I can infer that Twilight is in fact dead. Am I correct in that assumption?" the Lord of Chaos inquired.

Pinkie whimpered at the question, but nodded, not making eye contact with the Draconequus.

"Hmmm… this is what I was afraid of." he said in a surprisingly solemn tone.

"Y…you mean you can't do it?" Pinkie asked, with more curiosity than fear covering her voice.

"Oh, I didn't say that. Of course, I can. However, it's going to be rather difficult. What you're asking me to do Pinkie is go against one of the fundamentals of nature. Creatures that live…die eventually. Now, I've always been a fan of going against the grain, as you know, but this is going to be much harder than making some chocolate milk rain." he stated. Pinkie Pie sat quietly as he continued. "The first thing we are going to need is a conduit of sorts. For the best results, I would need something that may be hard for you to get, especially considering your current state."

"What is it you need? I'll get you anything you want! Do you need something that was Twilight's? I guess that would make sense. Maybe her favorite book? Something like that?" the pink earth pony shouted jumping to her hooves.

"No, no, Pinkie Pie. Something much more personal. Something…well…much more 'her'… if you get my drift.

"Her mane brush?" Pinkie Pie questioned.

"Not quite, but getting warmer."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Discord sighed. She didn't seem to be getting it. He sat down in front of her, trying to make her understand what he was saying.

"Pinkie, the best way to bring your friend back would be if I had an actual "piece" of Twilight. Not a trinket or an heirloom. I'm talking about flesh and bone. If you don't have access to something like that, then I'm sorry, I can't help you," he stated in the gloomiest voice he could muster.

Pinkie Pie looked at the ground, shifting uncomfortably as she thought. Her mind raced. She bit her lip as she looked back up at discord.

"There… there is something. It… it'll be hard to get to, but… well…" Pinkie Pie stammered.

Discord looked at her inquisitively, urging her to go on.

"That night…after…what happened…the Royal Guard escorted some scientists to collect the things we found in the library. I remember catching a glimpse of what looked like…a leg."

Discord quirked his eyebrow curiously, as he inquired further.

"A leg?" He asked.

"Y…yes. We were being questioned and healed by some of the Royal Guard, when I saw a unicorn levitate it from the balcony. Th…There might be a problem though…" She stated, her tone getting softer as she spoke.

"And what would that be, Pinkie?" The lord of chaos pushed further.

"W…Well, it wasn't a hoof, I can tell you that. I…I think Twilight must have…lost it…before her final transformation." She said glumly.

"So, the essence of the fly would still be fused with Twilight's huh? Well, you do certainly know how to challenge me, Pinkie, I'll give you that," he chuckled.

Clearing his throat, he brought the conversation back to its somber roots quickly.

"If you can get it to me, I can make this happen. It will be difficult, but I can do it. Do you know where it is?" The Draconequus asked.

Pinkie Pie nodded, "Yes. They are keeping it in a vault in an area of the castle they converted into a small makeshift lab. Princess Celestia wanted to be close to all the research regarding what happened. I… I can get it for you. I promise!" she exclaimed, as she stared up into Discord's eyes.

"Well, I admire your pluck, Pinkie, but it will be easier said than done. Knowing Empress Boring, I'm sure the whole place is under lock and key," Discord mused.

"There is only one night guard for that space. And from what I've heard, it might be easy to slip by. I'll need a distraction, though," she thought aloud.

"Pinkie Pie, I can't go around using my magic! Ponies everywhere will know I escaped! And if I'm going to be found out, it better be because of something much grander than a mere distraction!" he huffed.

"No. You're right. This is my job. I'll do it myself. For Twilight!" she stated with a look of determination in her eyes.

"Enough with the mushy stuff, and get going!" Discord shouted as he turned around, crossing his arms.

