//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Breaking the Cycle // by Graxic //------------------------------// Twilight stood back from the balcony, hesitant to approach to two alicorns as they talked. "So, you see, Luna and I are not in control of the sun and moon do much as we are the sun and moon. If we wished, we could materialize into a part of our counterpart. We can also see every place our light reaches. My theory is that you have become darkness itself." "That sounds a little sinister, doesn't it? I mean, darkness is usually used to refer to evil." "This is quite the contrary, Dark Horn. Darkness is essential for everypony. Without it - or rather, you - nopony can get to sleep at night." "You still haven't explained how to return the shadows." "Oh, yes, of course. Well, first, you need to realize this is not a spell that can be cast, it is a power within you." "But, Princess, when we saw you raise the sun, your horn was glowing. Doesn't that mean you were casting a spell?" Dark Horn inquired. "Yes I was, but a different spell entirely. Alicorn powers require immense calm. The slightest distraction can ruin your concentration." she explained, "The spell I was casting was one to keep me calm enough to raise the sun in front of so many spectators." "I see." "All you need to do is clear your mind. Take a deep breath, and feel your thoughts leaving when you exhale. Then remember the feeling of being part of the shadows in your dream. Feel yourself becoming darkness. Visualize the shadows spreading wherever my sunlight does not reach, which at the moment is everywhere. Luna does not give off enough light to affect shadows, so you don't need to worry about her light. And I said visualize, not imagine. You need to believe that you can do this." "Okay." Dark Horn said, keeping his breathing steady, and closing his eyes. Unwillingly, his eyes slammed back open once the shadows began to reappear, and his eyes went as black as his mane. In Dark Horn's mind, he was currently having an out-of-body experience. He knew he was doing it right, but he couldn't see anything except bright light.  "Alright," he thought to himself, "That's the light, time to balance it out." He felt himself moving towards the light, and as he did, he was able to see more and more. Eventually, he could make out the distinct mane of Rainbow Dash, who was currently sitting in her cloud home, relaxing in the cold shadow that had replaced the warm light. Focusing, he stretched himself, filling the space he imagined the shadows would logically go. Pleased with his work, Dark Horn returned to his body,and suddenly found that he was incredibly tired. "Watch out, Dark Horn. Luna and I were very tired after our first attempt too." "Attempt? You mean I didn't do it?" "No, you did. You did wonderfully. I used attempt because I know you'll be doing it more." "I don't have to stay here and become a prince, do I? I mean, I like almost everypony here, but I honestly can't stand Prince Blueblood. No offense." "None taken, he is quite...odd, to say the least. He's not immediate family, close enough to be a prince, far enough away to have horrible misconceptions of what that entails." "You can say that again." "If you wish, we could arrange a chariot for you and Twilight Sparkle to return to Ponyville, or, if she is willing, Twilight Sparkle could teleport you both." "I think I might go for the chariot, thank you." Dark Horn chose, knowing all too well how much stress teleporting two people that far causes. "Of course. You need some time to rest. It'll be ready in a few minutes." Celestia said, leaving the room. "You're not really that tired, are you?" Twilight asked. "Nah, not anymore." "So tired you got an adrenaline rush?" "You know me too well." "That I do, that I do." "Also, I want a chance to try these out." he said, stretching out his wings. "Wow, they're long. They look more powerful than Rainbow Dash's." "I doubt they really are. I don't think I'll ever be able to pull off a Sonic Rainboom. At least, not as well as she can." "How did you know she-" "It was all over the papers. 'Ponyville Pegasus Wins Flying Competition With Sonic Rainboom'." "Wow, even in Canterlot?" "Yep." "The chariot is ready." a guard said, poking his head around the door. Dark Horn smiled at Twilight. "Last one there loses!" he yelled playfully, before launching himself off the balcony to the astonishment of the guard, Twilight, and Shining Armour and Cadence, who had just entered to speak to Twilight, and flapping his wings. For a few seconds he fell as he got accustomed to the muscles in his wings and how they worked, then his instincts kicked in, and he was flying. He was flying fast. If he were to name a speed, he'd have said he was going at 40 kilotrots an hour.  