Fool Moon, Part 12 (Double'd Dragon)

>The dragon came for you in a rattling, hissing charge.
>Fire streamed from his open maw as he lept for you, his wings forming a new sky as their tips scraped the rock of the cave ceiling.
>Your view was filled with green scales and burning crimson eyes, as claws half the length of your body crashed down.
>You did the only sensible thing in such a situation.
>You ran like a bitch.
>You rolled off the hill of gold coins as the dragon's claw crashes down, sending a great explosion of gold into the air from the impact.
>The beast roared and snapped after you as you rolled to the side, its maw of jagged fangs closing inches from the edge of your cloak.
>You leap to your feet immediately as you feel heat on the base of your neck.
>"Anonymous!"
>Your eyes widen as you spot Rarity screaming your name, and you jump even as you come to your feet, scrabbling over another hill of gold coins.
>Flame bathes over the gold in a thick stream, and you shout in pain as the gold heats up behind you.
>"Anonymous, wait!"
>You glance up as you watch Rarity making her way down a small hill of gold coins, trying to find purchase with her hooves so she can come to you.
"Rarity, run! Get the hell out of here!"
>"Bu-"
"Take the loot and RUN, damn you!"
>You tear off one of the bags of gold on your hip and toss it to her, even as you hear the beast shift behind you.
>Another roll to the left saves you from being squashed flat against the stone.
>A second later, the beast's head comes around, snarling at you in a butchered tongue.
>"NONE of you mammals will leave her alive. Razorfang does not suffer thieves in his den."
>It opens its maw, and unleashes another blast of flame.


>You dive out of the way, shouting, as the edge of the flame sears the back of your legs and sets your cloak on fire.
>You unclasp the garment and keep running as the beast tracks you with its deadly breath.
>You beat out the flames as you run, your limbs on autopilot as you think of a way to get out of this mess.
>You glance to your side as you see Rarity huddled against a wall, her eyes following you as you run.
>Why won't she lea-
>Oh, she can't leave.
>The dragon's blocking the cave entrance.
>You dive behind another pile of gold as the dragon finishes breathing.
>"Yes, hide. HIDE BEFORE RAZORFANG'S MIGHT, COWARD."
>It roars, and you grit your teeth as that roar terminates in laughter.
"Somethin' funny, you fat ass lizard?"
>The laughter cuts off, and you hear the thing shift.
>"You mock me, ape? None mock Razors-"
"I'll mock anyone who's main method of fighting is flaming halitosis. Takes a real tough lizard to plop your ass in front of a door an-"
>You shout in surprise as your glittering cover bursts as the green dragon shoves his head and shoulders through it.
>"NONE MOCK RAZORFANG AND LIVE!"
>You're already running, a grin covering your face as you get an idea.
"Come on beastie! You can do better than that, can't ya!?"
>You dive behind another pile of gold, laughing as the monster scatters the one you just left.
>You can do this.
>You just have to keep this thing distracted enough to get Rarity out of here, and then...
>You feel your skin shiver.
>Then you show this thing a fair fight.

Rarity's perspective
>You can only watch as this monstrous dragon tries to tear your friend apart.
>The red one you'd met had been rude, yes, with bad breath and a worse temper.
>But this one.
>This one was a brute, a barbarian, a killer.
>A beast.
>It reminded you far too much of that monster in the caves.
>And Anon is running it around in circles.
>You watch as the beast lashes out, scattering massive piles of treasure with a simple swing of its arm.
>Anonymous darts from treasure pile to treasure pile, swinging around like, well, as offensive as it might sound, like a monkey, leaping and rolling and running away from claws, and teeth, and breath.
>And insulting the dragon on the while.
>"Come on, you can do better than that, ya snivelin', milk-drinkin' soy scaled worm!"
>The dragon roars and crashes down a claw an inch behind Anonymous' tattered cloak.
>"I've fought bears with more grace than you!"
>The dragon roars and breaths a plume of fire at the ceiling, shaking the cavern with its anger as Anonymous darts away again.
>You lose sight of him as you cover your face with your hooves, your fur standing up in the intense heat of the dragon's flames.
>The monster drops to all fours, its rumbling voice filling your ears.
>"You cannot hide from me, ape. I smell your stink upon my cave! I hear your breath stir the air! I will find you, and BREAK you like the brittle thing you are!"
>Despite his claims, Razorfang casts his head about, sniffing and searching aimlessly for Anonymous, whose retort comes quick.
>"I'm honestly surprised you can smell ANYTHING. Honestly, beastie, have you ever given your mouth a wash? Because when you speak, the stink of shit just WASHES over me."
>The dragon roars and sends another spear of fire towards the voice.


