A Magical New Beginning

Don’t lose your faith, don’t sit there in silence, show your strength, let’s hail the pony gods. Bare your heart
All for one, our burning hearts will live forever, one for all, together standing strong
My Little Pony, we will prevail, Friendship Is Magic, let us hail

A MAGICAL NEW BEGINNING – A SEASON 4 CONTEST ENTRY

  “Give in to your anger, Twilight Sparkle. Let all your hatred and pain flow through you.” Twilight looked up into the darkness but saw only her own twisted, warped reflection staring back at her. Her massive wings covered all that she could see, her crooked horn seethed with venom and her cloven hooves shook the ground. Twilight wanted to flee but she didn’t even have her horn anymore. “You are weak. How will you ever protect anypony? Give in to your anger. Curse me, Twilight Sparkle. Hate me.”

   “Leave me alone!” Twilight cried out, feeling hot tears streaming down her cheeks. Her reflection doubled in size and split up so that it could surround her while chanting her name over and over again.

   “Twilight… Twilight…” Her name echoed through the darkness, pulling her up towards the shining light. A pair of scaly claws shook her arms and it was with a gasp, like someone breaching the surface of water, that she came back to reality. “Are you okay?”

   Spike stood on her bed and looked down at her with worry. She gazed around the room frantically. It was still her castle bedroom, the one given to her by Celestia, and she was still lying in her sky blue canopy bed. She sighed deeply and wiped her brow. “I’m fine.”

   “You sure about that? You were groaning pretty badly,” he asked and jumped down again. A smile spread over her lips.

   “I’m sure. Just a little excited, I suppose. We’ve been in Canterlot for a whole week and now we’re finally going back to Ponyville.”

   “Yeah, well, some things never change. Still sleeping by your bed. Of course, my sheets are of real silk now. And my pillow cashmere,” Spike mumbled as he made his bed.

   Twilight pushed the nightmare away. There was no reason to worry that after all. She levitated a simple pink cape out of her closet and draped it around it her back so her wings could not be seen.

   “Don’t tell me you’re not excited too. I’m not the only one talking in my sleep.” The prospect of what the day held elevated her mood significantly. Giggling, she enveloped the baby dragon with her magic and sprinted out of the room.

   “What are you doing?” Spike asked, but she pressed them up against the wall and turned them invisible.

  A maid came down the hallway and went into their room, then looked curiously around her. Her eyes rested on their position before shrugging off the noise and continuing on down. Twilight sighed and made them visible again.

   “I’m tired of being pampered. I’m lucky if I can even get to cut up my own meals, so I figured we’d get something to eat on the train. You know, like normal ponies for once.”

   “I really don’t see what the problem is. I’ve got all the gems I could wish for. Especially sweet, delicious peridots,” he replied and licked his lips with his long tongue. Twilight shook her head and sprinted down the hall once she was certain that the maid had gone.

   They managed to get to the train without being seen. The cape also hid her cutie mark and made her look completely ordinary. Once out of the castle, she was able to blend with the crowd around the station. There was one pony she could never fool however.

   “Leaving so soon?”

   The familiar voice froze her in her tracks. She had only been a few more steps away from the train and then her escape would have been complete. “P-Princess! How did you know?”

   Celestia stepped out from under the shade of the awning. Most of the ponies had to look twice to see if their eyes deceived them. The Princess repaid their glances and smiled, but her guards kept a buffer so that she could be alone with Twilight.

   “I know you don’t like being spoiled, but you’re also Equestria’s newest Princess. I couldn’t let you leave without a small escort… and a goodbye.” Celestia bowed her head and Twilight happily accepted the nuzzling.

  She opened her eyes again and looked at Spike. “Why don’t you go on-board and find us a seat? I’ll be right along.”

  Spike didn’t object, mostly because his stomach chose that moment to rumble. Three of the pure white guards followed behind him and left another two at the station. A pendant flew around Twilight’s neck from under Celestia’s wing. It was of glittering gold with a few gems inlaid reminiscent of the elements, with her own symbol as the biggest and centremost piece.

   “Wear this as the symbol of your status, Twilight. I hope you like it.”

   “It’s beautiful.” Twilight took a moment to examine it, then looked back up at her teacher. “Celestia, I… ever since I became an alicorn I’ve had these nightmares. Every night it’s an alicorn me intimidating a helpless me.”

