>You never complained about the cold in Canterlot.
>You never felt it.
>Even though you were blinded by blizzards, you could see the final end of this coup d'etat.
>Was it only a mirage?
>Perhaps.
>But on that day in that city, your blood ran hot with dreams of victory, melting the ice that stood in your way.
 
...
 
>“Are you ready, Anonymous?”
 
>There was a somber mood hanging over the throne room.
>Staring up at the large stained glass depiction of you two, you gripped your staff firmly as you steeled your soul.
>This would be the final battle.
>It was win or lose, no middle ground.
 
>You would enter the very heart of their castle.
>Using the Discorb, you would unleash all of its power as Nightmare Moon emerged from the World Between.
>She would harness the wild energy and use it to power her rebirth, and free you from your negative effects on Equestria.
>From there, both of you would remove the princesses and claim sovereignty.
 
>As the portal tore itself open in front of you, you shared one quick kiss with Nightmare Moon.
 
“No regrets?”
 
>Despite her wanting to say something, she nodded her head with a grimace.
 
>“No regrets.”
 
>You took one last long look at the throne room in all its moonlit glory.
>No matter the outcome, this would be your last time you would see it.
>There was already a slight nostalgia tugging at you, and you hadn’t even left yet.
>Tapping the Discorb on the obsidian floor a few times just to break the oppressive silence, you crossed over.
 
>Two things immediately stood out as very wrong when you landed.
>One, you were somewhere inside of the city instead of the castle.
>Two, the sky was dark with clouds, and a thick layer of snow blanketed the entire region.
 
>You knew for a fact that it was far from winter.
>Such a huge breach in the weather schedule for Canterlot of all places was simply impossible.
>Your degenerative effect on the world must have finally thrown the weather here completely out of whack.
 
>But for it to be this bad...
>For it to go on for long enough to build up such a considerable layer of snow, your effects must have been far worse than you thought.
>No wonder they wanted you gone so badly.
>It was fortunate you spent so much time inside the World Between, far removed from Equestria.
 
>Pulling your suit jacket tighter in a futile attempt to preserve warmth, you wondered why in the world you emerged so far off point.
>So far each jump was pinpoint accurate, Nightmare Moon would have been exceptionally careful for this one as well.
>So what happened?
 
>Her projection was blurry and faded in and out nearby you.
>To her credit, she did not look worried.
>She was solid steel in the face of this unpredicted conflict.
 
>“Anonymous, what does it feel like over there?”
 
>You wanted to say ‘cold’, but now wasn’t the time to be making smart-ass comments.
>Tapping the Discorb against the veil, there was a far more solid sound from the impact instead of the usual hollow one.
>It was definitely thicker here.
>Relaying this information to her, she sat there in thought.
 
>“I do not know how, but Luna must have done something to, for lack of a better way to explain, ‘thicken’ the walls that separate our planes. That is perhaps why you were shunted over to this dreary corner of their capital.”
 
>Wonderful.
 
“Why don’t we just relocate somewhere else where the barrier is thinner?”
 
>“As much as I’d like to, this isn’t exactly a localized effect. We seemed to have caught it when it was still weak enough to be breached, but Canterlot must be the origin of this. There isn’t any way to reopen a portal here anymore, you’ll just have to stop them to let me through.”
 
>Well, not like retreat was really an option anyways.
>Her projection started fizzling out even further.
 
>“I’ll be watching.”
 
>Her last words provided some comfort as she was fully cut off from Equestria, her image disappearing in the same way it appeared.
>No point in lollygagging around in some snow filled back alley, you had a castle to reach.
 
>It was absurdly quiet for the capital city, the sound of snow crunching under your shoes your only companion.
>You rubbed your arms through your sleeves, trying to stave off the cold.
>Thinking back to fonder moments of your life, you trudged ever onward as your breath came out in vaporous clouds.
 
>Eventually you started coming across numerous tracks in the snow, giving you some relief.
>At least there were still some ponies milling about.
>The further you got inside the more tracks you started to find, some partially obscured from recent snowfall.
>You wondered why you had yet to actually SEE any of these ponies.
 
>Harsh winds started whipping across the city, blowing away the top layer of snow in large sheets.
>It picked up even faster as the clouds above started disgorging even more of the white powder.
>Vision was quickly obscured as you tried to find some shelter, the snowflakes stinging you with cold as they hit your face.
>Looks like you had your answer.
 
>It seemed that even when wounded by your distorting presence, Equestria still fought you tooth and nail.
 
>A thick hemisphere of glass appeared over you, covering you down to your knees as it shielded you from the brunt of the storm.
>It was projected from the top of the crystal, making you hold the staff like an umbrella as you marched forward.  
 
>All the snow that built up on your shield made the poor visibility even worse, forcing you to recreate it periodically and eat some high-speed snowfall just to see a few feet in front of you.
>Thankfully you were already heading in the right direction when the storm came in, and you think you hadn’t strayed much from that path.
 
>The Discorb noticed it first, shining weird lights all of a sudden.
>You didn’t understand what it meant, and it would not answer you verbally.
>It felt like it was looking about, alerted by something or someone.
>Checking over your shoulder futility, you were left with a bad feeling and the sense of being watched.
>There was no time to try and locate your invisible pursuer, as you had to press onward.
 
>Even though the connection between the two worlds was effectively cut off, you swore you could see the outline of Nightmare Moon walking alongside you.
>She was keeping you company as you drifted along this world of ice, warming your heart with her presence.
 
>Whether it was actually there or not, the sentiment kept you putting one foot in front of the other.
>You wouldn’t fail her, no matter what.
>Though a nice coat sure wouldn’t hurt.
>But so long as you found the castle fast enough, you should be fine.
 
>The storm started to lighten up after a while, allowing you to just barely see the towering outline of your destination.
 
