It was an ugly day for weather. It was really, really ugly. Even for a pegasus pony that lived, breathed, ate and drank weather, it was a bad day to go outside. There were massive storm fronts converging all over Equestria; the map back at the library was a mess of converging fronts and storm cells. Rainbow Dash was already exhausted from her work, and the day wasn't even half over. She had been way out west over the massive Everfree Fields, fighting whole lines of tornadoes. There weren't many ponies out in the Everfree Fields, but every year the tornadoes claimed some of them, and today there had been more tornado spottings than in the last five years combined. Dash had seen her first F5 today. She never wanted to see another one again. It was a monster of a thing, roaring, black, and angry. It was a mile in diameter at its base. The sod it was tearing up would have torn her to pieces if she had tried to fly into it. All she could do with that one was fly ahead of it, make sure no ponies were in its way.

That had been earlier this morning. Now she was coming in for a fast landing back in Ponyville. She had hoped for a bit of rest and a lunch before heading out on her next sortie. Twilight was coming out to meet her. She looked worried.

"It's Bit-on-Rouge." Twilight shouted over the wind and rain. "Storm surge! Forty hooves high! Spike just gave me the message. The levees are holding for now. but if they fall..."

"Right!" Dash shouted back, with a grin. Only her two front hooves had hit the ground before she took off again, cheerfully. No rest for the weary, she thought to herself, ponies everywhere are going to remember me for this.

"Dash, wait for me!" Twilight shouted after her. Rainbow Dash pretended she didn't hear; today was no day for slowpokes. She was already out over the Everfree Forest when she looked down. She could see little glimmers of light flickering through the leaves, keeping pace with her. Long distance teleportation. Twilight was coming with her after all. It would take a lot out of her, Dash thought. By the time they got to Bit-on-Rouge, that little unicorn would be even more exhausted than she was. She was glad to have her along though.

Rain pounded against her flight goggles. It was too heavy - she needed altitude. Dash flew up into the clouds. It got dark very fast. Higher, she thought. The gray disappeared, and everything turned to white. It positively glowed. Dash loved these moments of flying up through large clouds - it felt like she was flying through heaven itself. And then she was through. Blue sky above her, a white blanket below. That's when she saw the system in front of her. Fifty thousand feet high if it was an inch. She could see it all the way on the other side of the Equestrian Mountain Range. It was just pouring through the mountain passes, like a pony pouring cream. It was beautiful and terrifying at the same time. She would have to fly to the other side of that thing; there was no going around it.

She was the only pony in Equestria who would be able to make the flight. There was too much lightning. Twilight had given her two pairs of magical horseshoes, made of the same stuff as Twilight's magic lightning rod back in her treehouse. Dash could take a whole, full-sized lightning bolt in flight, no need to be grounded. Dash had already taken three bolts that morning. They hurt like hell but she had otherwise been uninjured. If it hadn't been for the horseshoes, she'd have been vaporized. They would have needed to use feather records to identify what was left of her.

And then she was in soup. She was instantly buffeted by the winds. She was hit with rain, hail, sleet, snow, freezing rain, and things she had never seen before. Each blast of air was colder than the last. The was tossed around by updrafts, downdrafts, and wind shear. There were massive bolts of lightning, far bigger man she had ever known possible. She didn't think even the magic horseshoes would keep her safe from those. This wasn't a puny little F5 tornado. This was a full grown cyclone. She didn't have a chance of stopping this on her own. All the pegasus ponies in Equestria couldn't stop this thing. Maybe she could change it thought. Maybe she could get it to blow in another direction, away from anywhere it could do harm. Maybe she could turn it inward on itself, make it stall, make it blow itself out.

That's when she heard the sound. She couldn't believe she was hearing anything at this altitude, but it was there and growing louder. It was a roar, like a fully grown dragon, amplified by the hoof-falls of a thousand stampeding earth ponies. Mountains, she thought to herself, it must be mountains. A hundred and twenty mile per hour winds blasting over a mountain summit; only thing it could be. Rainbow Dash spotted the peak through the clouds. It was a rocky crag. There was a pony standing on top of it. What? Oh. Twilight! Her friend had been able to keep pace with her this whole way after all. Dash's confidence was renewed. Between her flying and Twilight's magic, maybe they actually could beat this storm. Twilight was shouting something, inaudible.

"What?!" Dash shouted.

"South!" Twilight shouted again. "Fly south! There's a convergence storm just two miles south of this peak. It's the key to this whole system. Disrupt it and the storm falls apart!"

Dash nodded. They were going to do it. The two of them. She had never been more excited. She took off to the south as fast as she could. She was bucking and kicking, hewing her way through the storm.

There was a flash and a bang behind her. Simultaneous. Right on top of each other . Right on top of her. It hit her right in the center of her back, between her wings. Sharp pain radiated out through her whole body. She was falling.

She spun as she fell. It was a hard spin, the hardest she had ever known. She needed to get out of it and fast. She flapped her wings as hard as she could, just like she knew she should to get out of a spin. It wasn't working. She only spun faster. She got a good look at her left wing. It was hurt real bad, and bleeding. She had lost a good deal of her primary feathers. Some had been burned off by the lighting, others just ripped out by the force of it. She tried to turn her neck to see her other wing, but the centripetal force was massive; she couldn't see her other wing.

She fell and fell. She'd have a minute and half at her starting altitude, give or take. How much was left? She had to get out of the spin. She spotted something through the clouds, an object falling along with her. It was hard to see because she was spinning so fast. Another pegasus pony? Would she be rescued? No, no it wasn't a pegasus pony. It was... it was a wing. A single falling wing, with a bloody stump. It was her own wing, torn from her body.

Rainbow Dash didn't scream. In real life, ponies don't scream when they fall, not like in the stories. She had time to thing, but nothing to think about. She expected her life to flash before her eyes. It didn't. She expected to go though that cycle of denial, bargaining and acceptance, thinking that maybe some soft object would break her fall, even though she knew that was impossible. She didn’t think that either. She didn't think about anything as she fell. And then she thought of something. Twilight. Twilight was still out in this storm. Her life was in danger. In her last moment, Rainbow Dash wished for her friend to be OK. wished for her to make it home sa-

It was a fine day for weather, at the memorial service. The storm had blown for three more days, before dying of its own accord. Every pony in ponyville had come out for the service. Losing a pony so young was a tragic event in Ponyville: it rarely ever happened. By rights, the mayor should have given the eulogy, but she deferred instead to Twilight Sparkle. Twilight gave a beautiful speech. She spoke about what a great tragedy it was to lose Dash, how Ponyville would never be the same. But she also talked about what a joy it was to have known her, how her life should be celebrated. Dash had been a hero that day. Hundreds, maybe thousands of ponies had been saved thanks to her sacrifice. Everypony was moved by Twilight's words. Then Twilight called for a moment of silence. A beautiful silence followed. There were sounds, but they were soft sounds. There were birds singing in the trees. Fluttershy trying to control her weeping. Nopony minded. Then another sound emerged, off on the horizon. It started as a rumble. Then grew into a roar. Like a fully grown dragon amplified by the hoof-falls of a thousand charging earthponies. The Wonderbolts, in formation, flew in low and fast. Then they burst into a display over service, spreading out like the petals of a flower. It was a six pony formation, but only five Wonderbolts flew today. One position was empty. There, in the middle, just off center. This position was empty on purpose. This was the Missing Pony Formation. It was the highest honor the Wonderbolts had for anypony. It symbolized the loss of a friend.

