Pipers Tale

by Saro0fdemonz

The Past, The Present, The Future Part 3

The twins smiled, sitting on either side of their father. Applebloom sat alone in a room nearby. Pip took a slow breath.

"Well girls...how do I look?" he asked them softly.

"Like yer 'bout t' walk into Tartarus." Penny Apple muttered.

"Why are ya all worked up pa?" Hayseed asked.

"Today is an important day for your mother. Every year its the same. She spends the entire day alone and won't let anypony near her. The last time I tried she almost took off my head. But that isn't what has me worried. Each year she gets worse...her smile fades away, she doesn't work with her normal cheerfulness and...the days seem empty until she finally returns to her old self. I need to change this. I need to fix this." He took another slow breath, sitting in front of the door. Today was indeed an important day to the mare. It was the day Granny Smith left her.

"Aj, c'mon. please don't do this" Rainbow said, leaning against the door.

"Ple..please jus' go away Dash..." came Applejacks' tearful, muffled reply from the other side of the door. Rainbow gritted her teeth.

"NO! I'm not leavin! You promised! You said this year would be different, you said that you'd let me comfort you!" Rainbow screamed, pounding on the door. She gasped as it suddenly opened, finding herself in Applejacks hooves.

"Y...Yer right Dash...ah did promise..didn't ah?" she asked, holding back a sob. Rainbow stood, quickly throwing her hooves around the mare.

"Its gonna be alright AJ. I bet ya she's watchin us right now." Rainbow said with a smile, wiping away a tear from the orange workponies face. Applejack chuckled quietly.

"Ah hope not..." she spoke softly, placing a hoof on the pegasi's cheek.

"Why?!" Rainbow asked in surprise. Though the look Applejack gave her was answer enough as the door closed behind them.

Applebloom sat alone in the center of the room, her head down and her hat resting on the bed. This day, it was this day all those years ago that she held Granny Smiths' hoof as she left this world. It was this day that she spent in solitude each year to remember her grandmother and everything she had meant to her. Her ear flicked at the sound of a hoof at the door. She ignored it, keeping her head down. Again the hoof beat at the door, followed by another, and then another. Several hooves beat against the door, voices leaking through.

"Momma, come on out! Yer makin pa sad!" the twins said together. Applebloom blinked, staring at the carpeted floor as the words of her daughters echoed in her mind.

"Pip..." she said, her voice raspy and dry. For a moment she feared the stallion wouldn't answer.

"I'm here Applebloom." came his voice from beyond the door. Applebloom chuckled quietly and forced herself to stand.

Tears slowly made their way down her cheeks as she made her way to the door. She had to stop living in the past and move on to the present, to the future. Her future and the future of her family. She had learned that lesson long ago, but it had never stuck with her until now. On this day, when her family was waiting for her, the door opened and the mare was joined by her family in the room with smiles and hugs.

Strawberry bit her lip, sitting beside Piper as he gazed at the night sky. His eyes never left the moon. She took a slow, deep breath as she prepared to speak her mind. He deserved to know, she should have told him in the first place. Suddenly the pegasus turned his attention to her and her heart stopped. There were tears in his eyes. Strawberry blinked as a drop of rain landed on her nose. She looked up in surprise, seeing no clouds in the sky. The snow had stopped and had been replaced by rain, but where was it coming from?

"Its the moon..." Piper said softly.

"The moon?" Strawberry asked. She turned her attention to it and gasped. It was true, the rain was coming from the moon.

"What does it mean?" She asked, looking back at Piper who had hung his head.

"Its a signal from Luna. Something we promised each other. She's handled her side of the deal. Now its my turn." He stood, moving to the edge of the balcony, spreading his wings wide, a dark aura surrounding him as the rain pelted him, matting his mane and coat to his body.

"Piper, what are you doing?" Strawberry reached for him and gasped as a bolt of lightning blocked her path.

"Take care of my sister and my family...Please Berry..." he said without turning back to her. The pegasus leapt off the balcony and into the night, leaving the Zebra alone.

"Bu...Piper..." she shook her head and ran, hoping the rain would hide her tears.

It all happened in an instant, Celestia was the first to notice. Luna's presence in her mind simply vanished without a trace, the next to go was Twilight. Celestia had never run so fast in her life, barreling down the halls of her castle and throwing open the doors to her sisters chambers. Sure enough, both mares were gone. Celestia reached out with her mind, finding only a flustered and confused Nyx. Celestia glanced out the window, watching as an orange pegasus soared through the magic induced downpour.

"No...NO! It can't be happening now!"

Sora screamed, holding his head in his hooves, Riku the next to collapse as Darkness began to surround both of them, dragging them into itself.

"RIKU!" Nyx shrieked, clinging to him and trying to pull him free.

"Run Nyx...RUN!" He pushed her away, his screams muffled by the darkness as it swallowed him. Kairi tried desperately to free Sora, only to find the Darkness was coming from his wound, forming around him until it was all that was left. In moments both of them had vanished entirely.

"W...what do we do?" Nyx managed to say.

