Our Name Across The Multiverse: 10 years later

by DATONETWIxDASHFAN

Chapter 33: The Truth

Penny scratched her ear and looked towards her friends and the others, asking if they had caught what the kid had just said.

"Because it sounded like she was talking upside down, which is weird because is that even a thing!?"

Fayth walked towards them and without saying anything, everyone could just feel the overwhelming amount of power that she was emitting. It was so powerful that the black water dissolved, leaving only the stone muddy ground.

"˙ǝɯ puɐʇsɹǝpun ʇ,uoʍ noʎ 'ǝsɹnoɔ ɟO ˙llɐ sǝɥɔʇɐʍ ʇɐɥʇ ƃuᴉǝq ɐ 'ƃuᴉǝq ɹǝɥƃᴉɥ ɐ ɯ,I"

No one could understand her, not even Nightfall and Sky. But there was someone who understood everything she said.

Braver and Blitz ready themselves as the girl got much closer.

"So, some higher being huh? Fayth, was it?" asked Blitz.

Braver horn started to glow. "How come we can understand you, but the others can't? Are you using some spell so we can understand you?!"

Fayth stopped before the twins, looking up at them and smirking.

"˙ʇᴉ ǝʌɐɥ oʍʇ noʎ pǝsᴉɹdɹns ɯ,I ɥƃnoɥʇ 'ǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ ɥɔɐǝ ɥʇᴉʍ ɹǝʌo pǝᴉɹɹɐɔ sʎɐʍlɐ ʇI ˙ʇɟɐɹp ʇsɹᴉɟ ǝɥʇ sᴉ uosɐǝɹ ʎluo ǝɥʇ 'ou ɥO" She took out her book and started writing a note to herself. "˙noʎ puɐʇsɹǝpun llᴉʍ suᴉʍʇ 'ǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ ʇxǝu :ɟlǝs oʇ ǝʇoN" She shut the book and raised her hand behind her, catching Dawn's fist. "˙uoos llᴉʍ ɹnoʎ ɟo pᴉɹ ʇǝƃ llᴉʍ I 'sǝᴉɹɹoʍ oN ˙ƃop ʇuǝᴉpǝqosᴉp ɐ llᴉʇs ǝɹɐ noʎ ǝǝs I ˙ɹoᴉʌɐs ǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ ʇsɐd ʎɯ 'ollǝH"

She let go and turned around, letting Dawn hit her, which did nothing to her. However, this didn't stop Dawn, as they kept attacking.

"I'LL KILL YOU! KILL YOU FOR RUINING OUR LIVES!"

Fayth sighed, took out a feather pen, and poked Dawn in the stomach, which froze her.

"¿ƃuᴉʎɐs ǝɥʇ ɟo pɹɐǝɥ ɹǝʌǝ noʎ ǝʌɐH ¿ɹǝʇsɐɯ ɹnoʎ 'ǝɯ ʇɥƃᴉɟ plnoɔ noʎ ʞuᴉɥʇ noʎ plnoɔ ʍoH ˙ʞɐǝʍ ooʇ ǝɹɐ no⅄" She jumped, and with a soft bop to the top of Dawn's head, smashing her, she somehow created enough force to create a massive crater around them; it even made the others slide down the hill that was created. She then landed back on the ground and pulled Dawn by her hair. "¡noʎ spǝǝɟ ʇɐɥʇ puɐɥ ǝɥʇ ǝʇᴉq ʇ,uop"

Everyone got up, staring at the scene, unsure what to do. Dawn spit into Fayth's face, making her let go.

"I would rather die than listen to you!"

Fayth softly placed her hand on Dawn's head, creating another blast of force, hurting Dawn and sending her further into the ground.

"˙ɯǝɥʇ ƃuᴉʍolloɟ uǝǝq sʎɐʍlɐ ǝʌɐɥ no⅄ ¿sɹǝpɹo ʎɯ ƃuᴉʍolloɟ ʇ,uǝɹɐ noʎ ʞuᴉɥʇ noʎ op 'lɹᴉƃ pᴉdnʇS" She pulled her by her hair again, making her face Blitz and Braver. "˙ɥƃnouǝ ɟooɹd sᴉ ǝɹǝɥ ƃuᴉǝq ɹᴉǝɥ┴"

Braver glared at the child and took a step towards her. "Let go of her!"

Fayth smirked. "¿ǝɯ ʞɔɐʇʇɐ oʇ ƃuᴉoƃ noʎ ǝɹ∀ ¿ʇɐɥʍ ɹO" she let go of Dawn, not even with a second; she was already between the twins, making them freeze up. "˙ǝɯ ʞɔɐɹʇ ʇ,uplnoɔ noʎ ʇɐɥʇ 'ǝɹoɯʎuɐ lǝʌǝl ʎɯ uo uǝʌǝ ʇ,uǝɹɐ noʎ 'ɐH" she slowly patted Braver's back, and Braver just splatted into black slime mist.

"Braver!?" whispered Blitz, seeing the cloud of mist, and within that mist, she could see her twin's core, which Fayth caught and tossed up and down like a toy. "Give her back!"

"˙llɐ ɹǝʇɟɐ 'ǝɯɐs ǝɥʇ ǝɹɐ sǝɹoɔ ɹno⅄ ˙ooʇ 'ǝᴉp llᴉʍ ɹǝɥʇo ǝɥʇ 'sǝᴉp noʎ ɟo ǝuo sɐ ƃuol s∀ ˙sǝɔǝᴉd oʇuᴉ ʇᴉ ɥsnɹɔ I 'ɹǝʇɟɐ ʇɥƃᴉɹ ˙ʎɹɹoʍ ʇ,uop 'llᴉʍ I"

Blitz was gonna ask her what she meant, only to see a second core in Fayth's other hand, but it was rainbow-colored. Blitz looked down at her chest, seeing the hole in her chest.

"Wha—!? When did she—!?"

Blitz's eyes went lifeless as she dropped to the ground. Fayth sat on the ground, looking at both cores with great interest.

"˙uᴉɐƃɐ noʎ ǝǝs oʇ ǝdoɥ pᴉp I 'ǝɯɐɥS ˙ǝʇoɹʍ I ǝɹnʇnɟ ǝɥʇ ɟo ǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ sᴉɥʇ uᴉ ǝuoƃ ʎlnɹʇ ǝɹ,noʎ ǝʞᴉl sʞool ʇI" She started to crush the cores in the palms of her hands slowly but stopped. "¿ɯǝɥʇ ɹoɟ ʎɐʍɐ sǝʌᴉl ɹnoʎ ssoʇ llᴉʇs plnoʍ noʎ 'op plnoɔ I ʇɐɥʍ ʍɐs noʎ ɥƃnoɥʇ uǝʌƎ"

Nightfall, Sky, and the rest were all almost upon her as she turned her head to them, tossing the cores above herself.

"¡noʎ ɟo llɐ 'ǝᴉp uǝɥ┴ ¿ǝᴉp oʇ ɥsᴉʍ noʎ op ˙llǝʍ ʎɹǝΛ"

She dodged Sky's beam swords with a smirk and flicked her away. Next, she blasted Nightfall's planet sphere attack apart and blew air at her, sending her flying into Fluttershy. Next, she caught both AJ's ropes and pulled them in while pausing everything and looking behind herself. She saw Pinkie and Penny, and both were shocked to see her noticing them as they broke the fourth wall.

"What? How?" the two asked as Fayth turned time back on, pulling them both towards her by some force. She used AJ's ropes to wrap Penny's legs and Pinkie's, then tossed them into the air and slammed them into Aj and April.

She quickly caught thunderbolts that almost hit her and redirected them back towards Brishen, who got shot and fell to the ground. Fayth then turned to the left, catching bullets from Tempesta and flicking them back at her, which struck her shoulder.

"GIVE BRAVER BACK!" screamed Cozy, in her red twisted Alicorn form and rushing toward Fayth, who grabbed her horn and scattered it, making her lose her form and then being tossed into Rarity and Rachel.

Tirek, Luna, and Chrysalis charged Fayth from behind, but only for her to snap her fingers and blast them toward Faith, Tempest, and Starlight.

"˙ʇɟǝl oʍʇ ʎluO" she leaned back, making a tree root miss its mark. Fayth grabbed it, snapped the sharp end off, and stabbed Sunset in the gut as she was trying to attack from above.

As Sunset landed on the ground, roots surrounded her, protecting her. Fayth turned to Wallflower, who was the last one standing.

"˙ǝɯᴉʇ sᴉɥʇ ʎzoƆ sɐʍ ʇᴉ ʇɥƃnoɥʇ I ˙ɹǝɥ ʎq pǝllᴉʞ ɹǝʇɐl sɐʍ ʇnq ƃuᴉɹǝɟɟns ɹnoʎ puǝ oʇ noʎ llᴉʞ oʇ pǝɔɹoɟ sɐʍ ǝɥs lᴉʇun ɹoᴉʌɐs ʎɯ ǝɯɐɔǝq puɐ ǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ ʇɐɥʇ uᴉ ƃuᴉpuɐʇs ǝuo ʇsɐl ǝɥʇ sɐʍ ʇǝsunS ˙uʍɐp puɐ 'ʎzoƆ 'ʇǝsunS 'uʍɐp :ɹnoɟ noʎ ɟo ǝuo sʎɐʍlɐ s,ʇᴉ 'ǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ ɥɔɐǝ uI" She raised her hands in the air, and the cores were about to land in her palms, but a rainbow slime caught them in time and returned them to its master.

"Huh?" Wallflower could see Dawn standing up, with her slime returning to her chest, absorbing the cores whole. "No!"

Fayth turned to Dawn, seeing her transform, her face becoming a giant hole.

"Thanks for taking out their cores for me, you cunt! Now I can restart the multiverse with-" She froze as she felt something was wrong. She looked at Fayth, who was writing in her book. "What did you do!?"

Fayth shut the book and smiled. "˙ǝuoʇs ǝuo ɥʇᴉʍ spɹᴉq ǝǝɹɥʇ llᴉʞ uɐɔ I ʍou 'noʎ uᴉɥʇᴉʍ sᴉ ɹǝɥ plo ǝɥʇ ǝɔuᴉS ˙ǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ sᴉɥʇ uᴉ ɹǝɥ ɹoɟ ɥɔɹɐǝs oʇ noʎ pǝʇuɐʍ I ˙ʇǝʎ ʞooq ʎɯ uᴉɥʇᴉʍ ǝʇɐɟ ɹnoʎ ƃuᴉʇᴉɹʍ pǝɥsᴉuᴉɟ ʇ,uǝʌɐɥ I 'ǝǝS ˙ɹoᴉʌɐs ʎɯ ʎllnɟ noʎ ƃuᴉʞɐW" she pointed her pen at her. "¡sǝɹoɔ ǝɥʇ ʎoɹʇsǝp uǝɥʇ puɐ ɹǝɥ uoɯɯnS"

Dawn struggled to stop herself from following through with that order. The slime came out of her chest, forming a humanoid slime creature, but Fayth suddenly became angry as she stared at the black slime creature.

