Nightmare Moon stomped on the Promontory so hard that the great rock cracked, her eyes glaring out at the horizon. There were no creatures below - she had no need of them and in her mood, this was just as well.
Her flights had taken her farther and farther, out over the great seas, and still nothing was familiar. Still nothing that she could call magic. No hint of how she might get home.
In Equestria, such problems could be addressed with research - studying the knowledge of the past, but there was none of that here, and indeed such knowledge did not even appear to exist. She could feel the weakening of her own magic, and was still no closer to stopping it. While her mane still flowed, a magical plasma mirroring the night sky, she knew that it would soon revert to normal hair - the first external sign. When that happened, she would soon be out of options.
In her frustration, she raised a large boulder with her magic, easily the size of a small house, and hurtled it across the plains, uttering a cry of frustration that was nearly a roar itself. The huge rock crashed down somewhere in the distant gorge, but what caught her attention was a small voice from directly beneath the great outcropping.
"Nightmare Moon!" repeated the voice. "I come seeking audience... will you hear an old baboon out?"
She looked down, curiously. Even Scar dared not approach her anymore, but as the voice said, an old baboon stood below. He leaned on a large stick and looked up to her. But she saw a wisdom in those old eyes, and though she studied him for several minutes, Rafiki did not waver.
"You may approach," she said at last.
The ape climbed up the rock as though he had done so many times in the past, with surprising agility for his apparent age. At last he stood before her, and bowed low and respectful. "Thank you," he said.
Nightmare Moon nodded. "What do you wish to speak of?"
The baboon straightened, a little. "My name is Rafiki," he began. "I have been counsel and seer to the Kings of the Pridelands for two generations now. If I may be so bold, I have information that you may find interesting, and perhaps, I might offer my assistance to you."
"I do not require counsel," responded Nightmare Moon curtly.
"But, you are a stranger here," responded Rafiki gently. At her response, he nodded. "Oh yes, I know. It is a part of my job to know. Perhaps I can teach you some of the ways of the Pridelands, to help you solve the issues that you yourself face."
"What makes you believe that I face any issues at all?"
Rafiki smiled. "Perhaps boulder hurtling is a common sport where you are from, with all due respect, but it is most uncommon here in the Pridelands. You have great power, but all that power is not helping you here. Let me grant you another power - knowledge." He waved his stick gently, and a sudden breeze sprung up that rattled the empty gourds tied to it. "Even the wisest among us can always learn something new."
Nightmare Moon's ears perked, and her senses went to full alert. There was something to that gesture, and something to that breeze. She could not detect the magic, yet undeniably something non-physical had occurred. There might be something to his words. He might have the key she sought.
She nodded, slowly. "Teach me."
...
Scar found that he did indeed enjoy books, even if he had to rely on Twilight to interpret the markings and read them out to him. He began to pick up some of the characters, with her encouragement, but he would not be reading the advanced topics Twilight preferred in the short time that he had. And so he would stretch out, content, and allow her to read to him.
Twilight herself was always glad to have a reason to re-read old favorites. She devoted plenty of time to this activity, telling herself that it was her duty to entertain her houseguest (and not merely a guilty pleasure to have such an attentive audience).
Occasionally, a story would remind Scar of one from his own youth, and he would tell it to Twilight. It made him genuinely smile to see the eager attention on her face when he could share something she'd never heard before.
Other ponies would frequently drop in to greet Twilight, or to borrow a book. Scar reflected to himself that Twilight was a very popular pony. But Pinkie Pie was the first visitor for Scar himself, showing up with a fresh slice of cake balanced atop her head on a small plate adorned with streamers.
"Haiiiiiiii Twilight! Hiiiiiii King Scarie! Look! I brought you that cake I promised!"
Scar looked confused, glancing at Twilight for explanation.
"She thinks you left the party because they ran out of cake," explained Twilight.
"Oh..." replied Scar, embarrassed. "I... I do apologize for that."
Pinkie merely beamed, and placed the cake before him. "That's okie-dokie! We'll have another party before you have to go, and I'll make sure there's LOTS of cake this time, so we don't run out. Okay?" She bounced up and down in place.
"No... I mean... thank you, but that's all right."
"Okie dokie lokie!" replied Pinkie, turning to bound away. "See you at the party!"
Scar hadn't been able to eat much the first time he saw cake, and so he pushed the plate gently aside. Spike rapidly claimed it as his own. "I could do with some more substantial food..." he admitted.
Twilight thought for a moment, and then brightened. "Let's go see Applejack! She's the best baker around. I'm sure she can come up with something!" After a moment, he nodded, and stood to follow her.
...
Twilight led Scar out of town towards a large farm, which she explained was called Sweet Apple Acres.
"Applejack runs the farm with her family," she explained. "Her Granny Smith is one of the original earth ponies who settled Ponyville!"
Scar pondered for a moment. "Why do you say "earth" pony?" he asked.
"Oh!" replied Twilight. "You have probably noticed... there are three kinds of ponies. I'm a unicorn, which means I have a horn on my head for performing magic. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are pegasus ponies - they have wings and an affinity for the air, allowing them to fly and manage the weather. Earth ponies have an affinity for the ground and all things that grow. Applejack is one of the best farmers I've ever seen!"