   Celestia was surprisingly stoic and didn’t seem at all worried. Instead she looked away, up to the beautiful, blue sky. Cloudsdale had promised good weather all week in celebration.

   “You’re just nervous about all the changes in your life. Try and ignore it if you can.”

  Twilight nodded, just as a whistle blew. A conductor in a blue jacked went down the station and shouted, “All aboard,” so Twilight hastily embraced her teacher and went into her compartment. She waved at the Princess for as long as they could still see each other.

  For a long while, Celestia stood still on the platform and observed the train getting smaller and smaller before disappearing into the mountains. A breeze blew down into the city but her hair waved as gentle as always.

   “Your Highness!” A guard stopped up before her, wheezing and sweating. “Your Highness… lower vaults… break-in…”

  She regarded him for a moment before replying.  “Anything stolen?”

   He took few seconds to catch his breath, then swallowed so he could stand correctly. “No, Your Highness, that’s just it. According to all of our logs the vault is supposed to be empty. And the way it was smashed… I’d say it looks more like a breakout.”

   “Put your mind to ease, private. This is nothing for you to worry about,” she replied.

***

  Twilight was greeted by a storm of hugs by her friends almost before she could get off the train. Spike was lost somewhere in the middle and rolled out once everyone had let go again.

  “It’s so good to see you again,” Fluttershy said, nearly bursting with happiness.

   “I’m also happy to be back,” Twilight replied, but was quickly interrupted by a whistle. Rainbow Dash hovered above them wearing a red cap and with a whistle around her neck.

  “Let’s not forget, folks, why Twilight is here. She chose us to help teach her about her new powers. The sooner we begin the better.”

  “Simmer down,” Applejack replied and poked her ears. “Twalight won’t be leaving us fer a while.”

  “Hmph. That’s weakling talk. Our training begins now!”

  “You’d better go to the library and set us up,” Twilight whispered to Spike as she lowered her head. “This is probably going to take some time.”

  “And tomorrow we’ll have a welcome back party!” Pinkie interjected, jumping around between Twilight and Rainbow. “I have planned everything, right down to the cakes and the–”

  Again Rainbow blew her whistle, surprising Pinkie so that her mane and tail blew out in a puff. “We’ll see if we can make it. I have planned a strict regimen for Twilight.”

  “Ya forget that Twalight is serposed to train me and Pinkie tomorrow,” Applejack barked, but Rainbow was already dragging Twilight away.

  “It’s okay,” Twilight called back to her friends but stole a glance at Rainbow Dash. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t work me too hard. I doubt even Rainbow Dash could stop me.”

  The pegasus had to swallow a lump but quickly hardened her face again and led the way outside Ponyville, to a clearing between a cluster of trees. Scootaloo was there as well and happily bounced up and down when she saw Rainbow Dash, but quickly stopped when she noticed Twilight as well.

   “So cool! I can’t believe you got wings too. Can I see them?” she asked fervently while dancing around Twilight.

   “Scoots is right, recruit. Show me those wings of yours,” Rainbow commanded. Twilight bit into the hem of her robe and yanked it off her. Her magnificent wings spread out and Scootaloo nearly fell on her behind.

  “Wow! They’re so much bigger than Rainbow Dash’s too!”

  Rainbow grunted while colour flushed her cheeks. “Remember, recruit, the size of your wings have only a minor effect on your flying ability. Show her, Scoots.”

  Scootaloo saluted and started flapping her wings like a hummingbird, lifting her above ground ever so slightly. Rainbow took a stopwatch that she also kept around her neck and clicked it. “As you can see, this young flier is endowed with very small wings but she can still remain airborne for five minutes. Speaking of, remember that I’m timing you. No landing until you beat your old records.”

  “No problem, Rainbow Dash!” she said, but the expression on her face spoke of the heavy strain it posed upon her. She bobbed gently up and down without truly falling down. Rainbow smiled at her with pride but quickly cleared her throat.

  “Recruit; show me what you are capable off.”

  “They’re a little stiff,” Twilight said and flexed her wings.

  “That just means you haven’t used them much. When I’m done with you, your wings will be smooth and flexible. Now go.”

  Twilight closed her eyes and started flapping her wings. It took her few moments before she felt herself lift off the ground, and she yelped with joy until she opened her eyes and saw Rainbow’s unimpressed face.