"¡noʎ loɹʇuoɔ I uǝɥʍ uǝʌǝ 'ʇʇnq ʎɯ uᴉ uɹoʇ ƃuᴉǝq llᴉʇs ǝɹɐ noʎ ;ʇᴉ uɯɐp ¡ɹǝɥ ʇou s,ʇI" she took out her book once more and was gonna write in it when she used her feather pen to block a root attack from Wallflower. She turned to her, noticing the others were with her. "¿ǝʍ llɐɥs 'dn sƃuᴉɥʇ ǝƃuɐɥɔ s,ʇǝl ʇnq 'ʇᴉ ǝq oS ¿punoɹ ɹǝɥʇouɐ ɹoɟ ʞɔɐq 'oS" she started to write in it, creating black seeds around Dawn, forcing her body and black slime to attack the group.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" shouted Dawn as she passed Fayth, who just sat down and enjoyed the battle before her.

---

The twins' cores floated within the darkness within a rainbow black slime, only to be met with a half-cracked rainbow core. All three bumped into each other, creating a rainbow flash.

---

"Blitz! Braver!" cried a very familiar voice.

Both the twins slowly opened their eyes.

"What?" the two asked in unison as they looked into Blitz's Dawn face, who smiled at them.

"You both are okay!"

"What happened? What about Fayth?" asked Blitz, sitting up and holding her chest, feeling no hole in her chest.

Braver stood up but quickly felt off balance and landed on her back. She looked at her body and smiled glee, as she was an Alicorn again, not in her anthro or human form anymore. She even turned away from the two and checked between her legs.

"I'M A GIRL!"

Blitz and Dawn watched as Braver started to do a silly dance with her tongue hanging out, which made the two laugh.

"Your sister dances like your mom, you know that?"

Blitz got up and agreed but quickly realized she was in front of Dawn, making her hug her hard. This caught Dawn off guard, and she blushed hard.

"Blitz!?"

"I thought I lost you!" cried Blitz, tears forming in her eyes. "I thought you died!"

Dawn held Blitz closer and stroked her rainbow hair, trying to calm her. "No, it's alright. I'm right here. We are safe."

"No, we aren't."

Blitz and Dawn stopped and looked towards Braver, who pointed to a rainbow slime creature, as Blitz and Braver realized they were in endless rainbow slime.

"Braver!" shouted Dawn, letting go of Blitz and running towards her. She could see her readying up for a fight. "STOP! Don't hurt her!"

Dawn got between Braver, arms out wide, protecting the slime creature. This surprised Braver, who took a step back. Blitz joined her sister's side and asked Dawn why she protected that monster.

"It's not evil!" she lowered her arms and turned to it, seeing it slowly forming into a melting slime humanoid. "She's our friend."

"Our friend?" the two twins said in unison.

Dawn turned to them and smiled. "Yes, she's our friend. After I was eaten by her, I needed up here with my pony version. The slime creature never hurt us; it had been crying nonstop when it saw us." she raised her hand toward the creature's cheek, wiping away a rainbow tear. "I don't know why it's crying, but it kept pointing towards that building over there."

They all turned towards the building, deep in slime, but the twins became very confused about what they saw before them.

"That place, it can't be?" whispered Blitz as she approached it.

Dawn could see the confused but hurt reaction on Blit'z's face. "Blitz?"

Braver walked past Dawn and just said one thing. "It's our home."

Dawn was shocked to hear that and hurried to their side. They stood before the door, with the slime creature pointing inside.

"Your home?"

Blitz nodded her head and opened the door, revealing an ordinary house, except for the slime covering the walls. Braver walked into the hallway, looking for someone. Blitz was going to join her, but Dawn grabbed her arm.

"Wait, my pony version went in here after the creature kept looking at it. There was a flash, and she never came back out."

Blitz turned to the doorway and looked at her sister, whose ears twitched with worry and joy.

"Let's find her."

"But we might-"

Braver turned around, smiling. "Stay here, sis! You already found your Dawn, and you two shouldn't be apart anymore." she turned back and looked at the stairway, which headed to the upstairs bedrooms. "I need to find my Dawn, and for some reason, something within me is telling me she's up there. It's like a spark or something within my chest."

"But sis, please! Don't go up there! It come be dangerous!" cried Blitz as her sister ran upstairs, ignoring her pleas.

They watched as a bright rainbow flash came from the top. Blitz tried to go upstairs, but the creature stopped and shook its head, pushing her back towards Dawn.

"It's stopping me?"

"Because maybe only your sister can do this?"

Blitz turned to her. "Do what?"

"Saving her, Dawn."

Blitz looked back up the stairs, seeing the light fading away.

---

"Something wrong with me."

"Dawn, why do you reject the hoof of friendship? Braver's friends try to help you, yet you push them away. Why? I want to understand."

Braver walked through the darkness, hearing Dawn's and her mother's voice within the darkness.

"I don't need them! I have Braver!"

"Don't you care about her, though?"

"I do, more than anyone else in this world!"

Braver stopped and found a hazed memory that belonged to Dawn as it continued to play out.

" I need you to stop it."

"What!? Stop what!?"

"You need to learn to let go of Braver; she's focusing all her time on you rather than her friends. If you don't want to be friends in her group, then you must find your own friends and let her be. She can't be a good friend if she can't be the pony she wants to be and is holding back because of you. Do you want to be why she loses her friends or herself?"

"I would never-"

"You are."

Braver could feel her chest hurting as the memory started to fade and play out a different memory, but glitching out.

"Something wrong with me."

"You are unique, Dawn; there is a reason I took you under my wing, not because I'm friends with your mom. I can tell there is something within you that you're afraid to show; why are you afraid of it?"

"It's nothing. I don't know why you keep asking me this question."

"You aren't hiding anything?"

"No!"

"Dawn, please talk to me. I know how you feel; I used to be a loner like you."

"Used to be?"

"Yes, and you can change that. All you have to do is open up, Dawn."

Braver could see a hazed memory of Dawn and her mother walking up to her mother's and her friends' stained windows.

"Wonderful ponies and creatures are waiting for you to be their friends; all you have to do is ask. They will love you for who you are. Don't fear the future, Dawn; embrace it. Please, don't be afraid of what's inside of you. Embrace laughter, kindness, honesty, and generosity. Not just loyalty. I want you to embrace everything and be your best, Dawn. Please."

"You can't tell me what to do! You can't tell me to stop being with Braver!"

"Dawn, wait! Stop! Embrace what's inside of you; it's tiny-"

Braver could see that her mother couldn't finish her speech. The only thing she could see was Dawn running in place, past her mother's friend's stained windows, as they started to crack and soon scatter as she ran past them.

"There's something wrong with me; I know it. I have always known!"

Braver could see the memory changing again, revealing her mother leading Dawn to the statues of Celestia, Luna, and Candance.

"Dawn, remember what I told you, how you are unique."

"Yeah?"

"See these statues of the princesses?"

"Yes?"

"One day, you'll be here, among the great ponies. Remembering all the great things you'll do. Don't be afraid of that thing, whatever it is, making you act like this."

"But...I..."

"Please, Dawn, please. Equestria will be in your hooves in the future, and all you have to do is reach out to it."

"All of Equestria!? What!? Why!?"

"Because you are very special, Dawn."

"How?"

"I can sense it from you. You'll do great things, even greater than I'll ever do. Within you is something amazing, and I know you'll use it one day to save everyone in Equestria and beyond, even me."

"Me!? But I'm just a regular unicorn! Shouldn't you be saying this to Braver!? She's doing so much! I'm nothing compared to her!"

"Dawn, Braver is remarkable, and no matter how great and strong she is, you'll be the better pony one day. The best thing is that she'll be there to help you."

"No! Stop it! Braver is way better than me!"

Braver watched Dawn run again while her mother could only sigh and let her be. As she ran, the status of the princesses started to yell out at Dawn.

"You failed us!"

She could see Dawn stopping in front of the statue of her mother, which started to crack. Like the others, it said the exact words but differently.

"You failed me."

The hazed memory became more glitched out and even started to have a static noise as another memory started playing. Dawn was talking to her mother now.

"There's something wrong with me; I know it. I have always known! Why doesn't anyone want to see it?"

"Sweetie, I can't let you quit! Twilight is a great teacher; why do you want to quit? Did you have a bad test result? Because I know that doesn't make you a failure. Even if you didn't do well, it's ok. You can always try again. I'll be here for you, Dawn."

"You have never been there for me! I want to quit! I can't be like Braver!"

"Sweetie? What does Braver have to do with this? And I'm trying to be there for you. It's not easy when you keep pushing us away. I'm always there for you, Dawn. I'll help you no matter what. If you aren't happy with Twilight, I'll find a different teacher."

"Braver has to do with everything! She's the better pony between us! She's always doing good, even if it means she gets hurt! I can't be her and won't be her!"

"Why not? I believe in you. I know you can do anything, even become better than her. Braver loves you and wants you to be you. Just like Twilight sees in you. Sweetie, you have to believe in yourself, and I'm not saying this just because you're my daughter. I know you can do anything."

"I can't!"

Dawn ran off, leaving Starlight to reach out to her, only for her to fail. Dawn kept running, talking to herself.

"Someone tell me something. Comforting! I'm not like other ponies, and I know that! But yet, others won't stop telling me otherwise."

"Dawn, don't go. Please."

Starlight's words fell on deaf ears as Dawn kept running.

"I'm nothing! I feel nothing! I don't understand friendship! I'm not worth being around!"

Braver felt her chest hurting as the memory kept going.

"I'm worthless, pathetic, and weak!"

"Dawn, you're not-"

"Dawn!"

Braver heard her voice, even seeing herself appearing before Dawn, but everything started to glitch harder. To the point that it has become hard to watch now.

"Braver!"

"Dawn, are you okay?"

"Braver! Something is wrong with me!"

"Really? You look fine! Even if you aren't, I'll always be there for you, Dawn. You can always rely on me."

