"Tia…" The Princess of Sun had one of the most lavish bedchambers in all of Equestria. Despite holding conversations in this room, the lavender pony still couldn't help but to take it all in every time she stopped by (which wasn't often.)

"Luna? Twilight?" The princess rose from her desk with a curious expression on her face.

"Princess Twilight brings us 'urgent' news."

"Queen Chrysalis is alive!" Twilight exclaimed as she took a step forward.

Luna stared at her sister with a knowing expression on her face. "I thought it best if you were to handle this. I bid you both good evening." She immediately took her leave, an action that puzzled Twilight greatly.

Why was no one bothered by this? "Princess? Did you not hear me?" It seemed as if only she had the sense to be alarmed by the presence of an old enemy.

"Yes, Twilight, I did. But I am confused about what you want me to do about it." Celestia looked tired.

The look on the lavender alicorn's face was priceless. "Stop her!" She forced out in disbelief. "Do something! She can't be allowed to regroup and attack. There's an innocent filly involved!"

"Twilight, stop it. Listen to yourself." Celestia implored. "Stop her from what? What has she done?" Twilight opened her mouth to speak only to be interrupted. "Besides simply exist, what has she done?"

"But Jewels! My brother… Your country!" The look in indigo eyes spoke of great confusion and outrage. "You're supposed to protect us!" Why wasn't she gearing up for battle?

Celestia stared down on her with a stern expression of her own. "I know my duty Twilight but I'm starting to wonder if you know yours." Her tone was sharp with warning.

"But Princess, what about the invasion and her escape?"

"That was years ago." The Princess sighed as she considered that time, turning away from her old pupil. "The price that I foolishly wrought has already been paid."

"Foolish?!" Twilight shook her head in confusion. "She set siege to the city!" She reminded, defending Equestria's stance on the whole matter.

"Was anyone hurt?" Was Celestia's response to such loyalty.

"What? You're not making sense!"

"Or are you refusing to cast away your stubbornness and pride? Answer me this Twilight," she turned with a gentle expression on her face. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Cadance, your niece… My brother! You!"

"I'm not talking about feelings." Celestia refrained from rolling her eyes taking into consideration just how close Twilight was to the situation. The Princess of Friendship tightened her jaw as she realized the point her mentor was making. "It was wrong what I did." The monarch looked sad.

"What?"

"I should've upheld the ideals I believe in instead of allowing my emotions to sway me. Ponies have done worse for less and instead of trying to understand or provide aid like the being of light and justice I personify, I sought to punish her for her reaction to circumstances that were out of her control. This in no way excuses what she did, but it certainly doesn't excuse what I did either." She could tell the young princess wanted to argue, but she knew Twilight simply hadn't the experience to relate to where she was coming from.

"But she's an emotional leech!" How could Princess Celestia believe these things? Chrysalis fed off of other ponies.

"She is a product of Discord. And just like the God of Chaos she has shown that she is capable of remorse and can live in harmony with creatures who are different from herself."

Indigo eyes widened as Twilight's voice lowered to a hush. "… You knew about this?" Celestia frowned at the hint of betrayal in her voice.

"Yes, I knew."

"And Jewels? Shining Armor?"

There was much Twilight still didn't know in regards to three. "Have you ever stopped to think that maybe, just maybe, your brother loves her? That after all this time, all these years, that he finally has the chance to truly follow his heart?"

"I know him an-"

"And? Can you look me in the eye and say without a doubt that this is something he does not want to do?" Celestia searched lavender features as her old pupil struggled to come up with a response. Satisfied with all that had transpired, she placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Twilight, your brother can take care of himself. Go home and really consider what is happening. Is there truly a threat, or are you simply not willing to accept that a pony, your brother, can love someone you don't approve of? Her crimes are his to forgive. Not yours. Now think about that."

When Twilight exited Celestia's chambers, she felt like she was lost in a daze.

How could Celestia not take this seriously? She looked forward to see that the youngest of the sisters had waited for her to exit Celestia's chambers. Once the alicorn was closer, Twilight wanted to voice her disbelief and demand an explanation.