Pinkie Pie was off like a flash of lightning. This was a big risk that she was taking, but it was also a necessary one. Besides, she had already done the unthinkable, and as Discord said, she was willing to turn all of nature upside down to accomplish her goal. But that's exactly what friends do for each other. She would go to the ends of Equestria if it meant bringing Twilight Sparkle back. She had to be patient, but she knew if she waited long enough, she would have her shot. As she made her way into that side of the castle, she was cautious, keeping her guard up, and doing her best to keep out of sight. Soon, she saw the night guard. Sure enough, it seemed to be a young stallion. He looked to have been fresh out of training, and just as Pinkie Pie had heard, he was not used to the night details he had been assigned. He sat at his desk in front of the main entrance to the lab, his eyes drooping.

'Come on…Come on…Just a little more…' Pinkie Pie thought to herself, as she peered from behind one of the large stone pillars down at the other end of the hall.

Within a few minutes, he was snoring, and that's when she made her move. Being as quiet as she could, she made her way towards him, and gently picked up the key ring next to his sleeping form. She froze as a light rattle emanated from them as she straightened up stiff. The guard pony simply shifted in his place, and Pinkie Pie made her way over to the main door. Unlocking it was easy enough, and luckily for her, the moonlight shone bright, illuminating the room. There were all kinds of scientific tools everywhere. She sighed as it reminded her of Twilight's basement before this completely horrific ordeal. As she made her deeper into the lab, fortune seemed to smile upon her as the deformed leg was out of the safe and in a glass box on the counter.

'They must have been running some tests on in and left it out. Well, good for me, anyway.' She thought to herself as she picked up the box.

She exited the room quickly, placing the keys gently back on the desk in front of the sleeping guard. She made off as fast and as quietly as she could. The glass case was rather heavy, and hard to carry. Luckily, it seemed to have a strap, so she could wear it as a saddlebag. She stopped to put it on, but was worried about the precious seconds that she would waste doing so. Her eyes darted left to right as she hastily tried to hoist the case over herself. Unfortunately for her, it fell, shattering the case. She panicked, looking from side to side, shaking. This was it. She was going to be arrested, and banished by the princess herself. As the seconds ticked by, however, it was evident that no one had heard the crash. Now the only problem was the leg itself. How was she going to get it to Discord? She winced as her only option became apparent. She knelt down on the sharp glass as it cut into her skin, and lightly bit down on the leg. The wretched taste of dead flesh, entered the pink party pony's mouth almost making her vomit. She took off running as fast as she could towards where discord was, wincing in pain as the glass stuck to her hooves cutting deeper into her flesh. She pushed through the pain, leaving a small blood trail behind her.

'Please still be there, please still be there…' the earth pony repeated to herself in her mind.

Sure enough, as she rounded the corner back to the Canterlot Gardens, the Draconequus sat quietly, in the same positing as she had left him. If she could release a sigh without emptying the contents of her stomach, she would have. Finally, the pain became too much for her, tripping over her own hooves mere feet from where Discord sat. His head snapped to the side upon her arrival.

"Ah, the plucky little pony returns," he stated playfully.

As he stood he further inspected the party planner before him, and quickly raised an eyebrow. She was a complete mess. He tilted his misshapen head and quickly found the blood trail that trickled behind her. As he looked back at her, his eyes went wide as he saw the grisly deformed leg hanging from Pinkie Pie's mouth. It was then that the situation these ponies had been dealing with really struck him. In all his years, he had never seen anything like it. It was truly the most revolting thing he had ever seen. If he had a heart, he would have felt sorry for her. However, he had an end game in mind, and this was the first step to beginning his gambit. Pinkie Pie lightly dropped the mutated leg in front of Discord and began coughing wildly. She turned to the side, and crawled desperately towards the perfectly trimmed bushes. She did not make it however, as she vomited right where she was. Unfortunately, she had not been eating much lately, so what little came up included bile which burned her throat and made her whimper upon its exit. As Discord watched her, he could not decide if she was brave or stupid.