"I'm sorry, Braver, but I can't."

"Of course, you can. You don't have to worry about anything, Dawn."

Braver felt something deep within her, not sadness but something else.

"But Braver."

"No buts! Rely on me for everything, okay!? I'll take care of you and protect you. You're the most important pony to me, Dawn. You're my friend!"

Braver watched as the memory quickly showed different memories, showing Braver taking all of Dawn's problems. Never letting Dawn learn from her problems or the problems from within. Braver could see this now, making her drop to the ground, pounding the ground.

"Dawn...did I stop you from growing? Is it all my fault?"

"Something wrong with me."

"Yes. There is something wrong with you."

Braver looked back at the memory, seeing Dawn watching herself and their friends.

"Braver, I love you! You always keep me safe from all the problems bothering me. I don't need other friends if I have you. You're the only one that matters to me."

Braver felt her heart sinking and could feel a warm feeling running through her chest.

"Thank you for protecting me, Braver. I'm happy I met you all those years ago. Hearing all those wonderful words you gave me, I knew you would be the only pony to understand me."

"Like what, Dawn?" asked Braver, trying to reach out to the almost impossible-to-see memory of Dawn.

"That I'm broken."

"What!?" yelled Braver in complete shock.

"Something is wrong with me. I always known it, and others won't see it, but you do. You see it as clear as morning dawn. It's why you force me to be around your friends, trying to make them be my friends, but they can't be. Only you can see it."

"Dawn?"

"I can't be like other ponies."

Braver could hear her words echoing in her head, and a dark feeling was building within her.

"You are unique, Dawn."

"I'm nothing. I'm not like other ponies, and I know it. It's why you keep me so close to you and your friends, far from others who will hurt me. I don't need friends; why would I need friends when you taught me that I can never make any? The only friends you push on to me are the ones you want. But the real truth is...I don't need friends, like I said before."

"NO!"

Braver couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did Dawn think this way all along?

"The only one I need is you and not your friends, who are illusions. Nothing is wrong with me. I'm just broken, and that can't be fixed, and that's okay."

Braver could see shadows of five creatures behind Dawn, almost like those creatures were meant to be Dawn's friends, but being around Braver stopped that from ever becoming a thing.

"Dawn, no! Stop it! Stop thinking like this! You can make new friends!"

She tried to reach her, but the memory started to play another; this time, it was Dawn watching Twilight in the distance with Braver.

"I wish she would stop ignoring the great things you have done, Braver. It's not fair. All those wonderful things you did—saving creatures, saving the world, teaching others about friendship, and moving forward—but your mother ignores all that and focuses on me, thinking I'm the better one, and it hurts! It's making me suffer so much inside! It's killing me slowly!"

"Dawn! No! You're wrong! She cares about you. Everyone does. You're a special pony. Don't give up."

"I wish I could tell her, but the world is on my shoulders. The world's weight is too much, and I can't stand it anymore, Braver. I want to tell her, but I'll fail her and you! I'm nothing, yet everyone thinks I'm the better one."

"Tell her the truth. I'll be right beside you, Dawn. I'll protect—" Braver quickly stopped as she realized what she had just said. They always protected her and never let her grow or become her own pony; that's how they got to this point. "I'm sorry."

Braver walked up to Dawn's side, watching the scene before them.

"Dawn, I won't be there for you this time. You need to stand on your own."

"Huh?" said Dawn, as she glitched out.

"I want to see how far you have come, and the only way is for me to leave. So go ahead. Tell my mother the truth; tell her all the feelings you have been keeping from all of us. You can't keep doing this, and it's time for you to grow. Even if I'm not there to see it."

Braver placed a hoof on Dawn's shoulder and smiled.

"I'll still be there, watching you and cheering for you. That will never change, Dawn. You're my friend and more." Braver walked past her, walking up to her hazed memory version. "And I need to be a better friend to you. I need you to start moving forward." She raised her hoof. "AWAY FROM ME!"

With one strike, Braver scattered her memory version, causing the void of darkness to glitch heavily until everything scattered like glass. Leaving behind a white void, Dawn herself, and Twilight.

"Be brave, Dawn. Just be brave and tell her." whispered the echos of Bravers's voice.

Dawn's hazed body slowly became normal, making her open her eyes.

"Whose voice was that just now? Wait, where am I?" Dawn asked as she started to look around.

"Dawn?"

"Prin- Princess Twilight?" said Dawn as she looked around the blank space.

"Dawn, sweetie, what's wrong?"

Dawn wanted to say something, but her voice couldn't come out at all. Within her mind, she could hear a voice repeating the exact words. "Someone tell me something comforting. I'm scared of what she might say to me! I don't want to be her student or Equestria's savior! It's all too much, and I want her to accept me and tell me I'm not a failure and I'm a good pony."

"Dawn, listen to what's inside of you. You might think you are broken and can't ever be fixed, but you are wrong. Just listen to it; it will help you move forward." answered a familiar voice to Dawn, making her hold her chest and cling to it for dear life.

"Dawn?"

"I can't!"

Dawn could feel her whole body shaking as her fear kept building up.

"What will Princess Twilight think of me? What will the princesses and other ponies think of me!?" she thought.

"Dawn?"

Dawn could feel her head being patted softly, and she looked up to see Twilight looking at her with a big smile. Dawn remembered the words that voice told her to be brave and to listen within. She closed her eyes and hugged Twilight.

"I'M SORRY!"

"Sorry? For what, sweetie?"

Dawn could feel something within, growing as her tears came out, finally finding the courage to speak out.

"Princess, I know you've been putting a lot of faith in me, being your top student, and letting me experience the magic of friendship. But it feels like no matter how much I try, I can't live up to what you see in me." she started to shake with fear. "I have been under so much pressure. I'm trying to reach that bar, and it's been hurting me. So to you and everyone in Equestria." she held Twilight harder, feeling her body shaking, not because of fear but because she was finally telling her the truth. "I'm sorry. I can't be what you see in me."

Dawn curled up a bit, waiting for Twilight to get angry at her, but nothing happened.

"Oh, Dawn. My dear, sweet Dawn. Please forgive me." said Twilight, hugging her student and stroking her mane.

"What?" said she, opening her eyes.

"I shouldn't have put all that weight on your shoulders, Dawn. I was so focused on the future. I should have been more aware of your feelings." she rubbed Dawn's back. "And to know that it was hurting you so much. You don't need to be sorry about that, Dawn. I'm the one who should be saying sorry."

"No, no, no! Princess Twilight, please. It's not your fault. It's just how I am-"

"It is. You might be different from other ponies, but that doesn't mean you are broken or a failure, Dawn. You are a pony, and it's my job to protect and be there for you. I will help you understand your feelings and teach you to stand alone. I'm sorry, Dawn, and I will ensure this never happens again."

"But-But!"

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize to me."

Twilight held Dawn closer, her tears falling down her cheek and hitting Dawn's face.

"Dawn, it's okay. Stop blaming yourself and stop thinking you don't deserve to be happy. I know it's hard, and you're scared, but you're not alone. I will help you, and everyone else will, too. We all love you and want you to be happy, and I'll do whatever it takes to ensure you are."

Dawn's tears flowed, unable to believe the words Twilight was saying.

"It's okay. It's okay. Just let it out. You're not a bad pony, Dawn. I know the truth about you. And no matter what, I will always be here for you. You are a wonderful student and will make a great leader someday, Dawn. You don't have to be strong or pretend to be happy. It's okay, Dawn. It's okay. Let it all out."

"Thank you, Twilight."

Dawn also shut her eyes, crying, but she felt something was wrong. She felt someone was missing, no matter how much she tried to brush it off. Someone important in her life.

"It's okay. Everything is going to be alright."

Dawn slowly opened her eyes.

"Who?"

"Huh? Dawn?"

"Who was that voice? It felt like it was talking directly into my soul. Why does my heart feel so empty?"

"Sweetie, are you alright?"

"Something feels wrong, and I can't figure out why. I feel like something or someone is missing, but who?" She let go of Twilight and started to look around, but she did not see what she was looking for. "Someone should be here! Someone is missing!" she turned back to Twilight, clutching her chest. "No matter how hard I try to remember, they're just gone! Like the memories of them are gone! Something is wrong, Twilight. Very wrong!"

"Who is missing, Dawn? Tell me. I'll find them, and we can solve this problem."

"I don't know. I don't remember."

Twilight held her close, smiling.

"Maybe it's for the best?"

"What?" Dawn tried to push her off but couldn't.

"Maybe whoever you forgot was hurting you."

"Hurting me? How could they be hurting me?"

"How long were you in pain, Dawn? How much longer were you going to hold that pain and keep it hidden?"

"Princess Twilight, what are you talking about?"

"I saw the truth, Dawn. You're suffering, aren't you? And it was all because of this mysterious pony, right?"

"No, no, no."

Twilight started to glitch between a black version of herself.

"Let her go, Dawn. She knows that you can't move forward if you keep clinging to her. That's why she erased herself from your memories. You can't be free until you let her go."

"I can't! It's not like that! She's not hurting me! She's a great pony! The best pony I have ever known!" she finally pushed her off and screamed for whoever she had forgotten to return to, but no one came to her, no matter how hard she tried. She dropped to the floor, crying. "It hurts! The pain won't stop! It's so painful!"

"Dawn."

She felt Twilight's hoof touch her head, and she looked up at her.

"Princess."

"Don't worry, Dawn. You are going to be free. Finally, you stand alone without anyone stopping you, closing you off from the world. It's not going to hurt anymore, Dawn. It's all going to stop. Now come back to me. Let me take away all your pain and suffering. Come back, Dawn, and forget her."

Dawn shook her head and brushed off Twilight's hoof.

"No, this is wrong, and I know it!" she slowly lay on the white ground, crying her heart out. "It's like something is calling out to me." Within her eyes a tiny flash appeared in her eyes.

Twilight lowered her head, nuzzling her. "Nothing is calling out to you."

Dawn forced her head away, looking at her in the eyes. "That's where you're wrong! Something is calling me! Within me! It feels like a-" she closed her eyes, listening to whatever was calling her within. "It's like a spark! A different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realized she was missing!"

Twilight shut her eyes, crying. "Don't, Dawn, please!"

Dawn felt a warm feeling within her chest, letting it engulf her, and she smiled.

"That's right, I feel it now. You are the one I'm missing."

"Dawn."

Dawn stood up, glaring at Twilight. Putting her hooves on her cheeks.

"I felt it when I realized how happy I was to hear and see you and how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me when I realized not only are you my best friend but also." she leaned in, kissing Twilight on the lips, finally turning Twilight's purple-hazed body into a clear black one. Dawn leaned back and smiled at the pony she loved deeply. "My special somepony! The one I love so much! Braver!"

In front of her was Braver, crying her heart out, hating that Dawn remembered who she was.

"Dummy, you can't move forward now! As long I'm here, you will forever be trapped, never growing stronger. Forget about me and move on! Become the pony you are meant to be!"

"No! I refuse to move on if it means forgetting about you! You are a part of me, good or bad! If I have to give up everything, so be it! Even if you disappear, I will never forget you! I will always carry you within me!" she hugged her, never wanting to let go. "Braver, you are my spark! The very reason I can move forward in life, no matter how hard it can get!"

Braver cried even more, hugging Dawn and crying on her shoulder. The white void slowly faded away as two figures watched them. One was the slime humanoid, and the other was a pony covered in a rainbow blanket.

"You can't shut yourself away from those that love you. Being forever trapped in your own making won't make you happy, and I know you hate that."

"Yeah, yeah." the pony turned and started walking away. "But it's for them. I won't take away their lives when they're moving forward. I will always be there, watching and happy for them. I am happy they could live the lives I never had, and I am okay with that. I'll be fine. It's what I want. They deserve it, and that's good enough for me."

The humanoid rainbow slime turned to the pony, crying more rainbow tears.

"Is it, though? You're so happy for them, but you're so sad. Please don't lie to yourself. You know how much that hurts."

The world of white void entirely disappeared into the light of rainbows.

---

Blitz and Dawn could see Braver walking down the stairs, wiping her eyes from all the tears she had shed. Both girls were shocked and happy that behind Braver was Luster Dawn, also wiping her tears.

"Sis! You did it!" cheered Blitz, running towards but stopping, seeing her sister and Luster holding hooves, making Blitz even happier. "About time."

Luster felt her chest warm up, knowing she was holding hands with the pony she loved deeply. She nuzzled Braver's cheek, smiling. Lucy walked over, happy to see the sweet sight before them. Before Braver could comment on it, the rainbow slime walked past them, pointing to the kitchen, which started to give off the same light.

"What's up with the light?" asked Blitz, holding Lucy's hand.

Braver finished wiping her eyes and explained what she thought the light was.

"After I entered the light, I found myself within a dark void. Showing Dawn's memories and all of the problems she was facing. I think that will lead to another one, but who's? I have no clue."

Dawn agreed with Braver's answer and nodded, looking at the kitchen. "If that's the case, then I can tell whose light it is."

All three turned to her.

"Who?"

"Rainbow Dawn." she let go of Braver's hoof, walked over to the light, and spoke. "I saw a small part of her memories where she met someone special, someone she deeply loves." she turned her head to the girls, looking sad. "And lost. It's like what my human counterpart told you and me when she joined me here, Blitz. To know her story, even though it was so freaking stupid!" she smirks, making Lucy blush a little but also upset.

"It wasn't stupid! She felt so lost and hurt! I wanted to know her story! It's why I let her eat me after Blitz told me that you somehow took over her body; I took a chance."

"Yeah, a stupid one."

Lucy quickly rushed up to Dawn, and both started to eye each other down, making Blitz and Braver whisper.

"Five bits that my Dawn can beat your Dawn."

"Please, sis, Lucy can kick butt. I have seen it a few times. That frail body hides the strength of a badass."

Both nodded, shaking hooves/hands.

Lucy and Dawn were on each other's faces, ready to start fighting, but that fight never happened as both started to laugh.

"Okay, it was stupid! But I had to take that chance; like I said before, I could tell she was hurting so much. She needed help."

"Yeah, a mental help, maybe."

Lucy glared at Dawn, making her laugh and turning to the twins.

"If that leads to her memories, maybe we can fully understand and help her. She might be crazy, but she wasn't like that before."

Braver, Blitz, and Dawn looked at each other, thinking. Blitz turned to Lucy, giving her a thumbs up.

"Right, she did lose someone close to her, and she thinks we're the person she lost." Blitz turned to Braver, giving a sad smile. "Or maybe she's right." both twins turned to the slime creature, seeing it just looking towards the light, not paying attention to them.

Lucy and Dawn looked at each other and back at the twins, asking what she meant, but Blitz and Braver just brushed it off by rushing to them and pulling the girls into the light. The light shined brightly before dying down, leaving the slime creature to lower its hand. It turned its head, seeing the blanket pony.

"Better follow them."

"Yeah, sure, but first, mind telling me something?"

"Shoot."

"What's your name?"

The slime humanoid froze, staring at the pony before sighing. "Looking for a name to use, huh? My name is mine. Your name will come." She started to melt away but still talked. "That is if you want to escape your man-made cell."

The blanket pony watched as the slime creature vanished into the slime-covered floor, leaving her alone.

"I just want them to call me something before I help them escape this place."

She trotted towards the faded light, disappearing.

---

Meanwhile, Fayth watched as Rainbow Dawn kept fighting the others and was winning as she blocked Sky and Nightfall's attacks as they slammed into her raised elbows, quickly knocking them back and slamming them down into the water-filled ground, drowning them. Cozy and Sunset tried to save them as they ganged up from behind Rainbow Dawn, but the black slime quickly knocked them away and tried to eat them. They nearly dodged the jaws of death, but the slime grabbed them by the tails and slammed them down in the same fashion as its master, trying to drown them while slowly covering them with its slime. The others were too hurt to do anything, as they were helpless to save them.

"˙puǝ ɹǝʇʇᴉq ǝɥʇ oʇ ʇɥƃnoɟ suoᴉsɹǝʌ ǝsoɥʇ ɟo llɐ ʇsɐǝl ʇɐ ;sǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ ʇsɐd ǝɥʇ ǝʞᴉl ƃuᴉɥʇoN ˙sᴉɥʇ uɐɥʇ ʇɥƃᴉɟ ɹǝʇʇǝq ɐ dn ʇnd plnoʍ noʎ ɟo llɐ ʇɥƃnoɥʇ I" she stood and opened her book. "˙ʍou puɐ ǝɹǝɥ sᴉɥʇ puǝ oʇ ǝɯᴉʇ s,ʇᴉ ;sǝɯɐƃ ǝɹoɯ oN" she was about to write when she sensed something and looked ahead of herself, seeing a gateway opening up. "˙ʍǝu sᴉ sᴉɥʇ 'ɥO"

Stepping out of the gateway was a red-hooded human holding a shield. She quickly tossed it, hitting Rainbow Dawn and then hitting her slime creature, making them let off their victims. The shield quickly returned to its wielder, making her lower it and stare at the enemies before her. She scanned the three, then the others, seeing they were allies.

"Revengers! Assemble!" she shouted, raising her shield and making the gateway bigger. Soon, different versions of Twilight, her friends, and others appeared, all running out.

Nightfall and Sky got out of the water, happy to see the heroes who saved their daughter among the other heroes that Amazement and Discord gathered. (note: needed to read Gathering Names by this point)

"What took you?" smirked Sky, coughing up water.

Amazement leads the charge, raising her sword and summoning Ursa Major, then riding it. As she leads the charge toward Rainbow Dawn, Eirika

drops off Twila, quickly joined by Nightmare, Wanda, and Grape.

Twila could sense something and pointed.

"I can sense very powerful magic ahead of us. Is this Rainbow Dawn?"

Nightmare and Grape told her yes, making Twila ask them questions as other heroes got ahead and waited as they watched the charge being made.

"You sure about letting them go ahead of us?"

Nightmare touched her mask, turned on her visor, and zoomed in.

"We need to see how strong she is before we send in our heavy hitters. They'll be fine." She zoomed out and saw Sunset, Cozy, and the others getting up and hurt. "We need to get them away from the battle. Everyone, move out, but remember the plan." she quickly ran off, with some following her.

Rainbow Dawn cracked her neck and saw someone familiar coming her way. She couldn't help but grin with malice and madness, knowing it was time for her to finish what she started.

"So, you came back? Do you want to die as well?" she asked as she walked towards the charging group, making her slime creature enter her chest. "Do you want to be with that other mage woman so severely? Fine, I'll kill you and grant your wish."

Amazement charged in, slashing Dawn's face, but it did nothing; she jumped off as the slime grabbed her bear, making the two summons fight. Amazement landed but blocked a kick with her sword, sending her flying away and rolling on the watered-filled ground. Dawn was gonna follow up on it but felt laser bullets hitting her back; she turned to see Tracker using her pistols and reloading quickly as she got closer.

"That's not so nice, you wanker!"

Dawn quickly stabbed her in the chest, smiling as she saw the blood and the shocked face on Tracker's face until Tracker gave her a silly look and started to rewind time to the start point.

"What!? You can rewind time?"

Tracker blinked right up to Dawn's side, spinning a small sticky bomb device and slapping it on her back.

"Just my own time, you bugger." she blinked away as it went off, exploding and blowing Dawn away and making her hit the ground hard. Tracker was about to go in for the attack but stopped when the slime creature's head appeared and tried to chomp on her, but Tracker blinked away again.

"Damn it." Dawn stood back up and was gonna use magic to kill Tracker, but Light and Lunar landed between her, doing a karate pose.

"You are facing us now!"

Lunar kicked her legs and slammed her foot on the ground, creating a shockwave. "Don't be a disappointment."

Light quickly charged and flung punches, ending with an uppercut. The attacks did nothing, but Light kept at it while her sister flung kicks and a knee kick on Dawn's back. She was able to stagger Dawn.

"Ha! I stagger her, dear sister! A point for me!"

"Oh, please. You couldn't have done that without my help, sis. That's a point for me, not you."

As the two were arguing, Rainbow Dawn quickly recovered and glared. She then stomped her foot, causing a massive earthquake. She eyed Lunar, smirking.

"Shit!" grunted Lunar as she bent backward, dodging a punch from Rainbow Dawn, only to be grabbed by her, sending Lunar into her sister's arms. "Thanks, sis. I owe you."

Light set her down and ready herself with her sister, but Tracker landed between them, shooting behind them, making them turn in time to see the slime creature get more prominent while the bear bit on its still.

"Sorry to butt in, but I NEED HELP!" screamed Tracker, blinking away, while the sisters dodged the monster's mouth as it bit down on the ground. Almost getting caught, the sisters started to attack the monster while Tracker kept shooting it.

Dawn's horn started to glow, and she aimed it at the four, as they were too focused on the monster than her.