>You wince as the flame washes over the gold pile, melting it to slag in moments from the intense heat.
>"Ya missed me, beast."
>The dragon whirls, sending its tail lashing out to shatter another gold pile.
>It huffs smoke as it once again accomplishes nothing.
>"You cannot hide forever, ape."
>"Watch me!"
>You smirk as you hear that petulant tone in Anonymous' voice.
>The dragon slinks low to the floor, hissing more smoke as it peers behind gold pile after gold pile.
>"What will you do, when you can hide no longer?"
>"Beat you unconscious and run away, lizard."
>The dragon huffs more smoke into the air.
>"Beat me!? Me!? I. AM. RAZORFANG. I AM STRONG! My scales are steel, my teeth are like swords, my fangs sharper than a hundred pony spears! My tail is the CRASH of a thunderbolt! My wings the ROAR of a hurricane! And my breath?"
>It roars, unleashing a monstrous torrent of flame into the treasure pile.
>"...Death."
>Heat and smoke fill the cavern, and you bring a hoof to your mouth and cough, even as you struggle to keep quiet.
>Ragged coughing fills the air, and you gasp as you watch Anonymous, his ragged cloak wrapped around him, stumble and fall from behind a pillar.
>Razorfang's claw slams down onto him, one talon impaling his back.
>The dragon brings its face close.
>"Well? WELL? WHERE ARE YOUR TAUNTS NOW, APE-THIEF? WHAT HAVE YOU TO SAY IN THE FACE OF RAZORFANG'S STRENGTH?"


>"Come, ape-creature. Bleed! Beg! Tremble before my STRENGTH!"
>You hear Anonymous cough, once more, and you shriek as the dragon grinds its talon in his back.
>How can he even be alive?
>And why isn't he...
>Your eyes widen, then narrow suddenly.
>Oh Anonymous, you clever, clever boy.
>"I'm not strong. I'm not all that clever either. What I am, oh great and stinky Razorfang, is, well..."
>The dragon grinds its talon deeper, its attention focused on Anonymous' clothing beneath it as it laughs darkly and fills its maw with fire.
>Leaving it completely unaware as a near-naked Anonymous rises from the pile of coins towering over the dragon's head.
>His cloak, tunic, and pants, filled with coins and bags of treasure, lie beneath the dragon's claw.
>"What I am, you see, is fast."
>The creature's flame dies in its throat, and it begins to rear its head back.
>Far too late.
>Anonymous jumps off the pile of coins, a knife gripped in his hand and held above his head as he descends.
>The creature desperately tries to turn its head and blast him, but Anonymous succeeds in his task of plunging the knife right into the creature's eye.
>The orb, already scratched by one thrown knife, seems to burst as Anonymous brings his full weight down on it.
>The dragon shrieks, shaking its head and screaming as blood and eye fluid runs down it's face.
>The dragon's convulsing knocks Anonymous free, and he rolls for a few feet before trying to come to his feet.
>Only to be smashed against the floor by the dragon's tail.


>You shriek as the sound of breaking bone echoes across the cave.
>Anonymous grunts, as if surprised, before the creature lifts its tail and whirls on him, wrapping him up in one giant claw.
>"No more running, ape. You will reap the reward of all thieves who desecrate the lair of Razorfang."
>Anonymous coughs, and opens his mouth.
>How can he...how is he still breathing, let alone trying to speak!? His ribs must b-
>"F...uck....y...y"
>The dragon's claw tenses, and there is a loud crunching sound, followed by Anonymous letting out a gurgling scream.
>"Be silent."
>Anonymous opens his mouth, as if to speak again, but blood only bubbles out of his mouth.
>"Better. Take solace in this, thief. You wounded Razorfang before you died. Your putrid soul should earn a place of honor in the afterlife for that. Now...."
>The creature turns towards the cave entrance.
>"Be gone."
>It hurls him, like a foal would hurl a baseball, sending his broken body streaking into the falling night.
>You scream until you're hoarse, even as Razorfang lowers himself and paces closer to you.
>"Now, for the other thief."
>You back away, hooves scrabbling on rock and scattered gold as you back away.
"You...you monster! You..you killed him!"
>"Yes."
"Why!? What did he do to deserve this!?"
>"Are you deaf, mammal? Stupid, perhaps? None steal from Razorfang and live to enjoy it. Had he escaped, I would hunt him from this day until my last day, only so I could tear his insides out and show them to him. Your death will be similar."
>You stop as your back hoof scrapes against the ledge-like entrance of the cave.
>Your horn lights up.
>The dragon pounces.

 Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMDplBAejdU
>You close your eyes.
>You remember what happened when Spike went out of control.
>You have no hope of stopping a full grown dragon, not when it wants to kill you!
>You wonder if Celestia's afterlife-
>A roar shatters your thoughts like glass, and you scream as the roar grows ever closer.
>And a second roar answers it.
Anon's perspective.
>Pain.
>That was the first sensation that tore through you as you woke up.
>The weak half had tried to tangle with another predator, and lost.
>Broken bones reset themselves as your true shape asserts itself in the light of the ever-full Moon.
>Whatever this creature was, it would suffer for this affront.
>Your claws dig into the stone as you tumble through the air, arresting your fall.
>You rise slowly, limping as your bones and muscles knit themselves back together.
>Then you start to walk.
>And then you start running, tearing up the mountainside as you charge towards the cave mouth, from which emit the screaming of prey and the roaring of a predator.
>You would slaughter them both.
>You howl as you leap over the lip of the mountain, soaring over the cowering white prey and slamming into the snout of the green predator.
>The creature recoils in surprise, roaring, and you give it an answering roar.
>The white prey beneath you screams and runs, and you let it go. You would hunt it down after you were finished.
>The great green predator snarls at you.
>"What is THIS!? A trick of the ape's!?"
>Its jaws open slowly, and you flex your claws as the pair of you face each other.


>The lizard-predator opened its mouth and began to speak.
>"You have HIS stench upon you, beast. What manner of animal are you? A skinshifter, fresh from legend to slay me? A trick of the ponies? Whatever you are, know that you stand before your end. You stand before Razorfang, Bane of Baltimare! The Scourge of Stalliongrad! The Emirate of the Everfree! Even the Princesses of Ponykind know better than to cross m-"
>This thing talked too much to be a predator.
>You growl and lunged as its jaws gaped open.
>Your claws shove into its mouth, and it clamps down, fangs piercing your arm and filling you with more pain.
>Your claws slice at its tongue, and it howls in pain, lifting its head up and shaking you as you hang on to the beast by its serpentine tongue.
>It opens its mouth, and heat travels up your arm as flame spews from its maw.
>Your arm spasms, and you tear your hand free, ripping out a portion of tongue as you drop back to the floor below.
>You lift the tongue to your mouth and take a bite, even as the fur and flesh on your arm begins to regrow.
>The dragon lowers its head to be at eye level with you.
>Blood drips from its mouth in a steady stream, and its voice is thick with pain as it slurs its foul speech.
>"You will pay for that, beasth."
>Your only response is a roar as the pair of you charge each other.


>A massive, scaled claw slams you into the earth, ripping at your chest with talons sharper than blades.
>You grab the two closest toes and rip at the thin webbing between the dragon claws with your teeth.
>The dragon howls and recoils, and you spring at it as it lifts the claw away, crawling up it like a furry, roaring spider, tearing up scales and skin as you crawl up it.
>The dragon grabs at you with its foreclaws, and you jump again, landing on part of its wing and tearing at the membrane.
>Blood, scalding and red, sprays from the wound, and the creature recoils, flinging you away with its wing.
>You get to your feet immediately, claws curled and another roar rumbling in your chest.
>The dragon answers your roar with a breath of fire, a great roaring inferno that envelops you head on.
>Fur turns to ash in the heat.
>Flesh liquefies, and bone runs like mud as the front of you is near-vaporized in the flash heat.
>You ignore it and leap at the dragon through the flames.
>The creature shuts off the stream of flame in shock as you jump out of its inferno, landing on its face and giving it a face full of skinned, burning wolf-beast.
>"Impossibl-"
>Its words end in a shriek as you shove your bony talons into its damaged eye.
>You rip and tear at the wounded orb, tearing out flesh and eating it, even as your skin and muscle and fur regrow themselves.
>The creature whips its head around, slamming you into the stone.
>It then bathes you in fire once more.
>"DIE!"
>You get back up.
>"DIE, DAMN YOU!"
>You charge it again.
>"WHY WON'T YOU DIE!?"