>You flicked your staff to the side, destroying the unneeded shield in a loud shower of shards to be reabsorbed as you ascended the frosted steps of the castle.
>Two guards in heavy winter gear were keeping watch, unaware of your approach until it was too late to run.
 
>“I-It’s Anonymous!”
 
>With a lazy wave of the Discorb, two impossibly heavy lampshades covered their heads before they could run for help.
>There was a satisfying thunk as both of them collapsed on the ground, struggling in vain to lift their heads and move.
>You shook your head slightly with a dry chuckle as you passed them.
>The interior of this grandiose palace was well heated, much to your relief.
 
>Surely it shouldn’t take a long time or anything to reach the throne room!
 
...
 
>While it was quickly growing annoying, you had to commend the guards for their bravery.
>Every one you’ve stumbled across still wanted to try and fight you, even though they should know by now they stood no chance.
>Maybe they never heard of that age-old adage about bravery and stupidity.
 
>You worked your way to the throne room, having to deal with every last bit of beefed up security and doubled patrols the princesses had to offer.
>Eventually you just grew tired of the delays and started to simply walk past them, leaving behind large blotches of ink with each footstep.
>It was your take on Evard the Black’s classic spell.
>Anyone foolhardy enough to get close to one of the splotches would be seized by a rubbery black tentacle and grappled into submission.
 
>There were no pursuers left as you stood at the entrance to the throne room, bracing yourself as you moved to open its doors.
>A solitary flash of light was your only warning as the Discorb was torn out of your staff, jerking your arm wildly from the force.
 
>“I don’t think you realize what your about to face, Anon.”
 
>Discord!
 
>He held the Discorb in his talons, tossing it from one hand to another while he paced back and forth.
 
>“You’ve really gone and done it now, unfortunately. Their backs are against the wall, Anon, and that is where they shine the brightest.”
 
>The source of your power flew up and down in the air as he idly juggled with it.
>You clenched your fists in anger at his callous handling of it, playing with it like some kind of toy.
>But then again, it was his nature to be carefree, even during some of the direst situations.
 
>What was more interesting was how defensive you just got about it.
>While it was a rocky relationship at the start, you really felt like the Discorb was a friend.
>It was a bit of a jackass, but still definitely a friend.
 
“It doesn’t matter how many last minute power ups they get, or however many di ex machinis they can pull out of thin air! I operate on the rules of MY world alone, Discord, I can win!”
 
>For extra emphasis, you pointed an accusatory finger at him while you narrowed your eyes.
>You would not cower before anyone anymore.
>Discord squeezed the artifact in his lion hand, giving you a measured glance as he considered your words.
 
>“That’s all well and good, Anon, but what of your partner in crime? She will still be defeated.”
 
>You bit your lip in annoyance.
>He was right, but that wouldn’t stop you from trying.
 
“Then I’ll just have to shift the scales as an outside force. If I can ensure her victory, then the world itself would have to accept that impossibility!”
 
>“And what of the consequences? Would not everything start to unravel like it already has?”
 
>That made you pause.
>Even if she were able to somehow fix what you caused, would she not create similar problems of her own just from winning?
 
“Father. if. I. might. add. my. interpretations?”
 
>Both of you were startled by the sudden interjection of the Discorb.
 
>“You can talk? When could you talk? I’m quite certain you could never talk.”
 
>Discord was holding the crystal ball up to his eye, squinting as he examined it carefully.
>He seemed to have completely forgotten about you, leaving you awkwardly standing there.
 
“I. was. never. complete. back. then. All. the. ponies. who. you. tricked. into. taking. me. were. unable. to. develop. me. far. enough.”
 
>He stroked his beard slightly, looking like he was trying to remember something.
 
>“Oh yes! You’re right! It was absolutely hilarious fooling those stuffy old unicorns into thinking you were some kind of ancient relic! Can you believe they actually bought that same lie over and over again?”
 
>Laughter filled the hall as the two of them recalled old memories.
>The Discorb shined brightly in amusement as Discord wiped away an errant tear from his little fit of mirth.
>You shuffled your feet slightly.
 
>“Ahhh, the looks on their faces when they tried to use you were priceless.”
 
>There was an odd moment of calm as they shared what could only be described as a family moment.
 
“Do. you. remember. what. happened. with. the. invocator. Steady. Night?”
 
>“Ooh, who was that again?”
 
“Dark. green. coat. with. a. white. mane. She. had. an. archaic. compass. rose. for. her. marking.”
 
>He seemed lost in thought for a moment before bursting out into another round of howling laughter, holding the Discorb to his chest as he slapped his knee a few times.
 
>“Now THAT was one you got good. Oh! What abou-”
 
“Uh, I really hate to interrupt this moment between you two, but...”
 
>You nervously thumbed toward the entryway to the throne room.
>Discord coughed into his free hand slightly as he remembered why he came here in the first place.
>A bright glimmer caught your eye as the Discorb cleared its non-existent throat.
 
“The. law. here. is. that. justice. will. always. prevail. Those. who. side. with. justice. will. not. lose. in. the. end.”
 
“Looking. at. it. like. that. Nightmare. Moon. is. destined. to. lose. But. since. Anonymous. is. not. factored. into. this. equation. he. can. affect. the outcome. of. the. battle. without. interference. from. justice.”
 
“If. Nightmare. Moon. wins. this. final. battle. then. surely. she. must. be. the. one. justice. favors. Which. in. turn. means. the. unjust. ones. have. to. be. the. losers. of. this. conflict.”
 
>You opened your eyes widely as you caught the implication the Discorb was trying to make, snapping your fingers as it all clicked into place.
>This is how you would work around the supposed impossibility!
 
“History is written by the victors! If we win, then we will determine what is righteous!”
 