However, a calm voice interrupted her thoughts. "Would you like to know a secret Twilight Sparkle?" Before she could answer, the Lunar Deity had summoned her to the land of dreams. Twilight's consciousness dispersed only to gather in the body of another a thousand years ago.

'Pain, great and blinding.

Tetra Foy screamed and screamed as the flesh was burned from her bones. It filled the air piercing the night's tranquility. And what a night it was. It was a terrible sound that shredded her vocal cords. Jerking hysterically, she fought in vain as tears trailed down her face as the heat choked and distorted the air around her.

Heaven help her!

She cried for her Queen, for relief, for salvation- for anything that could take the pain away.

The flames licked and seared as they traveled at a slow pace, creeping up her flailing body. Tetra could smell herself even as her insides melted and swelled in response to the overheated air. She suffocated, drowning in heat and fluid as her voice died away. What had she done to deserve such punishment? How could anyone loathe another so?

She could hear her brethren cry out as her pain traveled the great link her people shared.

Before her sensory system surrendered to the red flames that continued to swallow, she faintly registered the look of disdain and satisfaction that reflected in the eyes of the ponies that watched her passing. In their eyes she saw herself burning in flames of bigotry and hate until, finally, there was nothing left but the charred remains of a frightened village's pyre.

The two other changelings that had traveled to retrieve her watched from the safety of the woods as one of their own was savagely killed for the crimes of another.

There was nothing just in the village of New Hope.'

"Learn from the past, Twilight Sparkle. Lest your future be filled with tragedy…" The mare's eyes rolled to the back of her head as she lost consciousness, overwhelmed by the sensations from a dead mare's memory.

Bolting upright into a tensed position, Twilight was shocked to find she was tucked away in her bedroom.

Her chest rose and fell quickly as her breathing was the only sound in the room.

What had happened? How much time had passed and how did she get back to her home?

Feeling the oncoming sensations of a headache, she took her time getting out of bed and walking to the main part of her library. Along the way, she stopped and grabbed a glass of milk and cookies. Floating the items along, she sunk into a chair and pressed her hooves against her temple hoping to stave away any unpleasant sensations as she rested her eyes.

What a horrible set of images and feelings, she thought. With her eyes now half open, she noticed a leather bound volume that didn't belong to her. With a slight frown, she reached across the table and slid the book closer to herself.

Where did this come from?

Opening the cover, she flipped through absently scanning pages until something caught her attention.

'New Hope was a small pony colony that –' New Hope? Why did that name sound so familiar? She sat up straighter as she read much more carefully.

It turns out that the volume was a journal from a young girl who lived there long ago. She was an earth pony who went by the name of Sassafras Alden.

'We left our birthplace to start a new way of life somewhere else…' Twilight skipped ahead.

'…Ponies were going missing and the people were terrified.

They were starting to believe that the woods were haunted.

'One night a couple of travelers appeared. They said that they were from the north and that they had family here. A cousin by the name of Maple Syrup. She'd actually gone missing the day before.

Maple hadn't been in town that long either. Maybe about a week after she arrived ponies started not coming back home. They were mostly gatherers and herbalists who went to the woods, but when a pair of foals never made it back that's when the hysteria really broke loose. It was an awful time and ponies were so distrustful. The Father of those children naturally took it the worst. Baron Creek had few things in life to be happy about and when his children were taken, I guess that's all he had left.

What happened next, no pony could predict.

On the night the cousins were to leave, Maple stumbled back into town. It was a miracle as no one had made it back. A body had been found, but it was unrecognizable. Ripped to shreds by something. The stallion who'd found that poor pony had never seen anything like it. He'd called it gruesome and depraved. The town couldn't feel any worse or afraid if they tried.

Something was out there and it was killing ponykind.

But Maple Syrup had survived! Maybe if she could, someone else could've too.

Baron Creek had wanted so desperately to see her. But when he barged into her home, what he found was something else.

