//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 // Story: Elements of Equestria // by Bookpony579 //------------------------------// That night, the girls arrived in a limo Rarity managed to rent for them. The girls quickly got out and rushed into the school. Just as Twilight was about to enter, a car horn drew her attention back outside. Stepping outside of his car, Flash called out to her. "Twilight!" Twilight waited as he rushed up to her. "Listen! I-I was wondering if..." Flash struggled to get his nerves in order,"...you might save a dance for me?" Twilight smiled, "I'd be happy too." Flash grinned at this and he and Twilight linked arms and tried to enter the school...only for him to slam his face on a closed door. Twilight giggled at this as they entered through the open door. Inside the gym, the dance was in full swing. Students in fancy tux's and dresses danced, drank punch and just hung out as Flash's band played on stage. In the middle of the dance floor, six girls were enjoying themselves, except for Twilight who looked around, trying to find something. "Anybody see Sunset Shimmer?" "Maybe she was too embarrassed to show! She's gotta know you won by a landslide!" Rainbow brushed off her concerns and focused on dancing to the music. "Maybe..." Twilight wasn't convinced. If she remembered Sunset well enough, she knew she was planning something, but what? The song came to an end and the band left the stage as Principal Celestia walked on and addressed the students. "First off, I wanna say how wonderful everything looks tonight. You all did a magnificent job pulling things together after the unfortunate events of earlier. And now, without further ado, I'd like to announce the winner of this year's Fall Formal crown." She gestured to Luna, who held the box containing the crown. Celestia pulled out a gold-colored envelope and read the name inside. "The Princess of this year's Fall Formal is... Twilight Sparkle!" The whole gym cheered and Twilight and her friends jumped with joy. Twilight then walked on stage as Celestia presented her with the crown. "Congratulations, Twilight!" As soon as the crown was on her head, the gem seemed to glow. Most people watching just chalked it up to the lighting. But Twilight could feel the gem's energy. She hid this and just smiled and waved to the audience until a familiar voice cried out. "Twilight! Help!" Twilight looked around and was horrified to see that Snips and Snails had snatched up Spike! He struggled against them as they rushed out of the gym. "SPIKE!" Twilight quickly jumped off the stage and ran through the confused students. When she passed her friends she shouted: "They've got Spike!" The girls understood and swiftly followed Twilight out of the gym. When they reached the front lawn, they saw Sunset standing beside the statue, her minions still holding a captive Spike. "Twilight!" Spike cried out, still struggling against the two teens. "That's close enough!" Sunset warned them and the girls promptly stopped in their tracks. "Don't hurt him!" Twilight demanded/begged. "Oh I won't..." Sunset stared straight into Twilight's eyes." If you give me my crown!" The girls gasped. "What!?" "Give me the crown or you never see your mutt again!" Sunset threatened. Twilight felt like she couldn't breathe. Sunset must be desperate, otherwise she wouldn't have resorted to this. Twilight could feel the crown's power, and she knew she couldn't let Sunset get her hands on it. On the other hand...Spike had been Twilight's best friend since she started Crystal Prep. He had been her only comfort in those cold, lonely halls. Twilight felt like she was being torn in two. "I know." Twilight finally managed to get out after a moment. "What?" Sunset demanded. "I know why you want this crown so badly." Using her magic, she summoned the book Rainbow gave her. Sunset's eyes widened. "Hey! That's mine!" "I know about the Elements of Harmony. I know that you managed to find one in the ruins of a castle in the Everfree Forest, and that you hid it in this crown because Luna almost caught you and was on your trail." "How...how did you...!?" Sunset sputtered. Twilight had seen it all in her dreams, and in the visions the gem showed her, but she couldn't very well tell Sunset that. "But most of all I know that I can't let you have it! Seeing what you've managed to do to this school without it's power tells me your going to do something worse once you do have it!" While Twilight kept Sunset and her lackey's attention on her, Rainbow and Aj managed to sneak behind Snips and Snails. Once Twilight completed her statement, they tackled them to ground, releasing Spike who ran joyfully back into Twilight's arms. "Twilight! You weren't really going to leave me?" He asked, eyes wide. Twilight just nuzzled him in comfort. "Of course I wouldn't Spike! Your more than just my pet, your my friend!" She hugged and cuddled him until.... "Give me that crown!" Sunset tackled Twilight, knocking Spike out of her arms. The crown also dropped off her head. Twilight and Sunset struggled against each other to get to it. Rainbow got to it first. Snips and Snails, managing to escape Aj's hold, tried to get the crown from her. "Fluttershy!" Rainbow called out, tossing it to her. This continued on for a few minutes, with someone grabbing the crown and end up losing it or tossing it to someone else in a game of 'keep away' until Rarity tried to throw it to Twilight but Sunset jumped in the way and caught it first. "Finally!" Sunset exclaimed, a mad gleam in her eyes. "More power than I could ever imagine!" She then dropped the crown on her head. The crown gave a creepy dark glow, which then surrounded Sunset. Suddenly it transformed into a large beam of magic which lifted Sunset in the air. Twilight and the other could only watch in horror. Sunset was crying and biting her lip, as though the magic was causing her pain. Her eyed began to glow and she began to...transform. A bright flash of light blinded them for a moment, but when it was over what they saw left them terrified. Sunset barely looked human anymore. Her skin was blood red, here wings were bat-like with a few holes in them. Her hair was now actual fire and moved on it's own, she even had a tail that matched. Her clothed were replaced by a short, strapless dress the colors of her hair. When she opened her eyed, her sclera was now pitch black with two glowing cyan orbs. Twilight couldn't believe what she was seeing. Even though it now had color there was no mistaking it. The creature floating up in the air before her was the same creature that had haunted her dreams.