'Going through all this for a supposed friend who tried to kill her? Fillies and gentlecolts, this is friendship!' The lord of chaos thought to himself as a wry half-smile crept on his face. Pinkie Pie was just getting her breath back, and did not notice Discord's amused look.

"If you're ready now, we can start. I guess I will have to clean you up a bit though," he said, snapping his fingers.

The blood, imbedded glass, and even the puddle Pinkie Pie's heaving created disappeared in a flash. The pink earth pony instantly felt better, her eyes wide at the gesture of what seemed like kindness. She looked up at him as a she formed a small smile on her face.

"Th…Thank you, Disco…" she began.

"No! I'm trying to hide our trail here! Nothing more! How did you get like that anyway?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

"The leg was in a heavy glass case, and it shattered. I'm sorry," she answered, meekly.

"Well, what's done is done. I should have known I would need to clean up after you," he said flatly.

The Draconequus closed his eyes, using his magic to trace back Pinkie Pie's steps. He soon found the small blood trail and shattered glass. Within an instant, they were gone as if they were never there. He opened his eyes, staring at the pink pony before him.

"So, shall we get started?" he asked in a dangerous tone.

"Please," Pinkie Pie stated quietly.

"Before I begin, I just want to ask you something; why are you going through all of this for somepony who tried to kill you?" Discord asked her seriously.

Pinkie Pie's eyes gazed downwards, as she brought a hoof to her face. She hadn't really thought to ask herself that question. She had simply seen a way to obtain a sense of normalcy by having her friend returned to her. She shifted as more questions came into her mind. What would the others think? Could we ever be friends again? What if the Princess and my friends hate Twilight, and what if they hate me? After a minute or so of mulling, she stood and faced the Draconequus.

"Look, I know it's her fault for experimenting on herself, but she came to me when she first started to change. She… she pinned me down and wouldn't let me go until I Pinkie Promised never to tell anyone. I… I didn't want to break that promise, but things just happened so quickly. If I had just said something… anything… Twilight might still be here with us. That's my mistake and I can't forgive myself until I make it right. Part of friendship is being able to depend on each other, even when you don't want to. I realize that now. I just want to make it right. And, I miss her. I miss my friend. Even if it means breaking the rules, I want her back in my life. Does… that answer your question?" she said.

"Yes, although, I still say you're crazy. Oh well, let's get this show on the road!" Discord exclaimed while rubbing his paws together gleefully.

The lord of chaos floated over to the deformed appendage, as Pinkie Pie walked over on the opposite side of him. He turned to face her.

"Now listen, as I said this is going to be hard, even for a being of my talents. I need you to be quiet so I can concentrate. Understood?" he ordered. Pinkie Pie nodded, staying silent. "First, I'm going to try and separate the fusion of the fly and Twilight. I must tell you though; there is no guarantee that I will be completely successful. The part that is Twilight will be grown into a new body. Although it will be new, it will look just like the way she did before all of this. Once that is completed, the hard part begins. I will have to use my power to search the astral plains for her spirit. Her soul. If I can reach it and pull it out of wherever it is, then I can form a bridge that will allow the spirit to enter the new body, and then you shall have your Twilight Sparkle."

Again, Pinkie Pie nodded, her forehead slightly beading with sweat in anticipation. As wrong as she knew it was, she couldn't help but be a little excited, as well as a bit curious. She watched intently as the Draconequus shut his eyes, and begin to concentrate. Magic enveloped the detached leg, as it started humming and floating. Within a few moments the appendage began to glow, as small orbs of light seemed to fall away, coagulating next to the horrid limb. Pinkie Pie watched in awe while Discord worked. Seconds, then minutes passed by, as the orbs began to form a solid pattern, the earth pony could see the strain this was putting on the Draconequus. Every muscle was taut and tense, and his brow furrowed in concentration. Slowly, the mutated leg began to fade, until it disappeared completely. After almost an hour of concerted effort, the light began to dissipate, and what appeared made Pinkie's heart almost jump out of her chest. In front of her was the body of her friend, Twilight Sparkle. It took every modicum of restraint she had not to leap forward and hug the body of her best friend even though she knew it was only an empty shell. She turned to thank Discord for his work, when she heard a monstrous thump. The lord of chaos had spilled onto the ground, breathing heavily. Pinkie Pie's eyes widened at the sight. She prayed it had not been too much for him. As she made her way over to him, he stopped her in mid trot.