Scar considered this, then ventured a question. "What if a pony has wings AND a horn? What are they then?"
Twilight didn't miss a beat. "That's called an alicorn," she explained. "They're very rare, and possess great magical power. Princess Celestia is an alicorn and you'll be meeting her tomorrow."
Scar made a noise as he thought it through, but he did not ask any more questions for the moment, as they were already walking through a large apple orchard. It didn't take long to spot Applejack, who stood beneath a tree and gave it a mighty buck, causing all of the apples from the branches to fall neatly and conveniently into baskets placed around the trunk.
"How-dee Twilight! And howdy t'you too, Mr King Scar! What can I do ya for?"
Several dozen varieties of baked apple product later, Scar could take no more. While some of the treats were deliciously sweet, he was not equipped to chew them properly, and could feel his stomach rumbling in protest. When his responses started to get shorter and more tense, Twilight stepped in and excused the two of them, permitting a safe departure.
"Y'all come back any time!" shouted Applejack behind them. Scar grumbled.
"That wasn't quite to your liking, huh?" asked Twilight.
Scar sighed, "I am sorry... she was generous enough, but I am accustomed to eating m... er... well, a different kind of food."
Twilight nodded, slowly. "I know. I've read up on lions, just to see. But we just aren't going to find anything..."
She stopped when their path was suddenly blocked by a yellow pony who was doing her best not to look directly at them.
"Fluttershy?" asked Twilight.
"Oh... hi... Twilight," began Fluttershy, very quietly. "I... I was just wondering... well... I... wondered..."
Scar did his best to smile, remembering how frightened Fluttershy had seemed at the party. "Hello, Fluttershy," he offered, as gently as he could manage.
Fluttershy actually did manage to look at him this time, and she even smiled a bit. "I... I was feeding my animals. And... well... I... I wondered... how... how are you eating?"
Twilight slapped her hoof to her head. "Of course! I don't know why I didn't think of this!"
"Think of... what?" asked Scar, rather confused.
"Fluttershy takes care of all kinds of creatures! Of course she'll have food you can eat!"
"Well," began Scar cautiously. "After all those apples, and the hay this morning, I'm not sure..."
"Twilight!" admonished Fluttershy, with the strongest voice Scar had heard yet. It was still pretty gentle, but he was impressed. "You took this poor lion to Sweet Apple Acres? Oh, no! My cottage is just over that stream, you come with me."
The cottage was a cozy little home across a cute little bridge, and it was literally crawling with every type of creature Scar could conceive. He noticed that it was well removed from the town, and sat on the edge of the Everfree forest. That made him wonder if Fluttershy was friends with Zecora, but his thoughts were interrupted when Fluttershy returned from her kitchen, carrying a small plate stacked with several large fish. Scar's mouth watered.
"You eat this, and come back to see me if Twilight tries to feed you hay again! That's not good for lions!"
Twilight looked suitably chastised, but let Scar eat in peace. He couldn't identify the species of fish, but found that they tasted very good, and helped his upset stomach settle quickly.
Twilight had wandered off to read while he ate, and as he cleaned the plate, he grinned, and managed a soft comment to Fluttershy. "Thank you," he purred. "But how did you know to find us?"
"I..." started Fluttershy, a little embarrassed. "I... well, I... I... know Twilight." The last two words were so softly spoken Scar barely heard them, but he smiled.
"I'm starting to understand myself," he said, and winked.
Soon they were off again, and made their way into town. They had barely entered the town when they were suddenly confronted by Rarity, who all but blocked their path. Scar marveled at these ponys' ability to appear out of nowhere.
"Now stop right there!" Rarity insisted. "I've been looking all over Ponyville for you two! There isn't a moment to lose!"
Twilight looked worried. "Why? What's happened?"
Rarity looked impatient. "King Scar is to meet with Princess Celestia tomorrow, and he hasn't a thing to wear! I mean literally! I simply can not allow such a fashion crime to take place in Ponyville. Not with royalty."
Before he knew what had happened, he was inside another building (the "boutique", Rarity called it), standing on a pedestal and surrounded by mirrors, while various fabrics and accessories floated magically around him. They would occasionally settle against his coat, then draw away. All the while Rarity kept up a constantly running commentary while Twilight suppressed giggles.
"No, no, no, that simply won't do. No. Too bright! Too shimmery. Not shimmery enough! Darling, your coat is so dark, can we not lighten your mane?"
"I... what? No..." responded Scar, but Rarity kept right on going.
"We simply must capture your regality," she insisted, trying another half dozen colors at once. "We have to make those emerald eyes of yours shine, they really are your best feature."
Scar took a deep breath for patience, but found that he didn't overly mind the fussing. For once he was finally being treated like a King, and while he didn't fully understand the purpose of the clothing, he had noticed that many of the ponies adorned themselves in various ways. He felt that it would be important to make a good impression on the Princess he was due to meet.