It was a demon, he had exclaimed. There was a scuffle and what was thrown into the streets was a mangled creature of jagged darkness with fangs and wings. No pony in town had ever seen anything like it ever before. Conveniently, the cousins had slipped away during the scuffle.

My Pa tried to reason with Creek. That just because this creature was different it didn't mean it was the reason for our troubles. That obviously it had to be something else as 'Maple' was hurt too. Maple tried to defend herself. She tried to tell them that it was something else, that we should leave while we still could. But Creek wouldn't listen. Neither would the others.

Creek argued that our lives were perfect until Maple showed up. And sadly that was all it took.

The next night was one I'd never forget.

They burned her in the middle of town for the world to see.

There was so much screaming from both Maple and the townspeople. The way she wilted and fell apart in the flames was something I still see at night sometimes- and the smell- It was awful.

Pa packed us up and we left town shortly after.

It was a good thing too.

It turns out that the town was overrun by a pack of dire wolves.

That was the reason no pony had settled the land. It was what Maple had tried to warn them about.

If only they had listened.'

-S.A.

Twilight sighed as she closed the journal.

What happened to that changeling had been terrible. No pony deserved that, but Chrysalis was no innocent. She'd made her decision and ponies were hurt because of it. She couldn't be held responsible for the actions of frightened and desperate ponies from the past.

All she could do was be accountable for her own actions in the present.

Despite what Celestia had admitted and what Luna had showed her, Twilight knew her brother needed her just like he needed her last time. Why was it that no one listened to her when it came to matters like these?

Had she not proven herself time and time again?

While the young princess believed in forgiveness and redemption, what Queen Chrysalis had done was simply unforgivable. She'd lied and ruined what could've been a beautiful love between two ponies before they'd even had the chance to grow.

Her brother had been devastated by the scandal that soured his marriage and his dedication to his work. Celestia and Luna had had to watch as their niece retreated inside herself and turned into a different mare. Cadance had resorted to stepping outside of her character all because her husband couldn't love her due to the aftermath of what 'that' mare had done to him.

She could never forget the scars and pain Queen Chrysalis had afflicted upon the ponies in her life.

There was no way Shining Armor could willing choose to love her. And poor Jewels… She honestly hadn't a clue how the young girl fit in, but she knew if Chrysalis was involved, it couldn't be good.

Should I involve my friends, she thought. She quickly dismissed the idea knowing they'd only think she was being paranoid and crazy. No… She had to this alone.

The next morning, Twilight would approach the small cottage outside of town with the intent of ending this threat to her family.

"So when do we leave?" Shining Armor asked as the two relaxed on atop a blanket on the ground. They had just finished enjoying a tiny picnic amongst themselves, Gemma and her school friend.

"In a week or so." Amber drawled as she dropped the disguise since Gemma had begged to escort her friend Talcum Powder home.

"Do they know you're coming?" He raised a brow. He'd left all the arrangements to her since she had more experience in the matter.

"No…" She shrugged absently.

"Chryssie…" He moaned. "Do they even like you?" She punched him in the shoulder despite the shocked yet amused expression on her face.

"Ow!" Shining Armor laughed as he rubbed the spot gingerly. They'd spoken about their various times together through the years, but she had never really talked at great about the aftermath of her brief return to her birth place.

"Do you like me?" She teased rolling onto her side and leaning closer to him.

"Maybe…" Shining Armor smirked with lidded eyes as he too turned to face her.

"Maybe?" Chrysalis mocked poking his side playfully.

"Fine! Yes…" He rolled eyes before enveloping her in bear hug and falling back onto his back. "I like you very much." He whispered huskily in her ear.

"Show me…" She teased now on top of him as their faces were hidden within a curtain of teal tresses.

"Keep your hooves off of my brother!"

"Chrysalis!" Shining Armor yelled in horror as his lover was ripped off of him and thrown some yards away. He bolted into an upright position and whipped his head around to see a disturbing sight. "Twilight! What're you doing?!" He shouted at the determined looking alicorn with a smoking horn.

"Stopping you from making the biggest mistake of your life!"

