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For Whom the Twilight Falls

by iAmSiNnEr

Chapter 1: Prologue - On the Edge of Twilight

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For Whom the Twilight Falls

Cowritten by iAmSiNnEr and Meowofy

Prologue - On the Edge of Twilight

Edited by Stinium_Ruide


“You promised. You told me they’d love everything I gave them.”

“They do!” Sunset protested, wringing her hooves. “Please! Stop, I’m begging you. We can talk this through.”

“I am done talking, my love.”

Venom and hatred. Her voice was nothing like what she remembered.

Sunset winced at the last word, the tone mocking her. “Ponies hate me.”

“They hate the changelings,” she continued. “They mock them. They hurt them! Every night, as I walk amongst the changelings, I hear whispers. I sense injuries. I feel pain.”

“They don’t hate the changelings—”

“LIES!” Twilight bellowed, slamming a hoof into a ruined wall, collapsing it. “How many times must I be called in to settle a case where my changelings are hurt because of our ponies? I promised them that they’d be able to join Equestria peacefully. I promised we’d have a diverse and harmonious society!”

“Twilight, please—”

“That’s not even considering what they’ve done to me,” Twilight hissed. “I gave them books. I gave them knowledge. I created navigation. I arranged the stars for the aimless, and guided them to safety.” With a flick of her horn, the stars could be seen for a single moment before they darkened.

“I gave them magic. Yet, they shun my court. They avoid my gaze.” She stomped on the ground, and rubble shattered from the force.

“Where has the one I love gone? She knew,” Sunset whispered, as she stepped through the burning remains of what was once a library. She looked up at the darkened stars. “That two wrongs don’t make a right.”

Twilight giggled, a manical cackle that bounced off the ruined walls of the destroyed library, causing the walls the vibrate a little. “You’re one to talk,” she rasped with malice. “You enjoy the love of all our ponies. The beautiful, bright, and benevolent Princess Sunset. What about poor Princess Twilight? The one who slaves away behind the scenes, making sure that everycreature is safe? Does she not deserve Equestria’s love too?”

“They appreciate you, and love you for what you do, Twilight,” Sunset pleaded. “You don’t have to do this. I don’t want to have to—”

“Have to? You can’t do anything to me,” Twilight leered at Sunset. “Remember every duel we’ve had?”

“Twily, please,” Sunset pleaded, “You were always the reasonable one. You taught me to look at every angle, to consider my choices, or to take my time to think. You put out my flames, and showed me the way. Where is the clever and generous mare I fell in love with?”

“She’s dead,” Twilight spat. “Killed by those who ignored her in favor of you. Oh, and my name’s not Twilight.”

“Twilight, what—”

“I am Midnight Sparkle,” She cut across Sunset, stepping forwards. As she did so, Sunset’s eyes widened as she watched Twilight’s mane and coat change from a luxurious lavender to a darkened hue of purple. Her silver horseshoes spread over her hooves, turning into pitch-black darkness as it did so. Her horn slowly darkened into a sinister turquoise, as it lit up with an eerie black aura.

Sunset backed up uneasily. “What—

“I am Midnight Sparkle,” Midnight rose to her full height, glaring at Sunset. Waves of darkness rolled off her, her presence filling the air, suffocatingly powerful. “Herald of the Stars, Keeper of Knowledge, Alicorn of Magic. And you, my dear, are dead.

And with a guttural shout, a blast of magic so powerful that it melted the very ground it traveled over, was launched at Sunset.


She couldn’t even call it a castle anymore. And with the portraits destroyed, the warmth sucked dry and the hustle of life absent, it resembled the home she had shared with Twilight even less.

Each daunting click of her hooves on the cracked stone tiles brought Princess Sunset one step closer to the dark alicorn whose horribly familiar power was felt weighing on her mind even now. Yet even as her fears strayed—even as they begged her to turn tail and gallop away—each limp was an ever-present reminder of why she had to get that sweet, kind mare she once called hers back.

And Sunset would get her back. If she didn’t, then at least she could die having tried.

A sharp clatter snapped her out of her reverie, right as she stumbled over a wayward shard of stone. Quickly righting herself, Sunset’s first urgent instinct was to look back and make sure her weapons—and oh, how she loathed to see them as such—were unharmed. Seeing her last and only hope was still intact, Sunset sighed and forced herself to keep moving.

Eventually, she came to a stop before the tall double doors leading to where the throne room should be, one of which half dangling on its hinges, but somehow still standing.