Secondly, he had a chance to observe Rarity's magic up close and continuous. Twilight's magic tended to come in short, rapid bursts, giving him little time to correlate the movements. And Nightmare Moon's magic had been both unpredictable and generally unpleasant. The opportunity to study this continuous stream of magic was absolutely fascinating, and Rarity balanced more objects at once than Twilight had ever done in front of him. The movements of all the objects was like a dance, and as it was all in his honor, Scar felt the least he could do was enjoy the show.
...
Rafiki's instruction to Nightmare Moon was more primitive than she was used to, but she quickly learned that there was some form of magic here, and that this baboon possessed both intelligence and the ability to dip into this magic. It was not the strong, precise control that unicorns possessed, more of a request than a command, but it was there all the same.
She sat quietly inside his hollowed-out tree, listening as he described the workings of the world. He knew she was no fool, either, and moved quickly from the legends he would tell cubs onto greater and deeper knowledge. He spoke of the Circle of Life, and the way a life force moves on, yet leaves parts of itself behind.
Rafiki marveled to himself that this dark mare, from whom he had only seen anger and force, was now so patient and attentive a student. Was she really royalty from another land? He had seen her great power, he believed she must be. He hoped that something in his understanding of the world would grant her the ability to return to that land.
And so, when he had explained enough that she would understand it as well as he did, he told her what had happened to Scar. Nightmare Moon grew very attentive, and finally began to ask questions. When he had told her all that he knew about the incident, she was quiet for a moment.
"And you do not believe that he was destroyed?" she asked, at last.
"No," declared Rafiki. "I would feel it. He is elsewhere, for certain."
"Can you make it happen again?" she asked.
"I... perhaps... yes?" responded Rafiki. "But why? We do not know where he was sent."
Nightmare Moon hesitated, then put her cards on the table. "There is a magical imbalance here. Our worlds were linked through a power beyond even mine. That link may yet exist. So I wish to attempt this, because I will take whatever chance, however small, that it may allow me to go home."
Rafiki's heart soared. In those words there was hope for his beloved Pridelands.
...
Scar was awakened earlier than he would have liked the next morning by the sound of trumpets, a sound which struck him as rather more organized than that of waterfowl, but just as unwanted. He would have sworn he had laid his head down only minutes previously, and it felt heavy as he raised it slowly. But Twilight was already upstairs and prancing nervously.
"Come on, come on," she stammered. "She's here, and you aren't even ready yet! Where's Rarity's uniform? Oh, I thought we had another hour!"
The trumpets repeated, and the downstairs door was opened inward. Twilight gave a nervous little cry and vanished in a flash of purple light. He heard her downstairs, but a second later.
"Princess Celestia!"
"Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student!" Scar assumed this was the Princess speaking. Her voice was motherly, gentle, and certainly not what Twilight's panic attack had led him to expect. He stood, stretching out his back and wincing as it cracked several times. He chose to forget the uniform, and then made his way to the staircase, looking down.
Standing in the middle of the library near Twilight was a very large unicorn... no, an alicorn - Scar noticed the wings. Her coat was a warm white, and it was hard to miss the large yellow sun printed on her flank. She wore a very notable golden crown, a golden collar, and golden shoes. Her mane was a multicolored plasma that flowed despite the lack of a breeze, reminding him of Nightmare Moon - but rather than the night sky this mane carried stripes of pastel color. She stood with a comfortable yet regal stance, and there was no question in his mind that this was Princess Celestia.
Still, Scar mused that he had yet to ask Twilight why every pony had painted their flanks. A mystery for another time, perhaps.
After a moment, the Princess looked directly at him, followed by a panicked glance from Twilight. Scar put on his best smile, and began to descend the staircase.
"Prrrrincess," he purred. "Thank you so much for coming on such short notice. I know you must be very busy."
Princess Celestia eyed him. Her face was friendly but he could see ancient wisdom behind those eyes, sizing him up. He also saw much of the same hardness that he had seen in Nightmare Moon's eyes, and he began to wonder of his safety. But when she spoke, all this vanished.
"King Scar, I presume? Twilight Sparkle has written me of your predicament. While I am sorry for the circumstances, you are most welcome in Equestria."
Scar reached the bottom of the stairs, and bowed to the Princess, smiling inwardly when she bowed in return. "Indeed, I do apologize for imposing upon your hospitality. If I may say so, Twilight has been very accommodating and made my stay as comfortable as can be expected."
Twilight smiled nervously, but her panic attack was clearly starting to subside. "Would anypony like some tea?" she asked. Without waiting for a response, she called out. "Spike! We need three cups of tea please!"
Celestia smiled patiently at Twilight and nodded, and the three of them moved over to the small table, sitting around it. After Spike delivered tea to each of them, Scar began to recap his story once again. Again, he left out the smaller details that may have painted him in a more negative light, and again, he could see Celestia observing him as Twilight did, considering the omissions in his story.
"But now, I know from what Twilight Sparkle has taught me, that this horse is in fact an alicorn. She called herself a Princess."
Celestia's eyes narrowed, though more in concern than suspicion. "Who exactly did she say she was?"
Scar had been keeping the name close to his chest until he felt that he understood the situation, but this was the pony he knew that he needed to tell. The 'hated' Celestia and perhaps the only pony his former aide seemed to fear. He needed her on his side.