The stallion sprung to his feet as his combat training kicked in. Cerulean eyes narrowed as he watched her for any other sign of hostilities. He kept vigilant even as he rushed to the moaning changeling that struggled to get to her feet.

"You miserable little pony!" Chrysalis snarled once she'd recovered from the alicorn's attack.

"That was only a taste of my magic!" Twilight yelled confident in her abilities to defend herself and her brother. She was an alicorn now.

"What is the meaning of this?" Chrysalis demanded angrily. "I've done nothing to you!"

"So that invasion of yours a few years back was nothing, right?"

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes at the alicorn across from her. As loathe as she was to admit it, Twilight had every advantage in this situation. Her magic was not what it used to be, and without her choker she didn't know how long she'd be able to protect herself if the other wanted to fight.

"I don't know what you've done to my brother, but I'm here to put an end to it! Give up now or I will be forced to hurt you!"

"This is crazy, Twilight!" Shining Armor spoke up. "No one's done anything to me! I love her, and I'm going to be with her! Don't do this, Twilight! I don't want to fight you!"

If the mare was surprised, she certainly didn't act it. "Wrong answer… My brother would never raise a hoof against me. I'm sorry."

Before he could question her meaning, Shining Armor felt himself being bound by some entrapment spell. It happened so quick, the stallion had no time to counter it. "Twilight!" He screamed, trying to combat paralyzing effects of the spell. "Twilight don't!" She flung him against a tree, causing his body to go limp as magical ropes secured him to the trunk.

With her brother incapacitated, the alicorn of friendship charged her horn as she sprang into action.

With wide eyes, Chrysalis hopped back as a barrage of magic bolts came her way. She needed her choker. Dodging as much as she could, she knew her only option was to run at this point.

"Run Chrysalis! Run!" Shining Armor desperately encouraged as he tried to fight against his restraints.

Galloping, the changeling queen was trying her best to keep as much space between her and the crazed alicorn as she could. "You can't run forever!" Twilight taunted as she fired projectile after projectile at the fleeing mare.

Swerving, Chrysalis pushed herself to run faster as she moved in the direction of her home.

Narrowing her eyes, Twilight leapt into the air spreading her wings and taking to the skies. She focused as her magic crackled and popped creating the shape of a spear. With a smirk, she launched the magical projectile a few feet ahead of her target, smiling when it dug into the earth, exploding upon contact.

Chrysalis screamed as her eyes widened in horror while the energy from the explosion dispersed and knocked her off of her hooves and cause her to flip over before her body slammed into the earth.

Moaning at the unpleasantness of the whole ordeal, she wasted no time dwelling on her pain. Scurrying to her hooves she realized her front door was about ten feet in front of her. She burst through the door, locking it behind her. Trying to catch her breath as she leaned against the wooden door, she cried out as the blast of another attack threw her forward and into her bookshelf as the door splintered into pieces behind her.

Wincing as she folded onto the floor, she barely noticed the books that fell down on top of her. The clank of something delicate caught her attention as she managed to weakly raise her head and put eyes on her choker. Relief flooded through her veins as she wasted no time securing the precious jewelry.

She turned to see Twilight's smoke shrouded form crossing the threshold into her home.

Wasting no time, she secured the necklace and fired a powerful spell of her own.

The alicorn of Friendship was not prepared for the raw ball of energy that crashed into her chest sending her flying right back out the door. She howled, surprised at the force that painfully knocked the wind out of her.

As she lay gasping in the mare's front yard trying to gather her wits about her, she forced herself up only to lock eyes with the determined changeling exiting the hole she'd created. Indigo eyes narrowed and the alicorn took notice of the choker. Chrysalis smirked and the two mares launched themselves at the other with gusto.

When one struck a hit, it seemed the other hit back harder. While Twilight fought with righteous fury, Chrysalis seemed to be fighting for her life. Dodging spells and trying to counter wasn't something she'd done in a while.

After the alicorn had knocked her down, yet again, Chrysalis growled focusing her magic in on herself.