  “I’m doing it, I’m doing it, I’m… using my magic, aren’t I?”

  Rainbow nodded and Twilight released the bubble she had unconsciously enveloped around her. “Again,” Rainbow shouted and Twilight tried again, every time using her magic and prompting a slap over her horn. She was huffing with exertion and frustration but she refused to give up. Her wings once again spread to their full length and flapped up and down. Again her hooves felt like they were lifting but the warmth of her magic wasn’t present.

  “So this is where you’re hiding.”

  Twilight’s concentration broke and she fell face first into the ground.

  “Fluttershy, she almost had it!” Rainbow cried.

  Fluttershy put down a tray with a big jug and some plates and looked up shocked to see Twilight with her nose in the grass. “Goodness, I’m sorry! I just thought you’d enjoy some refreshments. It’s a long train trip after all, so I made lemonade and biscuits.”

   “Lemonade?” Scootaloo asked happily and fell down as well. Rainbow clicked the stopwatch and grinned broadly.

  “Nearly six minutes, Scoots. Well done!”

  They postponed their practice and sat down around the tray for as long as Rainbow’s patience lasted. This only took her one glass and two biscuits before she stood up again and whistled.

  “All right, break’s over. Time to get back to training.”

  “But I was just telling Twilight about preening her wings. That’s just as important,” Fluttershy said. Rainbow could only facehoof herself.

  “Preening is secondary to learning how to use her wings!”

  “You would think so. Look at those feathers on you, Rainbow. So ruffled and dirty. Perhaps you need some help?”

   Rainbow backed away slowly but Fluttershy pounced her and pinned her to the ground. She took Rainbow’s left wing and spread it out with her hoof, much to the protests half-choked in a giggle fit. “You should make sure to preen your feathers every day, Twilight. You don’t want them to look like this, do you? Oh my, is that a feather louse? Rainbow, really!”

  A small black cloud almost formed on top of Rainbow’s grumbling head as she begrudgingly accepted the direction her training had taken.

***

  Twilight returned late that day and went straight to her bed. Her wings throbbed with exhaustion, not so much from preening, but more from all the flying Rainbow had forced her to do. Her instinct to use magic was hard to conquer but she was getting increasingly used to it. With a happy smile Twilight laid down on her bed and curled up into a ball.

  Her happiness could not prevent the nightmares from returning. Again she wandered the darkness with twisted images of herself exploding into colours, whispering veiled threats and commands at her. Her only option was cower in fear of them until light penetrated into the blackness. Her clones swirled together and melted into a familiar shape. She looked up and gasped in joy to see Princess Luna standing before her.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked and got up again.

  “Our dear sister told us of your nightmares,” she replied with a smile and bowed her head down to Twilight. “We would have helped you before, had we not been busy. There are things happening in Canterlot.”

  “But how can I get rid of them? I’m almost too scared to close my eyes at night!”

  “Worry about that later, Twilight Sparkle, for now you will sleep with easy dreams. We will talk when you wake up again.” Luna lifted her head, and as she did, her horn glowed and the dream world transformed into a beach. The rest of the night was spent dreaming she was lying in the sand, when a handsome colt went towards her to fetch his denim shorts.

  She slept so well that the real Spike had to shake her violently back and forth. She looked up perplexed at him, as if asking what he was doing that for, but a yawn got in her way.

   “Boy, I don’t even want to know what you were dreaming, but Luna is here. Now that I think about it, she’s probably been here all night.” He looked behind him to see the Princess sitting regally on the floor with her majestic hair waving on an unfelt wind. Spike simply shrugged and jumped down from the bed. “I’m going for breakfast, you two enjoy yourselves.”

  “Why… why did you come here?” Twilight asked and tried to make sense of the world. “I just had a crazy dream about a pool hall as well.”

  “Yes, we’ve noticed your vivid imagination. It would be a shame to deny you of such leisure. Until you get your nightmares in check, we will alleviate your nightly distress,” Luna said with as gentle a voice as she could muster.

  “But how do I do that? Get my nightmares under control I mean.” Twilight rolled out of bed and rubbed her face. Late morning light gleamed in from an overhead window and illuminated the bedroom she had claimed the past few years.

  “The nightmares are the manifestation of your alicorn powers. So to say, your body is trying to get accustomed to the enormous powers now coursing within you. Unless you can get those powers in balance the nightmares will persist.”