"Nightmare Moon," Scar replied. "She also said 'Princess Luna'."
Twilight gasped, and Spike, who had been standing nearby listening in, actually fainted.
Celestia hung her head, and Scar thought he glimpsed a great sadness before her eyes closed. "I did not anticipate this outcome," she spoke softly.
Twilight looked at her with concern, "What do you mean, Princess? Who is Princess Luna?"
When Celestia's head came up again, her expression was serious, pure business. "When you used the Elements of Harmony against Nightmare Moon, instead of banishing her to the moon as I did, your spell must have transported her to these other lands. I had hoped for... a better outcome."
Celestia looked directly to Scar, and her expression changed slightly to one of frank uncertainty. "That said, I do not know how you came to be here. Perhaps the banishment spell induced a magical imbalance between our world and yours, and you were trapped within it."
"Oh!" cried Twilight, with a hint of glee in her voice. "I was reading something about Magical Imbalance Theories just last week! I bet I can find that book!"
Celestia and Scar shared a smirk as Twilight sprinted off and began to pull books off the shelves by the dozen, searching for the title she just knew she remembered seeing. By this point, they'd both seen it before.
...
Twilight's book did indeed cover the theory of magical imbalances, but there was little information that even Scar could not have guessed. But after reading the chapter aloud to Scar and Celestia, Twilight proposed a bold plan.
"What if we use the Elements again to try to send Scar home?"
Celestia thought about this carefully. "It's possible," she evaluated. "The Elements of Harmony as wielded by you six are powerful enough to do it. But it may be difficult to control with precision, or, at all." She looked at Scar, "You might not end up where you expect to."
Twilight flipped to another page in the book, "But," she added, "it says right here that such imbalances tend to leave traces for a long time. We can use this to increase the odds of success at least eight percent!"
Celestia nodded, slowly. In her mind, she considered that this would also reintroduce the imbalance, and might thusly pull Nightmare Moon back to Equestria. She didn't want Twilight to know that she was hoping it would. Ultimately, without further comment, this was why she said yes.
...
Nightmare Moon worked with Rafiki in the meantime, gathering the ingredients that he had listed were in his supplies when Scar had smashed him into them. It was mindless work, but with her magic it was not terribly time consuming. Once back to the tree, Rafiki began to mix the various powders and juices, while she waited with growing impatience.
...
"Elements Party!" screamed Pinkie Pie as Twilight levitated her Element over to her. Scar watched in amazement - each of the five ponies Twilight had introduced him to wore a jeweled collar resembling the icon on their flanks. Twilight herself placed upon her head a crown that dwarfed Celestia's, and smiled shyly.
"It will be all right," she assured him. The others came up and said goodbyes, and all six of the little ponies embraced him in a group hug. For a moment, he was sad to be leaving. Then they drew back, with Twilight holding on the longest. "I'm going to miss you," she said with sincerity.
Scar nodded, stiffly, for fear his own emotions, so long dormant, were in danger of breaking out into the open. "You have taught me a great deal," he smiled, and he meant it. "You have become my best friend, and I will always remember you."
Twilight smiled wider, and the corners of her eyes teared up a little. "I know you are going to do great things," she stated, then walked back to the others. Princess Celestia stood off to the side, while the other six bunched up before him. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash hovered above Twilight, while Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rarity flanked her. They glanced at each other, and nodded once.
"Ready!" called Twilight.
...
"Is it ready?" asked Nightmare Moon, finally.
Rafiki nodded, slowly. "Yes... yes, I think it is ready. This is everything I remember having. Now, we just need a storm."
Nightmare Moon smiled. This was still well within her powers, and her mane grew and swirled above her as she gathered the powers of the wind inside this tiny structure, preparing to strike.
...
Princess Celestia's horn lit first, and lifted Scar off the ground a little, so that he hovered before the six. This made him slightly nervous, but he locked eyes with Twilight and found himself reassured by her confidence. A moment later the collars around each of the other ponys' necks began to glow brightly, and those ponies on the ground rose into the air. Twilight closed her eyes for a moment, and when they opened again, they glowed a bright white with magical power.
A rainbow of color arose from each of the ponies, and arced gracefully towards Scar. Initially as the colors engulfed him he felt utter terror, then, it was as if the fear was peeled away, and he felt pure peace as the library faded from view.
...
"NOW!" shouted Nightmare Moon, and the full force of her winds rushed down to the ground and smashed the carefully laid out gourds against the wall, causing the powders and juices to mix and fly into the air. There was a low roar throughout the room, and for a moment all went dark.
Then, it was quiet and still.
Nightmare Moon realized she had closed her eyes at the roar, and opened them again slowly, looking around.
She hadn't moved. She was still in the tree, and the stupid monkey was staring at her, his jaw slightly agape. Her head swiveled.
"It didn't work?" she asked, dangerously quiet.
"It... ummm..."
"IT DIDN'T WORK!?" Much, much louder this time. The Royal Canterlot Voice, used in anger. She was enraged. This was the only hope she had had for weeks, and she had tolerated his foolish mysticism and claim that powders would allow her to travel back home, and all for nothing!