That night, Princess Celestia stepped down from her tall throne. She left her throne room and entered one of her personal chambers, the one she used for private business. It was darker than the throne room, and circular. Between the black marble columns along the walls were windows where she could look out on her land. A twenty ton skull of a dragon king hung on iron chains from the ceiling. She was expecting a very important report from her most faithful student. Twilight Sparkle. This may be the most important report yet.

At the specified time, there was a flash and a bang behind her. Simultaneously. Celestia turned. Twilight had teleported in. and was bowing before her.

"Your majesty." Twilight said.

"Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student." Celestia returned. "You don't appear to have grown since last I saw you, but your aura, oh Twilight. it's much more powerful than it was before."

"Twice as powerful, your majesty." Twilight responded. "I've acquired the Element of Loyalty. I've done it."

"Then the severing of the Element?" Celestia asked.

"Total betrayal, your majesty." Twilight said, "the antithesis of loyalty. She never suspected a thing."

"Excellent." Celestia approved, "that's important. Take your time. Take tilings slowly. Years. The years won't matter once you've acquired them all. The other ponies must not suspect a thing."

It was a beautiful day for weather. Early spring had come to Ponyville. The winter had been cleaned up and pushed aside for weeks now. The country-side was simply bursting with new growth. It was also foaling season in Equestria. Applerush had picked the perfect time to deliver her first foal.

Twilight Sparkle stepped through the front gate of Sweet Apple Acres. It had been awhile since she had been out this way. The whole extended family had come by for the blessed event. Here was Granny Smith, absolutely beaming. She had mid-mared every living soul in the Apple family, and now she'd be bringing in the newest generation. She had never been more proud. Big Macintosh was running the farm while his little sister was busy. He was a whirlwind of activity - pulling the plow, taking care of all the guests, lending support to the proud poppa. Twilight had never seen him more upbeat and chatty. And here was Peanut, the proud poppa himself. He looked more nauseous than proud. He was a bundle of nerves. Twilight couldn't blame him. This would be his first foal too.

They told Twilight that she could find Applerush over it the big red barn. It figured. The Apple Family were sticklers for tradition: traditional foaling simply made sense. It was likely that every single one of them had been foaled in that barn, on a big warm pile of fresh hay. She found Applerush outside, circling around the barn.

"Well now how you doing, sugarcube?" Applerush greeted her. "Boy are you a sight for sore eyes. Glad you could make it."

"You couldn't keep me away," Twilight said. "Not on a big day like today."

"Today? Now don't get too excited Twilight," she said. "Ah only just started contractions. Granny said this could take awhile."

"Did you pick a name yet?" Twilight asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, we did," she said, smiling. "We were thinking Jonadash. if it's a colt. And Rainbow Bloom. If it's a filly."

"That's beautiful." Twilight said.

"Thankya kindly," she said. "Listen. Twilight, there's somethin' ah been meaning to talk to ya about. I... Ohh!" Applerush bent over. In ponies, in all equines for that matter, contractions were quite obvious.

"Ohmygosh, do you need Granny? I can get granny!" Twilight said, suddenly worried. "Are you sure you're even supposed to be walking around?"

"Cool your jets, missy," she responded. "This is just a little one. Granny told me I should be walking around. Helps the baby turn. Gets the right end pointed towards the birth canal and..."

"That's... a little too much information," Twilight interrupted.

"Ah'm sorry, sugarcube. Sometimes I forget that not everypony was raised on a farm. Let's go back inside." They walked slowly back in. Applerush laid down in a pile of hay. "How's Spike been doing?"

"Ugh." Twilight said. "He's molting again."

"Gettin' big. is he?"

"Like a weed. And he's costing me a fortune in gemstones doing it. I think he'll be moving out on his own pretty soon now." Twilight said. "You were going to tell me something outside..."

"Oh. Right." Applerush went on. "Ah right guess I don't really know how to say it. I miss you. You and the other fillies. We used to see so much of each other. It's like we hardly get to see each other. To have fun, like we used to."

"You mean since Rainbow Dash died?"

Applerush thought for a moment. "That too. I suppose. But that was years ago now. I was thinking more since I got married. Now all my time in the world is divided between running this here farm and Peanut. Ah ain't got time for myself. Don't get me wrong or nothing. Peanut's a good husband, and I'm sure he'll make a good daddy. But once the baby comes, ah don't know how I'll do it. Big Macintosh means well, but he doesn't know nothing about keeping the books. And Granny Smith is getting old, she's really slowing down, Twilight. Apple Bloom's always running around with those crazy friends of hers, getting into who knows what kind of trouble. How am I supposed to do everything? How can I do all this and take care of a baby at the same time? What kind of mother will I be? I feel so alone." Her eyes began to well up.

"Applerush..." Twilight began. The mare's married name still felt awkward on her tongue. Twilight reverted to her fillyname, as she had known the pony in their youths. "Applejack... There's no need to worry about anything. There has never been a more prepared mare in the entire history of Equestria. Your whole family is here to help you." Applejack cleared her throat. Twilight continued. "Look at Big Macintosh. Big Uncle Macintosh. He's a rock. I've seen that pony pull up stumps like they were weeds." Applejack started to smile. "And Granny Smith. She's done this a million time before. She'll probably be delivering your grandfoals too." Applejack was grinning now. "Apple Bloom, oh Apple Bloom. Can't you just imagine the kind of auntie that wild pony's going to be? You better look out for her. Listen. I'm telling you, you've got nothing to worry about, Applejack. You've just got a case of post-partum depression."

"Post-partawhat?"

"Post-partum depression. Or I guess in this case, pre-partum. It's just hormones. Everything is all sorted out. If there's any problem. I'll rustle together Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rarity. There's nothing we can't solve together. I've got the ear of the Princess too. you know. Listen, Applejack, you've got nothing to be frightened of.

"Are you sure?" Applerush sniffed.

"Trust me."

Twilight came out again the next day. Still no foal. The contractions were getting stronger, but Applerush wasn't even close to being fully dilated. It would be awhile longer. Yet she was in good spirits. She had even gotten a few hours of sleep in the night. Peanut had gotten none. There was exhaustion added to his long, nauseated face now. Bags were under his eyes. He looked a wreck. Every in-law in his family kept making their rounds to cheer him up. Granny Smith was still cheerful. Always long labors in the Apple family, she told everybody who would listen. She rattled off a list of names and hours. Each getting longer as she went back in time. Ponies from town were coming out to lend their support. Fluttershy was here. Rarity and Pinkie Pie had been out to visit earlier. Twilight asked Applerush if there was anything she could for her. Twilight knew a number of spells that could do just about anything. Foaling was simple business. Applejack thanked her, but no. She was going to have this baby the old-fashioned way, come hell or high water. Twilight didn't ask twice, she knew how her old friend thought. Still, a small spark leapt from Twilight's hon as she left the barn on the second day. Nopony noticed.

