//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Shadow Of Your Former Self 
// by Landpower 
//------------------------------//

The moon was in the night sky for the third day in a row as five ponies meet in a darkened forest. Snow crunched under their hoofs as they gathered. A faint wind bought the chill of a long winter. A unicorn stepped forward with her white coat a beacon in the dark. Her pink mane was ruffled with twigs stuck in it. Mud covered her legs and tiredness lurked behind her eyes. A blue gem attached to a golden chain swang from her graceful neck. The other four ponies wore cloaks that shrouded their whole bodies and head. If somepony were to look carefully at them then they would notice similar gems catch the moonlight beneath their hoods.

Breath freezing in the air before her she whispered to avoid drawing attention to her group. Celestia quickly talked to the other ponies in a hushed tone. 
“She has gone too far. Without all the Elements we can’t banish the evil that grips her heart.” 
The others nodded solemnly hoping it was not true but knew that it was. 

“She has the most powerful magic out of all of us. How could we hope to defeat her without the full power of the Elements?” said a female voice. They all muttered agreement at the question. Another one with a red gem spoke up.

“Crystal is right, we have relied on our Elements for too long while neglecting practising our own magic. Luna is the Element of Magic and we can’t face her raw power.” Celestia could sense the nervous tension growing in the group. She had to give them hope if they were to save the land.

“The Elements of Harmony may be weakened but they still contain great power,” she said. The other ponies still acted nervous and didn’t seem convinced that they could take on Night Mare Moon. 

“You said yourself that we can’t remove the hatred from her anymore,” said the pony with the red gem. He pointed an accusing hoof at Celestia. “Night Mare Moon has consumed Luna and we can do nothing to reverse it!”

“Not now but later we can. If we combine our remaining power we could banish her to the moon,” said Celestia hesitantly. She hated the thought of trapping her sister on her own but she had to act on the best interest for all ponies and not just her own. This was her duty as Luna’s sister. 

“We cannot possibly hope to hold her forever in the moon. She will be able to escape and when she does she will come after us with nothing but vengeance on her mind,” said a male pony. 

“But we don’t have to hold her forever. We just have to long enough for us to regain all our strength. Then we can remove this bitterness from her for good and turn her back into Luna,” Celestia said. All ponies nodded in unison as this was the only plan they had. They had to fight back or Night Mare Moon would destroy them. Looking around at the agreeing ponies she continued, “Then it is agreed, we will confront her tomorrow. She will be in the castle so that’s where we will meet. I hope for everyponies sake that this works.”

***

Many hours had passed since the meeting. They had gone their separate ways and would meet up just before they began the attack. Celestia waited in a bush in the nearby forest fully covered in a cloak. One by one her fellow elements emerged from the forest, each fully covered as well. They stood in silence until the last pony arrived. “I guess this is it,” she looked around at her friends knowing it may be for the last time. “I don’t know what will happen in there but just remember what we are fighting for,” with that said they began marching towards the castle. 

Celestia couldn’t help but feel even more depressed at the sight in front of her. The castle where she and Luna lived now sat neglected. Sounds of lives being played out normally echoed far beyond its wall but now only silence remained. Smoke rose from many spots and fire could be seen attacking many of the buildings. The grim attack force made their way until directly in front of the main gate. They all threw back their hoods to revel frightened faces. Celestia’s horn briefly glowed before sending a golden flare high into the air. Light illuminated the entire area causing everypony to wince at the new light. It had been a long time since they had seen daylight.

In front of the waiting ponies a spark appeared in the air. It grew into a ball of dark purple light which disappeared to leave behind a towering figure. No pony could help but gasp at the pony standing before them. She had grown to be twice the size of a normal pony. Her mane flicked in an non existent wind and glowed with points of lights like stars in the night sky. Dark fur coated her entire body. But out of all these changes, they found one to be the most shocking. Night Mare Moon spread out her wings as if to show them off to the terrified ponies.

“I see you’ve spotted my wings,” she said while grinning down at them. “I thought they were a nice touch to finish my transformation.”

“What evil magic have you been using, my sister?” Celestia look helplessly at the evil thing that was once her sister.

“How DARE you call me evil! You took all the ponies love and attention while leaving me to guard the night alone!” her voice shook the ground with its pure anger. “I want you to know this sister before I end you. YOU made me like this. This is YOUR fault!” Night Mare Moon’s horn glowed with a purple aura and sent shock waves out at the ponies. They were all blown down onto the ground struggling to get up from the gusts of wind. 