"N…no. I'm alright. I just need a moment," he stammered.

He looked around as he spoke again. "I suggest we move this party somewhere else. I imagine you don't want little Twilight to know how she came back, do you?" He questioned.

"You're right. Oh! And before we leave, maybe you could make a replica of the statue you. So, that…no one would…know," she said her voice trailing off quietly.

She suddenly became quite disappointed in herself. She was acting more like an accomplice than a friend, and based on the grin she was receiving from Discord, he seemed to agree.

"Well, look at that. Covering up a lie is really quite becoming, my dear. You seem to have discovered another talent besides laughter," he remarked snidely.

She was about to protest angrily, when he began again, "Now, now, don't get all upset. I agree with you. I'll make the statue, and then we can move. I imagine you also have your own suite here at Casa Del Dreary?" he inquired.

She nodded, still scowling, "It's on the other side of the castle. Not far. My window faces the gardens," She said.

Discord turned and snapped his fingers. In an instant, a perfect replica of his statue appeared, as though it had never vanished. He then stuck out his paw, putting a finger to the pink pony's forehead. After mentally linking with her, he found the location of her domicile and quickly teleported them to it. After a moment to settle down, the earth pony and lord of chaos took their positions surrounding the body of Twilight Sparkle.

"Alright Pinkie Pie, this is it," he announced.

The Draconequus shut his eyes, and began to glow. After a few moments, his eyes opened, ablaze with a bright yellow color. 'Well, that was much easier than I thought. I have to admit, this whole situation gets more and more interesting the more I find out. Imagine, a favorite of Princess Celestia herself ending up THERE after kicking the bucket! I'm sure stories of her experiences in THIS place will make for fantastic dinner conversation!' he mused.

Pinkie Pie backed away from the lord of chaos as the light grew in intensity. Discord strained once again, touching his tail to the forehead of the unicorn vessel in front of him. Soon, a yellow aura surrounded Twilight's body, and after a few more moments, there was a bright flash, and the lord of chaos fell to the ground. Pinkie Pie tentatively approached her friend's body, and soon she could hear a faint repetitious sound.

She was breathing.

The earth pony gasped and brought a hoof to her face, hiding her smile, as her eyes became misty. She was alive. Pinkie Pie couldn't believe it. It worked. It actually worked! Or had it? She had to make sure. She walked over to Discord, who was still reeling from the effort he exerted.

"Discord, is she…did it…" she stammered.

"Pinkie Pie, your concern for me is admirable," he interrupted.

"Oh! You're right! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, embarrassed.

The Draconequus just laughed, "Yes, Pinkie. I was able to bring her back. She will sleep for a bit, but trust me, it's her," he said standing up.

There was an awkward silence as the two stared at each other. They could both hear the soft snoring of Twilight. Where did they go from here? What was next? Pinkie Pie began to worry about what the lord of chaos would do now that he was free. He seemed to sense her fears, and soon put them to rest.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head, my dear. I'm not going to go on a rampage. Actually, I was thinking of heading over to the griffon lands. They anger much easier than ponies do, which really is funnier for me. Take care of yourself Pinkie Pie. However, before I take my leave, there is an old saying that I believe you should keep in mind," he said as he approached the window.

"What's that?" Pinkie Pie answered eyeing him curiously.

"Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it."

She just smiled at him. Perhaps she had misread his warning, but she believed it was his way of looking out for her. After everything he had done, she could not look at him as an evil creature anymore. She had been awed by his power, and surprised at his generosity. How ironic that the latter was an element of harmony.