On Twilight's visit on the third day, the atmosphere had gotten more intense. Big Macintosh was a little frayed around the edges. He was starting to develop that same nervous look that poor Peanut had the entire time. Zecora was there, a practiced mid-mare in her own right. So was the nurse pony from Ponyville. It would have crushed Granny Smith's pride to have called for help. But if it did, she didn't show it. The nurse pony was trained with all the latest medicines. Granny was telling everybody, nothing was too good for her granddaughter. The nurse was cold. Professional. She knew exactly what she was doing; she had total control of the situation. This foal was coming today, no doubt about it. If it wasn't going to do it on its own, they'd have the doctor pony come out and take it out. They weren't going to wait another day.

That night, or more likely early the next morning, Twilight awoke to the sound of furious pounding and shouting at the library's front door. It was time. She got up, stretched, and calmly walked downstairs. Spike had already gotten up and answered the door. He moved his bulk aside to let a panicked Apple Bloom through the door.

"Twilight!" she shouted all at once, "come quick, you've got to use your magic. The doctor's been out all night but he don't know what to do. The baby's in trouble. It got choked up in the cord and its heart almost stopped. The doctor had to bring Peanut and Big Mac in the barn to turn Applerush over. That got the baby's heart working right again, but they're still in big trouble. You gotta come quick! You gotta come right now!"

Twilight made a show of looking nervous. She made a show of getting books of magic off the shelf, and stuffing them into her saddle bags. She looked back at the worried faces of Apple Bloom and Spike. With a flash and a bang, she teleported herself out to Sweet Apple Acres. She saw Peanut and Big Mac. They were... there was no other way to put it, they were standing guard in front of the barn. They had reallied themselves and were now fully alert, standing like two of Celestia's palace guards, ready to do whatever it took to save their wife and sister. All she asked them to do was make sure nobody came in after her. This would be powerful magic, and she could afford no distractions. She went into the barn and closed the door behind her. A flight of dragons wouldn't be able to interrupt her work now, not with those two out front.

She sat down next to Applerush. She looked a mess. She was shivering uncontrollably. Twilight knew that was expected, it was due to a combination of hormones, and the drugs the doctor had given her. Twilight had studied this entire process, she was determined to make it work properly.

"Twilight? Oh Twilight." Applerush said. "Thank you for coming, sugarcube. I'm sorry for earlier. I'm sorry I didn't ask for magic..." she was crying now, in addition to shivering.

"Hush. You've got nothing to worry about. It's not too late. I've got spells that can take care of this, they can take care of anything. You're going to be safe. I'm going to take care of you. I'm going to take care of the baby too."

"You promise?" asked the delirious Applerush.

"Trust me," said Twilight.

Twilight began to work her magic. She could sense Applerush's heartbeat, the blood flowing through her veins. She could feel the baby's too. It was small, and weak. But there was a force behind it, powerful. This foal wanted to be born. Then Twilight began to take control of these forces, to manipulate them. Lower the pulse, lower the blood pressure. Applerush's eyes opened wide, and then rolled back into her head, showing only the whites. Lower the pulse, lower the blood pressure. Applerush slipped into darkness, losing consciousness. Take your time. Twilight thought to herself, pace yourself. Lower the pulse, lower the blood pressure. Applerush was dead.

A great wave of magic rolled over Twilight. She had acquired the Element of Trust. It washed over her, adding its power to her own. But it wasn't complete, there was something missing. Its absence cried out. The severing of the Element wasn't complete. There was some last promise still being kept. Almost as an afterthought, Rainbow Bloom was born a minute later. It was as healthy as any newborn foal could be. All she needed to do was take her first breath. Sever the umbilicus, remove the caul, clear the mucous out of her tiny mouth and nose and she'd bream free. Twilight placed her hoof over the tiny mourn and hoof instead. She waited a minute. Two. She occasionally let a small spark or flare from her horn, too make it look from the outside as if work was still being done. Then the last of the element came over her, adding its aura to hers. The severing was complete; her work done.

She got up and went outside to tell the family. They were all there, standing, waiting in front of the barn. She told Peanut first. He had no reaction except to close his eyes and slump to the ground. Big Macintosh had heard what she had told Peanut; his reaction was the opposite. He broke down completely. He tore away from the family, kicking and rearing, smashing into wagons and barrels. Splinters flew in all directions. Three stallions from the extended family went off to try to corral him. They had their work cut out for them. Twilight went down the line of family to extend her condolences. Granny Smith was bawling, but she kept trying to thank Twilight for coming out and trying anyway. Apple Bloom was crying in Spike's arms; they had just made it back out from Ponyville for the conclusion. She continued down the line. Each family member's heart was broken by the tragedy, but they each felt a small amount of comfort from Twilight's kind words: Red Gala, Red Delicious, Apple Fritter, Apple Bumpkin, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apple, Apple Brioche, Apple Brown Betty, Apple Cinnamon Crisp.

With that done, Twilight headed back to her library in Ponyville. She needed to get back to bed. She had already lost enough sleep as it was. She had important business tonight in Canterlot.

"So the severing was complete, my student?" Princess Celestia asked.

"It was, your majesty," Twilight answered. "She trusted me completely. Right until the very end. Even more than doctors or nurses, or her own grandmother."

"Excellent," Celestia said. "That would have been very difficult to accomplish. Ah your training in the nature of friendship has served you well."

"It has, your majesty, and I thank you for that. When I was younger, I didn't understand why you sent me to learn those lessons. Now I understand, and I'll be forever thankful."

Princess Celestia ignored the praise. "I'm beginning to see sense in your strategy, Twilight Sparkle. You've taken out the two strongest ponies first."

"Indeed, your majesty'."

"Still, it won't get easier from here. It will likely only get harder. You must remember, they must never suspect a thing. Again, take your time, years if you have to. The elements must be severed properly. Completely."

"Yes, your majesty," Twilight said, "I've got everything all planned ahead."

Twilight had invited Pinkie Pie over for a tea party. They hadn't seen each other for some time. Twilight had moved out of Ponyville some years ago, out to the Everfree Forest. She had renovated one of the towers in the old crumbling palace to suit her needs. There was plenty of space out there and no ponies to bother her. She had never liked other ponies bothering her. Her old library simply wasn't large enough to house all her books and supplies, even after Spike had moved out. He was off in Dragon Land, or somewhere else, being a nuisance to somebody else.

Inviting Pinkie, Twilight thought to herself, was a perfect plan. Pinkie could charge right through the woods without a single worry. No other pony in Ponyville could do that. There wouldn't be anypony following her. It would just be her and Pinkie this afternoon. She could do what she had to do, and no one would ever know. Pinkie's strength, like the others, would be her undoing.