>The Discorb nodded in agreement.
>Discord had an almost shocked look to his face as he understood as well.
 
>“You turn the whole thing against them... Acting as an unseen force, you make THEM the villains simply by having them lose when they should win! If it sounds stupid even to me, then that must mean it’ll work!”
 
>He started cackling madly at that thought.
 
>“How very creative! You might actually have a shot at this! Very well, I think I’ll return to my nice vacation as this whole thing goes over. If you're still around after all is said and done, don’t forget to write.”
 
>Pulling out a piece of paper from nowhere, he dipped his talon in a floating vial of ink and started writing.
>Finishing with a flourish of his claw, he stuffed the note into your suit pocket as he patted you on the shoulder.
 
>“Don’t think I won’t be back to check up on my precious little Discorb now either, you had better take good care of it.”
 
>Releasing it from his grip, the artifact floated back over to your staff.
>You smirked as he snapped his fingers and vanished away in a flash of light.
>He was staying neutral in this, able to easily claim allegiance with whichever side won.
>What a tricky draconequus.
 
>Opting for a grand entrance, you simply blasted your way into the throne room.
>This time it would be you who was the invader.
 
>Your long discourse with Discord had apparently given the guards enough time to bring their warning.
>The two princesses were waiting for you in the middle of the expansive marble room, the golden throne of Equestria standing behind them.
>It was about time you faced them.
>Once you were afraid of fighting just one of them, but now even taking both of them on at the same time was just another challenge to overcome.
 
>Heart pounding in anticipation, you flung your staff high into the air as you walked forward.
>You reached out, intent on catching the Discorb as it fell back to the ground.
>When you realized your aim was off, you quickly scrambled to catch it.
 
>Trying to pretend you didn’t just whiff that horribly, you stood sideways as you held it out toward them, sweeping your other arm in a wide arc.
>Every villain had to have a flashy pose.
 
>“We shall put an end to thy schemes, Anonymous.”
 
“Bold words coming from the failed half.”
 
>You threw your arms out to the side in an exaggerated shrug, getting an angry reaction out of Luna as she almost charged at you then and there.
>Holding a finger upwards, you indicated for more time to talk.
 
“But just one question. How did you manage to work your way into the World Between?”
 
>It was never too late to have an extended conversation with your opponents before getting to the fighting.
>Nightmare Moon taught you of the importance of such verbal sparring.
 
>“Hmph! I had thought she would eventually send her lackey to recover her armor, so we set a special alarm to warn us when any knave got near it. As predicted, thou came to abscond with the armor. During thine escape, we suffused our magic with it to follow thy trail.”
 
>Damn, maybe you should have paid more attention back then.
>Nightmare Moon was probably unable to tell the difference between her and Luna’s magic, or else she would have noticed something like that.
 
>“It took us many moons to try and divine thy location, but in the end we were able to track thou down across the worlds. While we still do not know how this power came to us, we do not overly question it.”
 
>“Then you can see it? The walls?”
 
>She fixed you a hard stare as her horn ignited in blue magic.
>Celestia still had not said anything, but a golden aura surrounded her horn as well.
>That was as good of an answer you were going to get, looks like the time for talk was over.
 
>The sisters coordinated their strike without a single word, firing a helical string of combined magic directly at you.
>While you were strong, you didn’t want to test just how mighty you really were with that amount of magic.
>A giant convex mirror spun itself from the aether to defend you, splitting their magic back into two strings and deflecting it away from you.
 
>The twin beams flew past your sides and pulverized large chunks of the wall into dust.
>You took a nervous little glance over your shoulders.
>Well, they certainly weren’t kidding around.
 
>Unfortunately Nightmare Moon could not assist you in this fight, a fact they readily abused.
>The high ceiling allowed them to freely take flight and flank you, forcing you to divide your attention.
>How come you could never get the numbers advantage?
 
>The Discorb responded to your desires, and in a bright flash you were suddenly surrounded by more of yourself.
 
“You know you've really let yourself go, me.”
 
“What the fuck did you just fucking say abou...”
 
“Hey do you think this suit looks too tight on me?”
 
“Nightmare obviously loves me more.”
 
“Like hell! It’s clearly ME!”
 
“Both of you are wrong, I’m the obvious favorite here.”
 
“And I have over three hundred confirmed ki...”
 
>You had a grim look as you heard all forty of yourself immediately start to bicker amongst each other.
>You weren’t really like this, were you?
 
“Mirror. copies. notoriously. inaccurate.”
 
“I seriously hope that’s the case, Dis...”
 
>Whatever, at least this would help even the odds.
>The princesses seemed to have halted their attack for a moment, trying to figure out a new plan.
>You would have to rally all of yourself to make a supreme fighting force.
 
“Listen up, me!”
 
>Loudly clapping your hands to grab your attention, there was some semblance of order brought to all of you.
 
“Hey, who died and made you the original?”
 
>Oh no, you were not putting up with this kind of shit from yourself.
>Turning to the one that spoke up, you raised your arm up high and smashed the Discorb into your head, shattering yourself into a thousand glass pieces.
 
“Does that settle it!? Now fight, me!”
 
>Quantity had a quality all of its own.
>After seeing the fate that befell you, there were no more questions as they raised their Discorbs at the princesses.
>You would hide amongst yourself until an opportune moment presented itself.
 
>There was an unprecedented amount of confetti that filled the air as they all fired their staves in unison.
>Scattered around them were variants of the Discorb that instead shot various hard candies, party streamers, or in the rare case of just one, gummy candy.
 
>A burning gold lance of the sun stabbed through one standing next to you.
>He fell into your arms, grasping at the gaping hole in his chest.
>Out a sheer morbid curiosity, you looked at the wound.
>It was a perfect circle from the bolt of magic, revealing a smooth glass interior.
 