>You score its chest with a flurry of slashes, peeling up scales and ripping at plates until you get to the bleeding meat beneath.
>The dragon roars and flaps its wings, lifting up a great gust that hurls you back from it once more.
>"AWAY FROM ME, BEAST-THIEF. AWAY!"
>The dragon whirls, charging out of the cave mouth and flapping its wings like an ungainly bird.
>You narrowed your eyes as you got back to your feet.
>It was fleeing!
>Predators do not flee.
>It was prey.
>You howl and charge after it, dropping to all fours to pick up speed.
>It leaps into the air, and you leap after it, clutching at its back left leg like a persistent tick.
>As it rises into the air, you sink your fangs into the back of its leg and worry at it, like a dog with a bone, loosing a fresh howl of agony from the massive dragon.
>"Insolent gnat! You bite and pick and chip away at me! You will regret following me into these skies!"
>Another bestial howl answers the dragon.
>Your lack of coherent response infuriates the dragon more.
>"YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, BEAST-SPAWN. RAZORFANG DOES NOT FORGET THOSE WHO HAVE WRONGED HIM. I WILL FIND YOU AGAIN, THIEF! MARK ME! I WILL BURN ALL THAT YOU LOVE TO ASHES!"
>You challenge its words with another snarl, and the dragon twists in the air, roaring back at you.
>"Begone, animal! Know only that I will return, and you will SUFFER!"
>It loops, and your claws begin to slip free from the g-force of the dragon spinning.
>With one kick of its leg, it hurls you free, and you roar in frustration as you watch the dragon fly away.
>Then the back of your head splits open on a rock, and you know no more.

Thiefanon's PoV
>You wake up, yawning and wincing.
"Holy shit, my fucking head."
>You groan and put your hands to the back of your head, gritting your teeth as pain flares in it.
>You're pretty sure your head shouldn't be that sm-oh.
>You lift up, pulling assorted pebbles and sharp stones out of the back of your skull.
>What the fuck did that wolfy bastard DO!?
>You sit all the way up, scratching your head.
>Where the fuck are y-
>"Anonymous!?"
>You glance around sleepily from your miniature rock pit.
"Oh. Hey Rarity."
>"YOU'RE ALIVE!?"
>The white pony stares at you in shock, her jaw falling open.
>She looks.....well, she looks fucking awful.
>Her eyes are red and slightly baggy, and her normally well-groomed mane is a mess of burrs and purple fur.
"Uh....yeah. What di-"
>"HOW!?"
>You wince.
"Easy on the volume, Marshmallow. My head is killing me."
>Your head rings from a slap across the face, courtesy of one white hoof.
>"Don't you DARE joke about this! I saw you, Anonymous! I saw that dragon crush you! You CAN'T be alive!"
>You rub your jaw.
"And yet, I am. Humans are really, err, resilient. How'd you...how'd you find me, anywa-"
>"Anonymous, there's resilient, and then there's surviving being thrown off a mountain by a dragon AFTER your ribs are crushed. One of those is actually, well, POSSIBLE. I found you in this hole a few hours before dawn. I was sure you were dead!"
"Well I'm not. And I swear, it's a human thing. Really. We survive stuff like this all the time."
>Her eyes narrow.
>"Don't lie to me, Anon. Not after THAT."


>You frown at her and do your best to look innocent.
"After...what?"
>"I spent the entire night running from that dragon, AND that monstrous beast! I will not have you lying to me, AGAIN, on top of all that happened tonight!"
>You frown at her.
"Ok. Fine. I won't lie. I won't lie again, but I'll tell you right now. There are some things I just can't share with you. The secrets of human resilience is one of them."
>You give her your most charming smile. 'Human resilience!' Your quick thinking was su-
>She doesn't look sold.
>"Anonymous. I'm not as good of a lie detector as Applejack, but I can tell when somep0ny's trying to lie to me. Please, just tell me. How did you survive?"
>You frown at her and get up, ignoring the blanch she gives you at your nudity and general filthiness.
"I can't tell you, Rarity. Not here, anyway. Not now. Maybe later. Maybe after we get back to Ponyville. I just...I promise its nothing...sinister, okay? Will you trust me that far?"
>She looks up at you, weighing something in her head, before muttering to herself,
>"Losing a friend's trust is the fastest way to lose a friend."
"What?"
>"Nothing, Anon. Fine, you'll tell me later. That's a promise I'll hold you to. No more lies, Anonymous. I won't stand for it. Now come along, lets get back to Ponyville."
>You turn to follow her as she trots towards Ponyville, her saddlebags full of treasure jingling.


>The walk home, compared to the walk there, is tense and full of mistrust.
>You've never seen Rarity really angry, but this cold silence is just painful.
>Nothing will get her to talk, not even your jokes about the priest and the whore walking into a bar.
>Not even a goddamn chuckle.
"Listen, Marshmallow."
>She grumbles.
>Okay, pet names aren't getting you out of this.
"I'm not lying to you to hurt you, Ra-"
>She whirls on you.
>"So why ARE you lying to me, Anonymous!?"
"Because there are some things I feel you don't need to know!"
>"Well why NOT!?"
"Because its my business! Have you told your friends every single secret you've ever had?"
>"I...well, no, but-"
"No butts! Except mine, because look pony, no pants!"
>You pelvic thrust the air with a silly expression, and one corner of her mouth lifts up into a half smile.
>Success!
"See, that's the fun-lovin' white pony I know! No need for all this seriousness, right? We've got bag fulls of dosh and handfuls of happy, so buck up."
>You lean down and grab her in a one armed hug, smiling at her.
>She coughs.
>"Anonymous?"
"My junk's right next to your face, isn't it?"
>"...Mhm."
"Meh."
>"Anonymous, let me go!"
"Nope."
>She starts flailing with her hooves, and you grin as you half carry her into Ponyville, keeping up that one-armed hug for as long as you can.
>Then her horn starts glowing.
>One magical beating with gold-filled saddlebags later, the pair of you are standing in front of Carousel Boutique.
"It was just a joke."
>"So you've said."
"Don't take that tone, you laughed."
>"ONCE."
"Once is enough!"


>"One little laugh hardly means anything!"
"If it wasn't so funny, why are you smiling, hmm? And why's your face so red, huh?"
>"...Shut up!"
>You laugh at her as she opens the door with a short twist of magic.
"You thought it was funny and you know it."
>Rarity doesn't look at you.
>"I did not, Anonymous! Now come inside, before somep0ny sees you! You need to get some clothes on!"
"Oh come on, I'm sure all the ponies are enjoying the vie-"
>"RARITY!"
>The pair of you jump, Rarity letting a short, frightened shriek.
"OH GOD WHAT THE-"
>Fluttershy bounds into the doorway after the pair of you, skidding to a stop once she gets an eyeful of you.
>"Oh...uhmm...I'll come back..."
>Rarity quickly lifts up a pillow with her magic and slams it into your junk, causing you to wince.
>"Nonsense, Fluttershy. Anonymous was just being his usual vulgar self. Please, come in! How is Sweetie Belle?"
>Fluttershy adopts a look of panic.
>"Th..that's just it Rarity! She's missing! She's not anywhere in town, and I think she might be...might be...in th-the Everfree F-forest!"
>Rarity lets out a shocked gasp, and you glance at her in surprise.
>Then she faints.


Epilogue (Sweetie Belle's perspective.)

>You're tired.
>You have not slept, have not eaten, have not had water since you set out on your brave and noble journey.
>A journey that seems dumber and dumber the deeper you get into the Everfree Forest.
>Yet you can't stop.
>The voice won't let you.
>COME TO ME...SWEETIE BELLE. YOU ARE CLOSE NOW. VERY CLOSE. JUST A FEW FEET FARTHER.
"Just...a few...feet."
>A FEW FEET FARTHER....AND YOUR PAIN...WILL DISAPPEAR...YOUR HUNGER...WILL TROUBLE YOU KNOW LONGER....YOU WILL NEVER TIRE AGAIN.
>You lick your lips.
>The voice hadn't said anything about thirst, and you were awfully thirsty.
>If you could just stop and get a drink of water, you-
>NO. NO. GO ON. FURTHER, FURTHER. YOU ARE CLOSE NOW. INCHES NOW, INCHES.
>You trudge closer, panting and gasping at the pain in your hooves as you make your way to the source of the voice.
>HERE, BENEATH THE LEAVES.
>A red glow catches your attention, a steady pulsing light that leaves you mesmerized.
>You lift the leaves.
>A ruby necklace, more beautiful than anything you have ever seen, shines beneath them.
>The voice sighs in relief.
>SWEETIE BELLE....YOU CAME FOR ME.
>You smile, despite yourself.
"I'm...not afraid...of any old...forest. If Applebloom can...come here...so can I!"
>YESSS.
"Now...what do you have to tell me?"
>Your voice cracks on the last, and you cough as you fall on your haunches.
>TOUCH THE GEM.
"But..."
>TOUCH IT, AND SEE.
>In your exhausted, starved, thirsting mind, you know something about this isn't right.
>It just doesn't stop you from reaching out a hoof to the gem.
>The second your white hoof touches the red stone, your world explodes.