The force of laughter. Twilight continued to think to herself, was a powerful force, as far as such things were concerned. It was arguably the strongest of the elements of harmony. Everypony always had laughter, no matter how much anything else could be taken away from them. Hobos laugh when they have nothing else. Tyrants laugh when they see their empires crumbling before them. Laugh in the face of death, ponies say. Laugh in the face of god.

The sound of tuneless singing began to emerge from between the trees. Bugs, a small flock of birds, and several small mammals flew out and away from the commotion. Pinkie Pie bounded happily into the forest clearing.

"Oh hi, Twilight!" she said cheerfully. "Glad to see you. Is this where we're having tea?"

It was a forest clearing, perhaps halfway between Twilight's tower and Ponyville. It was not where they were having tea.

Pinkie had aged noticeably over the last few years. They both had. There was gray showing in both their manes. Pinkie, however, had filled out a bit. All those sweets and pastries were finally catching up to her. Having three foals of her own probably contributed a bit as well. It suited her personality. She was more... bouncy.

"Actually, Pinkie, I invited you out here because I wanted to talk to you." Twilight said.

"Oh. well about what, silly?" Pinkie asked.

"Well, do you remember the first day we met? When we all came out here to the Everfree Forest?"

"Oh, sure I do, Twilight." Pinkie answered. "That was the time we met that flamboyant sea serpent, then Fluttershy beat up that manticore, then we met Zecora and her evil voodoo curses..."

"Pinkie..."

"and all the parasprites ate up Ponyvillle, and..."

"Pinkie."

"And we fought the evil Necroprancer and taught him the magic of friendship through song and dance..."

"PINKIE PIE!"

"Oh." Pinkie snapped out of it.

"It was the time we fought Nightmare Moon, Pinkie." Twilight corrected her. "We all received the Elements of Harmony."

"Oh. I remember now. I got that pretty necklace, and you got that pretty crown. Wait, were those important? Were we ever supposed to use those things again or something?"

"Not you, Pinkie Pie." Twilight said. "But I'm... collecting them."

"Oh." Pinkie Pie said. "Well then you can have mine, I guess. I'm not using it. Why do you want it anyway?"

"Are you familiar with the term 'apotheosis'?" Twilight asked.

"It's a noun, silly," Pinkie responded, "the exaltation or elevation of a pony to god-hooood," she chimed in a sing song voice, "or more simply the ideal form of a thing, its epitome or quintessence. Would you like the origin?" Pinkie blinked a few times, smiling

"I mean to have yours. Pinkie." Twilight said. "I've already taken Rainbow Dash and Applejacks' elements, and soon I'll add yours."

"Oh, did they leave theirs to you?" Pinkie Pie asked, now a little said.

"No, Pinkie Pie. You don't understand. A pony can't give away their Element. It's a part of them. It has to be taken with force. I killed Rainbow Dash and AJ. I stole their Elements."

"That isn't funny, Twilight," Pinkie said, becoming a little angry.

"No. I agree, it isn't funny," Twilight said, "this work is very important to me. I've worked very hard at this. I wouldn't joke about it."

"Besides." Pinkie said, tearing up. "Rainbow Dash crashed in that storm. And Applerush died while foaling, poor things."

"I know, Pinkie." Twilight said. "I was in that storm. I was the one that struck Dash down. I was there in that barn, the last to see Applerush before she died. You really mink I couldn't pull off a simple foaling with my magic?"

"So you just kill ponies and take their Elements?" Pinkie said. "I'm not getting any of this."

"No. Pinkie. I can't just kill you all. If I could, I'd have killed you all that first night. I'm the righthoof of Celestia. None of you are any match for me."

"You're being mean," Pinkie said.

"I know, Pinkie. And I'm sorry. I don't want to be mean. I don't really want to be doing any of this. It's just something that has to be done. None of it is personal. Look, it's not just a matter of killing little ponies. You ponies are the paragons of the Elements that you represent. The Elements have to be properly severed from the ponies before I can take them. Rainbow Dash represented loyalty. I severed the element of loyalty by stabbing her in the back, proverbially. I suppose it was sort of literal as well. Applerush represented trust. She entrusted me with her own life and the life of her foal. That's the most trust you can give anypony. And I broke both those promises. That's how Elements are severed, Pinkie, with the complete antithesis of their respective elements. Now Pinkie... do you know w:hat the opposite of laughter is?"

"Ooo!." said Pinkie. This was a much more fun game than the last one. She didn't like that last one at all. "Is it burping? Oh, how about sneezing? Farting! Is it farting?"

"Horror, Pinkie." Twilight said. "The opposite of laughter, or humor, or joviality, or whatever you want to call it. In order to take your Element, I need to horrify you before I kill you. That's why I'm telling you this. This is all the truth, not a game. I've killed Applerush and Rainbow Dash. I'm going to kill Rarity and Fluttershy. But not before I kill you."

"You're not going to make me scared, Twilight." Pinkie said, suddenly serious. "I don't get scared."

"I know, Pinkie," Twilight said, "you're a very tough nut to crack. That's why I had to wait all these years. I had to wait until there was something you cared about more than anything else in the world. The safety of your three little foals, for instance."

"Twinkie, Blinkie, and Stinkie?" Pinkie asked. "They're back at the Sugarcube Corner. Mrs. Cake is watching them for me. They're safe. You can't touch them. silly." Pinkie laughed nervously.

"I know they're back at the Cakes'. You always leave them there, Pinkie. And I don't need to physically be there to touch them. Listen. Do you know what legerdemain is? Cantrips? Do you remember when Trixie came to town?"

"Was she the griffon?"

Twilight raised her hoof to her face. This conversation wasn't going at all the way she had hoped. "She was the blue unicorn that came to town to put on a magic show. That's what cantrips are, Pinkie. Little easy spells that put on a show. They can make sparks. Move ropes. Create cartoony ursa majors. They're not just visual, Pinkie. They can change odors. They can make natural gas smell like freshly baked muffins, for example. Or gingerbread."

"Gas?" Pinkie asked. She was beginning to put the pieces together. "The Cakes just had new gas ovens installed."

"I know. Pinkie." Twilight said. "Four months ago. There's a leak in one of the valves. I just put it there myself."

"That does it, Sister." Pinkie said, finally angry. "This game isn't funny anymore, it never was funny. It's not even fun. In fact. I don't think I want you as my friend anymore either. Not when you act like this. There's something wrong with you, living out here by yourself. It's gotten to your head. You've become a real creepy weirdo creep, Twilight. And if you want to come back and apologize, I’ll be around. But until then, we're just through. Good bye."

Pinkie turned around and walked back into the woods, leaving Twilight back in the clearing. The woods seemed darker than they had been before. There was a song she used to sing a long time ago with her grandmother. How did it go? She couldn't remember the melody. That was strange. She never forgot a song. Laugh at the ghostly? No. Guffaw at the creepy? No.

