Using the time travel spell, she decides to travel to alternate timelines to find out what the life of the ponies in the alternate timeline is like. Twilight Sparkle arrives in alternative timeline that leaves her quite surprised. Luna is the ruler of Equestria and not Celestia. Sunset Shimmer is the Princess Luna student. After this shock, she explores this different Equestria and tries to accept this alternate timeline and return home and tell Spike.

Twilight Sparkle vector belongs to Eagle1Division
Background belongs to Ambassad0r

This story is a sequel to Starless Sunlight

Starlight Glimmer could not let herself die. She could not let herself disappear from the world. She could not give up when she still had so much to do. So instead of burning, she writhed. She writhed to keep herself alive, she writhed to escape one day from this fiery hell Twilight had banished her to.
And she waited for the day when Twilight would realize she was still alive.

Starlight never accepted Twilight's offer of help. Many iterations of worlds and pasts have passed since. So Twilight gives up on mercy and tries something else. Something that she'll regret for the rest of her life.
Edit 6/27/23: This fic was mentioned by Rainbott on Youtube (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

Twilight Sparkle is at her limit.

She has long since dismissed her original objective, forgetting exactly why she is stuck in this alternate timeline in the first place. Her only mission now is to stop the mare in her way— an adversary with uncanny magical strength and indefatigable purpose.

It’s time to finish this... once and for all.

Cover art by Huussii on Deviantart.
A dark twist on the Season 5 finale.
Proofread by Lightwavers and Level Dasher.
Edited by Dreams of Ponies.
Featured 8/28/17 - 8/31/17!

This story takes place during the Season Five finale, "The Cutie Re-Mark". As such, there are spoilers ahead.

Starlight Glimmer's plan is working. All she has to do is upset Rainbow Dash's rainboom-creating race in the past, and Twilight Sparkle's connection with her friends will be severed. And she's done it. Repeatedly. Sure, Twilight can go back in time to try and stop her, but Starlight will always be brought back as well. No matter what Twilight tries, no matter how many times she returns, she can't stop Starlight. They're evenly-matched, and it's much easier to disrupt events than it is to preserve them.

That means Starlight wins, right?

"...we could be stuck doing this for all eternity!" Twilight said.
"That's fine with me!" Starlight responded.
Starlight never thought that Twilight was actually being serious.

What would have happened if Starlight hadn't turned herself over to Twilight? If she rejected friendship, even after being given a chance to come back?

Starlight Glimmer is strong. She always has been. She always will be.
But Twilight wants that to change.