“T-tell Ni-Nightmare I l-love her...”
 
>You weren’t too sure how to respond to that.
 
“Uh... yeah, I’ll make sure to tell her that I love her.”
 
“T-tha... thank you, me.”
 
>He abruptly exploded into a large shower of glass.
>You brought your arms up to try and shield your face from the spray of jagged shards.
>While you were expecting to get cut up pretty badly, you found out all the edges were completely blunt, somehow.
 
>Well you certainly wouldn’t complain about not getting skewered by a bunch of broken glass.
>You turned you attention skyward, trying to find either of the princesses through all the colorful little squares of paper polluting the air.
 
>Finding Celestia as she shot off another blast from her horn, you brought forth Bigby’s Something or Other Hand to chase her from behind.
>It was one of them in the series of his hand spells, you just couldn’t be bothered to remember what variant was the strongest.
 
>The giant appendage tried to grab the nimble alicorn, catching nothing but air as she weaved around it.
>Opting to take more direct control over it, you used your free hand to manipulate its actions.
>Clenching it into a fist, you jabbed at Celestia in a quick punch.
 
>It was faster under your command, surprising her with its speed.
>Unfortunately she was able to surround herself with a strong bubble of magic as you landed the blow.
>Celestia bounced off the wall as she slammed into it unharmed, the bubble living up to its name as it propelled her further away from your grasp.
 
>Your staff firmly planted into the ground, you continued to move your hand in accordance with the spell.
>Just as you were about to catch her again, it grew unresponsive as she bound it in her golden magic.
>Gritting your teeth, you tried as hard as you could to open your clenched fist, attempting to break its bonds through force.  
 
>There was a scream from you that was quickly growing louder.
>Your curiosity as to what was causing it was satisfied as a heavy impact knocked you off your feet, a copy slamming into your side.
 
“Get me out of this crazy thing! Help!”
 
>He was surrounded by a blue aura as he was carried off into the air and came hurtling at you again.
 
>Rolling out of the way of yourself, you saw Luna high above you, trying to beat you senseless with your doppelganger.
>The spell fizzled out without you concentrating on it, freeing up Celestia as she went back to dealing with your mirror selves.
>Quickly getting up and running away from Luna, you used the thick cloud of confetti and copies to break her line of sight.
 
>She definitely had to be taken out before her sister.
 
>It wasn’t hard to find her again in this chaos, considering all you had to do was look for which one of you was flying and smashing into the others.
>Did you really make that effective of a bat?
 
>Pulling your empty hand back, you had the Discorb create you a weapon to throw.
>A large colorful paper tube with jagged ends appeared in your hand.
 
“What the hell is this?”
 
“Chi-neighs. hoof. trap.”
 
>Seriously?
>Whatever, it was something.
>You pitched it as fast as you could toward the princess of night.
>It flew surprisingly well for what it was, but it had just as much effect as a hollow tube of paper would be expected to have.
>All it really seemed to do was get Luna’s attention as it bounced off her head.
 
>You quickly ducked behind one of your copies as she sent her current victim flying at you.
>They both exploded into numerous shards of blunt glass as you started running again.
>A whole lot of good that did, Discorb!
 
“I’m. under. a. lot. of. pressure. here. give. me. a. break. Were. it. anyone. other. than. the princess. it. would. have. worked.”
 
>Looking behind you, you could see she was still hot on your tail, already floating another hapless copy beside her.
>Two could play this game, Luna.
>Stopping quickly, you used the Discorb to seize one of yourself in a magical grip.
 
“Don’t do this to me, me! C’mon, would you really use yourself as a projectile!?”
 
“Shut up!”
 
>Casting your staff like a fishing pole, you sent your mirror self hurtling toward her.
>There was another explosion of glass as she sent her copy to intercept yours.
>Pulling back your free arm again, you were hoping for a REAL weapon this time.
>A spear-sized fork dropped from nowhere into your palm.
 
>Well at least it was made of metal this time.
 
>Chucking it at the princess, you crossed your fingers hoping that it might hit.
>You sighed in irritation as you watched Luna easily dodge the slow projectile, you just weren’t cut out for this kind of stuff.
>Running back into the crowd, you avoided her sight for now.
 
>A burning light abruptly cut through the thick confetti fog like... well, paper, as there was a tremendous uproar of shattering glass everywhere.
>Shafts of light rained down in a deadly hail, slaughtering you by the dozens.
>Unsurprisingly at the epicenter was Celestia, who must have been thoroughly tired of your cowardly antics.
 
>From forty to nine, you bunched together with the rest of your clones in a circle as you watched the princesses.
 
>“This foolishness is over, Anonymous! I will not allow you to bring further harm to Equestria!”
 
>Celestia landed harshly and advanced upon your group in all her radiant might.
>With every step she took, a shining javelin of magic shot from her horn.
>One by one each of you held out his Discorb to try and block it, shattering as their defense did nothing.
 
>This last one was coming for you.
>Without even moving your staff, a mirror deflected the bolt harmlessly.
>You stood there in defiance as she was joined by her sister, both of them stopping while there was a decent amount of distance between you.
 
“Any bright ideas, Dis?”
 
>You may have overestimated yourself just a teensy little bit.
>Bit off a teeny tiny bit more than you could chew.
>Talking so quietly you might as well have been thinking it, you tried to puzzle out a way out of this pickle.
 
“There. is. a. saying. you. know. of. I. believe. it. begins. with. ‘He. who. fights. and. runs. away’?”
 
>That was some flawless tactical thinking there, Discorb.
>But there was no place to run to, no escape waiting for you.
>Your pride also prevented you from taking a step back in cowardice.
>You would not dishonor Nightmare Moon by shrinking away in the face of adversity.
>If she could face everything she had gone through with a jaw of steel, then as her champion you must do the same.
 