Sunset paused. With a shaky breath, a teal corona enveloped her horn. If that thing which dared bare her Twilight’s form hadn’t known of her presence before, it certainly did now.

But before her magic had even reached the doors, a cold, black aura bobbed those very doors away almost serenely, revealing Midnight Sparkle half-lounging on Twilight’s throne. Sunset’s eyes scanned the room quickly, landing inevitably on her own one, the bright gold marred with dents, cracked, and strewn across the opposite wall.

She wore a lazy grin, and Sunset shook in anger at the sight of it.

“Why, how positively delightful to see you here, Sunny. Come for round two?” She batted her lashes and plastered a sardonic expression onto her face. “Though...I’m afraid I forgot to bring any ice packs for you today,” Midnight drawled, smirking. “Think you can make do without them?”,

Sunset’s blood boiled.

Sunny. Sunny. That was Twilight’s name for Sunset. Twilight’s. How dare this—this monster

Deep breaths.

Her teal eyes hardened and Sunset forced the rage, the distraction, away into the back of her mind—because it was nothing more than a petty ruse crafted to prolong Midnight’s inevitable defeat.

Sunset didn’t feel like indulging it.

“I’m not going to play this game with you again, Midnight,” Sunset snapped, digging her hooves into the stone as the dark alicorn held a hoof up to her face aloofly, almost as if she were rating a manicure, “Return Twilight to me. Now.” Just a little longer, Twily, Sunset promised in her mind over and over again as if it’d somehow bring her strength. Just a little longer, and she’d use them. She’d use them, and she’d save her lover.

She just… She just hoped that it wouldn’t- No, Sunset couldn’t think like that. It would work. It had to. “This is your last chance.” She hissed.

And it truly was its last chance, to get away alive if nothing else. Sunset knew it, and—if she hadn’t imagined the tiny stiffen of Midnight’s posture—it knew it too.

The one who now wore Twilight’s face had seemingly possessed much of the same battle prowess—having thoroughly defeated Sunset last time, loathe as she was to admit it. Even so, the Solar Diarch felt a shred of sweet satisfaction to see—now that she stopped to look—the razor-thin cuts hastily hidden under tufts of fur matted with cold, dried blood.

And from how many hits Sunset was sure she had landed, she was going to guess a patchwork of bruises littered underneath Midnight’s dark coat too.

Of course, the second that the realisation of Twilight sharing that same battered body, courtesy of Sunset herself, squirmed into her mind, was also the second all that satisfaction turned immediately into shame, swirling in a dark pit and turning her stomach over.

“Sunny?”

Her eyes widened and narrowed onto Midnight, whose face had softened. Kind eyes so painfully familiar looked at Sunset as the dark alicorn straightened her posture on the throne. “...T-Twily?” Sunset breathed, taking a hesitant step forwards. “Twily, is it…” Could it be? Could it… Maybe the monster just gave up?

It-It was too good to be true.

...It couldn’t be...could it?

Could it?

Without her permission, her heart dared to hope.

Midnight’s — Twilight’s — head tilted, her mane whipping around over her withers, “Yes? What’s wrong... my love?” Concern and that...that kindness flooded dark amethyst eyes, urging Sunset to stumble forward despite all the red flags shooting off in her mind.

She was close now, close enough that a single flutter of her wings would propel her up the throne and into Twilight’s wings, where she would lay safe and sheltered, away from this constant nightmare she was living in. Just...just like how it used to be. How it should be.

“I’m...I’m sorry.”

It was a pitiful attempt at an apology. All these years of neglecting her own wife and all she had for it was a feeble sorry?

Gods, Twily, I-I...” Twilight was still smiling, almost as if she were having tea in the gardens and not a pony who had just come out of being possessed by some kind of demon. She shook her head gently—as if forgiving Sunset, just like that.

It… had to be her. It had to. “It’s you. It-It’s really you!” Sunset choked on her words, not even thinking as her hooves clopped forwards faster and faster before she reached the stone steps. “You’re back.”

It was as if her eyes were glued upon the descending alicorn, who walked down those steps with the utmost grace, a sweet, beatific smile atop her muzzle as she neared. As Twilight neared. Her coat hadn’t changed back to its former pastel lavender, nor had her fangs retracted or-or anything—but that was okay! As long as she was Twilight on the inside, where it mattered most, Sunset could learn to love the way she looked.