"Thank you, Discord," she said, bowing her head.

The Draconequus simply smiled back, as he turned to leave. He took to the air and was gone in a flash of light. She turned around, hearing a meek cry. She rushed over to Twilight's side.

"Twilight? It's me! Pinkie Pie! Wake up! Please, wake up!" she whispered while gently cradling the unicorn's head.

Twilight's eyes fluttered open, as she stared up wide-eyed. Where was she? Her vision was blurry, but soon came into focus on an image that looked like Pinkie Pie. Was this real?

"P…Pinkie…is that…you?" she whispered her voice hoarse.

Pinkie Pie hugged Twilight with all her might. She was back. After months of such a horrible ordeal, she was back. Alive again. Now everything could go back to normal! They could go back to Ponyville, and go on with their lives. They could be friends again.

"Yes, Twilight! It's me! And you're alive! I missed you so much!" she exclaimed, water dripping to the floor from her eyes.

Twilight returned the hug out of instinct, but there were so many questions. Her mind raced, not fully understanding what had happened. She knew she was back. She could feel. She could touch and be touched. She could comprehend the tangible reality that now surrounded her. But how did she get here? Ponies don't just come back to life! There had to be an explanation! But right now, none of that mattered. After everything she had been through, she was herself again, and one of her best friends was embracing her. Right now, that was enough. They just sat together, hugging each other for the rest of the night.

-

The Sun's hue showed brightly through the plate glass windows into Pinkie Pie's suite. There Twilight Sparkle stood, looking into one of the extravagant mirrors that were customary for a room like this at the palace. Using her right hoof, she gently stroked her mane. The sensation of feeling her own mane again almost had her break down in tears of joy and relief. She was back. She didn't know how, but she was alive, and in a welcomed situation she never thought she would ever be in again: She was in a bedroom, waiting for one of her best friends to finish getting ready. It was perfect. She wanted the moment to last forever. She knew differently, however. The smile she wore dimmed at the thought. There were going to be questions. Not just from the Princess, but from her friends as well, and for the first time, she didn't have any answers. She didn't even know where to begin. One moment she was…there….and the next she was lying in Pinkie Pie's hooves.

"Ok, Twilight! Ready to go?" a cheerful voice echoed from the lavatory.

Twilight snapped away from her thoughts after hearing the pink earth pony's voice. She nodded, but soon a frown replaced her smile.

"Pinkie Pie, I know you're excited, and although I have many questions, what's going to happen when we see the others? How…are they?" she asked, her voice turning to a whisper at the last question.

Pinkie Pie just smiled. "Oh, they are fine! They are going to love seeing you again! It'll be great! We can have a welcome party! We'll have balloons, and cake, and…"

As Pinkie Pie continued, Twilight's frown deepened. She remembered how much pain she caused, and it was obvious that the earth pony wasn't telling her how things really were. She felt sorry for her. She was going to be so disappointed.

"Pinkie, you don't have to put on a brave face for me," Twilight said, cutting off the pink party planner.

"It'll be fine! You'll see, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

As they exited the room, Twilight Sparkle was grateful that Pinkie Pie was in front of her leading her down the hallway to one of the main lounges. That way she could not see the doubt written on her face. This was going to be bad, and she knew it. It couldn't be helped, though. She had to see them. She had to know they were alright, even if she knew deep down that they weren't. After a few moments, they came to one of the minor halls in the castle. Pinkie Pie went in first, with Twilight waiting outside. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Rarity were sitting in a circle with Princess Luna at the head. The princess of the night had taken up the task of monitoring their progress with these meetings every few days. They had been meeting every day, but after months of constant treatment, it seemed time to give each of them some space.

"Hi everypony!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she burst in.

"Pinkie Pie? What are you doing here?" Rarity asked confused.