Twilight tried to interrupt the spell, but by the time she got close enough she was knocked onto her back by the excess magic that dissipated out. Indigo eyes looked on in horror as the former queen transformed before her eyes. Bright flames swallowed the mare and what was left was the stuff of nightmares.

Shining Armor gasped at the creature as the shock caused him to momentarily cease his efforts.

Twilight gulped as she took a faltering step back, staring up at the giant figure. The bipedal creature before her looked unhinged and deranged thanks to its emaciated figure with its hunched posture and long, sharp oversized claws. Harlequin eyes were sunken in and shiny, as limp threadbare hair obscured her face enough so that one almost missed the rictus-like maw of fangs. It was a grotesque version of her human form.

Gasping in horror at the monster before her, Twilight was barely able to dodge a swat from the creature before it followed up with a bombardment of magical projectiles. It was at this point that Twilight realized that maybe she'd under-estimated her opponent.

The choker sparkled as spell after spell was activated.

"I have to destroy that choker!" Twilight muttered. Chrysalis towered over her in this form, and what she lacked in mobility, she made up for with strength and viciousness.

Trying to fly up into the air, Twilight choked on scream when she felt one of those long hands wrap around her tail and literally rip her from the sky and smash her back into the ground. Instead of letting her go, Chrysalis drug her sprawled form through the dirt as she gathered momentum before swinging her up overhead and slamming her back unforgivingly into the ground. Twilight's entire body exploded in agony as she feared breaks and sprains. Gasping for air, her eyes shot open as she felt the changeling's oversized claw force her into the dirt with an unbearable pressure that rooted her firmly to the spot she lay.

Twilight's entire body protested at the weight as sharp pains caused her to grit her teeth and writhe in her spot. The crazed creature stared down on her in freakish glee as its other hand gathered magic to do who knows what with.

It was then that the alicorn seized her chance and fired out the strongest bolt she could into the twinkling jewel of the choker.

The creature howled, loosening its grip as the precious stone cracked and blinded them all with its light. Both mares cried out as they were hit by the force of the changeling's magic backfiring on itself.

Chrysalis felt so weak as her magic violently dispersed in response to Twilight's attack. The change left her as quick as it came. Moaning she was barely able to lift her head to see where her enemy lie. The world around her was a bleary mix of shades and figures. There was a high-pitched buzzing as she tried to make sense of her reality.

"… up…"

She strained to make out the words around her as she fought the darkness tainting her vision.

"….g….p… Chrys…."

"Chryssie, get up! Get up!" Her lover sounded so desperate. Turning in his general direction, her eyes widened as she realized that the alicorn was serious about getting rid of her. Time seemed to slow down as she watched Twilight hurl a spear right towards her.

"Bright Eyes, don't!" Shining Armor sounded so afraid.

What…..? But Why? She thought even as she realized she didn't have strength or magic to counter.

"Mama!" And suddenly the world no longer made sense.

Princess Twilight Sparkle stared on in horror at the crumpled mess of filly struggling to breathe on the ground. A puddle of blood gathered beneath Gemma's body staining her snow white coat. Her eyes were wide with surprise even as the look of life began to fade from their depths.

The spear that was embedded in her chest crackled with magical energy as it kept Twilight's magic's signature glow. It seemed as if time itself had slowed down as she watched the raw emotion displayed on Chrysalis' face. Her disbelief slowly gave way to terror as she scrambled desperately towards the girl only a foot or so away.

Blinking, she turned her attention to Shining Armor who struggled against the spell she'd used to incapacitate him shouting things she could barely comprehend as tears welled in his eyes. She turned back to the older mare who was rocking the body of the child she clutched against her chest as she screamed in anguish. Tears fell from her closed eyes as her body shook with grief.

Twilight found herself stumbling backwards as her legs gave out. Paralyzed by her own tumultuous emotions. She could only stare ahead as her mind slowly processed what she'd done. Her vision blurred as tears welled in her own eyes. "Jewels…" She croaked. She was faintly aware of someone rushing past her.

It was her brother.

And when the two locked eyes, Twilight wished she'd listened to her princesses as the hatred he directed at her was enough to cleave her heart in two.