"YOU FOOL!" she shouted, and her magic swirled the room, an entity all its own, destroying what little was not already broken. It grabbed Rafiki and hurled him against the wall, hard, where he slumped to the ground, then the entire vortex returned to its mistress.
Nightmare Moon roared her most angry roar yet, and burst straight up out of the tree, shattering the upper branches and scattering the kindling that resulted. A bright streak marked her angry departure over the horizon.
...
Scar's eyes opened after a moment, to find a cool breeze on his face and a dark sky overhead. He was on a sparsely populated plain, next to a large tree. He soon recognized it as Rafiki's tree. It worked!
Then came Nightmare Moon's shout, from so close he jumped.
"IT DIDN'T WORK!?"
Scar froze, crouching as low to the ground as could. And when Nightmare Moon burst from the top of the tree he remained there, suddenly wishing that maybe he hadn't come back to the Pridelands.
A low moan caught his attention, "ooh... wh... what was that?"
Scar's ears perked, "Twilight?"
Sure enough, Twilight was slowly pushing herself to her hooves, not far from where Scar stood. Scar ran over to her.
"Are you all right?"
Twilight nodded, slowly. "I... I think so. What happened? Did the spell fail?"
Before Scar could answer, and before Twilight had more than a moment to look around, came a second moan from inside the tree. Scar recognized it instantly.
"Rafiki!"
He ran around to the entrance to the tree. After a shocked moment's look around, Twilight followed him.
Rafiki was rocking slowly when they entered, and despite her shock, Twilight immediately recognized that he was hurt. She ran forward, and advised him to hold still for a moment, lighting her horn and pressing it near.
"Can you help him?" asked Scar.
"He's been hit pretty hard," commented Twilight, her magic flowing forth. "But I think so. He'll be okay. Is he a friend of yours? Is this the Pridelands?"
Scar wasn't sure how to answer that, so, he opted to ignore the first question. "This is the Pridelands, yes. I heard Nightmare Moon shouting inside the tree, I think she did this. But why are you here?"
"I... I don't know," Twilight replied. "We don't really control the Elements of Harmony, we just direct them."
"N... Nightmare..." gasped Rafiki, beginning to come around.
"Shh," advised Twilight. "Let my magic work for a few more minutes before you try to speak."
Now that he was conscious, he began to recover at a remarkable rate, and finally Twilight stopped the spell, panting a little bit. "There... I think that's all I can do. How are you feeling?"
"Much... much better. Thank you, little one. I have never felt anything like that... it was most remarkable."
Twilight blushed a little, "A little healing magic... your own body did most of the work."
Rafiki then seemed to notice Scar for the first time. He looked at Twilight, then back to Scar again. "Is this your doing?" he asked. "More magical ponies in the Pridelands?"
Scar froze for a moment, then shook his head. "No," he said finally, his voice quiet.
Rafiki's eyebrows raised in surprise a moment, then slowly returned to normal as he studied Scar. His musing was interrupted as the unicorn spoke again.
"My name is Twilight Sparkle," she said. "I'm from the land of Equestria. I was trying to help Scar get back here to the Pridelands, but... something must have gone wrong with the Elements. I'm not sure how I got here."
"Rafiki," replied the baboon, offering a small bow. "And I am indebted to you for your help. But, what are these Elements?"
Twilight smiled, having yet another chance to explain something. "They're magical artifacts in Equestria. There are six of them, and one pony wields each one. Honesty, Laughter, Loyalty, Generosity, Kindness, and Magic, and they represent the foundations of friendship. Together, they form the most powerful magic known to ponykind."
Rafiki thought about this for a moment. "You speak of /maelewano/, harmony. But, you say you were attempting to use this magic?"
Twilight nodded. "Yes... we originally recovered the Elements in order to defeat Nightmare Moon, to stop her from causing everlasting night over Equestria."
Rafiki tilted his head. "Oh? Tell me how you used the Elements against Nightmare Moon, what exactly happened?"
Twilight relayed the events that had happened, starting with her arrival in Ponyville, and ending with Nightmare Moon vanishing in the rainbow of magic. "We had no idea that the Elements would send her here - we only found out when Scar turned up in the Everfree Forest."
Rafiki thought some more. "Most unfortunate, yes. She has done some very bad things here... but... the Great Kings sometimes work in mysterious ways. There may be greater plans afoot than we understand. You say you were just now trying to return Scar here using these elements?"
Another nod from Twilight. "Everything seemed to work correctly, but something backfired, and we both ended up coming through."
"That may be our fault," mused Rafiki. "Nightmare Moon was here, and we were trying to recreate the magic that caused Scar to vanish. Perhaps our two spells collided between the spaces..."
Twilight frowned. "If my studies are correct, that means there is a greater imbalance here now. We will have to find a way back to prevent instability."
Rafiki was silent for a moment, until Scar spoke up.
"Which means, of course, Nightmare Moon must go back too."