They all perked up at the interruption. Pinkie Pie was speaking for the first time in months, and she actually looked happy. The pink earth pony obviously had some sort of breakthrough. What could have happened? Not wanting to shy away from possibly getting Pinkie Pie to open up, Luna didn't show her true emotions, and instead acted like her usual self.

"It's alright, Rarity," Luna interjected.

She turned towards Pinkie Pie as she continued, "Please, take a seat, and we can begin."

"Actually, I have a surprise for you all!" she said, giddy with excitement.

She turned towards the door, and shouted again, "Okay! That's your queue!"

Twilight Sparkle sighed. This was it. She had no idea what to expect from what was on the other side of the door in front of her. She just had to do it, like pulling an adhesive bandage off her fur. She took a deep breath, and walked in. Her eyes shut tightly; she couldn't bear to look at them yet. She opened them only after hearing the gasps and the clacking of hooves on the marble floor as they all stood up in an instant. They were all here; Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Even Luna was in the room.

"Look! Look! It's Twilight! She's back! Isn't this just the best thing ever?!?" Pinkie Pie shouted, barely containing her happiness.

"What? I don't…" Luna stammered.

Rainbow Dash immediately took a defensive position. The Changelings have gone too far this time. How dare they use the memory of a dead friend against them?

"WHO ARE YOU? DID THE CHANGLING QUEEN SEND YOU TO SPY ON US?!?" she yelled, marching forward.

"I'm…I'm not a changeling. It's me girls. I'm… back," Twilight Sparkle answered quietly.

"But…but… you were dead! We… we were there! We saw it!" Applejack said fearfully.

"Girls, look. I'm not sure what happened. One moment I was… not here… and the next I was in Pinkie Pie's room. I can't explain it," the unicorn said, hanging her head.

"A…are you really…her?" Applejack stammered.

"Yes, Applejack. It's me," Twilight answered.

No one said anything. The silence only added to the tension, which was already palpable. Twilight gazed at her former friends with a look of melancholy. Her worst fears had come to fruition. She had hoped so much that Pinkie Pie was right. She wanted to be accepted again, and go back to the way things were. It was obvious however, that such a notion was nothing more than a dream. She didn't know what more to say. Quite literally, she didn't know how she came back. She took a few steps forward towards Fluttershy before speaking again.

"Girls, you have to know how sorry I…" she started.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!!" Fluttershy screamed as she shuffled backwards.

Everyone in the room, including Twilight, gasped at the reaction. The unicorn's eyes grew heavy, however. She couldn't blame her. The last time Fluttershy saw her, she was trying to fuse with her. Of her friends, she physically hurt Fluttershy the most. Her nature already being as timid as it was, she couldn't really be surprised.

"That's enough. Clear the room. Now!" Luna said coldly.

The other ponies complied, not making a sound as they each past by Twilight Sparkle, towards the door. Fluttershy kept her distance, while Applejack gave her a confused gaze. Rarity simply glared at her. The looks she gave Twilight made her fur stand on end. Her eyes seemed to bore a hole right through her. Twilight's fellow unicorn stopped for a moment, just staring into her former friend. She continued on followed by Pinkie Pie.

"Pinkie Pie. We are going to have a talk about this later," Luna said roughly.

With the door closed behind her, Luna just stared at the unicorn before her. The former element of magic gulped and fidgeted under the glare of the alicorn. She was being scanned magically. She could tell. She decided to try another tactic.

"H…how is Spike doing?" Twilight asked meekly.

"Come with me," Luna commanded, ignoring the question.

Twilight followed the moon princess out of the room and through the elaborate corridors. She knew where they were going, and she was dreading each passing second. They were going to see Princess Celestia. Twilight's mind raced with each step she took. What would she say? What would the princess say? The time seemed to move quicker than she expected, as they found themselves in front of princess Celestia's bedchambers. Princess Luna didn't even bother knocking, using her magic to open the door. The room was dark, with the curtains pulled over the windows. Twilight had never been more nervous in her life, as she followed Princess Luna into the room. She quickly spotted her former mentor lying on the bed staring at the far wall away from the door.