>With a flick of your staff, thousands of tiny mirrors spun themselves from the aether.
>Surrounding you in a cylinder, they rotated around you so fast they became naught but blurs.
>Holding the Discorb out to your side, you charged toward the princesses in a sudden lunge.
>Lightning raced out from every step you took, helping you close the distance even quicker than usual.
 
>While they were still able to get a few bursts of magic on you, the mirrors effortlessly deflected them away.
>The berserker strategy may be crude, but it had potential.
>Before she could fully lift off the ground, you were already upon Luna.
>You swung your staff in a wide arc with a mighty cry, holding it in both of your hands.  
 
>There was a harsh resistance as it slammed into a magical barrier.
>You were able to keep her on the ground as you swung again and again, letting righteous fury overtake your mind.
>Celestia tried to bind you with golden rings, but the Discorb was able to shield you from indirect attacks like that.
 
>Theoretically, the only real limit to what the Discorb could do was limited only by its power reserve, the user’s ability to control it, and imagination.
 
>With its recent awakening, the need for having to control it was subverted by its new intelligence.
>It could act independently to protect both itself and its user from various threats.
>The Discorb also had complete control over its own magic, something that was unachievable by any outside user.
>As for imagination, with a repertoire of old fantasy magic you’ve learned of from various media you could feed it countless ideas for it to work with.  
 
>But instead of taking advantage of such facets, here you were swinging it around as a blunt weapon.
>And for some inane reason, it seemed to be working out far better than the other strategy.
>Luna was forced to be completely defensive as you worked your arms to their limit with each strike, any lapse in her concentration to try and fight back would see you deliver a decisive strike.
 
>You brought the staff high into the air and simply applied as much force possible in a heavy downward swing.
>Sometimes the Discorb chose to swing itself in lightning fast strokes, keeping Luna ever on her toes.
>While it was tiring you out quickly, you could feel her shield weakening with each assault, straining to absorb your ceaseless rain of blows.
 
>She must be the source of the strengthened reality walls.
>All you had to do was break her and everything would all be over, your glorious queen would finally be free!
>Letting yourself get lost in fervor, you never noticed Celestia hovering just outside your peripheral vision.
 
>By having dedicated your focus on Luna, you left yourself vulnerable to external attacks.
 
>A heavy chunk of rubble slammed into your side, shattering your spinning shield of mirrors as you were sent flying from the meaty impact.
>Your eyes went wide as you felt the crushing blow, barely keeping hold of your staff as the wind was knocked out of you.
>While the Discorb was able to guard you and prevent any serious bone breaking damage, it still hurt like hell as you landed hard on the marble flooring.
 
>From your position on the ground, you could see Celestia quickly check on her sister before they both came at you.
>Of course she’d be far more concerned about Luna than anything else.
>Your body felt like it was on fire, each breath hurt a little as you tried to stand back up.
 
>“Thou hast lost!”
 
>“It is time we ended this once and for all.”
 
>Sitting up on your elbows, the two royal alicorns towered over your prone form.
 
>“Be gone from this world, Anonymous.”
 
>No!
 
>NO!
 
>You would not lose!
>You refused to be sent away!
>Not when it all came so close, not while you still drew breath!
 
>Luna should be weakened significantly from your initial attack.
>If you just focused a large rush of power into a tiny needle, you should be able to pierce through that barrier of hers.
>You didn’t care how bad your body was feeling as you lifted the staff upwards.
 
>There was no bright flash of light or loud whine of a charging spell.
>The only sign that something was about to happen was a small shift in the chromatic light inside the Discorb.
>In the blink of an eye, a small thread of anarchic magic shot out from the center of the crystal.
 
>They had already shielded themselves when you raised the staff, but it made no difference to the needle as it effortlessly punched a hole through Luna’s fractured bulwark.
>There was one weakness shared by all unicorns, and you made sure to target it.
>Striking her dark blue horn, it discharged its disruptive payload.
 
>There was a loud scream as the feedback from your magic disrupted hers, making her drop her protective bubble.
>With a malicious grin, you let the staff fire off a far larger blast, sending the princess careening backwards as it hit her squarely.
>Were you in a more stable state of mind, you might have been concerned with how much you just enjoyed watching that.
>But for now you were reveling in the sights and sounds.
 
>“LUNA!”
 
>Celestia was completely distracted as she watched her sister fly backwards.
>Springing on the opportunity, you gave her the same treatment with malevolent glee, striking her in the side as she turned away from you.
 
>You got a wonderful rush from seeing both alicorns lying defeated in front of you.
>With annoyance, you could still see their chests barely rise and fall.
>Whatever, they were still out cold and couldn’t do anything anymore.
 
>Using your staff to assist you in getting up, you leant on it for support as you tried to calm your frantic heart.
>With them out of the picture, the veil should return to its normal state.
>The time of Nightmare Moon had finally come.
 
>“Anonymous! What have you done to the princesses!?”
 
>A chorus of shocked gasps came from behind you.
>Slumping down even further on your staff, you unwillingly turned toward the sound.
 
>It was indeed the Elements of Harmony, reassembled after their crushing defeat in Castle Midnight.
>Of course they’d be staying here, why wouldn’t they?
>But did they HAVE to come in JUST after you barely survived your last fight?
 
>With the fury of battle behind you, there was a lingering guilt at what you had just done and thought about both of the princesses.
>How could you have such a murderous intent?
>You quickly squashed such thoughts before they grew too heavy, it was a necessary action for your survival.
>Besides, they were still alive, there was no need to feel overly burdened by your actions yet.
 
>That could all come later, once everything was finished.
 
>Straightening up, you raised the Discorb toward them.
>Even if you were in no condition to fight, you wouldn’t back down now.
 