Her pace quickened through the forest. She was getting nervous. That was strange. She never got nervous. Why was Twilight acting so unusual? That pony was always an awkward one, never really fit in with other ponies. But what she said today was totally maladjusted it. It was so unlike her. What if she was telling the truth?

Her pace quickened again. She was scared now. which was strange because she never got scared. What if Twilight did kill those other ponies? What if she had gone insane? What if she had been plotting all along? That would mean she was in danger. That would mean her foals and Mrs. Cake were in danger.

She was in full gallop by the time she got back to Ponyville. Tears were streaming from her eyes. She was shaking in fear. There, Sugarcube Corner! It was intact, it was still standing. No fire, no explosion. She burst through the back door. Mrs. Cake and her three foals were in the kitchen, baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies. They were as happy and cheerful as always. Twilight had lied to her. Twilight had been lying to her. Had she... had she been pranked? Had Twilight done the impossible and pranked the master? Not just a little prank, but a super duper mega awesome pull-no-punches pranky prank? Pinkie Pie began to laugh to herself. Of course that was it, you silly filly! Pinkie Pie thought to herself.

That was when she noticed it. She stared off in a random direction, a thousand yard stare. Mrs. Cake and the foals were baking chocolate chip cookies. Yet the shop was filled with the smell of gingerbread. A strong, overpowering, nauseating smell of baking gingerbread. Pinkie Pie had just enough time to contort her face into a look of unimaginable horror. Twilight touched off a spark from afar.

"Do you mean you disobeyed my direct order and told this pony everything? Answer me!" ordered Princess Celestia.

"I told her the truth." Twilight answered. "The whole and horrifying truth. Is there anything more horrifying, from her perspective, than my plot against them, your majesty?"

"Did she tell any pony?"

"No, your majesty, no. I followed her all the way to the sweet shop. Right up to the edge of town. She didn't stop to talk to a soul."

"She could have spoken to ponies once inside."

"Yes, your majesty. But they wouldn't have survived the explosion. Nopony within a two block radius survived."

"Collateral damage?"

"No damage to infrastructure, your majesty. Not unless you consider a sweet shop to be infrastructure. All the neighboring buildings were residences."

"Incidental casualties?"

"A few, your majesty." Twilight said. "Nothing a town like Ponyville can't absorb without long term consequences."

Celestia sat thinking. Mollifed. "You'd done well, my faithful student. Daring, cunning, originality, improvization. These aren't Elements of Harmony, but they are all things you'll need to learn before you come to power."

Twilight blushed.

"You're getting close now," Celestia continued, "we're both getting close. The end is in sight, and it's downhill from here. But don't get overconfident. If either of the surviving ponies discovers us, it could risk a clean severing. All your work would be for naught. You don't want to come all this way, spend all these years plotting, and have your plan foiled by a careless mistake."

"Yes, your majesty." Twilight bowed again.

Rarity rubbed her weary eyes. She got up from her desk to stretch; her joints ached and popped. She was becoming an old pony. She knew she didn't look it on the outside, but she certainly felt it on the inside. It had gotten dark outside while she had been doing paper work. It had grown cold in the dusty, old, cob-webbed boutique. The boutique - her old safety net.

She had just moved back to Ponyville. It had been her triumphant return, or maybe her exile. She had formerly run a successful modeling agency in Canterlot, emphasis on the past tense. It had gone under. So had the fashion line.

That wasn't entirely a bad thing. With the faced paced world of Canterlot, even the most successful agencies go under in four years, perhaps six if they're lucky. Hers had lasted fifteen. Her clothes and models had been on every magazine cover all over Equestria. She had been the leading figure in fashion for an entire generation. The hoi polloi ponies back in Canterlot would be talking about her legacy for years.

Still, it was hard to see the businesses go. It hurt the most because she hadn't even been unsuccessful. Ponies were still wearing her latest outfits. It's just that the businesses had been hemorrhaging money. There was some kind of accounting problem. It just didn't add up, quite literally. That's what she had been doing this evening, going back over the books for the umpteenth time. Nothing made sense. It was like some dark curse had just fallen all over her successful businesses.

Oh well, she thought to herself. This is why she kept the deed to the old Ponyville place, for just such an emergency. It would be like an early retirement. Dignified. Besides, these small town country folk could really use her help.

She stretched again, grumbling to herself, and put the last of the books away. Now she had personal time to spend on what was really important to her. Over the years she had been collecting old used clothes. Vests, boots, saddles, blankets and the like. She had been storing them here in the old boutique. All the back rooms and the entire upper floor were filled up to the rafters with old throwaways. There were ponies in the big city of Canterlot that could barely afford their own clothes. Even little poor foals were going to school in old rags and mismatched, rusty horseshoes. These clothes would be for all the poor people of Canterlot; she was going to donate them. But she wasn't going to just turn them over. She was going to use her magic to restore them. She would patch the holes, fix buttons, replace sequins, remove stains, restore color. She wasn't going to stop there. If they were brought back to just like new, why not make them better than new? She was going to redesign them, really spruce them up. Not only were the little poor foals of Canterlot going to go to school warm and comfortable, they were really going to put those snooty rich foals in their place. They'd be jealous. Rarity couldn't wait to get started.

It was in one of these spare rooms that the fire started. Ponies later would think that it was a disaster waiting to happen, rooms like that filled with dry old cloth - it was highly inflammable. But then again, they'd say to themselves, that didn't really make sense. If there were only old clothes in those rooms, what was the point of ignition?

Rarity made two mistakes when the fire started, both understandable: they were easy mistakes to make. The first mistake was to try to put the fire out. There was nothing in the old boutique worth an untrained pony risking herself to try to put out a fire. But it started as a small fire and it's only natural for anypony to think they could put out a small fire. She stamped with her hooves. She threw old horse blankets over the fire to smother it. She ran repeatedly out to the Ponyville well to grab a bucket of water, and then back in again. A crowd began to form, but nopony had the wherewithal to help her, or to stop her from going back in.

The second mistake was that she was initially successful. The stamping hooves put out embers. The horse blankets smothered the flames. The buckets of water squelched fire with a hiss of steam. This was a mistake, because it gave her the illusion of accomplishment. She had made progress putting out the blaze, at its initial source, but she didn't notice the flames spreading around her. More embers were born, the blankets began to smoulder around the edges, flames spread as she ran out for more water.

It was her mane that caught first. The flames nearly reached her scalp before she noticed. Her tail had caught before then. By the time she reached the front door, spots of fire ignited on her coat. She was fully engulfed by the time she ran past the bystanders that had gathered out front. They lunged for her, but she was too fast. She ran and ran and ran. Some fast-thinking ponies were running after her, trying to tackle her, but she was too fast. She ran for eight full blocks, the wind only fanned the fire into one great flame that stretched behind her four times her own length, like the tail of a horrible comet. Rarity finally collapsed on her own accord, her pursuers leaping on top of her, smothering the flames.