"I know Sora...he'll find a way back to us, and he'll bring Riku with him. Right now we need to find that pegasus and keep him safe. We can't let the Darkness take him too." Kairi said with more strength than she truly had. She was unsure if Sora would be safe, but she didn't want to scare Nyx, or her children.

"I'll find him, you watch the foals." Nyx said, her mane slowly fading into a pattern of stars and her eyes beginning to glow. The mare vanished in a bright light, leaving Kairi with four frightened foals, all clinging to her as the light of the moon slowly began to fade, filling Equestria with darkness.

Nova stumbled, her eyes wide. She suddenly felt...empty and alone. As if all she had known had suddenly left her. Tears began to form, quickly wiped away by Emerald who pulled the Alicorn onto her back and rushed at a full gallop down the nearest hallway.

"E...Emy..m..my parents...I think something horrible has happened..i..I can't feel them anymore." She squeaked out, clinging to the Kirin. Emerald stayed silent. She had seen the signs, she knew where the two Princess' had gone. It was all like her Night Terrors, they were once again coming true and she could do nothing to stop them.

All she could do now was protect the last Princess before she too was swallowed by the growing Darkness. Emerald panted as she came across Princess Celestia and gasped as the Solar Princess' horn began to glow, sending a burst of magic flying past her head. Behind her a glob of darkness fell to the burst of light and quickly reformed.

"Get Nova to safety Emerald. Equestria's future is in your claws."

"I understand Princess, but what of you? You cannot face them all alone"

"I know that...Now go!" Another burst of magic, another glob forming behind her. Emerald bit her lip and began chanting loudly, digging her claws into the ground, runes forming all around her and Celestia.

The runes continued to spread across the floor and walls as her chant grew louder and louder, echoing throughout the halls of Canterlot Castle. Every last bit of darkness being pulled towards the Kirin as she flung Nova off of her back at the shocked Princess. Time froze for Nova as she sailed through the air to be caught by her aunt. A sad smile touched Emeralds lips as their eyes met.

"I'M SORRY!" She yelled, soon swallowed by Darkness as it was pulled towards her, her body only visible as a light within the darkness.

"EMERALD!" Nova screamed, trying to rush to the Kirin, only to be pulled away by Celestia.

"We cannot help her Nova...she knew what she was doing. We must get you to safety."

"NO! I won't leave her!" Nova again tried to reach for the sphere of darkness and was again pulled away.

"She'll die!" Nova screamed at her aunt.

"She is already gone. Do not let her sacrifice be in vain." Celestia said sadly. More darkness filled the hall, being pulled toward the kirin whose chant still filled the hall. Reluctantly Nova allowed Celestia to grab her in her magic, the two teleporting far away from the danger of Canterlot.

Dinky and Amethyst stood back to back as the darkness marched towards them.

"Amethyst...I'm glad...that we told each other the truth before the end..."

"This isn't the end Dinks, we'll get out of this." He said softly, hoping to reassure the unicorn. He would protect her with his life, though when he was honest with himself he didn't see a way out of this.

Ha...Being honest with myself...if I make it out of this I should write that one down.

"No we won't. There isn't any way out. Just..." she shook her head and spun, grabbing the Kirin and pulling him into a kiss.

"Goodbye..." she said softly against his lips. The two blinked as the darkness was pulled away, the room filled with light once more. Amethyst chuckled, a light blush on his face.

"That's how you'd go out Dinks? with a kiss and a goodbye?" he asked jokingly. She punched his shoulder, using her hat to hide her blush.

"Shut up and come on." she muttered, chasing after the darkness, the kirin close behind her. They both stopped as Draconic Chanting filled their ears.

"No...NO! EMERALD!" Amethyst rushed forward, gasping as Dinky grabbed him in her magic.

"Amethyst...we can't help her. Nothing can survive that darkness." they both watched as the sphere continued to grow with each bit of darkness it pulled into itself, the figure of light within slowly beginning to fade, her chants shifting into screams of agony as the darkness began to crush her.

"S..she's my sister...I can't...I can't just leave her like that..."

"She is the only thing keeping the darkness from devouring us all Amethyst. We need to take this chance to get to safety" The kirin struggled to escape her magic, pulling himself toward the sphere.

"Amethyst!" Dinky dragged the Kirin away, Emeralds screams chasing them as they abandoned the castle.

Outside they found the previous Element Holders and their loved ones, all except for Twilight and Luna. Pinkie was the first to notice, holding a sobbing Strawberry Swirl close.

"W..Wheres Twilight?" she asked. Dinky shook her head.

"I don't know. It seems all the Princess' have gone missing. Including Nova, I didn't see Nyx either."

"Nyx went after Piper." Kairi said softly, covering four crying foals with her wings. Sweetie Belle blinked.

"Piper? Where did he go? Is he ok?" She asked frantically. Scootaloo grabbed the unicorns ear and pulled, tilting her head toward melody whose lip began to wobble.

"I..I mean...h..he's probably on his way here now." She said, hugging the filly.

"H..he is?"

"Yes, I am." Piper said as he landed in front of them, dressed from hood to hoof in battle armor. he smiled as Melody hugged him, placing his hoof on her head.