“Please sister listen to me. There is a way to be good again but only you can choose to do so!” Celestia desperately shouted trying to convince her sister. Replying by intensifying her magic Night Mare Moon showed she wanted no redemption. Celestia began to weep at losing her sister to this monster but she had a duty to do. “I am truly sorry my sister.”

Her gem around her neck began to glow with magical light. The four other gems started to glow and all five ponies stood up effortlessly against the raging wind. Concentrating they all sent their energy too Celestia’s element. Her eyes glowed pure white as she lowered her horn towards Night Mare Moon. A rainbow shot out of her horn enveloping the dark princess in a ball of multi coloured light. As the light faded Night Mare Moon was gone. Celestia fell to the ground crying at what she had just done while the others looked up at the moon. It flashed and they all swore they could see the shape of a pony now within it. Celestia felt as if she had just lost part of herself. 

Even in victory no pony felt like celebrating. They gathered around Celestia trying to give her support. Rough Charger, the element of generosity, threw his cloak on the ground. He revealed a golden coloured earth pony. His light brown mane was cut back short and straight. His green eyes were heavy with concern looking down at his crying friend.

“It’ll be alright Celestia. She isn’t gone forever and one day we will save her,” he said trying to comfort the grieving pony. Celestia looked up at him with tear filled eyes.

“But it was my fault that this happened.” She buried her face in her leg as she felt more tears raise up. “I was the one who drove her to this...”

***

The sun shone down on Equestria for the first time in days. All over Equestria ponies were celebrating but not the five ponies who had made it happened. Celestia had been overcome with guilt and had locked herself in her private room. Crystal and Charger remained outside her door, waiting until she came out. Storm exhausted from the entire ideal had fallen into an uneasy sleep while Ember walked around the grounds surrounding the castle carelessly. 

Ember had been given her name as soon as she was born. Her mane was the orange that stained the sky when the sun set. Her long flowing mane that almost touched the ground was a bright yellow. The only thing that counteracted this fiery combo was her eyes - they were a deep blue that would be found at the bottom of an ocean. Her element was that of laughter. She almost always thought a well timed joke could lighten the mood in any situation but she knew that this wasn’t one of the times. 

Feeling like Celestia would be better off with Crystal and Charger she had taken to walking around. A pink gemstone was on a necklace laying close to her heart. She always liked the feel of having it there as it would always spread laughters warmth throughout her body. But it did not now, it just sat there like an ordinary stone and as cold as one. This trouble Ember but she tried to push it out of her mind. It’d stand to reason that after using so much magic that they’d be weakened, she thought. Still she felt uneasy at its cold touch. What if it’ll never shine for me again?

***

Crystal stood concerned outside Celestia’s door with Rough Charger. 
“She’s been in there all the day with no pony to talk to,” she said.
“I know you all think she just needs her space but we are her closest friends. We just can’t leave her alone in her greatest time of need,” replied Charger. Both ponies looked back at the door wondering what to do.

“Do you know what Ember and Storm are up to?” Charger asked. He hadn’t seen them since Celestia had locked herself in her room.  Crystal simply shook her head to his disappointment. Charger had been here since the start and was worried about his other friends.

“I’m sure they are just resting. A lot has happened to all of us,” she said trying to reassure her closest friend. Charger was sure that this was the case but he missed their faces even after only a few hours. 

***

Heavy curtains were drawn to block the harsh sunlight as Celestia lay immobilized with guilt and grief. She had no idea how long she had spent in solitude in her room but she could hardly care. Her sister’s final words lingered in her mind, refusing to leave. 
you made me like this. This is your fault....
She was her big sister and it she failed to help Luna when she really needed it. I had ignored the signs while i basked in the sunlight in front of everypony she thought. She looked down at the blue gem in front of her - it was her Element of Harmony. Picking it up she looked at it with disdain in her eyes.
“You represent loyalty but I betrayed those closest to me,” she said as her eyes began to moisten again. Feeling anger at herself begin to rise she threw the gem at the wall. It hit it with a faint thud sound before hitting the ground. The indent it left in the wall made her feel worse. 

Getting off her bed she slowly walked over to the fallen element. She picked it up and examined it in the low light. Maybe it was the depression or the low level of light but for some reason she missed seeing a hairline fracture on its surface.