Twilight Sparkle waited three days before growing impatient. Rarity should have died by then. She shouldn't have survived the first night. For being the paragon of generosity, Rarity was certainly being stubborn in yielding her Element. Twilight decided to pay her a personal visit.

Ponyville had its own hospital these days, built next to the site of the old urgent care clinic. Twilight slipped in silently, invisible to the nurses and orderlies and patients and their families. She was more mist now than pony. This was old magic, but she had become a powerful sorceress. She made her way into the burn ward - there was only one patient there. Other ponies had been burned as they tackled her, but their burns were superficial; they had all gone home by the next day. Twilight reincorporated herself. The room... stunk. It was permeated with the smell of burnt hair. It would take a team of ponies to wash the stench out after Rarity finally expired. As she stepped closer to the stricken mare, she noticed another smell, more disgusting. It was putrescence. Twilight could smell Rarity's infection from afar.

Twilight, over her long years, had studied all manner of death and torture. Burns, by far, were the worst way to die. It was the only thing Twilight was still afraid of. The pain of even second degree burns was horrifying, third degree burns all the worse. The pain didn't stop after the fire was extinguished. The pain continued, always. Twilight honestly didn't know how Rarity had survived this; although the infection itself would probably take her by morning.

Twilight examined Rarity on her bed. The pony had suffered third degree burns over, well, over every single square inch that Twilight could see. Some of her was covered in bandages, others exposed to air. There wasn't a single hair over her entire body. Or skin, for that matter. Her very flesh was exposed. Fat. There was charred meat and festering scabs. Even Twilight was taken aback by the monstrosity before her.

Rarity stirred. She opened her eyes, those deep blue eyes, and stared directly into Twilight's soul. Twilight hadn't expected that. Twilight had expected gaping ruined holes where Rarity's eyes had been. Rarity struggled. A gasping, gurgling noise escaped from her throat. Rarity was trying to speak, but she couldn't. Smoke inhalation, Twilight thought, and more burns. Superheated gas must have charred her vocal cords as badly as the rest of her. Twilight could fix that, she had a simple spell for it. Rarity, obviously, didn't know it, nor any of the medical unicorns in the hospital, or unicorns in all of Ponyville, for that matter. Rarity would be talking now if not for their ignorance. Twilight cast her spell.

"You!" Rarity croaked. Her voice was still broken and ruined despite the magic. "I knew it was you all along." For the first time since she had come to Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle felt fear. She panicked. How could Rarity know her plans. She had been so careful, so precise. She had made everything look natural. Rainbow Dash had been reckless. She couldn't go a week without flying into a tree or a tornado. Her death was tragic at such a young age, but it should have surprised no one. Applerush, Applejack, whatever. Twilight admitted to herself that her death was unusual. Foaling deaths were rare, not unheard of, but rare. Twilight had only taken that risk because it presented the perfect opportunity to sever the Element of Honesty. Pinkie Pie? She had been the opposite. That pony's fate was sealed the moment the Cakes had installed a gas line.

No, Twilight thought to herself, Rarity didn't know everything. Rarity was bluffing. Rarity was paranoid. Rarity had gone insane with all the pain, and was lashing out at her own friends. Twilight decided to call the bluff.

"So you know I was the one who started the fire." Twilight said.

"Yeees," the thing that had been Rarity croaked.

"And you know I destroyed your boutique, and all those clothes you had intended for the poor or the orphans or the lepers, or whatever it was you intended."

"Yes. I know... that too."

Twilight upped the ante. "And I suppose you know that I was the one cooking your books." Twilight looked over Rarity's body then returned to looking into her eyes. "I'm sorry, no pun intended."

The gaze in Rarity's eyes revealed to Twilight that Rarity hadn't known everything. Twilight was comfortable again. "Oh? Then I guess you don't know that I've also taken your reputation. You know the Canterlot elite. Do you really they'll be saving, 'there went Rarity, the greatest fashion diva in the history of all Equestria?' No. They'll be saying, 'Rarity?’, ‘Rarity who?', 'Rarity? Oh, I think I remember her, but what's she got out this season?', 'Rarity? Oh, I remember her, she was that country bumpkin who got herself killed when her shack burned down’.”

Rarity's eyes quivered with rage. "You... took... eventhing from me!" she gasped.

Twilight smiled. She leaned over the bed. She stretched her long neck down so she could whisper into what was left of Rarity's disfigured ear. "Yes, but I only really wanted your Element."

Rarity recoiled. Or at least she tried to recoil, it was pathetic in the condition that she was in. It looked like she was trying to crawl out of her own... well... skin wasn't the right word for it. Not anymore.

"Fluttershy!" Rarity tried to shout, it came out a gasp. "I'll tell Flutter ..shy. She'll stop... you. She can stop anything. She ... can stop dragons!"

"Oh Rarity," Twilight laughed. "Don't be ridiculous. You won't tell Fluttershy. You won't be telling anybody." Twilight removed the spell she had cast earlier, and stepped out of the burn ward. A hideous sound followed her, a disgusting gurgling sound. Rarity was trying to scream.

Twilight Sparkle visited Princess Celestia the next afternoon, after the Element of Generosity had added its aura to her own.

"You're certain she never suspected the truth?" Celestia asked.

"Positive, your majesty." Twilight lied. "Everything went off exactly as planned, excepting the time it took for her to die of her burns. I took everything that she had in this world. Except her pain, of course. I left her that."

"You're very near to your goal now, Twilight." said Celestia.

"Yes, your majesty." Twilight replied.

"You know, I think it's time to drop the formalities. You've been my faithful student for so many long years. And you've been my closest confidante almost as long now. Even closer than my own sister. And soon you'll be my equal in power."

"Thank you, Celestia." Twilight rose to her feet. "I'm honored."

"There's one last think that worries me."

"Oh?" Twilight asked.

"A minor hurdle in your plan. You took out the two strongest ponies first. That was clever. But the last one, the one that holds the Element of Kindness. That will require cruelty. Any pony who seeks power can lie and betray. Any pony who seeks power can strike fear in her enemies. But cruelty, that takes a special kind of talent. Even monsters struggle to be cruel. Are you certain you're up to the task?"

"I am, Celestia." Twilight grinned. "Cruelty won't be a problem. Nothing can stop me now."

Twilight Sparkle took in the grisly scene before her. There was carnage on the lawn before Fluttershy's modest country home. There was hide and hair everywhere. Bits of bone and viscera were scattered across the grass. Blood saturated the ground. There were signs of torture if you looked close, if you knew what to look for. There had been cruelty here. Twilight sighed to herself. She had never really meant for any of this to be personal. She had honestly wanted to be friends with those ponies, if not for the problem of needing their Elements. She hoped that on some other plane of existence, the dead ponies' souls could understand why she did all these things. She hoped they would be happy for her accomplishments.

She sighed again. There would be work to do now, much more work. She had to make new plans, schedules. Her carefully laid preparations had all come undone. Things needed to be salvaged, and with haste.