Again, Rafiki stared at Scar. Something was very different. But a realization was dawning on him. "I think that you are both correct... and I think I may have a plan that will work. Nightmare Moon, she wants to go back very badly. I do not believe she is thinking properly about it. But until all is ready, she must not know that you are returned, Scar, or that you are here, Twilight Sparkle. She believes the spell failed and that I failed her. If she continues to believe this, we will have time to organize."
Twilight nodded. "Of course, I'll do what I can. But without the Elements of Harmony, I'm not strong enough to face her head-on."
Scar spoke again, and smiled a little. "I don't think you need to destroy her. If you can get back with her, you and your friends are there with the Elements, and Princess Celestia is right there as well. I heard Nightmare mention her enough times to know that she fears Celestia. I don't believe you will have trouble."
Another long stare from Rafiki, and then finally he walked up to Scar, limping a little, and poked Scar in the chest with his stick. "Where does your loyalty lie, Scar? To yourself or to the Pridelands?"
Scar looked surprised, and though he raised a paw to sweep the stick away, it stopped before he reached it. After a moment, his head lowered, and so did his paw. "That is a fair question," he responded. "But I will see the Pridelands restored."
Rafiki got up closer, and looked up into the lion's eyes. Scar looked away at first, but then, he turned back and met Rafiki's gaze. It lasted just a moment, and before Twilight could comment, Rafiki drew back.
"Sarabi and her family are in exile," he said, slowly at first, but growing in confidence. "Go to them, and take this token to prove I have sent you, for they will not believe you on your own, Scar." He handed Scar a small gourd, marked in sandy paint with the outline of a small lion. Again, he stared at Scar. "I believe you. I don't know why, but I do. They are with a small group - have them all return to me, and I will explain to them what to do. Then, the two of you must confront Nightmare Moon."
...
As the two set off in the direction Rafiki indicated, it was Twilight's turn to study Scar. Finally, the question burning in the forefront of her mind came out.
"Why did Rafiki have to think so hard about trusting you?"
Scar did not look back, but he slowed slightly. After a moment, he spoke, "Do you remember the fable you read to me about the pony Kings, the one who chose to bring light, and the one who felt he had to bring dark?"
Twilight looked as though this question caught her a little off-guard, but nodded. "Y...yes. Of course."
Scar nodded as well, and kept walking steadily. "I want to be more like the King who realized that he had a choice after all."
...
Nightmare Moon returned to the Pridelands two days later, her rage spent. She stood atop the promontory, watching. She was very worried. The magic drain was accelerating, and she could now feel it constantly. Her senses reached out, and again, nothing. She reached out to Rafiki's tree, the only source of anything resembling magic she had yet seen, and nothing special. He was puttering about, which was something at least. She had thought she might have killed him. She thought she detected a faint hint of something Equestrian, but, it could well have been traces of her own magic.
She did not go inside for hours, eventually settling down on the edge of the promontory, and staring out at her own night sky. Her rage had been a serious drain on her powers, and as she feared, her mane was faltering. It had nearly halfway reverted to hair, with only the edges glowing with the night sky. She thought about her promise to herself that she would destroy everything before she allowed her magic to slip away completely, and was no longer so sure that she could.
For the first time in over a thousand years, she wondered what her sister was doing. Her sister who always used to tease her and call her 'Lulu'. Who she played magical games of hide and seek with, and who would always compliment her night sky before going to bed. Her sister, with whom she discovered and learned to use the Elements of Harmony. Her sister with whom she defeated Discord and freed Equestria, and with whom she very nearly freed the Crystal Empire, only to lose it at the very moment victory seemed assured.
Was that when things started to go wrong? Was that when Celestia suddenly seemed so cold? She had a sudden realization... Celestia was her big sister. There was nopony else. When they lost the Crystal Empire, did Celestia feel the same guilt in her heart as well? And what did Luna do in return? Lash out with her own pain, accuse her of abandoning her little sister, and eventually... this. This personification of all the pain and anger in her heart.
She had worked on the spell for months, all the while telling herself that the fact Celestia wasn't trying to stop her was further proof that she had never really cared. She could suddenly see the entire spiral of self-pity and self-torment, and she realized it was never Celestia she was angry at, nor the ponies of Equestria. Only... herself.
And now... she turned her gaze to the eastern horizon where the sun was not rising, but if her magic continued to drain, that would be the next sign. Now, what was she doing? Alone and unwanted in a strange land, she was destroying it out of spite.
She stood, and started to walk back down the rock, towards the caves where the lionesses slept. She generally stayed away, not wanting very much to do with the lions here, but perhaps if she spoke gently enough, she would find an ear to talk to.
"Nightmare Moon!"
Her ears flicked backwards, and she recognized that voice. It was standing behind her, and there was no way it could have walked past her without being seen. The owner had to have winked into place there.
Her head came up, and the waves of self pity washed away with recognition. Her head turned, and she saw Twilight Sparkle standing defiant on the end of the promontory, glaring at her.
Now anger stirred in her heart again. The little foal had chased her all the way here - why? To destroy her? To gloat in her exile? It was ridiculous.
"What do you want?" she growled, turning and pulling herself up to her full height.
"You have to put a stop to this, and release this land," insisted Twilight.