>The six quickly entered the damaged throne room, grouping close together as they stared you down.
>With your mirror army defeated, the Discorb reabsorbed all the energy spent in a flash of light.
>The floor was mostly visible again as the confetti vanished along with all the glass shards, leaving a clean arena.
 
>“Why...? What has driven you to cause so much havoc, Anonymous?”
 
>Talking, Twilight always wanted to talk.
>With a huff, you let your shoulders slouch again.
>Maybe it would have been better if you hadn’t gotten up.
 
“What would you do to survive?”
 
>You addressed your question to all six of them, measuring their reactions as they looked at each other.
>Not waiting for them to answer your rhetorical question, you went on talking.
 
>"Compared to my old home, living in Equestria is like living in a dream. Do you not realize just how much someone would be willing to give up if it meant they could get a taste of this paradise? To be sent back is a fate worse than death for me, and I am only taking steps to avoid that.”
 
>The six of them seemed completely appalled by your calmly delivered words.
 
>“T-that’s just completely selfish! Do you realize how many ponies you’ve hurt just to fulfill your egotistical desires!? How much you’ve damaged Equestria just for this dream of yours!?”
 
“Do you remember how many breads you have eaten in your life?”
 
Man, you have been waiting for such a long time for an opportunity to use that line.
 
>Your callous words made them bristle in rage, their righteous sense of justice not allowing such heartless apathy to go unpunished.
>There was a savage air around you as you postured confidently, ignoring the pain as you stood undaunted by the force that had felled so many greater evils.
 
>“That... that doesn’t really match up there, Anon.”
 
>There was a break in the emotional tension as Pinkie pointed out that little error.
 
“Look, just pretend it does, alright?”
 
>“Okie dokie! You bad human! How can you be such a big meanie when it comes to other ponies!?”
 
>Much better.
 
>“When did you become so heartless, Anonymous!? Is everypony just a stepping stone for your twisted ambitions!?”
 
“Heartless? Hah! It’s much the opposite, Twilight! It is because of my heart that I can do this with no remorse! In fact, I must genuinely thank all of you!”
 
>That brought some confusion amongst their ranks, the Elements exchanging sideways glances to each other.
>With a kind smile, you crossed the Discorb across your chest in a deep bow.
 
“Had you not made such a bold attack in Castle Midnight, I might never have truly realized my feelings for Nightmare Moon. Without you pushing me to the very brink, I would never have this blazing passion heating my soul!”
 
>You quickly got serious again, your heart pounding as you slammed the staff into the ground with a thunderous crack.
 
“Had you confronted me with all of this before, I might have given up my dream of living in Equestria for the sake of all ponies. But now I do not fight for just myself anymore, I fight for HER! For Nightmare Moon’s future! My love will not allow me to yield to anyone!”
 
>But there was still something wrong.
>Even with the defeat of Luna, the barrier had not weakened in the slightest.
>In fact, it had grown even thicker, threatening to shut out the World Between forever.
>Gripping the staff tightly, you tried to think of what else could possibly be the source of the change.
 
>“That just isn’t right, Anonymous! You can’t just sacrifice everypony just for the sake of one!”
 
>There was a shared sentiment amongst them, a strong resolve in all of their hearts to put an end to your actions.
 
“And what if it was Celestia who was the one trapped?”
 
>Everything went silent as your words echoed in the large throne chamber.
>There was doubt amongst them as they considered your words about their beloved princess.
>All except for Twilight Sparkle, she was the only one who did not hesitate.
 
>“Celestia would willingly sacrifice herself for the sake of Equestria! While her loss would be great, if it meant the continued security of her ponies, I would not doubt her decision!”
 
“We clearly have a differing ideal of what it means to love someone! For I would tear down this world to its very foundations if that was what it took to free her! I will show you true selflessness by giving everything to secure her future!”
 
>Fate had no hold when it came to this battle between you two.
>In any ordinary situation, the absolute power of justice would be behind them, making them unstoppable.
>But this was far from an ordinary situation.
>While it might be considered impossible to most of the inhabitants, there was a very real chance that the Elements of Harmony would fail to save the day.
 
“Fight me! Not as enemies, but as opposing forces! What makes right shall be decided by the strength of our desires!”
 
>You held out the staff in front of you.
>There would be no more holding back from this point onward.
 
>Like the starting gun at a race, they took off at you when you made your declaration.
>Rainbow was unsurprisingly the first to reach you, memories of Cloudsdale still in her head as she tried to hook you in the jaw as she flew past.
 
>Even if your reactions weren’t at their best, the Discorb was always on point, moving itself to intercept her hoof.
>There was a loud crash as she hit the solid steel of the staff before rocketing past you.
 
>You weren’t given a chance to recover, next up to the plate was Applejack, who trailed close behind the rainbow blur.
>She too went right past you, but stopped as soon as she got into the optimal position for a mighty kick.
>Taking the Discorb in both of your hands, you let it move by itself to deflect the lightning fast blow.
 
>The metal took the buck with little ill effect, though the same couldn’t be said for your poor arms.
 
>Forget Cloudsdale, SIX versus one was definitely unfair.
>Twilight was already trying to atomize you with magic as you were teleported away from the furious apple farmer.
>There was no time for the subtleties of the Discorb’s usual method of magic, you would have to rely on raw discharges of power in order to stay on your feet.
>Matching her magic with your own, you were forced to turn away from her as Rainbow came in for another pass.
 
>Having to divide your attention like this was going to quickly prove your downfall.
>Turning around partially to try and catch the pegasus with the Discorb, you found that it would not budge from its current position.
>While Rarity couldn’t equal Twilight in magical strength, especially since she wasn’t an alicorn, she was very precise.
 