Realizing that Twilight hadn't left and Shining Armour was looking up at him with a priceless look on his face, he landed right next to him, to be butted rather hard in the shoulder by Shining Armour. "What was that for?" he exclaimed, as the two mares next to them gasped. "One: you never told me my sister was here. Two: you scared the hay out of us when you jumped off the balcony. For all I knew, you were trying to get yourself killed, I didn't know you suddenly became an alicorn. And three," he grinned, "I was bored." "Colts," Cadence sighed, rolling her eyes, "I'll never understand them." "So anyway, what's the story with the sudden alicornification?" "I'm not sure myself. I just woke up this morning and bam, I had wings." "Were you behind the missing darkness?" "Unfortunately, yes." "Unfortunately?" "It scared the hay out of me, I knew it had something to do with me, but it still scared me." "Fair enough. So, how have things been in Ponyville?" "Well, you'd better ask Twilight. I had only been there a day." "Did you give her the package?" "Oh, buck. I totally forgot. I'll give her it when we get back." "You're leaving? When?" The guard at the door cleared his throat, "Your chariot?" "Soon." The four of them talked for a while, Twilight recounting tales of her time in Ponyville. Eventually, the guardspony insisted that they had to leave now or take a chariot later, and return halfway through the day. "Hey, Dark Horn?" "Yeah?" "I think I'll take you up on that race offer." she said, turning around to see that he had leapt off the balcony again before she even answered. Laughing, she took off. Dark Horn flew in an arc around Canterlot towards the chariot dock. Swooping down, he landed next to Twilight in the chariot. "Teleporting's cheating." "Oh, and flying's not?" "Heh, you got me there." They sat in silence, except for the occasional moment when the chariot pony whistled a tune, and Twilight hummed another, until they were out of sight of Canterlot.  Whispering in Twilight's ear, Dark Horn grinned, as did Twilight. She nodded, and Dark Horn jumped from the chariot, yelling as he did so, attempting to frighten the chariot pony.  Overreacting, the pony made a hairpin turn that threw Twilight from the chariot as he attempted to catch Dark Horn. Screaming, Twilight fell through the air, as Dark Horn cursed himself for not seeing this coming, diving after her. He knew that, unless he got a sudden burst of speed, there was no way he'd be able to catch her. There was too much wind resistance. He knew there was only one option.  Suddenly, Twilight got an immense feeling of déjà vu from the Best Young Flyer's competition. Not that she had experienced it. She had seen it. Not even sure if an alicorn could do it, he folded his wings in and dived downwards. A Mach cone appeared in front of Dark Horn, before turning jet black and thinning out. He willed himself not to give in to the sensation of wind hitting him so hard it felt like blades, as he felt the pressure build up, then give way. All wind resistance stopped, and there was a large boom as he broke the sound barrier. He swooped down towards Twilight and caught her just before she hit the mountain. Sighing with relief, he looked behind as he saw the chariot pony smiling wryly, and following Dark Horn, easily noticeable against the rising sun, was a large streak of black. Somehow, he had broken logic and done a Sonic Rainboom. Looking down, he saw that Twilight was looking back up at him with a look of gratitude and...something else entirely. Carrying her back to the chariot, Dark Horn set her down gently, and smiled at her, his wings fluttering gently with what he assumed to be just the adrenaline rush of the Sonic Rainboom. They then sat in complete silence and watched the sun rise. Dark Horn smiled, knowing that Celestia had seen the whole ordeal, and could almost sense she was smiling too. Eventually, they arrived at Ponyville and entered the Library Treehouse. They sat down opposite each other in awkward silence, before Twilight broke the silence. "Thanks, I thought I was done for there." "You know I'd never let that happen to you." "I know, but a Sonic Rainboom? That's hard to pull off, especially for a non-rainbow alicorn who is new to flying." "Well, you know I'd do anything for you." he replied sheepishly, before awkwardly looking away, as Twilight's eyes lit up. "Oh, Dark." "Twily, I-" he started, before being cut off as she lunged forwards, wrapped her forelegs around him and kissed him, making his wings straighten out in surprise. Accepting his feelings for her, he wrapped his forelegs around her too, and his wings automatically did the same.  They broke the kiss, but kept hugging for another few minutes, until they noticed someone at the door. "I knew it!" "Pinkie Pie?" Twilight yelled, jumping back from Dark Horn as his wings snapped back to his side with his forelegs, "What are you doing here?" "I mean, I knew you liked each other, but I didn't expect you to be kissing already. I mean come on, Twilight. You only met the colt a day ago-" "PINKIE!" "Yes?" "First off, Dark Horn is my old friend from Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Secondly, how did you know we liked each other?" "Oh, just the way you acted around each other." "When did you see us?" "I've got eyes and ears all over Ponyville, in case of an audio/visual crisis." she giggled, reaching up and plucking an eye and ear from the wall. "But I personally saw you when I was fetching some spare parts for Scootaloo's scooter, she crashed it yesterday." she explained, "But how could you know him from a school for unicorns, if he's an alicorn?" "I just became an alicorn last night." "Oh, yeah. You were only a unicorn yesterday." "Anyway, could you not tell the others?" "Ooh, sorry Twi, they're already on their way." "What, they already know?" "No, they're just confused because I told them you were back, and they didn't know you were gone." "I'd imagine they'll freak out, seeing an alicorn, especially one with their mane all wavy like the Princesses'." "Wait, what'd you say about my mane?" Dark Horn asked, running into the bathroom and looking in the mirror, "Wow. My mane, it-it's blowing in the wind. It isn't even windy. We're indoors." "I know, I've always wondered how that worked." Twilight pondered, as the front door slammed open. "Twilight? You in here?" four voices came from down the hall. "Through here!" she called back. "Twilight, darling, what's all this I hear about you going off to Canterlot through the night?" "Sorry, Rarity, I got a letter from the Princess asking us to go there urgently." "Us? Who else is with you?" "A friend." she giggled, smiling at Dark Horn. "Who's this friend of yours- Oh, my, he's a prince." she said, seeing the alicorn and bowing as low as she could. "Please, I'm not a prince. Just yesterday, I was a unicorn like you and Twilight." Dark Horn explained as Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Applejack walked into the room.  Rainbow Dash instantly said something complementing his wings, Applejack stared at the muscles in his back legs, muttering how much he could help during Applebuck season, and Fluttershy yelped, backing up to the wall. "So... You became an alicorn?" "Yes." "Okay." "Wait a second!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "What?" the others asked. "Let me see your wings." she said to Dark Horn, who unfurled them. "Hmm... Feathers bent out of shape... Mane feels fluffy, windswept... You've done a Sonic Rainboom!" "Yep." he smiled proudly. "Wow. You're not even rainbow-maned, and you've only been flying for a day." "I know. I'm surprised, too. I has to, though. Twilight fell out of the chariot." "You did it to rescue Twilight?" "Yeah." "Well done for catching her." "Thanks. I don't think there's anything I wouldn't do for her." he smiled at Twilight. "I see what's going on here," Rarity smiled knowingly, "Pinkie Pie said there was something between you and your friend, but I didn't think you'd already be this far." "Hold on. You mean ta say these two are together?" Applejack asked. "Yes, we are, Applejack." Twilight answered, as Dark Horn walked over to her and placed a wing across her back. "That's cute." Fluttershy said quietly from the corner. "Also, I was wondering why you felt much lighter than a unicorn when I crashed into you. You were as light as a pegasus. This explains it." "Heh, I guess you were the first to realise, then?" "Oh, no. I didn't realise. I was just confused." she said shyly, attempting to shift attention from herself. "Wow, look at the time! It's nighttime already!" "But the shadows are still where they were." "Oh, buck. I forgot to move them." "Move them? You control the shadows?" Rarity asked. "Just watch." he smiled, his eyes going jet black. As he focused, the shadows expanded, coating the ground and buildings. He could tell by looking at the moon that Luna was mocking him for his incompetence. "Wow, that was cool." Rainbow Dash said. "Thanks."