I know that sometimes, dreams can be real.

I had experienced it once: I was flying in mid-air, then all of a sudden my wings disappeared. How could that happen? But it didn't matter at that moment, because all I knew was that I was falling really fast towards the ground. I panicked like there was no tomorrow. To think that the Regent of the Sun is coming to her ends in such a pitiful way was disturbing, to say the least. My magic has disappeared, just like my horn. I was an earth pony falling to her death.

And as expected, I did hit the ground with full force. And I also woke up from the dream, heavily aching from that fall. It felt so real, yet it was only a dream. I know one or two wingbones of mine are cracked, and I can still taste some blood that used to originate from somewhere inside my forehead in my mouth. The only conclusion I can come to is that dreams can sometimes become reality.

And I hope that I am dreaming... but that would make everything partially real, wouldn't it?

I wanted to think that the scene I just walked into was like a dream, too. It could be that the shouting followed by the... unexpected gush of blood was just like the dreams, and that when I open my eyes (which was shut the instant my face was hit by blood), this would just be less serious than I had seen it.

Well, my eyes are open now, and I still don't see a change.

L... Lu...

"Finally. That's one down. Two to go."

Luna...

"You... murdered... Luna..."

"Of course, she would do it to any of us anyway. You should have came here earlier. You missed all the fun."

"You..."

"Well what are you going to do about- Gaaaah!"

That was just a simple kick, but she went from the door to the throne.

"You will pay dearly for her death. Very dearly."

I just wanted to annihilate her. My skin is burning like a thousand Suns. Flames are dancing back and forth body. My breath is becoming fiery; the air emanating from my mouth turned into plasma-state. My eyes are flaming like a dangerous blaze. My mane has become a firestorm.

"Bring it o- GAAAAAHH!"

It wasn't hard. All I needed to do was blast her into the throne. She's trying to recover, but all she can muster was to weakly lift her head in order to face me, her form lying on the ground.

"Y-You... How dare you attack your sister-"

"SILENCE! I AM NOT YOUR SISTER!"

"Th-That'll make things easier for me. Take this!"

Weak pulses of beam emanated from her horn, but it was so slow, I didn't even think about dodging it. My hoof stopped it easily enough. Pathetic.

"Honestly, you have become weaker. Too weak to stop me... How could you, Gaea!?"

"..."

"HOW COULD YOU BETRAY ME!? I L-"

"JUST DO IT!"

I blasted her. I aimed for the heart. There was an ear-piercing scream. She stopped moving.

Then she started twitching.

"Ughhh... what... happened... where am I?"

"Do you even think that you can fool me Gaea? You are much more pathetic than I thought!"

"Wha... what do you mean? Who are you?" she said. I sense a genuine fear. The deepest type. I love it.

"Now you don't remember me? What next? You don't remember who you are?!"

I didn't notice it before, but she is not a Changeling anymore. She's just... another alicorn.

"Please! Whoever you are, I mean you no harm!" she pleaded.

"NO, YOU WON'T FOOL ME! I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, SHAPESHIFTER!"

It wasn't much effort. A single tail lash and her body is burning.

"AAARGGHHHH! AGH! AGGHHH! STOOPP!" she screamed her lungs out.

She's rolling on the floor. She could roll for all I care. Those flames aren't going to put themselves out unless I order them to.

"Scream all you want because no one will save you. Not even me."

"AGGGHHH! PLEASE! HELP ME!"

Pathetic. Just pathetic.

"AND WHY DO I WANT TO HELP YOU! YOU MURDERER!"

"PLEASE! AGGHHH! IT HURTS!" she pleaded. She's... crying.

"OVER MY DEAD BODY GAEA! OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

"PLEEAASE! PLEAAAASE!"

"GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON! OR SO HELP ME, I'LL INCINERATE EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF YOU!"

"AAAG- IT HUUUUUUURTTSS! MAKE IT STOP! GAAAHH! MAKE IT STOP!"

I hate her, despise her. Every fiber of my body and every mana strand of my magic wants her out of my life. But that scream, that fear... It wasn't a fake. I could tell that there is distress within the voice. I could tell that it was as if a friend was calling out for help.

' In time, you will meet interesting friends and foes. '

A true, true friend... helps a friend in need.

' Do not take a friend for granted, until you test your friendship. '

I have my resolve. I will not-

' And do not the same to a foe, for he may be a closer friend than what you already perceive. '

' Do what your heart tells you to. '

Maybe Gaea will live for tonight. But I expect more from her tomorrow.


"Where is this place? Where am I?"

"You're in your room, Mother. I carried you away from the throne room. The nurses took care of you wounds."

"Thank you Celesti-"

"Mother, you haven't told me everything. You have been keeping secrets that I need to know. You've kept it from us longer than I knew. So I o... I want you to tell me everything, Mother. Every single thing you know. I deserve that much."