Nightmare Moon shook her head. By now all those thoughts had faded, as she once again faced this young, insolent foal who dared to chase her all this way. The anger stirred her powers, and her mane flared to life once again. But she noticed something... Twilight stood alone. Twilight was also not wearing her element. She sent out her magic again, sensing, and could sense no other ponies, no other source of Equestrian magic. So no elements.
"You little foal!" she cried. "Who are you to make demands on me? Bad enough you have sent me to this place, now you chase me down and lecture me? Gloating in my defeat? Or perhaps you hope to finally destroy me? Hah! You will never have the chance!"
Twilight stood her ground, and lowered her head, pointing her horn at Nightmare Moon and scuffing the ground with her hoof.
Nightmare Moon was incredulous. "Really? REALLY? I know you don't have the elements! Are we really going to do this again?"
Twilight showed no signs up letting up. "I don't want to, but if you don't step down, then a challenge is the only legal way to put an end to it. I've been researching the laws of the lions and this is the way to do it."
"Oh please!" Nightmare Moon couldn't believe it. Last time, this had been an act, a feint to allow Twilight access to the fragments of the Elements of Harmony. But this time, a challenge in leonine law? Still, even ignoring the laws of the Pridelands, tradition demanded that a unicorn challenge be met. So when Twilight charged, Nightmare Moon lowered her horn and charged as well.
Just like before, right before they met, Twilight winked out, and left Nightmare Moon with open air. She had expected this, however, and skidded to a stop just before the edge of the rock. "Did you expect me to fall for that again?" she shouted back.
There was no clear answer. With a roar Scar leapt from a hiding place at the edge of the rock, catching Nightmare Moon broadside and carrying her over the lip of the rock. Though startled, she recovered quickly, spreading her wings and catching herself in flight.
The opening of her powerful wings broke Scar's tenuous grip. Unable to hang on, he plummeted to the base of the rock, landing with a heavy thud and a loud crack. Nightmare Moon twisted in the air to look at him, about to shout derision at him for this feeble attempt on her life.
Suddenly, she was enveloped in a blindingly bright rainbow that tore at her armor and her very coat, tightening around her. She knew this rainbow - she had already been its target twice. Terrified, she turned and followed it back to its source.
Standing across the field before Pride Rock was a motley crew of characters. Rafiki stood in the middle, his eyes glowing bright white as he guided the rainbow beam with his stick. She recognized Zazu, Sarabi and Sarafina as the lionesses who had left, and they stood with a meerkat and warthog she knew through this magical connection were called Timon and Pumbaa. Six friends brought together through uncertain situations and forced to be extraordinary, and she knew all this.
"But HOW?!" she screamed. "Twilight Sparkle didn't bring the Elements! SHE DIDN'T!"
Rafiki laughed, holding her tight in the magical field. "Hah! You think /maelewano/ exists only in your world!? Everywhere that friendship exists, this power exists! You will never escape it! Shed your darkness and return to your home!"
He waved his stick in a circular motion, and the rainbow tightened, binding her firmly, shattering her armor. She saw a blinding white light as a rift tore open before her, and with a motion Rafiki directed her towards it. She felt her magic streaming away faster than ever before. Then she was falling into the darkness.
She landed on a hard stone floor, and heard the clattering of metal around her as her shattered armor joined her. She was free but felt every muscle in her body, it was painful to move. She was not sure she had any magic left in her, but at least it was cool here. She took a moment with her eyes closed to try and recover, only to hear a voice, stern and unforgiving, a voice she remembered so well from painful memories.
"Princess Luna!"
She gasped and opened her eyes, and saw that she was in a stone ruin - back in the old castle where she had faced Twilight Sparkle. She could see her hooves before her, and her fur had reverted to her original blue, rather than the black of her enhanced form. Then she looked up - and Celestia was standing over her. Her expression was stern, hard, and Luna remembered why she had been so angry. Had nothing changed? Was she now to be punished?
But Celestia crouched down before her, and her next words were spoken softly, with a sincerity Luna hadn't expected. "It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this," she said. "It is time for us to put our differences aside." She extended a hoof. "We were meant to rule together, little sister. Will you accept my friendship?"
In that instant Luna realized all the answers she had been wondering just hours earlier. Here was her sister reaching out to her, her sister who had needed her as much as she herself had needed somepony, who had never forgiven herself for banishing Luna and was asking in this one instant to be forgiven.
Luna's heart not so much broke as shattered, and she got to her feet and hugged her sister with all her might, tears flowing. "I'm so sorry!" she cried, and she meant it. "I missed you so much!"
Celestia's eyes began to water as well, and she smiled as she returned the hug. "I missed you too."
...
Twilight reached Scar at full gallop in only a couple of minutes, but it pained her to take so long. That hadn't been the plan, he wasn't supposed to go over the edge! She wanted to wink down to him, but, she didn't know exactly where he was, and, she was terrified to notice, she didn't have enough magic left to do it. Something here was draining her magic. She had a lot for a unicorn her size, but, she had to save what was left.
Scar was laying in a crumpled heap at the base of the rock, and Twilight feared she was too late until he rolled over at the sound of her hooves on the rock. He moaned softly, but attempted to push himself upwards.