"It's time for all of you to go. Farewell." her horn glowed brightly as she was going to cast a spell.

But her spell didn't cast as a knife hit her forehead, staggering her. She pulled the blade out and could see who attacked her.

"It's Time for the hunt to begin," Red said, pulling more knives from her belt and holding them between her fingers. She howled and dashed towards Dawn, who also dashed towards her, laughing.

They both met, Red stabbing Dawn's chest, shoulder, and left leg while Dawn created her knives from her magic, stabbing Red in a few spots on her body, but the red hooded wolf girl didn't react to the pain, almost like she didn't feel it. Red took another knife out, spun it on her finger, and tossed it between them, hitting the ground, which exploded and sent both girls away from each other while the cloud covered the area. Within the smoke, flashes of blades hitting each other could be seen. As the smoke started to clear up, Red's eyes became blood red, as she was on all fours now, growling. The slime creature also entered the battle and charged towards her. Red growled and leaped away from the slime while sending her knives at it, joining the others in fighting it.

As the smoke finally cleared, Dawn was charging her horn once more, finally unleashing it towards the five, who all took notice, but the beam was blocked by a giant shield.

Tracker blinked behind the knight who saved them. "Great Diamond! You saved our buttocks. Thanks, mate."

Great Diamond lowered her shield, turning her head slightly, and smiled.

"Not a problem." She raised her shield again as more beams were shot towards her and the others. Like the first time, she blocked them all and raised her spear into the air, releasing her attack of diamond dust and sending it towards Dawn, who raised her arms to block the dust cloud as it blasted through her.

"A simple cloud attack won't stop me!"

Diamond lowered her shield and smiled. "That wasn't just a simple cloud, you barbarian."

Dawn looked puzzled and checked her body, only for her to cough up blood from her mouth. She could feel her lungs being cut by billions of tiny diamonds. "WHAT!?"

"My diamond dust is so sharp that it cuts down its enemy's skin and cuts their lungs and heart, killing them." Diamond turned her head, hearing the slime creature's voice. But since you are still standing, it shows that won't be enough to kill you, just like the others had said. Good luck breathing now, darling."

Diamond raised her shield, which glowed brightly before turning into a diamond-like surface. She blocked the slime ram attack, pushing her back while the others were on top. The monster's size had increased even more, to the point that it became the size of a whale.

Dawn wiped her mouth of blood, and using her magic, she pulled out all of the tiny diamonds from her skin and dropped them onto the ground. Her wounds quickly healed.

"Is that the best you can do? You're all a bunch of weaklings."

Dawn was going to join her monster, but a small magical girl pony hovered in front of her.

"Now what? Did they send their tiny little pony after me now?" She was going to ignore the miniature pony, but the pony raised her wand into the air, and without warning, a giant monster fist crushed Dawn.

"Weak? ME!? Ha! My name is Plum, a kaiju lover!" Plum stated as the dinosaur-like monster picked her up and placed her on its head. "I'm also a member of the Magical Element of Fruits!"

Plum hugged her pet head, but she suddenly felt a force pushing them back, making them look down and see its fist raised; underneath it was Dawn, who pushed off the fist and looked up at the monster.

"Wait, is a plum even a fruit?"

As the dinosaur fell backward, Plum shouted that plum was indeed a fruit as the dinosaur crashed, shaking everything. Before the dinosaur could stand, the slime quickly covered it, eating it alive and causing it to roar in pain. Plum tried to save it, but it was useless, and the dinosaur was eaten alive, making the slime grow twice in size.

Dawn floated towards Plum and grabbed her by the tail, making the magical girl pony shout.

"What is it with you guys and grabbing my tail?"

Dawn was going to say something when knives hit her back, causing her to let go of Plum. She turned to see Red, filled with so much fury, as she was panting with drool dripping from her mouth.

"Oh, did I make you mad for hurting your friend?" Dawn laughed and shot magic beams, hitting Red. Red ignored the pain and tried to stab her, but she missed as Dawn was quicker.

"DON'T YOU DARE HANDLE FLUFFY TAILS LIKE THAT!" screamed Red in a very angry and deep tone, but yet, in the most monotonous and dry tone ever, causing Dawn to stop and be very confused by that reply before she was kicked in the face by Lunar, who joined to help fight her.

As this happened, Grape, Wanda, Nightmare, Twila, Layla, Nanna, Midnight, and Dr. Wonder watched the battles, turned to each other, and gave their opinions on the current battle plan.

"She's much more robust than we thought. She's almost on the same level as Calamity Day. If we're going to neutralize her, we have to take out that slime monster along with her." said Nightmare, looking back at the battle.

Wanda took her glasses and blew on them, wiping them clean. "Agree, we should split the team into two and take out the slime creature. It's defending its master." she put back on her glasses.

Twila and the others agree, but Nanna puts her two cents on something else.

"We may have another issue besides Dawn," she pointed at Fayth, watching them from afar and smiling at them.

Midnight cracks her knuckles.

"I sense a lot of power from her. A lot of dark energy."

"Should we handle her?" asked Twila, who sensed her but wasn't sure.

Dr. Wonder looked at the other battle.

"If that child interfered, she could make this battle more difficult. I'll keep an eye on her." she looked at the others. "Are all of you fine with handling the rest?"

"Yes, we are," answered Grape. The others nodded, but she asked her: "Will you be okay without help? We don't need you dying a second time." She turned her sight on Amazement, who was knocked out but finally awake as her bear licked her face.

Wonder knew this alt-timeline version of Amazement's past and looked at her sadly.

"I won't die. I promise my Amazement that. Now, go; the battle is still raging."

The seven took off, and Dr. Wonder sighed as she watched the other battle and saw that the slime monster's size increased a few more times and that the water around them was getting darker. She lowered her hand into it and felt it getting warmer. Without knowing what was changing the water, she turned to the little girl and floated towards her.

Dawn punched Light in the gut, pulling her hair and tossing her towards Diamond's shield, which she slammed into. The others grouped up with them and stood back to back as Dawn, and the slime creature approached them.

"Stop struggling already, and let's kill you! It'll be quick and painless." she narrowed her eyes at Amazement, who was doing the same to her. "You'll see that woman you loved and missed," said Dawn, but Amazement and the others weren't giving up.

Light stood back up, coughing and spitting out blood. "No, we'll never surrender! No matter what, we will always fight and fight till the end. That's how we are, and no matter how many times you beat us, we'll come back and kick your ass."

Dawn started to laugh as she created a small rainbow orb in her palm. She was about to unleash the attack when a flare appeared in the sky, causing everyone to look up.

Tracker fell on her rear, finally relaxing. "Yeah, the cavalry is here!"

Before Dawn could ask what she meant, Amazement cast a quick spell and teleported the others away, leaving only her and her bear behind.

"Fighting alone?"

"No, just our real fighting power turn now."

Dawn raised an eyebrow before getting punched in the face by

Supermare at full speed. This caused her to fly towards the multiverse tree, only to be kicked away by Flash,

who teleported. Flash fired off her rainboom beam attack, blasting her back where she came from, causing her to crash into the ground. As she got up, she was met with Captain Apple Core's fist and shield; she beat her down, shield tackling her towards Midnight, who took the same pose as her mother, Lunar, and unleashed a fury of powerful kicks. Each landed kick sent out a powerful shockwave from Dawn's back. With one good kick, Midnight blasted Dawn toward the feet of Nightmare, who just stared at her.

"You don't look so powerful," asked Dawn, standing up and face to face with Nightmare.

Nightmare narrowed her eyes at her. "I fought way more powerful beings than you, and they all paid the price for their foolishness in judging a book by its cover. You'll pay the same."

Dawn laughed at this answer. She was going to grab Nightmare by her neck to snap it, but Nightmare tossed out smoke bombs, blinding her and covering the whole area. She was going to use magic, but a punch hit her gut, causing her to gasp. She looked down, seeing Berry,

who quickly summoned a giant blueberry cake, crushing Dawn.

The cake quickly blew apart, with Dawn in the middle and licking the frosting from her face. "Déjà vu." She was going to attack Berry, but Grape protected her friend by using a barrier that looked like a grape. Dawn cursed under her breath, soon feeling something stabbing her back. Nightmare's Batarang started to beep as a light flashed before blowing up and staggering her to her knees. "Damn it!"

Dawn tried to stand but felt two blades stabbing her; she could see Layla

and Eirika, both holding onto her as Nova

roared above them, landing her cold and flaming blades into her, unleashing the powerful elements through her body.

The slime tried to fight off Aaira

,

Amelia Jarvis,

Terra, and

Rain's gunfire as this happened.

"Keep it away from the others; we can't let it return to its master!" shouted Wanda, who summoned her taser cannon and fired upon the creature.

Aaira reloaded her horn cutter and opened her helmet. "Wanda, I fought creatures like this but made from human flesh. They were fast but not this tough. Its body is too thick that our weapon has no effect."

Amelia reloaded her custom-made shotgun and turned to Enmity, floating near her. "Something wrong, little sugar cube?"

Enmity flashed from red to white, turning to Amelia.

"I did a quick scan with Celesta's help. We pinpointed something within its body. It could be a weak spot, but it was already damaged."

Nanna walked up, ordered Crescent to take on the creature, and sent the shadow monster towards it. "We must make a bigger hole and hit its heart or brain."

Aaira was done reloading and looked above herself. "If that's true, Bolt, can you do that?"

Bolt hovered above everyone in her super form and wagged her wing at them.

"Please, I fought a water dragon. This is going to be easy!" she spun into a ball and started to speed up until golden lights appeared around her. "READY!" and she stopped, covered in a greenish aura. "GO!" and within the blink of an eye, she blasted through the slime creature, leaving behind a giant hole and exposing half a piece of a broken core, but it was quickly covered in slime, making Bolt tsk loudly. "Maybe not."

As Bolt was about to try again, all the sound vanished, replacing the nothingness with the sounds of a heartstring being played. Bolt watched as a floating jade sword zipped past her and stabbed the slime creature, slicing through its body and trying to reach its core. Bolt looked down and saw Lyra standing there, her jaded horn glowing brightly.

"We just need to keep hammering away at it until we reach its soft, creamy insides, right?" asked Lyra, not noticing that the slime creature would eat her as it spit itself into two.

"Behind you, Lyra!" shouted Wanda, firing her taser, but the slime quickly devoured Lyra. "No!"

Bolt and the others were about to save her but saw the second slime sliced and diced into bits, all thanks to Lyra's powers over the wind.

