Lyra shifted to get comfortable, wishing for the first time since she became a doll that she hadn't regained her sense of touch. For what felt like weeks she had been trapped in ice, unable to move, in the dark.
Twilight looked down as she shifted position. "Are you okay Lyra? I thought I might have lost you." She managed a weak smile.
Lyra looked up and smiled back at her. "Yes, I'm just glad you came back for me." Her attempt to cheer Twilight up with a smile had failed.
She did little but look down at Lyra and began to frown. There was clearly something on her mind.
"Twilight, what's wrong?" Lyra asked. She had been resting in bed with Twilight and Mac when the alicorn bolted out of bed.
"She's coming," Twilight said.
"Who is coming?"
Twilight growled, sensing the build up of power from across town. "Luna." She got out of bed, leaving Mac and Lyra behind.
She flew down from her room to the front door of the library. Twilight paused to retrieve her element from the nearby display. She stepped outside and looked around. It was dark under the new moon, and across the street from her stood Luna and Guard. Twilight grinned. She had prepared a spell that might help with the sarosians.
"Twilight Sparkle, we command you surrender into our custody at once!" Luna shouted in the Royal Canterlot voice. There was a hint of malice in it that Twilight had not heard since she cleansed her of Nightmare Moon.
Twilight grinned and looked around, noting the positions of each pony. "No. You had your chance to be there for me, they all did! Now I've found a way they'll never have to die. They may have failed me, but I willnever fail my friends!"
"You have failed, Sparkle. All this-the deception, the lies, the investigation-Celestia begged that you be given the chance to confess and be redeemed. I should have brought you to her in chains and beat the confession out of you. You are a monster, now come quietly or else."
"Or else what? You'll have your guards arrest me? We both know I'm too powerful for that. If you want me, you'll have to try harder than tapping the Nightmare for extra power." Twilight levitated the element of magic where they could all see it. It was radiating an infected purple aura, with streaks of green tainting its purity. She placed it on her head.
What little patience Luna had was gone, and she lowered herself towards the ground, ready to attack. "You are charged with the murder of two Lunar Guards, Colgate, Bon Bon, and the disappearance of at least twenty-eight others."
"Cut the crap with the voice, and what do you mean two guards?" Twilight thought about it a minute and began laughing. "You mean Echo was in on it the whole time? You're such a coward you had to use a decoy? Then he got what he deserved! It's not your place to deny my friends immortality!"
Luna closed the distance between them until Twilight could feel the temperature dropping. "I am not a coward. Were it not Celestia's wish to investigate and arrest you peacefully, I would not hesitate to strike you down. By the old laws, I can execute you without trial for the confirmed murder of members of the Lunar Guard."
Twilight laughed again. "Citing laws from your failed regime? What's your end-game here? I haven't hurt anypony that didn't deserve it. My friends are immortal and safe, I could have even granted you true immortality. Instead, you'll just end up back on the moon. Only this time I won't send you there alive."
The aura of magic around Twilight thickened until it repulsed the cold night air from around her. Luna braced herself as Twilight opened herself up to the same dark side of her equinity that once turned Luna into Nightmare Moon.