  Twilight went to her nightstand and started brushing her hair back in its place. “And I can only balance my powers by learning to control my newfound earth pony and pegasus sides, right?”

  “Yes!” she said with an approving smile. “But know that there is more to it than simply that. As a unicorn your powers have grown as well, but our beloved sister will help you with that in time. For now it’s more important that you learn about earth pony and pegasus magic.”

  “Sure is hard work though,” she said and put her brush down again. She was looking almost respectable if her eyes weren’t drooping. She rubbed them again and went to sit down on the floor in front of the princess. She was almost twice as big as Twilight. “I switch between training with Rainbow Dash and then Pinkie Pie and Applejack every other day. It must have been the same for you?”

  “Somewhat,” Luna replied and looked away. “You are the true alicorn ruler of Equestria.”

  “True? But what about you and Celestia?”

  “Already we have said too much, Twilight Sparkle. Focus on your training and grow strong.” Luna got up and spread her wings.

  “Wait a minute, what is it that you’re not telling me… won’t you at least stay for some breakfast?”

  “The story of our conception is a dark tale filled with the blood of the innocents. Do not question this further if you are not prepared for the answer.” She was out of the window and disappeared in a flash before Twilight could protest further.

  “What did she mean by that?” she mumbled on her way downstairs.

***

  “All right, Twilight, today we’re going to bake!” Pinkie exclaimed excitedly and bounced into Sugarcube Corner’s kitchen. Ingredients had already been prepared and laid out on counters and a book was resting on the table between equipment.

  “But I don’t know how to bake,” Twilight said, but Pinkie simply wagged her hoof.

  “Tch, tch. All earth ponies know how to bake.”

  “I don’t think that’s–”

  “All earth ponies!” Pinkie said and dragged a chef’s hat down over Twilight. “First thing we got to do is figure out what you want to make and then…”

  Twilight adjusted the hat and looked up with a grin. Despite her reservations, she went to her task with modest eagerness. “If there’s one thing I know, it’s following instructions in a book,” Twilight said and flipped the pages.

  While Twilight baked, Pinkie placed herself on a stool at the corner. As time dragged on, however, her attention drove her elsewhere and Twilight was left to her own devices. Forty minutes later Pinkie returned to billowing smoke from the oven. Twilight emerged coughing and placed the scorching hot tray on the table. Pinkie snuck one of the black things off, the crust blowing away just from her breath.

  “I’m sorry, Pinkie. You don’t have to eat them out of pity,” Twilight said and looked crestfallen at her creations. Pinkie, however, had already taken a big bite and munched away happily.

  “Mmm! These are the best charcoal cakes I’ve ever tasted!” she said and moaned slightly in pleasure. Twilight could only raise a suspicious eyebrow.

  “I was actually making muffins,” she explained. Pinkie chewed a little slower, but undeterred, she pilfered another cake from the tray. “Don’t eat those!” Twilight tried to take away the muffin but Pinkie managed to cram the entire burnt thing in her mouth.

  “What? They’re good!” Pinkie said and sprayed crumbs all over Twilight’s face. Twilight simply rolled her eyes.

  “I’d better go see what Applejack has got planned for me.”

  Applejack waited for her at the farm some thirty minutes later. The day was still beautiful with a slight breeze. Twilight tingled with excitement as she wiped the last of her baking misadventure off of her. Applejack, likewise, stood with a spade in her arm and a tool belt over her back in front of a garden plot off to the side of the Apple family land. She had curiously replaced her usual hat with a rounded one of straw, and her hair was braided. She wiped her head from hard work and the baking sun.

  “Howdy, Twalight. Come ta help me out?” she asked.

  “You look, um… different,” Twilight pointed out but Applejack averted her eyes and blushed.

  “Ah don’t wanna talk about it. Ya ready fer yer first lesson? We need ta weed out the carrot patch.”

  “I didn’t know you had a carrot patch,” Twilight said and looked at the long rows of green sprouts.

  “Sure. Why’dya think we’ve got that barn over there?” Applejack pointed her spade to a small house behind them with a large carrot figurine at the top. “Carrots are like, hoo, half our income here.”

  “Strange. I’ve never– never mind, I’d be happy to help you.” Twilight lifted the spade with her magic, but Applejack simply giggled.