"Nice try, but can't sneak up against a knight of the wind."

Bolt smiled. "Hehe, that's my title!" She started her light-speed dash attack once, helping Lyra reach the monster's core and hoping to kill it. Light Rainbow and Spitflame joined the slicing.

"Time to wake up, Chi Xiao! We can't be outdone by their speed!" She unsheathed her red blade, making it shine like a red star. Within seconds, she shadow stepped away and reappeared on the slime body, slicing it.

Spitflame raised her sword into the air, engulfing it and herself in a bright, flame-like light. She lowered her blade and smiled. "Now you'll see why they call me Radiant Knight!" She joined in attacking the slime in a blinding flash.

As this happened, Little Star and the others who attacked Dawn the first time were checking on Sky and the others after saving them. AJ looked at her human counterparts in the battle and turned to her friends.

"Okay, what's going on now? Who got these new versions of us and others we know?"

"I think I knew who," answered Fluttershy, making everyone look at her. She quickly explained what Discord did.(note: see chapter 12)

Penny waved at Tracker and then towards her friends. "So, Discord got the heroes that saved the twins and others to help? This is truly a multiverse battle!"

Sky and Nightfall stood and quickly joined in the battle, leaving the others to watch the two battles raging on. Sky flew off to help those battling Dawn, while Nightfall went to aid the others in fighting the slime monster.

Nightfall landed next to Enmity and Terra, who watched as she summoned some device.

Rain reloaded her sniper rifle and pointed to the weird device. "What is that?"

"Enmity and Celesta, can you download your specs into this device? These two can also help us." she floated the device between them, and both AIs scanned the item. This surprised them and made them nod to the request, downloading their specs to the device, which unleashed nanomachines and created two Android alicorns.

"Wonderful! With these new specs, we can fight better now! Look at us! We look brand new." The Android that was Arev stopped and touched her throat, speaking random words. She smiled. "Is that my voice? Not some robotic, machine voice, but my voice!"

Enmity and Celesta were happy to see another of their kind, glad to have their voice, but they saw the other android, Mizuki,

doing a sad emote in her visor eyes.

"It seems your voice is being created. Don't worry, sis!" said Arev, pulling her sister into a hug and making Mizuki feel better. "But we need to help! Come, sister!" Arev let go, created a machine under her wings, and took off, while Mizuki created a single cannon on her back and joined her sister and the others.

Dr.Wonder stood next to Fayth, watching the two battles. Without turning to her, she asked her a question.

"You are a higher being, aren't you? Higher than One Above All. Higher than omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience, correct?"

Fayth looked at Dr.Wonder and nodded.

"What are you?"

Fayth answered. "˙ƃuᴉɥʇoN ˙ɥʇʎɐℲ 'ǝɯ oʇ pǝɹɐdɯoɔ ƃuᴉɥʇou ǝɹɐ sɹoɥʇnɐ ǝsoɥ┴ ˙ll∀ ǝʌoq∀ ǝuO 'ɹoɥʇnɐ ɹnoʎ oʇ ǝɯ ǝɹɐdɯoɔ ʇ,uop oS ˙lɐǝɹ ǝpɐɯ ʎuᴉʇsǝp ɐ ɯɐ I"

Wonder understood what she said to her and looked at her now. "I see, destiny made real. You control everyone's fates, don't you? Judging by that book, you must have written our futures, our fates. If so, you must know what will happen next."

Fayth shrugged, smiling and holding her book tightly. "˙ǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ ɟo ʍɐl ǝɥʇ ʍolloɟ ʇsnɯ I uǝʌǝ ʇnq 'ʎɐʍɐ ʇɥƃᴉɹ ʇᴉ ǝuop ǝʌɐɥ plnoʍ I 'sǝʌᴉl ɹnoʎ llɐ puǝ oʇ ɥsᴉʍ I ɟI"

"Rewrite?"

She opened the book and read it while answering her question.

"˙sʎɐʍ ʇuǝɹǝɟɟᴉp uᴉ suǝddɐɥ ǝɯoɔʇno ǝɯɐs ǝɥʇ ʇnq 'pǝƃuɐɥɔ sᴉ ƃuᴉɥʇʎɹǝʌƎ ˙lɐuᴉƃᴉɹo ǝɥʇ ɟo uoᴉsɹǝʌ uǝʇʇᴉɹʍǝɹ ɐ sᴉ 'ǝsɹǝʌᴉʇlnɯ ǝɥʇ ɟo uoᴉsɹǝʌ sᴉɥʇ 'ʎɹoʇs ǝɥʇ ɟo uoᴉsɹǝʌ sᴉɥ┴" She closed her book and put it back on her waist. "˙uǝddɐɥ uɐɔ ƃuᴉpuǝ ǝnɹʇ ǝɥʇ 'sǝɯoɔ ʎɐp ʇɐɥʇ uǝɥM ˙ɐɹpuʎlƎ ɟo ʞooq ǝɥʇ uᴉɥʇᴉʍ ƃuᴉʇᴉɹʍ uᴉ ƃuᴉɥsᴉuᴉɟ uᴉ uᴉʍ llᴉʍ I 'ǝɯᴉʇ sᴉɥʇ ʎluO"

Wonder summoned her magical runes. "True ending? What will happen!?"

Fayth pointed her pen at Wonder, turning off her magic and making her normal and blind again.

"˙sǝʌɹǝsǝp ǝɥs ʇɐɥʍ puɐ ʇuɐʍ I ƃuᴉpuǝ ǝɥʇ ʇǝƃ llᴉʍ I puɐ 'puǝ llᴉʍ ʎɹoʇs ʎɹǝʌƎ"

Wonder gasped at her blindness and loss of power as Fayth turned into a mist, disappearing and leaving the blind doctor alone.

---

Within the flashing rainbow light, the twins and their Dawn walked into the apartment home, hearing voices.

"Why are you leaving us!?" asked a male voice as it echoed in the room.

"I'm leaving you for a better man!" replied the female voice, as the sounds of a door closed loudly.

"Better? What about our daughter!? Come back here!"

Sounds of the open being opened and closed again echo once more until soft crying can be heard.

The memory quickly changed, and the apartment became dirty and filled with garbage and empty bottles of alcohol. As the girls could see a man's shadow hanging from the ceiling, the sound of a girl crying made Lucy take out her cross and pray.

The memory changed once more; now, what seemed to be inside of the building, shadows of gang members could be seen, and an older female voice could be heard.

"Amazing, you fought tooth and nail against our best. I think we found our new enforcer."

"Please, I'll do anything to survive. I'm sorry about hurting them."

"You will. Don't worry, kid, and ensure our business continues around those parts. Also, don't worry about them; this is a world of eating or being eaten. No one will cry for a few scum-sucking, low-life scum, anyway. Besides, I like you. Training you will be fun."

The memory changed again, now the backstreets of a random city. A figure covered in blood was standing near a body, panting heavily. The person grabbed their head, screaming.

The scene changed to more random locations, showing the figure covered in more and more blood as more bodies rain from the sky.

"I JUST WANT TO LIVE! I DON'T WANT TO DIE ALONE LIKE HIM!"

The figure started to laugh in sorrow.

"If you want to live, Dawn, write a happy story rather than a sad one. You are your writer, Dawn. Write your happy ending!"
The figure stopped laughing, turning to a rainbow figure who reached out to her.

The girls watched as the scene changed, showing the bloody figure walking away from the rainbow figure, who kept following her.

"Leave me alone already!" she turned, pointing at her follower. "Stop it, leave me alone! Unless you want me to beat your fucking ass!?"

The rainbow figure shook her head. "I won't. I'll never leave you."

"I hate you!"

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do. Damn annoying, always following me after school and stopping me from doing my work!"

"That's why I'm your best friend."

"Best friend? We aren't friends!"

"We are."

"I don't need friends."

"Everyone needs friends, Dawn."

The scene changes to a rooftop, where the two figures fought. Ultimately, the rainbow figure wins, causing the bloody figure to pound the ground angrily, but she notices the hand reaching out to her.

"Dawn, you are my best friend, and I love you. You will never be alone."

The girls could see the blood slowly dripping off the figure as she smacked the hand away.

"We're not friends! Just because I helped you from those cunts, doesn't mean we are friends. Why the fuck would you want to be friends with someone like me?"

The rainbow figure sat on the ground, holding the figure's hands.

"Didn't I just tell you? I love you. Dawn, you are a strong, beautiful, and amazing person. I wish you could see yourself the way I see you."

"Shut the fuck up. Stop saying that, please. You don't know me, and you don't know the things I have done." she got up, trying to walk away, but the rainbow figure tried to grab her but tripped, falling face-first into the figure's rear, making her scream.

"Ow!" the rainbow figure said.

"Why the fuck did you trip?" she looked behind herself, seeing the rainbow figure. "And why are you rubbing my butt?"
The rainbow figure realized what she was doing and stopped. Trying her best to explain herself only made it worse, but because of that, the blood finally fell off and made the black figure into a pink one, making her laugh.
"Whatever, perv!"

The girls watched as the pink started to open up more to the rainbow figure, letting her into her life, and the two of them had a fun and happy time together, even if the pink figure would never admit it.

They watched as the two grew closer, spending every minute of the day together and having a happy and fun time. They could see them dating now and the pink figure becoming lovely dovely with her rainbow lover.

The memory changed, and the two could be seen sitting at the top of a hill, watching the stars above.

"Hey, Dawn?"

"Yes?"

"Will you believe me if I told you I hurt others too?"

The pink figure started to laugh and held her girlfriend, protecting her.

"Like what? Not being so polite to people? Being rude?"

"No, no. I'm being serious. I'm not the same person, not the person you know."

"What are you talking about?"

The rainbow figure got up, pointing to the stars.

"I destroyed my home, and I killed my parents. I'm a monster. I'm not the nice girl you think I am."

The pink figure looked at her, not saying a word. She pulled the rainbow figure into a hug.

"You are a good person; it must have been an accident if you did something like that. I can't even see my rainbow comet light doing something like that." she kissed her cheek. "Whatever you indeed did, it was an accident. I don't think you are a monster."

The rainbow figure felt like crying and hugged her back.

"Thank you, Dawn. Thank you."

"No problem."

The memory started to fade, and the white void filled everything, showing the pink figure fighting her old gang that she quit, saving the rainbow figure from her former gang leader, whom she killed in the process, but she didn't care and ran towards her love, who was injured.

"...why? Why did you come to save me!?"

She looked down at the rainbow figure resting on her lap, also hurt but smiling at her as she reached out and held her cheeks, caring-like.

"No one deserves a sad fate, no matter who it is. Everyone deserves a happy ending—even you, Dawn! No matter how cruel, no one is ever truly bad. Everyone can be given a second chance! You have to listen to their story and try to understand. I can't give you a happy ending, but I can allow you to write your ending. Write a story where you can be happy and have a wonderful life, not alone and scared."

The pink figure put her hands on the rainbow figure's cheeks as well and leaned in to kiss her forehead as her tears mixed with her blood and dripped on the girl's face.

"No matter who it is, Everyone deserves a happy ending. Everyone!" the rainbow figure returned the kiss, surprising the pink figure.

Soon, the girls watched as the white void became a white void bedroom.

"I don't want you to hate me." said the pink figure, sitting on the bed, looking at the rainbow figure sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I don't hate you."

"Please stop looking away from me. I'm not perfect and make stupid mistakes, but please don't leave me!" she moved towards her and tried to kiss her, but the rainbow figure backed away and stood.

"I'm not leaving you; we need a break. I'm sorry." she started to walk away, but the pink figure grabbed her.

"Please, I need you! You're my only friend and lover, the only one who sees me. Why can't I have a chance? Why am I not enough for you? You're all I have and all I want. You're the only one for me." She started to cry. "Don't leave me, or I'll break. I'll scatter. I'll vanish."

"Dawn, let me go."

"No, please!"

"Let me go!" the rainbow figure broke free and watched as the pink figure sat back on the bed, crying even harder, telling her how much she loved her. Rainbow figure started to walk back and forth, explaining her reason. "We need a break, and not because of you. sure you can be super clingy and overprotective of me, and sure, you can be a bit too possessive and have a problem with other people. But that's not why I'm leaving." she stopped, lowering herself and touching her hand. "I'm leaving you because I want to protect you."

The pink figure took something from the bed, tossing it at the mirror, shattering it, and sending glass flying, causing the rainbow figure to stand up and step back quickly.

"YOU NEVER LOVED ME!" the pink figure shouted, breaking down and shaking her whole body.

"I do; I love you more than you think. It's why I'm leaving before she arrives." The rainbow figure turned around and headed out of the room but stopped when she saw black seeds falling around her. She quickly turned around. "Dawn! RU-ugh!?"

With that one stab, blood hit the ground, and the white void scattered, revealing Rainbow Dawn as she stabbed the rainbow figure. Both fell to the bedroom floor. Lucy hid behind Blitz, while Luster did the same with Braver. The twins were the only ones watching now as Dawn kept stabbing the rainbow figure repeatedly.

"DAWN!!!"

"DAWN!!! STOP!"

"DAWN! YOU'RE HURTING ME!"

Dawn kept stabbing, ignoring the shouts from her lover and the pain from the piece of shattered glass in her hand, which kept slicing her hand with each thrust she made, causing her to bleed. She didn't stop until she heard laughter from behind her, finally snapping her out of it and seeing what she had done. She dropped the shard and tried to stop the bleeding, but it was hopeless.

"I didn't mean it! I'm sorry! Don't leave me!" she held the figure, begging her not to leave her.

"Dawn, don't forget; you will never be alone." the figure placed her hand on Dawn's cheek. "You have been through so much, I know. But, please, try and find a reason to keep going. For yourself and me. You're not alone. You'll never be. I'll always be there for you. I'll always save you! Because you are my dawn! I love you!"

"I...love you too, you big dork. I'm sorry for being cruel. For hurting everyone and making everyone suffer. Please don't forgive me. For...what I did to you..."

"¿noʎ ǝʞᴉl ɹǝʇsuoɯ ɐ ǝʌᴉƃɹoɟ ǝɥs plnoɥs ʎɥʍ 'pᴉp ǝɥs ɟᴉ uǝʌƎ"

Dawn and everyone looked above, seeing Fayth hovering with her book open.

"˙pǝʌol ƃuᴉǝq ɹǝʌǝu puɐ sɹǝɥʇo ƃuᴉllᴉʞ ¿ʍouʞ noʎ 'ǝʇɐɟ ɹnoʎ sʎɐʍlɐ sɐʍ sᴉɥ┴" she smiled. "˙ǝɯ ǝsooɥɔ sᴉ op oʇ ǝʌɐɥ noʎ ll∀ ˙ʎddɐɥ noʎ ǝʞɐɯ puɐ plɹoʍ sᴉɥʇ ǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ oʇ ɹǝʍod ǝɥʇ ǝʌɐɥ I ˙uᴉ ǝq sʎɐʍlɐ llᴉʍ puɐ ǝsoɥɔ noʎ ɥʇɐd ǝɥʇ s,ʇI"

Dawn could see Fayth reach out with her hand, wanting her to grab it, but she could hear the weak voice of her lover.

"There's nothing to forgive. You're not a monster—not to me. You're kind and caring, like a morning sun covering the land. Don't listen to her!"

"No. I'm a demon," answered Dawn coldly, reaching out to Fayth. "Please, save her!"

The figure tried to grab Dawn's arm but couldn't as she was starting to die. "No. You're a beautiful and loving girl. And you'll always be. No matter what happens, Even if you have to face your inner demon, I'll always save you." her hand slowly dropped and finally fell, becoming lifeless.

Dawn grabbed Fayth's hand, causing the black seeds around them to gather near Dawn's chest, becoming a sharp tree branch that impaled Dawn's chest. Dawn returned to her lover and picked up the broken mirror shard without speaking or reacting to the pain. She started to stab the chest again until she saw it, a rainbow core, but it had a crack in the middle. She pulled it out and could hear Fayth ordering her to give it to her.

"¡pooƃ ɹoɟ ʇᴉ ɹǝʇʇɐɔs uɐɔ I os ǝɹoɔ ɹǝɥ ǝɯ ǝʌᴉפ"

Dawn looked at it and held the core close to her heart. She pulled out the branch, bleeding out black slime, and inserted the core into her chest, feeling its power becoming one with her.

"¡ON" screamed Fayth as the memory finally faded and the bedroom became pure darkness, only showing Dawn as she was on top of the tree of Elyndra with a white Alicorn by her side, as the two stared down at a dying older Fayth, who's writing in the book of Elyndra.

"¡uᴉɐƃɐ ʎɹʇ ll,I 'ʎɹoʇs sᴉɥʇ ǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ I sɐ ƃuol sɐ ;uᴉʍ ʇ,upᴉp no⅄" she closed the book and smiled at them. "˙uᴉʍ llᴉʍ I ¡ƃuᴉɥʇʎɹǝʌǝ ǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ I sǝɯᴉʇ ʎuɐɯ ʍoɥ ɹǝʇʇɐɯ ʇ,usǝop ʇᴉ ;ʇuɐʍ os I ʇɐɥʇ ƃuᴉpuǝ ʇɐɥʇ ʇǝƃ ll,I" She opened her book and wrote down notes for herself. "˙ǝʎqpooƃ sᴉ sᴉɥʇ ssǝnƃ I ˙ǝɯɐu ɹǝɥ uᴉ ǝuop ǝʌɐɥ noʎ ƃuᴉɥʇʎɹǝʌǝ pǝʇɐɥ ǝʌɐɥ plnoʍ ǝɥS ˙ǝɹǝɥ ʇǝƃ oʇ ʇsnɾ ʎuɐɯ os pǝllᴉʞ no⅄ ˙uʍɐp 'ʎɹoʇs sᴉɥʇ ɟo uoᴉsɹǝʌ ʇuǝɹɹnɔ sᴉɥʇ uᴉ oɹǝɥ ou ǝɹɐ no⅄"

"Goodbye?" Dawn asked, looking down at her. The Alicorn beside her looked at Fayth in shock, wondering what she was doing.

"˙ǝɯᴉʇ sᴉɥʇ ʇnq 'uᴉɐƃɐ ʇǝǝɯ ǝʍ lᴉʇu∩ ˙ǝʎqpooƃ 'ɥɐǝ⅄" she quickly tore out a page from her book and sent it flying into Dawn's chest, making it bleed rainbow liquid and slowly turning her black. "˙ɹǝɥ llᴉʞ puɐ 'ʇ,uǝɹǝʍ noʎ pᴉɐs ǝɥs ɹǝʇsuoɯ ǝɥʇ ǝɯoɔǝq ¡ɹǝɥ ʇɐǝ puɐ sǝʇᴉɹʍǝɹ ʇxǝu ǝɥʇ uᴉ ɹǝɥ ɹoɟ ʞoo˥ ˙ʞɔɐq ʇɥƃᴉɟ ʇ,uoʍ noʎ 'ǝɯᴉʇ sᴉɥ┴"

Fayth vanished as the golden book started to shine brightly, blinding everyone.

When the light finally dimmed, the girls could see Dawn looking up at the Prime Universe Tree as she became completely black. She started to cry and laugh like a mad person before finally finding one of the prism windows and entering it.

Soon after, the girls returned to the slime-covered kitchen. Both Dawns didn't know what to say after what they saw; they could only turn to the twins, who walked away from them and looked out to the slime-covered garden from the kitchen that led to.

"Sister, I know we both agreed not to think about it until all this was over, but seeing that and the person we've been seeing." Braver held her sister's hand, feeling Blitz gripping it back. "I'm starting to think I know who that person is."

Blitz placed her other hand over her chest, feeling the spot where she remembered being stabbed the second time. "Same. I think we're just-"

Lucy and Luster hurried over to them, asking what they meant. The twins turned to them, giving off a sad but happy smile.

"We always thought that we were the clones of our mothers while I carried Sky's DNA, and Braver here carried a bit of Nightfall and the black slime." Blitz put pressure on her chest, making it collapse, scaring Lucy and Luster, as they could see black slime within Blitz.

Braver watched as Blitz's black streak in her rainbow hair started to ooze like slime, the same way as her mane does.

"We were wrong. Blitz and I are just part of the black slime, stealing the DNA of Sky and Nightfall."

Lucy and Luster didn't like what the two were getting out, even though they knew what they would say.

"And the person we have been seeing." Blitz took a deep breath. "We know who that person is. They are..."

A bright light covered the garden as the girls looked up and saw the portal open. Lucy and Luster looked up at it but suddenly felt something wrapping around them and pushing towards the exit. They saw the twins making their slime towards the exit and out of whatever they were.

"What are you two doing?!" yelled Lucy as the portal started to close.

"Getting you two out of here." Blitz pushed harder, giving it her all. "I'm sorry, Lucy, but this is where we part ways for good. I don't know what will happen when we get her, but please. Don't ever forget us!"

"Wait, stop! Blitz!" she tried to free herself, but the slime oozed a head, which became Blitz. "Don't do this! I love you!"

"And I love you too. Bye." Blitz leaned in and kissed her. "Move on, okay? Be happy."

Luster could feel tears coming as she saw that sad scene next to her; she quickly looked away and found Braver emerging from her slime and smiling at her.

"Braver." She reached out for her.

"I love you, Luster Dawn. You are my special somepony, and I'm glad the time I spent with you was wonderful. Please be happy. I'm sorry I trapped you from growing like you were always meant to be, and I hope you can forgive me. Goodbye." She leaned in and kissed her. "Bye."

The girls screamed for the twins as they vanished into the portal. The two black slimes let them go and returned to headless twins, whose heads slowly filled back in from their slimes.

"So, that's why you wanted to see Dawn's memories, right? To save your Dawn," answered Blitz, as she and her sister turned around, meeting the rainbow slime humanoid. "Well, we." she shook her head. "Well, she will do it. We need to get to her first."

The slime smiled as rainbow tears started to fall from its white eyes. It pointed ahead, making them turn to see the twins' cores. The two orbs were trying to fuse, but something was resisting it.

"Blitz!" shouted Braver, opening her wings.

"Right!" Blitz answered, also opening her wings. "It's time to get our third sister to leave her room!"

Both flew as fast as they could, not even bothering to look back at the humanoid. The moment they entered the orbs, the humanoid collapsed and turned back into a pile of rainbow slime, finally saying something.

"Please, help them move forward, my sisters that I wish I had."

---

Back with the others, Rainbow Dawn was still being held down and blasted not only by Nova's magical blades but also by Flare's heat vision, Sky's laser beams, Amazement magic, Heat's powerful flames, and Flash's beam attack. No matter how hard they tried, their attacks weren't burning her.

"Are we doing it?" asked Heat, turning to Flare.

"I think we got her lockdown, but I don't know how long we all can last! How are you guys doing?" shouted Flare at Nightmare, who tossed freezing Batarangs at the non-growing slime.

"I think we stopped it from growing, and it seems to be taking in everything we had been throwing at it. I also feel this won't hold for much longer." She turned towards where Flare was. "From what Sky and Nightfall told us, the twins and the captured version of Dawns were eaten by this creature. We must find a way to get them out before, huh!?" she could hear the others yelling and turning around, seeing the slime growing smaller until it became a humanoid again.

Before anyone could do anything to it, Nightfall created a magical barrier around them and pulled them away, letting the slime humanoid turn to half-rainbows and dart towards Rainbow Dawn, who opened her eyes and saw the creature heading her way.

"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" she screamed, pulling out Nova's blades and then the other swords in her with ease, as they couldn't stop her from doing so. She ignored the attacks being unleashed on her and started to create a magical energy within, unleashing a powerful pulse and blasting them all away. "COME MY RAINBOW LIGHT!" she raised her arms like waiting for a hug as the slime got closer until it returned to her chest, but as it did, rainbow flashes appeared out of her back, making her drop to her knees. Two figures flew out of her back, making her lose her wings and horn.

The lights' shooting sent Lucy and Luster flying high into the sky, but Aero and Flare saved them. Starlight and the others noticed the two and called out to them.

"SWEETIE!" cried Starlight, running off to meet her as Aero and Flare landed near them.

Flare let Luster go and took off to join the others, leaving Luster to be hugged by her mother. She didn't know how to react, as her mother never hugged her like this before. Even more so when Braver's friends joined in said hug.

"Happy to see you are okay, friend Dawn!" cheered Luna.

Tirek lowered the group after hugging them. "Great to see you are fine and well."

Tempest let go, smiling. "Good to see you again."

Chrysalis also let go, hugging Luna while looking at Luster. "Great to see you! After all this is over, we must talk about your love life! I can sense some great love coming from you."

Luster felt her mother letting go and wiping away her tears. "Sweetie, thank Celestia, you are fine!"

She couldn't understand why they were worried about her after all she had done to them. She tried to look for the words, but nothing came out. They let her go.

"Because friends give other friends a chance to grow, and they will forgive their mistakes," said Cozy, the only one who didn't join the hug. She could see the confused look on Luster, making her walk over and punch her in the shoulder. "You aren't getting off that easy, though; you still need to pay for what you did back in Canterlot and Ponyville." she steps aside, revealing her friends behind her. "And to them."

Luster lowered her head in shame, thinking of something to say.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I've done to you all, and I understand if you can never forgive me. Just know, I'll be making up for my actions." She started to cry as they looked at each other, wondering what to do.

They all smiled at each other, knowing what to do.

Luster could feel them hugging her again, telling her they forgave her but never to be evil again, as they knew how awful it could be. It slowly sunk in for her, and she realized her friends were indeed her friends, and they did forgive her and that she was no longer alone.

She felt her mother hug her again and could hear her crying.

"Please stop. I'm sorry," she said softly.

Starlight pulled away, smiling and wiping away her tears. "Oh, I know, sweetie. But I'm crying out of joy. You are smiling, not fake but real, and that's the first time you've smiled without Braver around." she wiped her tears. "After this is over, we need to talk. I need to say my forgiveness to you."

Luster didn't need her to finish. She could already tell what her mother was thinking, as she could feel her feelings.

"Yes, we should talk, mom."

Starlight was caught off guard, as she had never heard her daughter truly put love behind the word mom before. Her tears started again, but it was joy this time. She could see the others crying as well, even Tirek.

Lucy couldn't help but smile as she saw her pony counterpart being happy that she didn't notice right away the tree roots holding her and sending her towards her friends, who hugged her. She wasn't surprised to see Sunset and Wallflower still looking different, but she was caught off by Brishen and Tempesta's new looks.

"Brishen, are you wearing a costume again!?" she pulled his cheeks, hurting him and stopping as she realized it. "Oh, I'm sorry!" she turned to Tempesta and petted her like a real pony. "You look still cool, even as a pony, Tempesta."

"You sure know how to give a weird compliment." smiled Tempesta.

Sunset chuckled at her, messing up her hair. "That's our classic awkward Lucy, so how did you escape? Giving your evil counterpart a Sunday school lesson and winning her over?"

Lucy glared at her and coughed. "No!" she quickly remembered what happened and pointed to Rainbow Dawn, who was throwing up rainbow slime from her mouth. "Blitz and her sister pushed us out of whatever we were and are inside still."

"What!? Why!?" asked Wallflower, getting all worried.

"Because." She held her cross and turned to them, then towards Braver's aunts and friends, and then to Blitz's aunts, whom she had just noticed as they hurried over."Because they're not really who they thought they were."

They were confused by what she meant but looked over to Rainbow Dawn, who was slowly getting up and surrounded by Amazement and the heroes she gathered.

"Give up, Dawn. It's over," ordered Amazement, pointing her sword toward her.

Dawn slowly looked up at her and saw that she was surrounded. She coughed and smirked. "Not going to kill me? Not after the evil things I have done?" she slowly raised her hand toward Amazement, summoning something within her fist and tossing a necklace toward her feet. "Not after I killed your dear friend or your lover? I don't remember what she was, but I do remember your screams when I killed her." she waited for a reaction from her, but all she got was a sad smile.

Amazement lowered and put away her sword. "I can't ever forgive what has been done to me, but I'm giving you a chance to make things right again. And you know you can't win against all of us." She could see Dawn's reaction. She started to laugh but also coughed. "Dawn, the chance I'm giving you is precious, like a spark we all carry, something that can't be forgotten or forgiven. It needs to be earned, so I'm giving you this chance." She raised her sword, ready to fight again. "Don't toss it away."

Dawn wiped her mouth and asked her something.

"Precious thing? Like a spark we all carry?"

Amazement lowered her sword again and revealed her mark, her version of the cutie mark. "A spark that can turn into flames, flames that can burn brighter and brighter, allowing you to see the light within the darkness, that all magic comes from one thing, and that's." she shut her eyes and smiled. "Friendship! Friendship is the spark that lies within us all; it's the very thing that can allow us to give others chances in life, and it can enable others to change by allowing others to understand each other by reaching out the hand of friendship!"

All the heroes agreed, and Midnight's cold expression became warm, as she was proud of her student.

"That's right, Dawn! Friendship is the power of the Spark! What makes us all move forward!" yelled Amazement.

Dawn looked at the necklace she tossed and then raised her hand, making a magical blade. "You sound like her." She quickly gathered all her energy and sliced the air above her, creating rifts and suckling the heroes towards it like a black hole. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't escape it. One by one, each of them was sucked inside and vanished as the rifts closed behind them.

Sky and Nightfall were being pulled towards two different rifts as they tried to hang on each other.

"SKY!" screamed Nightfall. She couldn't hold Sky's hand, so she was tossed into the rift and disappeared.

"NIGHTFALL!" screamed back Sky as she, too, disappeared into her rift.

As the last rift closed, the only ones left were Dawn and Amazement. Both ready themselves for a fight, unaware that Dr. Wonder was still there but far from anyone. She was blindly looking for anyone to help as she lost her magic.

"Like I said, Dawn, what you do with the chance I gave you is your choice. Let's settle this if you wish to throw it away." Amazement charged, only for Dawn to teleport behind her.

"If that's your wish, let's see whose will is stronger." Dawn swung her magical blade, cutting off the tip of Amazement's hat and knocking her sword out of her hands. "My love for my rainbow comet light or your foolish spark? How long do you think you can last against me?" she tried to stab Amazement, but she unleashed her mark's mana, creating a mana sword that surprised Dawn.

"Enough for the others to come back!"

They both clashed swords, creating a giant rainbow spark...

---

...Within a fake blue sky, a rainbow flashed, shooting out the twins as they landed in a non-destroyed version of their old home. They could tell they landed inside the garden as they could see the lone tree in the middle, and sitting under the tree was a pony covered in a rainbow blanket.

"Why are you two here?" asked the pony.

Both sisters held their hoof/hand, smiling, and answered her simultaneously, sounding like the blanket pony herself.

"Making you step outside, sister!"

End of chapter 33

Author's Note:

After seeing it, I had to ref that one Luster Dawn PMV and use it for my story, but in my own way.
look up Daspacepony on YouTube. Great pmv.

As I noted in the story, you needed to read Gathering Names to meet these new characters(based on/inspired by media you might have seen before).

One more chapter to go!