"What do you want, Luna?" Celestia asked dejectedly.

Luna turned to Twilight, coaxing her to speak.

"Pr…princess? It's me. Twilight Sparkle," she said, just above a whisper.

Celestia shot up from her position, turning to get a look at the owner of that voice. She whimpered as she laid her eyes on Twilight Sparkle. Her stomach was in knots. Standing before her was her former student. All of the bitterness, the sadness, seemed to melt away in an instant. Was this real? Was she really right here in front of her?

"Twi…Twilight Sparkle? But…How?" she stammered.

Luna stepped forward, offering an explanation, "Pinkie Pie said that she appeared in her room this morning. I performed a magical scan on her. There is no doubt, this is Twilight Sparkle," she said.

The sight of her mentor was too much for her to take. Twilight rushed forward, embracing her former teacher.

"Princess, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" she cried, burying herself in the white alicorn's chest.

The Princess felt tears form in her eyes as she returned the hug with her wings and cradling her neck towards her former pupil.

"I missed you so much, my student!" Princess Celestia answered.

There they stood, embracing each other like a mother cradling a lost child whom she had just found. Twilight Sparkle hugged her teacher even tighter as tears continued to burst forth from her eyes.

"I…I don't…know…what to…say…but…please, please, forgive me!" Twilight wailed in between sniffling.

"It's alright, Twilight. I'm here now. You're here now. Everything is going to be alright," Princess Celestia reassured her.

Twilight couldn't help but let a muffled giggle slip through her crying as a brief smile made its way onto her face. Even after everything she had done, the princess still treated her as if she was her own. Princess Celestia was truly her second mother. Suddenly, Twilight pulled away, her eyes wide with worry.

"Spike! How is he? And my brother! And my parents! And Princess Caden…"

"Shhh, Twilight, they are fine. They miss you very much. Let's get you settled in, and I will alert them to your presence tomorrow. You must have been through a terrible ordeal, and Luna and I have many questions. We will prepare a room for you here, for now," the Princess said in a serene voice.

"Thank you, Princess! Thank you so much!" Twilight exclaimed, smiling at the royal alicorn.

"Come. I will show you to your new room, Twilight Sparkle," Luna said.

They turned to leave, with Twilight turning to show a smile towards the Princess. Celestia returned the smile.

'Maybe Pinkie is right. The Princess seemed happy to see me. Maybe things can still work out for the best!' she thought to herself, as she made her way down the hallway towards her new room.

-

Rarity stood outside of her former friend's room. The Star Swirl the bearded wing of the Canterlot library had given her the spell she needed, just in case anything happened. It was also easy to use her charms to elicit where Twilight's new room was located. She smiled at the thought of flirting with a particular stallion that she had her eye on ever since coming her for her treatment. With that last thought, the smile she wore quickly faded. She was here for a reason. She needed to do this. There were things she needed to say to the mare that tried to turn her into a lab experiment, and said mare was just on the other side of that door. She found herself almost excited at finally being able to say what she wanted to say to whom she wanted to say it. One so rarely has the chance when one of the two parties is deceased. That wasn't the case anymore, however. This Twilight Sparkle had been given both Princesses seal of approval of being the genuine article. That was good enough for her. She lightly knocked on the door. She heard a shuffling, and within a few moments the door slowly opened revealing the unicorn.

"R…Rarity? Hi," Twilight said nervously.

Her fellow unicorn narrowed her eyes, scowling at Twilight before speaking, "We need to talk. May I come in?" she said in a clam yet cold tone.

"Um…of course, please…come in," Twilight said stepping aside.

As she made her way to the center of the room, Rarity could hear the creek of the door closing behind her. Once she heard the lock turn, she turned to face her former friend.

"So…what did you want to…talk about?" Twilight asked tentatively.

"I just want to know how if felt, Twilight," Rarity said in the same tone.

"What…do you mean…being dead?" The unicorn answered, her head drooping.

"Oh, no, silly, of course not. I just wanted to know how it felt to give Fluttershy a concussion," the light gray seamstress said in an obviously mocking tone.

Twilight was taken aback by the forward rhetorical question, "What? What are you…"

"How about when you kicked Rainbow Dash in the stomach so hard you gave her a welt? Or what about you threw us all from the top of your staircase?" Rarity said, her voice dripping with venom, as she stomped towards her fellow unicorn.

"Rarity, please, I just…" Twilight tried to counter, but was cut off, by a blow across her face.

She grunted as she was sent to the floor in a daze. Rarity stood over her, and activated her magic sending an aura throughout the room.

"Rarity?!? What are you…UGH!" Twilght cried as another hoof struck her across the face.

Blood dripped from her muzzle as she heard Rarity continue her accusations.

"Was it fun for you? Hmm? Was it fun for you to beat Applejack? Or throw the rest of us around like we were RAGDOLLS?!?" she screamed the last word, as she again brought down her right hoof, striking the side of Twilight's head eliciting another yelp from Twilight.

"Rarity, please!" Twilight shouted, bringing her right hoof above her head to shield the blows.

"How dare you….HOW DARE YOU!!" Rarity bellowed, as she activated her magic.

She lifted Twilight's body in the air with her magic and slammed the unicorn into the far wall. Twilight Screamed in pain, her back now on fire. As the light gray pony stomped forward, Twilight realized what spell had just been cast.

'Oh no! she casted a soundproofing spell!' the unicorn thought to herself.

She had landed just below the fireplace, and Rarity decided to take full advantage of that by propping her front hooves on the mantle, and using her back hooves to stomp Twilight. She reigned down blow after blow on the mare's body, as the purple unicorn yelped and whimpered in pain.

"Please…please stop…" was all she was able to get out, as yet another hoof struck her belly, knocking the wind out of her.

"YOU HAVE THE GAUL TO ASK ME TO STOP?!? WHERE WAS YOUR COMPASSION WHEN FLUTTERSHY BEGGED YOU TO STOP?!? YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY DID YOU?!? YOU JUST THREW HER INTO THE POD, LIKE A PIECE OF TRASH! I CAN'T BELIEVE I EVER CALLED YOU A FRIEND! WE WERE NEVER ANYTHING MORE THAN A COLD LAB EXPERIMENT TO YOU!" Rarity screamed in rage as she continued her attack.

She was right. She hadn't shown mercy, even to her best friends. She deserved this. She tried to kill them. This was retribution, and Twilight accepted her punishment. She stopped defending herself, exposing her body to the deadly legs that attacked her. She could not help but yelp as she felt each hoof strike violate her body, striking her chest and entering her soft belly. The sound of each hit made a soft thumping noise, which permeated her ears. Thankfully, Rarity had begun to tire. She breathed heavily, the adrenaline beginning to dissipate. Looking down, she could see the bruises beginning to form, as Twilight turned her head to the side, coughing up some blood.

"Please…please, I don't want to…die…again…" Twilight muttered hoarsely.

Rarity stared at her handiwork. Her eyes went wide as she realized what had happened. Twilight had let herself be beaten. The light gray unicorn began to feel guilty, and the guilt brought back the anger. She raised her right back hoof and stomped down hard on Twilight's stomach. Twilight screamed in pain as she turned her head to the side once again.

"Why, Twilight? Why did you make me do this?" Rarity whispered, tears falling from her eyes.

She knelt down, her touch becoming tender, as she cradled the beaten unicorn. She hugged her tightly, as she rocked back and forth, Twilight's head to her chest.

"Look at what you did to me," she whispered again as Twilight passed out in her hooves.

Hi Everyone! Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! They are getting longer, and I’ve been busy lately, so updates will be slightly longer between chapters. Well, that’s it for now; Let me know what you think!