  “Twalight, first of all, that’s not the tool yer gonna use fer weeding. Second, ya gotta do it with yer hoofs if ya wanna train yer earth pony powers.”

  “Oh… right. Sorry. Guess I’d better take my cape off too.” With the right tool appropriated from Applejack’s satchel, Twilight was finally ready for her first test as part earth pony. Applejack directed her and showed her the difference between weed and crop. It was a small patch and there were plenty of other duties afterward. Up until midday they chased varmints off the land, brought in the filled baskets and did some minor repairs around the farm.

  “Hey!” Rarity said and came walking up the grass. She was wearing a headband, sunglasses and a bright smile at seeing how dirty they both were. Spike trailed along behind her carrying a heavy bundle over his shoulder.

  “Howdy!” Applejack called back and lifted her sun hat up. “Phew, Twalight, Ah think we’ve deserved us a little break.”

  Rarity levitated the bundle down and unrolled the cloth to reveal a red and white chequered pattern and a basket. Plates and glasses flew out and arranged themselves while Spike fell backwards, down into the soft grass. He looked up in surprise however when he finally noticed Applejack.

  “Whoa, what happened to you?” he asked and pointed at her. Applejack groused and concentrated on pouring Rarity a cup of tea.

  “Well, Applejack said that Pinkie would invite Twilight to a party before Rainbow Dash could force any training on her. I allowed that to become a bet,” Rarity explained and smugly raised cup and saucer up to her lips with her magic. “I think she looks absolutely gorgeous.”

  Twilight put a hoof to her mouth and giggled just as her stomach grumbled. Spike handed out the prepared sandwiches and Twilight happily accepted it. “But this training isn’t any easier than Rainbow Dash’s. I just hope it will pay off.”

  “Oh Twilight, can’t you see that Pinkie Pie and Applejack are playing you for a fool? Earth ponies don’t have magic,” Rarity said and took a ladylike bite out of her sandwich. A vein started throbbing under Applejack’s sunhat.

  “Mind repeating that… sugar cube?”

  Rarity swallowed her bite and dabbed her lips with a handkerchief, before shoving her face into Applejack’s and whispering, with a playful voice: “Earth ponies – don’t have – magic. They just feel left out so they invented those stories about relation to life and plants.”

   “Why… you. How about Ah show ya sum earth pony magic?” Applejack ripped the flowery hat off her head and got up again. Rarity had exactly three seconds head start while Applejack got her braids untangled.

  “Wa-ha-ha!” Rarity screamed as Applejack chased her around the farm.

   Twilight almost forgot to chew just watching them. She leant in close to Spike who was just trying to enjoy a handful of small gems.

   “Looks like nothing has changed here.”

   Spike looked up at her with a ruby between his teeth, and then looked at the spirited sounds coming from Rarity and Applejack. “It’s only been a week,” he shrugged and finished off the gem.

  Twilight sat and observed them as Applejack had allowed herself to be pinned down and didn’t move. All colour drained from her coat and Twilight was filled with an immense sense of dread that folded down on her like a heavy blanket threatening to smother her. Spike wasn’t moving either and a small diamond stood still in the air just above his snout. He was colourless too just like the whole world around her. Twilight tried to move but the inexplicable fear made her limbs heavy.

  “Impressive, isn’t it? Hope I didn’t scare you.”

   She almost couldn’t turn her head. It felt like the world might end by the time she did. Slowly she managed to inch her head further and further back until she could see a unicorn coming towards her from the apple orchard. He was a strong, handsome fellow with a coat not too differently coloured from hers, with a long, silvery mane cascading down his shoulders. His cutie mark appeared to be a metal ring.

   “W-who are you?” Twilight stammered wide-eyed.

  “Swirl the Swift is my name and let me tell you, I have waited a very long time for you. Isn’t she just precious? She sure is, Other Swift.” He ticced slightly as he answered his own question, moving closer and closer to her.

   “What do you want with me?” Twilight wanted to run but she had caught his intense, purple eyes and felt an insane laughter howling in her ears that had nothing to do with Swift.

   “Oh, just a fair warning is all. Me and Other Swift are going to kill you, Twilight Sparkle, but we need to do some preparation first. Is nighttime all right with you?” he asked calmly and stood right in front of her. Her body would not move and the laughter became louder and louder, accompanied by a thousand pained murmurs. Tears streamed down her face and as he reached in closer and closer. “All right then, tonight it is. No hard feelings, of course, this has nothing to do with you personally. We just need your powers is all.”