"Melody...I need you to listen to me, this is very important. I need you to take this with you and get out of here with our parents. Take them far away from here and keep them safe, can you do that sis?" he asked as he wrapped his cloak around her.

"B...but..what about you big bwother?" she asked, tears in her eyes. He wiped them away with his hoof.

"Big brother has to go make another bedtime story." he said softly, kissing her forehead. He glanced over at Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, quickly turning his gaze to Strawberry Swirl.

"I love you." he said softly before taking off, flying towards the top of Canterlot Castle.

"S...Somepony stop him!" Sweetie Belle yelled. Scootaloo threw out her wings, ready to chase him down and gasped as a bolt of lightning blocked her path.

"I apologize my friends, but you cannot interfere in this battle." Luna's voice echoed around them

"You have to run, its the only way to save Equestria. Please!" Twilights voice begged them.

"Twi? Luna? where are you?!" Rainbow asked.

"We...We are no longer of this world, your world. The powers you see before you came at a heavy price and it is with them that we will assist Piper in protecting Equestria. But all of this will have been a pointless effort if you do not leave Canterlot now!"

"So you're just gone...just like that mom?" Nyx asked softly as she landed.

"Nyx...I'm so sorry..." Twilight's voice began to break.

"You promised....You promised you would be here..." the Alicorn lowered her head, her children quickly rushing to her and trying to cheer her up.

"We do not have time for mourning or for things such as this. All will be explained once you are safe, now run!" Luna's voice reached them once more, a barrier forming around them out of nowhere, shadows bouncing against the outside.

The friends looked at one another for a moment and nodded. Spike grinned a little and stretched his neck.

"Sorry Twi', but my daughter is still in there and no one has seen Nova. I can't leave."

"Dad..." Amethyst placed a claw on his shoulder. Spike was surprised to see his son was crying.

"Emy's gone..." he said quietly.

"E...Emerald...is gone?" he repeated, hardly believing those words could exist in the same sentence.

"She dragged the darkness into herself so that we could all escape." Dinky explained. Rarity's eyes widened.

"M..My daughter...n..NO!" Rarity shrieked, it couldn't be true, she searched her friends faces for a glimmer of hope.

"S...She is the Element of Magic, surely she can dispel the darkness and come to us!" She looked to her friends frantically, searching for reassurance. Spike hugged the unicorn.

"I'll bring her back. Get to safety and wait for us." he said softly. He turned to Amethyst who nodded, both of them blinking as Pip stepped forward.

"I'm going with you. Maybe we can find a way to help Piper as well."

"Pip no!" Applebloom argued. The stallion smiled and kissed her forehead.

"This is my job Bloom. I hated seein you work your tail off doing dangerous things with Nyx. But I let you do it because it made you happy and it was what you needed to do. Well this is what I need to do as a member of the Guard. Canterlot is in danger and it is my duty to protect it. Besides, I've got two dragons covering my back, we'll catch up before you know it." Applebloom lowered her head.

"Alright Pip...but ya'll better hurry back!" the earth pony nodded and together with the Kirin and the Dragon, rushed out of the barrier and back into Canterlot Castle. The ponies gathered in the safety of the barrier watched them go before turning and chasing after Twilight's guiding light to safety.

Piper landed almost silently atop the highest tower of Canterlot. There waiting for him stood three black cloaked figures. In the center stood the current king of the Gryphons, Niare.

"So you are the fabled Loyalty that toppled the Thirteen Great kings who only sought to gain back the land which we lost."

"And you must be Niare, the new lowlife in charge." Piper threw back, his wings spread wide.

"It seems what they say about you is true. You appear young, but your scars speak volumes of the battles you have endured. It is a shame you are my enemy, you would surely make a great warrior."

"He is right Piper. you can stop the bloodshed and save everyone. All you have to do is accept who you are and join us." Xipper spoke up as he stepped forward. Piper gritted his teeth, ignoring the pegasus. He was important, but he could wait. He kept his attention focused on Niare.

"You know who I am, and you know what I've done and what I will do to protect Equestria. I've killed hundreds of thousands of your kind single-hoofedly and have lived to tell the tale and here you stand with but only four minions to face me. Whats stopping me from killing you right now?" Piper growled, a yellow tinge touching his eyes.

"Because I have something you need, something you want. Something near and dear to your...Heart." Niare grinned. Piper chuckled. This idiot had joined forces with The Nobodies and thought he held all the cards. It was time Piper showed him the truth.

"I know he has my heart and when the time is right, I'll take it back. Your empty threats mean nothing to me Niare, stand down or die. This is your last chance." Niare grinned and snapped his claws, the cloaked figures behind him throwing out their arms, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Melody appearing in front of them through holes of Darkness in the air.

"You leave them out of this Niare, you're making a mistake, the same mistake Monoclos made." Piper growled once more, flaring his wings.

"Yes, but the wound is still there. The little foal who gave you a heart to call your own, who eased the pain of war and suffering. A wound that will never heal. Oh the fame that one little act gave him, what I would give just to taste it." He placed his claw against Melody's throat, Piper stiffening visibly.

"All you have to do is join me, and I will let them live."