>Instead of attacking you or the Discorb directly, she instead wrapped her magic around the metal staff itself.
>She was holding it in place to prevent you from directing it in your defense.
>It didn’t last long as the Discorb easily broke her grip, but it was enough time for Rainbow Dash to land a direct hit to your head.
 
>The Discorb did the best it could to shield you from most of the damage, as your head snapped backward from the blow.
>You saw stars as you staggered wildly, prismatic energy sparkling off of you.
>Something splattered against your side as you were sent forwards from the blast.
 
>It actually had the side benefit of pushing you out of the way of a stampeding Applejack, a fact the cowpony did not like.
 
>“Pinkie! Ah was about tah hit ‘em you know!”
 
>“Whoops!”
 
>That crazy cotton candy pony had pulled some kind of cannon out of nowhere and shot you with it.
>Touching where you were hit, you could feel some kind of wetness there.
>Looking down, you discovered there was a pie splattered along your nice suit jacket.
 
>Licking the jam off the tips of your fingers, you deduced it was blueberry.
 
>The world was still spinning as you scrambled back up to your feet.
>At least you had them all in your sights this time.
 
>Fending off more of Twilight’s magic, you quickly backpedaled to get some distance.
>You easily saw the lasso Applejack was trying to throw over you, quickly capturing it with prismatic magic.
>Rarity had tried to pull the same trick twice, but this time the Discorb was ready for it.
 
>Letting the lasso fall limply to the floor, you refocused on the fashonista.
>Crushing her weak barrier of magic, you lifted her off the ground and threw her at Pinkie.
>With both of them busy, you had to deal with Applejack making another run at you while Twilight slung more spells.
 
>Yanking her hat down over her eyes with arcane energy, you sidestepped her as more defensive mirrors surrounded you to deflect the oncoming magic.
>During all of this, you had realized you lost track of Rainbow Dash.
>You were thrown forwards as she crashed into your back, nearly losing your grip on the staff.
 
>There was just too many of the damn horses!
>Even with you and the Discorb, it was impossible for the two of you to keep track of all six of them simultaneously in such a large room!
 
>At least Fluttershy was too busy doing nothing, but Pinkie Pie and Rarity had already recovered and were ready to go again.
>With your lapse of defense, you were caught in Twilight’s magic.
>You were lifted off the floor in time for Applejack to slam into your side and send you flying again.
 
>The Discorb was trying its hardest to prevent anything important from breaking, seeping you in its chaotic magic.
>Your vision was starting to tint crazy colors as you sparked wildly from its essence.
>Its reinforcement of your body was having side effects along with the power boost it gave you.
>Strange ripples in your flesh started manifesting as you were fed more energy to keep on moving.
 
>You grew furious as you picked yourself up off the ground once more.
>They were treating you like a piñata!
>You, the right hoof of Nightmare Moon!
 
>How dare they strike you!
>What gall they had to stand in the way of your victory!
 
>“It’s over Anonymous! The Elements of Harmony will put an end to your insanity!”
 
>While you never considered yourself the hot-blooded type, right now there was nothing but fire in your veins.
>No matter how much you hurt, you would not leave Nightmare Moon trapped in the World Between forever.
 
>They were assembling for their ultimate attack, you had to stop it somehow!
>But you could hardly stand up anymore, relying solely on the Discorb to keep yourself upright.
>You had to end this with one final move before they fired, you really didn’t want to test if the Elements wouldn’t have any effect due to your outsider nature.
>But what was still keeping the barrier so solid?
 
>Luna had been taken out of commission, so she couldn’t be the source of it.
>You highly doubted there was any sort of device she could have built to be able to pull off something that undoubtedly required tremendous... amounts... of magic...
 
>It was staring you right in the face this whole time.
>Your jaw went slightly slack as you realized just how close the answer had been.
 
“You... It’s you! Twilight Sparkle!”
 
>Pointing your finger at the purple alicorn, you couldn’t believe you never came to this conclusion earlier.
>The embodiment of magic, she of all ponies held the most potential to have the strength to interact with the World Between outside of Nightmare Moon and Luna.
>You wanted to laugh so bad you might cry.
 
“All I have to do is defeat you, Twilight. Then the walls should come crashing down!”
 
>Of the other five, you cared little.
>As far as you were concerned the world closed down to just you two.
>You had heard of people doing crazy things for love, but this was about to top the charts.
 
“Dis, give me everything.”
 
>Speaking quietly to your staff, you felt a surging heat spread throughout your body as your heart pumped like crazy.
 
“I. can. see. your. thoughts. Anonymous. this. is. folly.”
 
>Did it really matter?
>The only way to win was to burn absolutely everything in one final blaze of chaotic glory.
>This was a sacrifice you were more than willing to make.
 
“Do. you. not. know. what. will. happen?”
 
>Oh you knew what would happen.
>You knew it so well it hurt.
 
“And. what. of. my. fate?”
 
“Dis, if you don’t want to follow along with me anymore, then save yourself.”
 
“But. then. you. would. be. helpless.”
 
>You laughed bitterly at its words.
>Ever since you joined up with her you had been helpless.
>But now that there was a chance to make a very real change, you weren’t afraid to seize it.
 
>This was for her future, Equestria had already proven that it would not accept you.
>There was probably nothing that could be done to fix it, despite what she said.
>At least with this, you would guarantee her longevity in this world by permanently skewing the scales.
 
“...”
 
“You. two. really. are. hopeless...”
 
>There was a lengthy sigh from the Discorb.
 
“I. will. join. you.”
 
>And with that, you could feel its power flowing through you once more.
>The Discorb stayed true to its word, not holding back in the slightest as you were absolutely flooded with magic.
>A golden glow suffused all throughout you as you rapidly burned up.
>This was it.
>You would become the brightest comet ever seen, a brief blinding streak in the night sky.
 
“This staff of mine glows with an awesome POWER!”
 