"..."

"Forget it. I'll wait till after your ceremony-"

"You know, it's funny how you never became like me, or Gaea, or even Luna. You really took on your father's traits. He was strong, but deep inside I know he is really just a gentle soul, yearning for protection. His heart was pure."

"What do you mean, Mother? Becoming like you?"

"I was born with a curse called the Dark Heart. It is a dormant disease that dwells in the hearts of war horses and becomes active when a certain negative feeling invades. It turns a pony into a sick monster, whatever it may be. I was cursed with the feelings of jealousy. It also explains why Luna was easily succumbing to it and why Gaea attacked you and your people. It was all jealousy. It was ego. And it runs in the family. I'm happy that it didn't run through you, though."

"..."

"There is no cure to it. It's eternal. To treat the disease, however, one must simply try to contemplate and come to terms with oneself about it. I was given the same treatment as Gaea and Luna when I was young. I was drowned until I came to my senses."

"Mothe-"

"But I was thankful for that, because I finally accepted my weaknesses and got over it. Well... I thought I had. Until Gaea got her cutie mark. I always wanted to rule Equestria after your Father, to feel what it's like to govern vast amount of lands. I guess it's normal for us warriors to feel that way. But I knew then that it was Gaea who should be the destined ruler of Equestria. Not me. So I did what was natural to me. I became jealous again."

"..."

"I never wanted your sister to become a tyrant, but I didn't want her to become independent either. So I tutored her on the ways of the Queen, hoping that she would listen to me as an adviser rather than act without me. But my jealousy had infected her and triggered her Dark Heart. Thus she became that thing. I did what I thought would work for me: I buried her in the ground, hoping that she would contemplate like I did. But I guess it didn't work. Somehow the curse grew stronger with each passing generation."

"..."

"I know this is all my fault. But believe me, I never taught Gaea to be a tyrant. I may be jealous, but my intentions are pure. She would've made a fine Queen, in my opinion."

"She's alive. She's in Luna's room. She should still be asleep. She has gone through a lot of things today. And about her Dark Heart, I think I've shattered it when I attacked her. She doesn't seem to recognize me anymore. It's like we've never met before."

"Celestia, I don't know what to say-"

"Don't say anything, Mother. Please... just... just..."

"Celestia, is everything alright?"

"..."

"Celesti-"

"NO! NOTHING IS ALRIGHT ANYMORE! I'VE LOST FATHER, AND NOW... AND NOW... I'VE LOST LUNA TOO! IT'S YOUR FAULT! IT'S YOUR F-"

"I'm so sorry Celestia! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!"

I-I'm so angry at her! If she could be honest with us, this wouldn't have happened!

"I'm angry at you, Mother. I really am. And I don't know when I can forgive you for all the pain you've caused me. But you and Gaea are the only ones I have left. Let's just try to start again, alright? Move on from our past, and start a new book."

"Alright, Celestia, we'll start again. I won't fail you again."

We sat there, doing nothing for a good amount of time.

I think I know what I need to do. I'm going to end this once and for all.

"Mother, I know now how to set things right. But I ask you to trust my judgment. Can you do that?"

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Trust me, Mother, just please."

"Al... Alright, I trust you, my daughter."

"This... will hurt a little."

"Wait! Wha-"


Gaea was sitting on the bed. She looks... lost.

"Are you alright, Gaea?"

"Please! Spare me! I-I didn't do anything wrong! Don't hurt me!"

"Calm down, Gaea, I'm not here to hurt you. I just wanted to make sure you're alright. Your body's been healed faster than I expected. How do you feel?"

"I'm... I'm not sure... I feel weird. The last thing I remembered before waking up in this place was when I broke that... Wait! How long has it been!"

"It's been at least two thousand years, Gaea. You were gone that long."

"Wh-What? Two thousand years? Ohh... I think I'm going to be sick."

"Lie down, Gaea, go easy on yourself. Just relax."

"Thank you. Whoever you are."

"That's what sisters are for, aren't they?"

"You're my sister!?"

"Well, yes."

"I've always wanted a little sister! Oh... what's your name?"

"I'm Sol, also known as Princess Celestia, the Regent of the Sun."

"My sister is the Regent of the Sun? That's great!"

"Yeah... I guess."

"I guess you already know my name, but I'm Gaea, also known as Princess Terra."

"I'm delighted to meet you, Princess Terra."

"Please, just call me Gaea. No need for formalities."

"Alright, Big Sis."

"Yeah, I guess you can call me that as well, eheh."

"I'm guessing that you feel better now? Come, let us go."

"Where to, little sister?"

"Where else? We're going to have breakfast. It's morning, you know?"