Twilight teleported back to her restored castle in the Everfree Forest to think and scheme. She arrived in her courtyard. The crumbled granite cobblestones reflected the moonlight. The moon itself was waxing, nearly full. There was plenty of light, despite the late hour. There was enough light to see the pony standing at the other side of the court yard. It was an old gray mare, much like herself. Her exceptionally long mane, which had once been a beautiful shade of pink, was now a silvery white. Her frame was diminished by arthritis and old age.

"Fluttershy," Twilight called out, now realizing just how much jeopardy her plans were truly in. "I suppose you've figured out my plans. I suppose you've come to my castle because you think you can somehow stop me."

Fluttershy opened her mouth but choked on the words. She looked down at her hooves, then looked up again. She stared Twilight Sparkle directly in the eyes. "Yes." she said.

"Then it must have been you that killed your own animals." Twilight remarked, baffled. "Why?"

"Can't you figure it out. Twilight?" Fluttershy asked, now agitated. "Don't you ever think about anypony's motives but your own? I did it to stop you. You might kill me tonight. You might take my Element. But you won't take it cleanly. A proper severing is foiled. You won't gain full power: you'll never be Celestia's equal. And honestly, Twilight? I did it out of spite. You killed Rainbow Dash, and Applejack, and Pinkie Pie, and Rarity, and all those poor little babies. I did it to watch you squirm."

Twilight raged inside. She made an effort not to show it, but sparks flew from her horn. Cobblestones crumbled under her hooves. No, she said to herslef, calm yourself. Think this through.

"Do you really think you can stop me now, Fluttershy? I might not get all of your Element, but I'll still have all the Elements, four of them completely intact. I'll become more powerful than you could have ever guessed."

"Did you ever think about the other side?" Fluttershy asked. "The freed Elements haven't fixed themselves to your soul yet. I could just as easily kill you and take them for myself."

"Ha, ha, Fluttershy...please." Twilight sneered, she tried to make it sound as patronizing as possible. She didn't want to sound worried. "You're only a little old pegasus pony. You have no horn to focus magic. Even if you did, you wouldn't know anything about it. You've never studied magic."

"Oh. but you're wrong, Twilight." Fluttershy said calmly. "I've been studying magic for years now. How do you think I know so much?"

Twilight's jaw dropped. She was stumped. How indeed? This pony must have an accomplice. Somebody teaching her magic and pulling the strings. But who? There were only so many ponies in Equestria that could appreciate this level of magic, only so many who knew about the Elements and what to...

"LUNA!" Twilight shouted. This time she made no effort to conceal the rage on her face.

Fluttershy grinned. "That's a good guess. Twilight, but you're wrong. Oh sure. I've spoken with Luna. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. But you know how fickle friendship is. Luna and I have only had a passing interest in each other. We mostly just coordinated our schedules. Luna knew that Celestia would be most distracted on the eve of her precious student's apotheosis. That coup, Twilight? The one that you and Celestia always suspected, but could never find evidence for? Well look, Twilight. Look towards Canterlot."

Twilight looked in the direction of Canterlot. She couldn't see it, of course. It was obscured by leagues of forest and stone and mountains. There was nothing to see there, except... flashes... They weren't flashes of light. There was no color. But they were flashes, explosions. Invisible, but still resonating at the back of Twilight Sparkle's eyes, waves of psychic energy. This was magic. There was a battle going on in Canterlot. A battle the likes of which Equestria hadn't seen in over a thousand years. This was incredible magic. Twilight couldn't even imagine the scope of these forces without collecting the last Element. She could see the progress of this epic battle. Celestia... Celestia was losing the battle.

Twilight refocused her attention to the matters at hand. "If not Luna, then who?" she demanded.

"Hello, Twilight." came another voice. It was a deep, resonate voice. It boomed like thunder echoing off a mountain side. The voice came from behind her. Behind her and above.

Twilight sighed morosely. "Hello, Spike," she returned. Dragons. Dragons were powerful in the use of magic, and this one had access to her personal library for years. Who knew what he could have learned in the time that he had left her. Magic was the only explanation for how he had been able to sneak up behind her.

She began to walk forward - slowly. No sudden movements, not when an angry dragon was staring you down from behind. She slowly turned to look at her new adversary. Taking him in took longer than she expected. He was huge, fully grown now. Even his snout was several times longer than her whole body. Half of him was still hidden by the forest. Only his eyes reminded her of the Spike she once knew.

"How long did you know?" Twilight asked.

"I suspected since Rainbow Dash," Spike boomed. "I helped you make those horseshoes, remember. They would have resisted any natural lightning bolt. I knew after Applejack. There's no way you would have let them die under your watch, Twilight. Not if you really wanted to help them."

"Why didn't you try to stop me earlier?"

"I didn't have the strength. You were always more powerful than me. I tried to tell Pinkie, but she thought I was joking. I tried to tell Rarity, but she wouldn’t listen to me. Rarity never listened to me. Fluttershy listened to me. We've been planning this for years. I went to the dragon homelands to learn more magic. We knew when you'd strike, and now we're ready."

Keep them talking, Twilight thought to herself. Get ready. "And just what did you learn in the dragon homelands, Spike?" Twilight asked sarcastically.

"I learned how to kill you," Spike answered humorlessly.

With a flash, Twilight charged her horn and sent a blast of energy directly at Fluttershy. It was the same spell she had used on Dash, only far more powerful. The little pony had been prepared, she launched herself into the air with a quickness that belied her age. Spike breathed at the same time. Twilight teleported to safety a split second ahead of the blast.

A great wave of heat rolled over her, singeing the tips of her hairs. She had teleported well out of the way of Spike's breath, yet still the heat was overpowering. It hurt her eyes to look at it. A great green-white blaze scorched the spot she had been standing on. It bounced, arching up into the trees beyond. The sap in the first of the trees flashed into steam, exploding them into a million splinters. The trees beyond them simply burst into flame. Twilight couldn't see how far into the forest Spike's breath had traveled. There was a great smouldering ditch blasted out of the courtyard where she had stood seconds earlier. Fluttershy had come to ground on the other side. Whether it was because she was conserving her energy, or because she too had been stunned by the dragon's attack, Twilight didn't know. She took opportunity. Twilight teleported behind Fluttershy. Again, Fluttershy was ready for it, she kicked with both hind legs. Twilight was forced to duck. Fluttershy leapt away. Again, Twilight teleported to safety. Spike's massive tail smashed down upon the courtyard where Twilight had just been standing. Dirt and cobblestones were thrown into the air. Another groove, smaller than the first, now crossed the courtyard.

There was another pause. They sized each other up. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Spike stood staring at each other, each at the point of an equilateral triangle. It was an interesting problem, Twilight thought to herself. She could kill the dragon outright, but that would take time. Fluttershy would escape. She could kill Fluttershy, and that would be quick, but she'd leave herself exposed to an attack from the dragon. On the other hoof, if she killed Fluttershy, she would collect the last Element. She would be immortal. Why worry about a dragon if you're immortal? She made her move. She aimed for Fluttershy. Again, Fluttershy dodged the attack, and Spike responded with his tail a split second after Twilight teleported to safety. Again, Fluttershy dodge another attack, that pony wouldn't stay still. Spike tried his claws, they raked through empty space. Again, Twilight blasted at Fluttershy and again she dodged. She teleported to safety. Spike hadn't attacked that time. Where was Spike? He was right behind her, he had anticipated her move. Spike lunged at her, opening his wide maw to snap down on her, a killing stroke. Twilight flinched, not now, not like this, she readied another teleport. Spike’s jaws snapped down with a crash, inches from her face. There was an flash and a bang, like an explosion this time, as Twilight teleported away.

She found herself forty feet in the air above the courtyard. A botched teleport! She was falling. Fluttershy was there. To catch her? No, Fluttershy was kicking, both hind legs. The kick shattered Twilight's ribs, sent her breath from her lungs. The force of the kick was great enough to arrest her fall, sending her flying back up into the air. She fell again, all the way to the courtyard below. She didn't scream as she fell. She landed badly, horribly. Her hind leg was broken and twisted at an awful angle. Pain shot up her spine. This pain was matched by an equal, coming from just above her forehead. Blood was pouring down her face, stinging her eyes. It was over, Twilight thought. She had been defeated. She had to teleport away, plan again. She tried to teleport, but her magic failed her.

She looked up above her at a new terrifying spectacle. Spike was swinging his neck back and forth with a horrible muffled roar. Spike was hurt, and badly. Blood was pouring from his mouth. Blood sprayed in great red mists as he bellowed. Twilight looked closer. White objects were falling from Spikes mouth. They were his fangs. Those fangs could crunch diamonds like they were carrots, and the force of the explosion had shattered them. Twilight saw a new object fall from his mouth then. It looked like a fang, but it was smaller. A helical groove ran its length. It was purple. It was Twilight's horn. Spike had bitten off her horn. Twilight despaired.

Spike's roars quieted. He calmed himself. Twilight heard the clopping of approaching hooves. She tried to turn to look at Fluttershy.

"You... you always underestimated me, Twilight," Fluttershy spoke. "I was only ever a shrinking violet to you. You mistook meekness for weakness. That's the way they all thought of me. 'Don't play games on Fluttershy, she's too sensitive', 'don't bring Fluttershy along, she's too afraid’."

"Fluttershy, please," Twilight begged, "please don't hurt me anymore. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything I've done."

"Twilight, in all those books you've ever read, did you ever read anything about the herds of ponies that live in the Everfree Fields? The ones that call themselves the 'The Last Free Ponies?’”

Twilight tried to collect her thoughts. "The Last Free Ponies? Yes, they're wild ponies. They don't live in houses or read books. They eat wild grass. They're completely uncivilized. They're barbarians."

"Barbarians?" Fluttershy was amused. "Yes, I suppose they are barbarians. Now Twilight, do you know what it is those barbarians do to poor lame ponies who have broken their leg?"

"No!" Twilight cried, "No, please!"

"Don't worry, Twilight," Fluttershy said, "they considered it a form of kindness."

Fluttershy reared back above Twilight. She neighed. It wasn't her gentle whinnying, but a wild, high-pitched neigh. It screamed with a primal force. Four other voices added themselves to that neigh. It screamed with revenge. She brought her weight down, all of her force concentrated into her leading hoof. She brought her hoof down on top of Twilight's crying head.

It was not, she thought to herself afterwards, it was not all that much different than crushing an apple.

She walked away from the body, she walked out of range and then nodded to Spike.

Spike took the cue. He had been watching patiently. Spike had his own issues to resolve with Twilight. Spike inhaled, deeper than he had earlier. He breathed. It was hotter than before, blue-white this time. Twilight's ruined corpse was instantly vaporized. The wall behind her body was razed, the old palace behind that reduced to rubble. When Spike's vision returned, he looked to Fluttershy, her eyes began to milk over. They turned white completely, and men began to glow. Her frame rose up above the courtyard without her wings flapping. Spike turned away. There was going to be another light show, and Spike had seen enough light shows.

Spike watched the reflections flicker on the leaves of the trees like strobes. The lights crescendoed, then stopped.

"Spike," came a voice behind him. Spike snaked his head around to look. Fluttershy was before him. She had been restored to her youth, appearing the same as when he had met her many years ago, except for a crown beset with six colored jewels resting on her head. "Let me take a look at your mouth." Spike opened his aching maw wide. "Yes, I can fix this for you, I can fix it right now." She used her magic. How? Spike had taught her the nature of magic, but she couldn't actually use it without a horn. The pain flowed away from him. She had changed again from just a moment before. A small nub of a horn had appeared just above her forehead. She continued to change as he watched. She grew. Six feet, seven, eight... Her wings stretched out and grew as well. Hers were no longer the small, improbable wings of a song bird but the mighty wings of a giant eagle. The new horn continued to grow, stretching out over three feet, an ominous lance. And the hair of her mane and tale was no longer hair. It was waves of coherent light, discrete bands of pink in different shades and hues that waved perpetually in an unfelt wind. She strolled around his maw, laid down beside him, and rested her head on his. "I'm so tired. Spike," she said.

"Do I call you Princess Fluttershy now?"

"I don't think you should call me Fluttershy at all. I don't feel like Fluttershy. Fluttershy was the paragon of kindness. I still possess that element, still intact. I have all the other elements too. But I don't feel kind. I don't feel loyal, or honest. I certainly don't feel like laughing."

They thought quietlyto themselves for a moment.

"Spike?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for... taking care of the animals for me. I just couldn't do that myself."

"Hmm," he said, "I've done worse. I still say you took an awful risk. If Twilight had seen through your bluff, if she had known your Element was still intact, she would have tried to sever it. I would have had to take you out myself before that happened. I'm glad I didn't have to do that," he added, "you're the only friend I have left."

Spike focused his attention in the direction of Canterlot, "is the other battle finished? Is it decided? I can't see it anymore."

Fluttershy followed his gaze. She could still see it. She could see everything. "It's a draw, Spike. They're still fighting, but that battle will never be decided, they're too evenly matched. Each makes gains on the other, only to lose them again. It's in their destiny."

"You could put a stop to it."

"I could, Spike. They've only weakened themselves, Luna and Celestia. I could march in and destroy them. Or enslave them, make them swear fealty, bend them to my will. But why, Spike? I don't want to rule Equestria. I didn't want any of this power. I only did this to stop Twilight. I'm no princess, I hardly even like other ponies. All I've ever wanted to do is live in my little house in the country and take care of animals. I just want to go home, Spike. But I can't even go home now, not with what's waiting for me."

"Let's build a new home then, Fluttershy. Somewhere far away from Canterlot or Ponyville or the Everfree Forest. Somewhere in the wilds, with plenty of animals. Something with a large front door. It will give us time enough to think, at least. It will be a place where we can pick up the pieces."

Fluttershy looked around at the rubble before her. "Alright, Spike. Let's find someplace new. I'm done here."