  He turned to leave but she gulped to moisten her parched throat. Still her voice was barely a whisper, “Why?”

  “Hmm? Oh my, has the Princess explained nothing to you?” he asked and watched her from the corner of his eyes. “Well, should we tell her? Nah, Other Swift. If she wants to know, she should ask Celestia herself. Ask her how she became an alicorn. Well, buh-bye!”

   Space warped around him and swallowed him up. With him gone, the world returned to normal and the gem hit Spike square in the face. Twilight panted heavily with cold sweat dripping down her brow like she had just run a hundred miles. Spike’s long tongue grabbed the gem from his nose and stuffed it into his mouth. He looked at her curiously. To him, the last minute had only been a second.

   “Are you okay?” he asked. She looked at him with her fearful eyes.

  “Library, letter, now,” she said, grabbing him with her magic and speeding back into town. Applejack and Rarity watched her leave with puzzled expressions.

***

  “Why do you wish to know the story of my creation?” That had been the reply arriving only moments after she sent her shortened letter. There were so many other things she wanted to ask and tell but courage failed her. There was no need to drag in a mysterious, delusional stranger with spooky powers as well. But when it came to a reply to Celestia’s reply, nothing came to her. She sent back just two words and that had been the end of that correspondence. “Just curious.”

  Night fell on Ponyville and the words of the outlandish appearance came to weigh heavier and heavier on Twilight’s mind. Still she went to Sugarcube Corner for Pinkie’s party dressed in her simple pink dress and with the necklace equipped. It was dark inside the store and she could not hear a sound. She opened her mouth to speak but someone jumped her from behind and blindfolded her. Twilight gasped and squirmed, but a voice shouted in her ears: “Twilight, stop fidgeting so much!”

   “Pinkie, I’m not in the mood for–” A piece of delicious cake was thrust into her mouth, with several layers of chocolate sandwiched between a creamy chocolate filling and strawberry jam.

   “I just don’t understand why the Cakes didn’t want me to serve your charcoal cakes. Those things were yummy!”

   Twilight mumbled something in resigned protest and allowed herself to be led. By the time she could swallow the pastry and have a chance of getting a word in, the blindfold was removed again. Twilight was standing in a large open space that she recognised as the local outdoor theatre, where the school sometimes held a talent show for its students. A dance floor had been placed in front of the scene and tables laden with food were everywhere. A host of ponies, if not the entire town, had come.

  “Pinkie, what… what is this?” Twilight exclaimed as the ponies all cheered on her and raised their drinks. “I thought you were only putting together a small party?”

   “I was, but I just couldn’t turn down them down and everypony wanted to welcome you back,” Pinkie replied with a hoof on her back. She pressed the blushing Twilight into the crowd and many came to her with personal greetings. Even more bowed to her in reverence that made her blush furiously. “You’re kind of a big thing if you hadn’t noticed. Everypony is just so happy for you!”

   Lanterns were lit as darkness fell on the land and a DJ blasted out music from her console. Twilight turned down several requests for a speech and excused herself. She found a quiet corner where she could enjoy her coconut slice with some sort of purple juice that Berry Punch had concocted in her honour.

   “You can only postpone the inevitable. Sooner or later you’re going to have to indulge them with a speech,” a familiar voice said. A warm glow fell on her cheeks and she looked up surprised to Celestia standing next to her.

   “Princess, what are you doing here?” Twilight asked and nearly gagged on her drink.

   “You should really stop calling me that. You’re a Princess as well now, remember?” Celestia said and smiled heartwarmingly down at Twilight for a moment before her face became wrinkled with worry. “Why do you want to know how I was made?”

   “Oh, well, you see,” Twilight said flummoxed and dropped the coconut into the soft grass. She took a moment to steady herself while avoiding Celestia’s eyes. “I just had to go through this whole complicated ordeal with a spell that even Starswirl couldn’t finish and it made me wonder how you could have done it. I mean, no pony is born alicorns, are they?”

   “You’ve had a whole week to ask me that, Twilight. Why now? Did someone set you up to this?” Twilight felt the unusual sternness in her mentor’s voice and shrunk away, but a hoof wrapped itself around her neck.

   “You can tell the Princess, Other Swift and I are real good pals with her.” The arrival of Swirl the Swift again brought with it the hushed whispers inside her mind that cried and pleaded in a thousand voices.

   “How did you break out of your cell?” Celestia asked and pointed her horn at him. He pressed his own up against Twilight’s cheek.

   “Not much of a confinement, really. I was just biding my time until the true alicorn could be born, and rather than being chased around for a thousand years, I let myself get captured. When I felt my bonds weakening, I knew that the elements were transferring their power.”

  “But how did you get out of Canterlot? And how did you ever come here?” Twilight asked, panicking ever so slightly from the many voices in her mind.

   “This will take all night if I have to answer all your questions. Celestia, why don’t you take over in that department? Me and Other Swift are just dying to hear how you became an alicorn,” he said with his usual tic at the mention of his other self.

   “Why should I tell you? You already knew the answer.” To this, Swift gently pricked his horn against Twilight and Celestia grunted in frustration. “Starswirl… forced the elements to make us alicorns.”

   “Aaaand?” Swift asked with a roll of his hoof.

   “By sacrificing an earth pony and a pegasus. But even so, the elements would only give me half of the power. We had to sacrifice two more for my sister as well.”

   The inside of Twilight’s stomach churned. She retched but nothing would come out. Just a sour taste in her mouth combining with the salty sting of her tears.

   “Good, that wasn’t so hard, was it now? Can you guess now what I am going to do?” Swift asked to Twilight and released her. Celestia quickly fired a spell from her horn but Swift stopped the flow of time again.

   Twilight finally had a chance to look around her. Several of the guests had noticed what had probably evolved into raised voices, and all of her friends had been coming towards her. Now they all stood motionless flying and galloping towards her.

   “You want to sacrifice me to get my powers?” Twilight asked and backed away. She needed time to think up a plan.

   “You catch on quick. Yes, with your powers, I will become the most powerful pony in history. I guess I’ll think up a new goal after that. Something befitting of a monarch. Like a cheese collection. Or maybe world domination, but we’ll see.” He moved towards her slowly, throwing his head this way and that.

   “H-how could you have lived for a thousand years? You’re just a unicorn,” Twilight continued and edged closer towards her friends. Her question released a snicker from Swift.

   “I’m not a simple unicorn, Twilight Sparkle. I was originally an earth pony, but let me tell you, Starswirl left a lot of useful data. Of course, I had to adjust for not having the elements… or a horn… or any willing sacrifices. In fact, I had to kill a lot of unicorns to get this horn, forcing as much power as I squeeze out of them little by little.” He seemed to recall such memories with fondness and giggled at what he remembered. Twilight had almost gotten to her friends.

   “But what about Cadance? She’s an alicorn too, why didn’t you ever go after her?”

   “More questions? Very well, last one and then I really will kill you, Twilight Sparkle. Your foalsitter isn’t a true alicorn, just a pegasus with a horn. Or a unicorn with wings! That’s right, Other Swift,” he said and ticced. “Point is, she doesn’t have the power I want. Just some useless love and crystal pony magic. Now, the true ruler of all Equestria. That is a power worth waiting for! Are you ready, Twilight Sparkle? Because here I come!”

   Yellow light shone from his horn and Twilight countered with a purple spell of her own. The two beams clashed and Twilight was nearly overwhelmed by the raw force behind it. She dug her hooves into the ground and still felt herself being pushed backwards.

   “You stalled for time, now tell me what plan you came up with. Are you going to banish me to the Moon? Encase me in stone? Eject me to the farthest corner of Equestria? Or seal me away again? Because let me tell you, none of that will work on me and Other Swift.” His sudden tic stopped the stream for a second, sending Twilight face first into the ground and his beam blasting up into the air. He towered over her with his insane grin. Again the laughter rang in her ears.

   She gritted her teeth. The bitter taste had not left her, and neither had her friends. ‘Earth ponies have magic over life.’ Applejack’s voice dispelled the whispers, and the laughs of her friends filled her head instead. ‘Flex those wings, recruit.’ Rainbow Dash swam into her vision and her wings instinctively flapped, carrying her up into the sky. “You stole your powers, Swift, whereas mine were given to me freely by friends. I may not be able to kill you, but I can do something much worse.”

  “And what would that be, Twilight Sparkle? You are no match for me. You will never defeat me.”

   Twilight looked at him with her eyes shining with magic. The powers of all three races flowed through her veins. “It is not death you fear. It is life. You would eradicate all to satisfy your own desires.”

   “Eh?” For the first time, Swift’s triumphant demeanour turned to one of fearful questioning.

  “I will not let the fear of my enormous powers hold me back any longer. As the true alicorn ruler, it is my duty to judge you. And I sentence you to life.” Particles of light hovered like embers from a fire, coming out of the very ground and sky, and cocooned her in magic. She easily threw Swift’s spell aside and sucked her friends into the time bubble and up close to her. They were confused, understandably, but went along with her plan. They too could feel their unique magic being drawn forth and levitated closer to Twilight.

   “Impossible. Are you seeing this? I sure am, Other Swift! Twilight Sparkle broke a spell that Starswirl used so much time thinking up like it was nothing.”

  Swift looked on with an ecstatic smile as a rainbow-coloured band washed over him. His screams mixed with his insane laughter as dozens of ghostly unicorns were flung from his body. They all mouthed a “Thank you” before dissipating into a wisp of smoke. Swift fell on his side, hornless, still laughing and kicking his legs. With him gone, the time spell was removed as well and Celestia’s beam was allowed to continue its course and exploded into numerous sparks against the sky. Numerous guards streamed into the clearing and overpowered Swift.

   “My beautiful intellect wasted as a baker!” he screamed at the top of his lungs and continued his maniacal laughing. His cutie mark had been transformed into a loaf of bread, and his silvery mane was nothing more than a smooth ridge down his neck. “Oh how cruel nature can be.”

  “What just happened?” Rainbow Dash asked as she was gently placed down on the ground along with the others. Twilight sighed deeply and wiped her brow.

  “You have a lot to tell your friends,” Celestia said with her usual, gentle smile. “And I can tell that they have a lot to ask as well.”

   Twilight turned from the Princess and looked at her friends. They all looked equally confounded, as did most of the guests. “I guess I better make that speech soon. After that, I will try to… no, I will explain everything to you. That’s a promise.” All of her friends, Spike included, proceeded to embrace her tightly.

   “There’s a lot on your mind these days,” Fluttershy said with her cheek pressed up against Twilight’s. “You know you can always come to us if you have a problem.”

   “I’m sorry I didn’t fully confide in you either.” The Princess dragged Twilight away with a wing and the other six went back to the party. “I wasn’t sure what you would think of me if I told you how I came to be.”

   “I understand that the times were different, but surely there had to be another way?”

   Celestia turned her head from Twilight’s accusing gaze. “Don’t think it was an easy choice to make, but they sacrificed themselves to ascend us. I choose to remember them not how they died, but for why. Without their sacrifice my sister and I would never have been able to seal Discord away. Or banish King Sombra. Or… or lock Nightmare Moon away.”

   “I trust you, Celestia. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.” Twilight smiled weakly up at the Princess but the thought of what she was still made her stomach upset. “Who was this Swirl the Smart?”

  Celestia looked up at the Moon, its gentle rays bathing them in a nocturnal shimmer. “He was a baker at my castle that used the confusion around Starswirl’s death to steal research material. Dangerous papers with some of Starswirl’s darkest experiments. Then he used my vulnerability after losing my sister to flatter his way into the court, purporting to be one of Starswirl’s disciples.”

  “They how did you come to seal him away?” Twilight asked and sat down in the grass.

   “He used his stolen magic to open portals between worlds. He undermined the recently built Canterlot with weird structures and strange machines, but fled before I could apprehend him. I spent a long time chasing him, always finding his hideouts abandoned. It was his own arrogance that became his downfall. He left me a ring that teleported me directly to a large factory buried beneath the sea.”

   “But what did he want?”

   “I’m not sure he even knew that himself. If he had a goal before becoming a unicorn, then it was most assuredly lost to his madness.”

   Several chariots appeared up in the sky. One was dragged by dark ponies in bat armour and another by Celestia’s white guards. Shining Armour waved down at them from above.

   “I took the liberty of inviting a few more. I hope you don’t mind.”

   Twilight smiled and waved back, all the while expressing her final thought: “And the nightmares… will they ever go away? And will I live forever? And what’s going to happen to you?”

   “It will be a long time before you have to worry about those questions, Twilight. Study as hard as you always have, become the best alicorn you can be and the nightmares will soon leave you.”