“I love you, I swear—they’ll love you too. They do. I-I’ll do everything I can to—”

Sunset’s breath hitched as a cold, armored body pressed itself to hers. Yet, right now, it felt softer than a cloud and warmer than a bonfire. It...it bought a sense of feeling complete once again. One she hadn’t known she was even missing, but one which seemed so obvious in hindsight.

“You’re you...” She shuddered, allowing that brave mask she’d worn for Midnight melt in the embrace of her lover as her head dropped onto a dark wither. “You’re you.”

Her eyes squeezed shut.

It was over. It had to be. They could live their lives...their lives again, just like the way it used to be, and she wouldn’t waste her second chance. She’d make sure Twilight never felt unloved or unappreciated ever again, and-

“Not quite, my dearest.” Sunset’s eyes shot open before—

Pain.

A piercing scream tore into her ears, and it was with dazed acknowledgement that Princess Sunset recognised it as one ripped from her own throat as she landed hard, a sick crack sounding out as she did.

Pain.

Twilight.

“Twilight—” Sunset managed to rasp out, forcing her eyes to snap open. Clicks rang out once more, but instead of it being her own light clicks from before, these were firm, determined and unyielding, content to crush anything and everything in the way of them and their destination.

“...Twilight?” her voice quivered as she was greeted by nothing but a wide, chilling grin.

Horror—pure horror—pervaded Sunset’s mind as the thin veneer of delusion was torn away from her sight—as the alarms finally registered. “No…”

Midnight laughed, throwing her head back as she came to a stop before the downed alicorn. Sunset tried to move—to drag herself away if need be—but it felt as if her body was made of lead, each twitch sending her spasming in agony.

“Please…” The monster reached out and, in a swift movement, pressed down hard on Sunset’s fizzing horn and cutting off her hope of escape. ”No!”

“Poor widdle Sunny~” She—It—kept its hoof there, and for a moment, Sunset imagined her horn shattering under the strain. “How...desperate,” Midnight hissed, leaning down so that their muzzles were almost touching. Her eyes opened manically wide, delighted as Sunset shivered instinctively, no trace of that deceptive gentleness left. “So deluded.”

Always hopeful,” she bared her fangs and grinned. Her horn lit up with a pitch black corona. “Don’t worry. I’ll make it quick and painless—just take it as a thank you for amusing me all these years.”

An orange blur slammed into Midnight’s face, causing her to stumble back as her spell was redirected into the ceiling, its beam melting through the marble.

“Get off me, you stupid bird! As your mistress, I order you to—gah!” Sunset weakly lifted her head up to see a phoenix furiously slashing at Midnight, her talons scoring gashes in the dark alicorn’s face.

“Radiant,” she whispered. Twilight’s beloved phoenix. “But...why?”

“Hold still-” she demanded. “-so that I can kill you!”

Midnight fired another spell, and it turned everything in its path to dust before slamming into another pillar. The room shook, as the remaining four pillars could barely support the weight of the ceiling.

Sunset’s eyes widened as Radiant’s plan unraveled itself in her mind. With a grunt of effort, she teleported away just as Midnight’s spell tore through yet another pillar, and the last thing she heard was a scream of fury as the room collapsed.

Sunset crumped onto the ground, her energy completely sapped. She was on the mountain that the castle was built on, and she turned her gaze to the rapidly crumbling structure. Turning her head wearily to the saddlebag she was wearing, she glared at it. She didn’t want to use the Elements.

And yet, she had to—she knew that a collapsing castle could never stop her beloved. Twilight had never been stopped by something as mundane as physical restrictions, being able to push the boundaries of magic to the extremes.

As she watched her—no their—castle crumble, an orange shape flitted out of the throne room window and headed right for her. Before long, Radiant landed in front of her and cocked her head.

“Radiant…” Sunset murmured. “Why are you helping me? Is Twilight not your mistress?”

“That monster is not the Princess Twilight that I know,” Radiant sniffled. “I’m so sorry, Sunset. I can’t do much against an alicorn. However…” she hopped over to Sunset, before laying her head on Sunset’s injuries. Tears dripped from her eyes, falling onto Sunset’s wounds. “You must save her. She did so much for my kind, and welcomed us with open wings.”

“I know—” Sunset stared in wonder as her wounds sealed up. The gashes on her chest slowly closed up, and the hastily healed cuts on her forehooves slowly faded as the tears reinvigorated her. The magical properties of phoenixes had never ceased to amaze her. “You can do that?”

“We can do many things,” Radiant managed as she lifted her head up. “But only you can bring her back to her senses. I’ve only bought you time. Use the Elements.” With that, she lifted into the sky, hovering a safe distance away from the inevitable battle.