"Ah... my... friend..." he groaned, each word an effort.
"No!" cried Twilight, her horn flaring. "Hold still!" Scar felt a heat penetrate his body, feeling it encircle his broken bones and damaged organs, and felt the pain reduce slightly. But her horn was flickering on and off, flaring then sputtering.
"Twilight?" he asked. He was stronger already, but she was still pushing hard, her body leaning into it as she strained with the effort.
"My magic," she grunted, "I'm almost out! I don't know what it is!"
"It's the Pridelands," said Rafiki, approaching from behind. "Your magic is not a part of this world, and it is trying to regain balance. Nightmare Moon must have felt it too... perhaps that was why she was so desperate to return home."
"But I have to help him!" cried Twilight, her horn flashing again, a tremendous but short-lived flare.
Scar was able to sit up now, and he placed a paw on Twilight's shoulder. "You have helped me," he smiled, although he still winced as he adjusted his balance. "More than you will ever know. I will always remember what you've told me. Because of you," he chuckled, though it elicited another wince, "I know that I have a choice."
Twilight looked hesitant, but it was clear that the effort to maintain the spell was taking a toll. Rafiki pointed at the hanging portal where Nightmare Moon had passed.
"That magic does not belong here either," he cautioned, "and it will soon snap shut, never again to open. Once balance is restored it will be very difficult to upset it again. Twilight Sparkle, you must go now, or you may never leave."
Twilight looked back to the portal, to Rafiki, and finally to Scar. He nodded slowly, and the warthog stepped forward.
"We'll take care of him, honest. Thanks for all your help."
Twilight nodded one last time, then stepped forward to embrace the lion tightly. "I'll remember you too," she assured him. "And I'll remember to look up for the Great Kings of the Past when I feel alone. I know one day you will join them."
Scar dipped his head, his ears folded shyly, and then Twilight stepped into the portal. It closed behind her without a sound, just a tiny rush of air, and then all was still.
"Well, hey!" cried the meerkat. "Who's up for some grub?"
...
Dawn returned to the Pridelands just a few hours later, and Scar gathered the remaining lionesses to him next to Pride Rock. Around his midsection he wore a support crafted by Rafiki, filled with healing herbs to ease the pain and aid the healing that Twilight had started for him. But he drew no attention to this. The speech he wanted to give was not one to shout from the top of the rock, but to be spoken softly from the heart.
"I'm sorry," he opened, and the lionesses lifted their heads to listen, sensing the sincerity. "Words are not adequate for all that I've done, but they are true. Our pride has lost a great lion, and I was a part of that. But I grieve with you all, because I've lost my brother, and only now do I realize what that means."
"I do not deserve to rule," he continued. "Some would say I do not deserve to live, and I might agree with them. But I will make amends."
"Simba is the rightful King, son of Mufasa and heir to the throne, but he is yet a cub. We will let him be a cub and not burden him with responsibility. I will teach and advise him to the limits of what his mother will permit, and you all shall hear me now, that upon his mantlement I shall step down and follow his lead."
Timon was off away from the group, with Rafiki, watching the small ceremony. He looked up at the baboon.
"You know, that was some pretty crazy stuff we did, with the rainbows and all. Pretty amazing, and so much power! Do you figure we can do anything like that again?"
Rafiki smiled down at the little creature. "Magic comes from the connection of hearts, my little friend. Though we guided it, that magic drew from the world of Nightmare Moon, to take her back to it. Magic in our world is usually a little more subtle, but if you watch for it, it is there all around you."
The two of them looked back towards Scar, to listen to him finish.
"This is all I can do, and I know that it will not be enough. But I will choose the light, because the choice is mine to make. I did not always know that. But finally, after so many years, someone trusts me to do my best." He looks up at the fading stars. "I think someone else always did."
Finally, his gaze settled on the rising sun, "From now on, I want to know that I won't let either of them down."
...
In Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle was also watching the sunrise. Upon her return the others had filled her in on Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Then she tried to spend the night taking notes on all she could remember, but of course Pinkie had insisted on a party. Finally, she was writing a summary report to Princess Celestia.
Dear Princess Celestia,
We've had quite an adventure this week, and I've learned so much. I've learned that there are worlds besides our own, and that different beings have so many different outlooks that we must all take into account to get along. I have a whole series of reports to write on the things I learned about King Scar’s world.
I've learned that it's important to know that we always have a choice, that we can always choose to be the sort of pony that we want to be. Even when it's hard and things are terribly dark around us, we can always choose the light.
But what I've learned about most is friendship. I've learned how wonderful it is to have friends who care about you and about the power for good and right that friendship brings. I've learned that the Elements of Harmony exist in all places and that all creatures are capable of the honesty, kindness, laughter, generosity, loyalty, and love that friendship brings. Most of all love, because that is the true magic. And I've learned that where ever friendship blooms, Harmony is never far behind.
I'm so happy that you are reunited with your sister, and I hope that Princess Luna will visit us soon. I owe you a much longer letter very soon about everything that happened in the Pridelands, but Pinkie Pie invited us to an after-after-celebration Party, and Spike looks like he really wants to go. I don't want to keep my friends waiting.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle