//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Shrouding Dark Cloud // Story: Hearts of Harmony // by Legrio //------------------------------// “Ah don’t like this, not one bit!” Applejack huffed as they trotted down the path, the crumbling castle looming in the distance. “I don’t mind at all, these Heartless are really vicious. Oooh, I hope the little animals are okay!” Fluttershy worriedly resorted the bottles in the pouch at her side. “I’m starting to get a little low on healing potions, anyways.” “Ah’m just sayin’, it’s suspicious. We haven’t been attacked by any Heartless ever since we crossed the river!” The farmer stamped her hoof in frustration. “What if Nightmare Moon’s trying to trick us into getting careless then dump a whole swarm of monsters on us?” “Psh, like any old regular Heartless could beat me!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Hey, I’m gonna scout ahead a bit, you guys wait here!” “Rainbow, no!” Twilight shouted, but the pegasus was already out of earshot. A dark mist arose from the ground, hiding the distant pony from view. Applejack said the only thing appropriate to the situation. “Horseapples.” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “That Rainbow Dash!” Rarity exclaimed as their miniature herd, minus their self-proclaimed coolest member, rushed into the obscuring mist. “Why must she be so reckless?!” “Because she’s Rainbow Dash?” Pinkie replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Stick together, everypony!” Twilight cried, her horn glowing as she tried to conjure some light to dispel the mist. It took her a few tries, but she finally managed to get the spell going. The mist cleared slightly, recoiling from the light, but a worried frown crossed the keyblade wielder’s face. “Ugh, why was that so hard? I could usually cast that spell in a second! Is it the mist or did my use of the darkness ruin my ability to use the light? It could be this stupid necklace too!” A shout from the missing pegasus broke Twilight out of her introspection. “Rainbow Dash!” There was a sound like a great rushing wind, then a smack of flesh on metal before a rainbow colored meteor crashed into the dirt behind them, the shockwave from the impact blowing away the mist. “Did anypony catch the name of that train?” the pegasus moaned before passing out as Fluttershy practically pounced on her. One of her armor plates was heavily dented. As the mist cleared, it became clear that they were on the edge of a great chasm with a sheer drop only ten feet away! Twilight shuddered. “If that mist hadn’t cleared away... I don’t want to think about it!” She turned to where the yellow pegasus was tending to Rainbow Dash. “Is, is she going to be alright?” Fluttershy nodded slightly, carefully pouring potions down the wounded mare’s throat. “TWILIGHT!” She heard Pinkie desperately shout. Turning to see what would frighten the happy-go-lucky mare so, Twilight’s jaw dropped. “No, it can’t be...” she trailed off as a massive head covered in dark tendrils floated up out of the chasm. Yellow eyes glared at her as an incredibly heavily muscled humanoid chest came into view, covered in black skin. Relatively small limbs, like parodies of wings, sat unmoving on its back. Two arms the size of tree trunks hung at the creature’s sides, with clawed fists that undoubtedly matched the dent on Rainbow’s armor. The abdomen was mostly missing, as a large hole in the shape of a heart went all the way through the creature. Powerful looking legs tapered bizarrely down to short, thin feet. “Impossible! She promised me I’d never see one again! She promised!” Mocking laughter filled the air as darkness gathered on the Heartless’s shoulder, forming into a portal. “Well, let’s just say that my sister never was very good at keeping her promises,” Nightmare Moon said as she slowly stepped through the portal. “Oh, I see you’ve managed to gather some minions, my little apprentice! Very good! I’m sure they’ll come in handy, after all, one can never have enough pets. Isn’t that right, my little Darkside?” The dark alicorn laughed, stomping her hoof down on the massive abomination’s inky black skin. If the creature felt it, it gave no sign. “Mmm, I think this shall do rather well for a final exam, don’t you agree?” “I’m not your apprentice, Nightmare Moon!” Twilight shouted, her purple keyblade appearing beside her as she settled into her battle stance, Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack at her sides. “Oh, you aren’t? Then why do you take after me so much more than your precious princess?” The dark mare laughed as Twilight glared. “Ooh, such a fierce look on my little apprentice’s face! Well, I had best be going, I do have other things to see to, after all. Try not to die, little unicorn! After all, keyblade wielders are so hard to find these days!” she cried, vanishing into her portal of darkness. The moment Nightmare Moon was gone, the Darkside began to pull back an arm, darkness swirling about it... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Scatter!” Twilight shouted as the fist came crashing down, just barely missing them as the ponies dove for safety. The Heartless’s arm sank into the ground, darkness spreading from it like creeping goo. Shadows rose from the darkened earth, leaping up to attack the party. “It’s just like before...” Twilight thought as the lesser Heartless were distracted by Pinkie Pie’s antics before being peppered by Rarity’s ice needles and bucked into oblivion by Applejack’s hooves. “Everypony, listen! I’ve seen this kind of Heartless before! They’re big and strong, but their attacks are slow and predictable. Rarity, focus on its face!” The elegant unicorn nodded as she prepared another spell of ice. “Applejack, Pinkie, try to attack the arms if you can, but be careful!” “Whatever ya say!” “Okie dokie lokie!” “Right, now I just have to focus and not have a panic attack,” the keyblade wielder thought to herself as she shivered for a moment before grimacing. “Better not chance another light spell.” The unicorn’s her horn began to glow. “Fira!” A hot ball of fiery magic streaked through the air to impact on the Darkside’s face. The giant’s fist emerged from the ground as the monster reeled, knocked off balance. Applejack and Pinkie Pie shared a look and nodded. With the farmer’s rope held taut between them, the two earth ponies ran forward, tripping the massive Heartless. The dark abomination stumbled to its knees, as Rarity sent a storm of large ice shards into the creature’s head. A few of the black tendrils were cut off, vanishing into wisps of darkness. Suddenly, purplish energy began gather in its empty chest cavity, readying to rain deadly magic on the group of ponies. “I don’t think so! Triple Raid!” Twilight shouted, telekinetically throwing her keyblade into the air as it began to crackle with electricity. It smashed into the Heartless’s head, forcing the monster back before reappearing at Twilight side. Crimson flames washed over the mystical weapon as it flew forth once again, sending the monster crashing back a bit more until it tottered precariously over the edge of the chasm. “Just once more!” Sheathed in ice, the keyblade shot out one last time, sending the Darkside falling over the edge into the abyss. “Did we get ‘em?” Applejack asked, wiping sweat from her brow. A moment later a big crystalline heart floated out of the chasm before vanishing. A big grin broke out on the farmpony’s face. “Ah guess that’s that!” “Yay! We beat the boss!” Pinkie cried, whistling a little tune to herself. Rarity asked her what it was, but to her consternation the happy mare only mumbled something about a last fantasy. A groan cut through the ponies’ celebration. “Oooh, what happened?” “Rainbow Dash!” they shouted, running towards the pair of pegasi. “Ya’ll done torn off and got beat up by that big Heartless, remember?” Applejack said, trying to sound cross but too happy just to see her friend alive. The mare looked down, shamefully. “Aw, I’m sorry gals, I guess I shouldn’t have just flown off. I just get too excited sometimes.” “Hey, I get excited all the time, there’s nothing wrong with that!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Um, I think you just need to be a bit more, um, careful,” Fluttershy stuttered, unused to giving criticism to anyone. The rainbow maned pony nodded solemnly. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Well, did you beat that giant Heartless while I was out?” “Yeah, totally! Nightmare Moon appeared and was all like, ‘Bwahaha, I have you now, my pretty!’ then Twilight went, ‘Nuh-uh!’ then, that big meanie tried to smoosh us but he missed, then me and Applejack tripped him then Twilight hit him three times and he fell over into the that pit and went kablooey!” the pink pony quickly explained. “That sounds awesome!” Rainbow shouted, jumping to her hooves. “Too bad I missed the fight, I could have really shown off my moves!” “Hey, you were badly hurt, you shouldn’t jump up like that!” Fluttershy admonished her patient. “Blah blah blah, I feel fine! And what the hay happened to my armor?!” Rainbow craned her neck, trying to look at the dented plates on her flank. “Just some minor damage darling, I’m sure we can buff that out just fine. Why, we could even add in some some silver trim around the edges-” “Uh, thanks Rarity, but I just need this dent taken out.” The mare peered into the distance. “Oh hey, we need to get over to the other side of this canyon, right? I think there’s a rope bridge all piled up over there! I’ll be back in ten seconds flat!” “Hey, wait!” Twilight shouted as Rainbow Dash flew off again. “...she never learns, does she?” The other ponies shook their heads. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The keyblade wielder looked up at the crumbling old castle. Mossy stone lined the walls and broken windows appeared here and there. “Well, we’re here. Everypony ready?” All of her companions nodded seriously, even Pinkie Pie. “Right,” Twilight gulped before steadying herself. “Let’s go.” The vast wooden door opened as the unicorn focused her magic on it. Strange, wood that old would surely have rotted away after centuries, right? She shook her head. Now was not the time to get distracted! Looking around the open room, she noticed a strange... stone holder of some sort? Five stone orbs were held upon spokes jutting out from a central point. “Ooh, what’s this?” Pinkie poked one with a hoof. “Pinkie, Ah don’t think ya should be messin’ with rocks we don’t know anything about, especially ones in spooky old castle!” Applejack admonished. The other earth pony rolled her eyes. “It’s just a rock, and trust me, I know rocks! It’s not like its going to start glowing and...” She stopped, noticing the others staring at her, slackjawed. “...It started glowing, didn’t it?” Pinkie sighed. The orb floated up into the air, indeed glowing a soft pink, before settling down in front of her. The excitable pony hummed thoughtfully before tapping the orb once more. With a flash, the glowing stone suddenly transformed into light! It seemed to flow up her limb, looping around her body before settling into place around her neck. The light shifted once more, changing into a golden necklace with her cutie mark set in pinkish crystal. Rainbow Dash shot forward, tapping one of the orbs. “I’ve gotta have one!” “Wait, we don’t know what they do!” Twilight shouted in vain, as the pegasus grabbed one of the orbs. It too began to glow before turning into light that settled into another golden necklace about the armored pony’s neck. “This is so cool!” she announced, flitting about the open room. “I feel like I could fly from here to Canterlot in ten seconds flat!” “Girls, stop, these things could be a trap, or who knows what?!” Twilight cried, blocking the way to the rest of the orbs with her keyblade. “For Celestia’s sake, they look just like this black thing Nightmare Moon cursed me with!” Rarity shook her head. “Twilight, I’d like to think I’m something of an expert on magical and enchanted items and I don’t think there’s anything wrong from these. Pinkie, can you come over here for a moment?” The mare bounced over. “Huh? What’s up?” “Just hold still for a moment,” Rarity said, her horn lighting up as she inspected the necklace about her neck. “There, I don’t sense any darkness, curses, or anything like that, dear. If anything, it seems to be making her a little... bouncier than normal.” “Yeah, I feel great!” Pinkie exclaimed, prancing about the room. Twilight sighed. “Well, alright, if you think they’re safe I’ll trust you,” she relented, rubbing the black metal around her own neck. It definitely didn’t make her feel any better. Rarity stepped forward and after a moment of slight hesitation, touched one of the stones. Soon, the fashionable unicorn too had a golden necklace. “Oh yes, it is simply exquisite! I cannot wait until we find a mirror!” “Ah don’t trust these magical doohickeys.” The farmpony reluctantly edged closer. “But if it really does make us stronger Ah guess we could use all the help we can get.” Applejack warily tapped one of the last two orbs and was soon gifted with very own golden personalized accessory. “Huh, Ah guess it turned out alright after all,” she said, stretching a limb. “Ah feel like Ah could buck down a whole orchard of apple trees all by myself!” “Um, it doesn’t hurt, right?” Fluttershy spoke up. The other ponies shook their heads. The yellow pegasus worked up her courage before lightly tapping the orb. Gentle yellow light swirled around the pony before transforming into golden metal. Twilight stamped her hoof impatiently. “Yes, great, now we all have matching magic necklaces! Can we go rescue the princess yet?!” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was surprisingly quiet as the six friends moved through the castle together. No Heartless, no monsters, and no Nightmare Moon, just dusty floors, the remains of moldy tapestries, and empty halls. Suddenly, Twilight stopped as her keyblade appeared beside her. “Twi’? What’s wrong?” “I’m not sure, Applejack.” The keyblade wielder frowned. “I think, I think there’s something ahead.” Together, they carefully entered the next room. The still form of a large pony with both wings and horn lay slumped against the distant wall, with an unconscious baby dragon slumped beside her. Even from a distance, Twilight could see blood matted into the mare’s white coat and cracks running down her horn. “Princess Celestia! Spike!” Twilight shouted, racing forward as the others followed. Cruel laughter rang through the air as purple flames erupted from the center of the room, stopping the group short as they backed away from the heat. The flames swirled in a spiral of power, cooling into pure darkness before forming a familiar portal. “Little foals,” Nightmare Moon laughed. “Still following my apprentice around?” Applejack shrieked as she suddenly found herself floating in the air, suspended by Nightmare Moon’s magic. “Such fragile things...” “Leave my friends alone!” Twilight angrily shouted, her horn glowing! “Dispel!” The farmer dropped as the anti-magic field canceled the corrupted pony’s spell. Rainbow Dash jumped up just in time to break her fall, receiving a nod of thanks. “Ooh, friends, are they?” Nightmare Moon laughed mockingly. “And how do you know they won’t betray you, like my sister did?” “We’d never turn against Twilight!” Rainbow Dash shouted as the others echoed her. “Hm,” the dark alicorn thought aloud, “Not for all the treasures in the world?” Visions of countless bits of pure gold, piles of jewels, and other treasures danced in the air. Twilight shook her head. “You don’t get it, Nightmare Moon! My friends are my power!” “And we’re hers!” the others shouted, a subtle light beginning to glow from their necklaces. The twisted alicorn recoiled. “No, not the Elements of Harmony! Their combined power could banish me forever!” she cried, shying away. Twilight gasped as she could feel a connection forming with her friends! It was so strong! “Well, if this is her weakness...” “Woah, what’s going on here?!” Applejack pawed at the glowing jewelry about her neck. “Just concentrate on working together!” Twilight said as she felt power begin to flow into her. “I think we can use this to banish her!” “Alright!” The light from their necklaces intensified as the ponies began to float in the air, held aloft by a great power. It felt so powerful, but it seemed to want to be controlled as the young unicorn gave it a shape and form. Her eyes opened, glowing with powerf. The magic bulged suddenly, spilling forth in a great flood of light, but, it was all wrong! The light seemed like it should be brighter. It was muted, somehow. A small grin teased at Nightmare Moon’s lips as the beam of darkened light struck her, exploding and knocking everyone back. “What have we done?” “Ahahah! Little foals!” The alicorn’s voice laughed out, but it was different now, darker. It seemed to reverberate with power and authority. “Did you really think I did nothing in the long centuries I spent sealed away in my prison?” The clouds of dust cleared, revealing Nightmare Moon. Darkness seemed to flow off of her in waves. “Oh yes, my plan worked perfectly! It was so easy too, corrupting one of the elements and then putting a little charm on the rest so your friends would take them.” “Ugh, you...” Twilight moaned, trying to get up. She felt so drained. The unconscious body of Spike crashed into her from above, knocking her down again. “Twilight? What happened? Where are we?” the little dragon asked, before being quieted by the unicorn. “Hush now, I’m monologuing,” the darkly empowered mare muttered, the glow from her horn fading from when she’d teleported the baby dragon. “Apprentices these days, so ungrateful. I go through all the trouble of retrieving her little pet and not even a word of thanks?” She coughed. “Yes, it was so easy to provoke you into activating their power! Now, with one of the Elements darkened, the Key would not form properly, making it mere child’s play to absorb its power! You have failed, Twilight Sparkle, and I shall rule this land in eternal darkness!” The darkness about her roiled up as her corrupt keyblade, the Lunar Void, appeared beside her. “Now, behold the true power of the night!” The power surged, draining into the alicorn’s keyblade. It began to shift, growing larger, darker. Suddenly, the weapon began to pulse, throwing off waves of energy. “No, what’s happening?!” Nightmare Moon cried. “He agreed that this would work!” Twilight curled protectively around Spike’s body as the alicorn’s keyblade exploded, sending out one last overwhelming wave of darkness. It spread out, enveloping everything. “Maybe I did mess up, but at least I can protect him,” the keyblade wielder thought as she, her friends, her assistant, the still-ranting Nightmare Moon, her master, everyone, were pulled into the all-consuming void. She fell. She fell forever. …