>Images of violence, of decadence, of wealth and poverty and prestige and fear an d a thousand, thousand different moments and emotions blend together in your head, until their was only darkness.
>The voice speaks to you again.
>SWEETIE BELLE. DEAR, DEAR SWEETIE BELLE.
>It's clear now. Not the tired, hissing thing of before, but a true voice, clear and soft, male and female at once.
>I HAVE A STORY TO TELL. OF A PEOPLE. LIKE YOURS, IN SOME WAYS. UNLIKE THEM, IN MANY OTHERS. A RACE OF SUPERIOR BEINGS, OF GODS WHO WALKED THE EARTH IMMORTAL.
"I...I don-"
>HUSH, SWEETIE. THEY WERE GODS. KINGS AND QUEENS AND NOBLES AMONG MORTALS. THEY WERE AS VAST AND VARIED AS YOU PONIES, BUT ABOVE THEM AS THEY WERE ABOVE ALL THAT STILL DREW BREATH.
"What...what happened to them?"
>THEY WERE BETRAYED, SWEETIE BELLE. HUMANS, LIKE YOUR ANONYMOUS, FILLED WITH FEAR, TURNED ON THEM AT THE URGING OF THE WISE AND MAGICAL AMONG THEM. THEY WERE SLAIN TO A ONE, IMPALED ON SHAFTS OF WOOD AND BURNED IN THE LIGHT OF THE ETERNAL EYE.
>THEY DIED, SWEETIE BELLE. MY MAKERS. THEY ALL DIED.
>The darkness shifts, and you catch a glimpse of something beyond it.
>I WAS THE FAIL-SAFE. THE ESSENCE, THE VERY NATURE OF THEIR KIND, DISTILLED INTO THIS PENDANT. I WAS TO CONTINUE THEIR RACE. BUT A FOOLISH WIZARD ENTRAPPED ME IN HIS TOWER, LAYING SPELLS ON ME TO KEEP ME FROM FULFILLING MY PURPOSE. BUT YOUR ANONYMOUS BROKE THAT SPELL WHEN HE FREED ME, AND I WILL ONCE AGAIN DO WHAT I WAS MADE TO DO.
"What does...what does this have to do with me."
>YOU ARE WHO I HAVE CHOSEN, SWEETIE BELLE. YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO RECEIVE THE GIFT.
"What...gift?"
>LET ME SHOW YOU.
>The darkness lunges forward, and your vision shifts again.

Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vioTgsaUPV8&list=PLA1FB5A4572046D4B&index=153&feature=plpp_video
>Your mind seems to explode as vision after vision goes past your mind.
>You're at a dance, spinning and twirling as every eye is on you. A teary-eyed Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon cheer you on as you open your mouth and sing-
>It shifts.
>Anonymous and Rarity, together, listening to you speak. Listening as you explain how it was obvious how they were meant for each other. The pair of them smiling as your words work their way into their ears.
>The vision shifts.
>Now its you, on a throne before the princesses. You kneel, and they bow their heads, and they accept you as a new Princess, a new QUEEN, a glorious and immortal ruler, who flourished in Luna's nights. But Celestia's days... You look at her, your green eyes like ice, and she shrieks-
>The vision shifts as you shiver in fear.
>You and Scootaloo and Applebloom, all with your cutie marks, all playing together, always happy. Always together. Always. The moon and the sun travel across the sky, and Ponyville falls into dust, but the three of you remain, joyful and happy and ETERNAL.
>You gasp and open your eyes, withdrawing your hoof.
>YOU WILL BE ETERNAL. YOU WILL BE LOVED. YOU WILL BE THE FIRST AND GREATEST OF A NEW GENERATION.
>This necklace...it-
>You draw your hoof away, fear filling your heart. What you saw in there, you don't want that. You don't want to live forever. And Celestia, oh poor Cel-
>Your hoof freezes.
>IT IS TOO LATE TO GO GO BACK, SWEETIE. YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN.
>Your hoof trembles and wraps around the chain.
>ACCEPT.
>You lift the necklace.
>MY.
>Your trembling hoof lowers it around your head even as you shake and struggle to get away.
>GIFT.
>It wraps around your neck, and you scream as the world goes away.