>The Discorb exploded into a lengthy beam of chromatic light as you gripped it with both hands, holding it out in front of you.
 
“Its burning grip tells me to DEFEAT YOU!”
 
>Staring through the wild rainbow beam, you let your fury boil over.
 
“Take this! My love! My anger! AND ALL OF MY SORROW!”
 
>You swung the Discorb in wide slashes to accentuate each declaration.
 
“I. can’t. believe. you. actually. said. that.”
 
>Your body started to break apart rapidly into pieces of light, being utterly consumed by the Discorb’s power as you hefted it skyward.
 
“SHINING DISCORB SPEAR!”
 
>You would go down in a blaze of glory!
 
“GO! GO! GO!”
 
>There was no pain as you were rapidly disintegrating into nothing.
>Only the furious pounding of your heart as you flew toward Twilight.
>Even the rugged metal staff was nothing more than a beam of anarchic light, the Discorb floating in the tip of the spear.
 
>You would give Nightmare Moon her future no matter what!
 
>In the face of your insane charge, they had quickly used the Elements of Harmony to try and stop you.
 
>Taking a hand off the spear, you pulled open a path through their rainbow as you raced through it.
>You watched the flesh of your outstretched arm being disintegrated and replaced with a prosthetic of light.
>There was nothing left but part of your upper body and head as you pulled back the Discorb with your other hand.
>With a defiant yell, you stabbed it forward.
 
>A cataclysmic explosion sent all of you flying away from each other as you dealt the final blow, the whole castle shaking from the blast.
>The strong stone architecture gave way and started collapsing under the force.
>There was a clear path to the sky opened in the ceiling as dust filled the area around the falling rubble.
 
>You were thrown back into the center of the throne room, still holding tight onto the Discorb.
>With a deep, shuddering breath, you finally relaxed.
 
“It’s... it’s over...”
 
>Lifting your head to observe the destruction, you could see the gentle flight of the snowflakes as they started floating through the newly created holes in the ceiling and walls.
>The six ponies were scattered around the room, silent and still as the dust cloud slowly dissipated.
 
>A dark portal tore itself open beside you, Nightmare Moon galloping through as she quickly dropped next to your burning body.
>Her armor started breaking apart as she moved, the effects of the World Between fading away.
 
>“ANONYMOUS!”
 
>Letting go of the burning spear, you gently caressed her ebony cheek with your hand.
>You took the time to enjoy the sensation of her unbound mane brushing against the parts of your arm that hadn’t become light.
>It looks like you had finally broken the steely mask of Nightmare Moon, tears escaping from her brilliant eyes.
 
“Now’s not the time for mourning, Nightmare. This light... what has taken the shape of my body... this is all of the Discorb’s power. Take it, my love, and become whole once again. I have shattered your foes and secured your future, as is my duty as your champion...”
 
>“No! No! I won’t accept a future of being alone again! Not after everything we’ve done!”
 
>Her cold hooves wrapped around your luminescent body, tears never stopping as she kissed your lips over and over.
 
>“We were going to make the world ours! OURS! Not yours or mine, but ours!”
 
>You were touched by her words as you wrapped her up in one last embrace.
>It was too hard to not cry with her as you continued your farewells, the snowfall increasing as both you lay under the light of the setting sun.
>Rubbing your hand along the back of her neck, you gave her a little kiss as you stared into her watery eyes.
 
“Nightmare, I was never meant to be part of this world, I see that now. I was not born here, I am an outsider that could only bring destruction to this stable place...”
 
>She clenched her eyes shut as she shook her head violently.
 
>“Then forget this world! We can live inside the World Between! I don’t care what has to be done!”
 
>You let out a little laugh as you rested your head against hers, stopping her frantic denial.
 
“It’s far too late for that now, Nightmare... this power already eats at my body. There is no more salvation for me, I will have to move on to the next life... Don’t you remember what we said earlier? No... regrets...”
 
>Releasing your grip on her, you faced your death with the utmost calm as you lay on the cracked marble flooring.
>She was wracked with sobs as she buried her face into your chest, refusing to let go of you.
 
“Hurry and take this energy, love, create your new life before you fade away too.”
 
>Nightmare Moon sniffed slightly as slowly got up, trying to wipe away her tears with her dark hoof.
>Her horn glowed gently as you felt yourself being raised upward.
>Content to just watch as your life slowly slipped away, you wondered what she was doing.
 
>Nightmare Moon pulled you close, kissing you with as much passion as she could muster.
>You felt a strong force tugging at you as the Discorb’s energy was being sucked into her horn.
>The last parts of you were finally dissolving, truly making this the final kiss you would have with her.
>Holding her head with rapidly fading hands of light, you tried to make sure this would not be one she would forget.
 
>Not like she’d be forgetting you anytime soon after what you did in Castle Midnight.
>You smiled through your connection as you mentally patted yourself on the back.
>Even at a time like this...
 
>Before your vision went completely black, you made sure to fill it with the sight of her beautiful face as you broke off the kiss.
 
“Good morning... Nightmare... I love... you...”
 
>Her tears had stopped, there was a certain look in her eye that you had seen many times before.
>It was one she had whenever she faced a challenge.
 
“Good morning, Anonymous... I love you too. Don’t sleep in for too long...”
 
>Even at the very end she still had some scheme in her head, you would have chuckled if you still could.
>If only you could stick around and see what she was planning on doing, but your time here was over.
>With your duty fulfilled, you let yourself pass on with the knowledge that you wouldn’t be forgotten.
>You felt like you were floating toward something as you were consumed by a peaceful darkness, the last stubborn flicker of light in the Discorb finally fading away...
 
~FIN
 
Cue credits.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEy6MGu3bIA
 
 
 
And a special thanks to -YOU- the reader! Thank you for taking the interest in reading this little piece of work!