Sunset sighed as she forced herself up before—

A blinding ray of magic blasted through the top of the collapsed castle, obliterating everything in its path. Sunset watched as Midnight forced herself out with a glowing sphere of magic encapsulating her.

“Surrendering?” Midnight shouted as she flew towards Sunset. As she landed, she saw Sunset standing there stoically. “Good choice.”

“Last chance, monster,” Sunset steeled herself, as she started to envelope the Elements in her saddlebag with her magical aura. “I will do what I have to do to stop you.”

“Very well,” Midnight replied silkily. “I will deign to share this final dance with you. What is it they always say? Till death do us part!” At that, she melted into the shadows just as the sun began its descent.

Sunset whirled around, her eyes darting. A corona of teal magic surrounded her horn. Surely she wouldn’t have just ran—

A flash of something at the edge of her vision. Quickly spinning around, Sunset saw a glimmering blade shimmering in the dim light of the setting sun slicing down towards her, forcing her to hastily pulled up a shield as the magical blade crashed itself into it.

“Remember Nova?” Midnight hissed. With a flick of her horn, a shadowy tendril slammed into the shield, sending Sunset sprawling into air.

Sunset tumbled onto the ground, her hooves scrabbling about frantically for a grasp on reality. Struggling to push herself off the ground, she groggily shifted her eyes towards the aggressor, only to be met with an armored hoof that kicked her squarely in the face.

Before her body could hit the ground, her head was dragged up by an unseen force. Midnight’s fanged grin filled her vision. “Sunny, Sunny, Sunny,” she crooned. “Why do you even try? Give up, and I’ll make it painless.”

“Never,” Sunset rasped out, before twisting her body to buck the dark alicorn in the chest, sending her stumbling back as she released her hold on Sunset. Before Midnight could recover, Sunset espied her discarded saddlebag.

The Elements! They were her only hope.

As she stepped onto the grass, vines wrapped around her hooves and pulled her back, dragging her down. Sunset pulled on her link with the sun, and her hooves were set alit, easily burning through the vines.

As she did so, Midnight sent several shadowy tendrils at her, each one sharpened to a razor edge. As they got closer and closer, Sunset grasped at her link with her blade.

Summoning Glaze, her sword, she cut through them with ease, every slice bringing her closer to the Elements. She just needed a few more steps. Monsters, summoned by Midnight, burst from the earth, baying for her blood. Sunset simply cut through them, Glaze burning through the darkness. Once she reached the saddlebags, she quickly opened them and pulled the Elements of Harmony out with her magic.

“The Elements?” Midnight asked incredulously. “Oh, you poor deluded one. They’re not going to work on me!”

Please, please, please, work, Sunset begged mentally as she pushed her magic into the unresponsive elements that were once bound to Twilight. She felt something break, before Magic, Generosity and Honesty lit up and joined the other three. She knew this was the last time the Elements would grant her their abilities.

“No,” Midnight snarled. For once, there was a look of uncertainty on her face. “This cannot be!” With a shout of fury, she rushed forwards, shadowy tendrils reaching for the Elements. Sunset responded with a beam of magic that pushed the dark alicorn back as a black shield sprung into place, deflecting Sunset’s spell. “You. Will. Not. WIN!”

The Elements spun around Sunset, the gems lighting up. With a bellow of rage, Midnight unleashed a nova of power, the blast heading straight for Sunset just as the Elements discharged their rainbow payload. The two blasts met in mid-air, and for a moment Midnight’s magic held back the Elements.

And then the rainbow consumed Midnight, and the last thing Sunset heard was a desperate scream of pure, unbridled anger.

Sunset fell to her knees, as the Elements lost their luster and turned into orbs of stone. They fell on the ground, inert, as Sunset’s eyes desperately raked across where Midnight had been.

But there was no sign of her, nor Twilight. Sunset’s instincts took over, her magic bringing the moon above the horizon as the sun descended.

And as her gaze set onto the moon, she wept as Radiant landed and laid a comforting wing over her withers. She now knew what the Elements had done.

For there on the surface of the moon, was an imprint of her love.

Author's Notes:

Hello everyone!

This is iAmSiNnEr and Meowofy here, coauthors of "For Whom the Twilight Falls". This story is going to be our main collab story, and we've put a lot of effort into it. We hope everyone enjoys!

I also commissioned my first art for this! - Sinner

:3 - Meowofy

Next Chapter: Chapter 1- A Thousand Years Later Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 56 Minutes
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