//------------------------------//
// Episode 26: Reflections Part 2 
// Story: EoH Evolution: Season 3 
// by Bahamut0 
//------------------------------//

Mirror Celestia and Luna had watched the gang they'd hired get easily trashed. It went without saying that neither of the two were happy with the outcome.

"Well, at least we didn't waste any bits on them by paying before we hired them." Mirror Luna scoffed. "I guess if we wanted the job done right, we should have done it ourselves sister."

Mirror Celestia scowled as she dismissed the vision from her viewing globe. "For once, you might actually have a point." The dark sun princess stood up and dusted herself off. An arrogant smirk on her face. "I suppose, as a fellow royal, I owe dear Sombra that courtesy at the very least. Or if not him, then maybe that precious counterpart of mine that he adores so mu-"

The sound of an explosion interrupted Mirror Celestia! The dark sisters once again switched on the view globe, and the image it showed caught them completely off-guard. Burst Stream and Mirror Sombra were walking through the now destroyed gate of their castle!

"Well, well. Looks like little Sombra finally grew a backbone." Mirror Celestia noted. "And it looks like he brought a friend along for the ride. I guess this is the Burst Stream from the world beyond the mirror. Luna. Let's go greet our guests." And with that, the dark sisters set out to confront the intruders.

Burst Stream didn't like how quiet it was. "This isn't what I expected when we decided to storm this place." The castle of the dark sisters was empty and silent. Devoid of any guards or other random foot soldiers or grunts that he'd expected Mirror Celestia and Luna to keep on-hand. "Shouldn't there be a whole army against us?"

"My world's Celestia and Luna are an arrogant pair." Mirror Sombra answered. "They're goddesses, so they don't believe in needing help from those beneath them. And that. . . " Royal purple smoke began to leak from the sides of Mirror Sombra's eyes. His acceptance of his dark side allowing him access to dark magic as well as complete control over it. "Is their greatest weakness."

Burst Stream nodded.. "Wouldn't be my first time fighting a goddess. You take Mirror Celestia. I'll handle Luna." The pair had reached an open courtyard when they spotted the dark sisters. "Well. It looks like being evil means you two ditched a good fashion sense."

"You certainly dress better than your twin." Mirror Celestia replied with a smirk. "But I think I'll let my baby sister have her fun with you. You're mine Sombra."

Mirror Sombra steeled his gaze. "Not likely considering I've come for you!" Mirror Sombra charged at Mirror Celestia! The two hurling blasts of magic at each other! Meanwhile, Burst Stream powered up his aegis shield spell to block Mirror Luna's magic blasts!

"Coward!" Mirror Luna spat as she kept hurling blasts of magic at Burst's shield! "You hide behind a wall? Or perhaps you know you're not strong enough to be even slightly equal with the likes of me and my sister?!"

Burst Stream closed his eyes, and dropped his shield spell. He could sense Mirror Luna flying towards him. "Neither. I'm baiting you." Burst transformed into his nightmare form! Wings of light and all. "Still think you can take me?" Before Mirror Luna could even reply, Burst zipped over to her and fired a huge blast of magic point blank!

"Now that I've got you up against a literal wall," Burst Stream asked. "I want to ask you something." Burst leaned down to meet Mirror Luna's eyes. "Do you really want to do any of this?" Mirror Luna glared for only a brief moment before shaking her head. "Then tell me why?"

As Burst Stream was questioning Mirror Luna, Mirror Sombra was holding his own against Mirror Celestia! "I'm impressed Sombra!" Mirror Celestia mocked as she countered each opposing blast! "I would've thought you'd be cowering at my feet by now. But here you are."

"You tried to terrorize my subjects, and rule with fear." Mirror Sombra said with a scowl as he focused a large portion of dark magic onto his hand! "Let's see what you're afraid of!"  Mirror Celestia thought whatever spell Mirror Sombra was channeling was insignificant, so she paid no mind to it. Unfortunately for her, it brought about all the insecurities buried under her arrogant demeanor. And before long, she was on the floor curled up into a ball crying her eyes out.

"So alone. . . " Mirror Celestia muttered. "Don't. . . want to be alone. . . "

Mirror Sombra saw Burst leading Mirror Luna into the room bound by magic chain constructs. "Looks like you were successful." Burst said as he reverted to his normal form. "So what now?"

"Now we have them answer for what they've done." Mirror Sombra said as he glanced at the dark sisters. "I have a reform program in mind that should help them become better than they were." Soon, the dark sisters were brought to the royal castle. Mirror Sombra met with Celestia in private, and the two seemed to be talking for a long while.

About fifteen minutes later the dark sisters, Celestia, and Mirror Sombra exited their discussion chamber. "My world's Celestia and Luna will be staying here in my castle and learning how to be true rulers under me. Your Celestia thought it would be best if they had a good example to learn from."

"Well, that wraps things up nicely." Burst Stream said with a relieved smile. "I guess now we can all pack up and head back home!"

"I'm afraid you're getting ahead of yourself Burst Stream." Mirror Sombra cautioned. "You and I have a small matter to settle between the two of us."

Burst was confused. "I don't understand. We beat the villains. Story over. Just what do you think there is that we need to settle?!"

"Our ties to Celestia." Mirror Sombra answered. "Both you and I love her. And from the feats she has told me that you've accomplished, you seem worthy of her love. However, I still have feelings for her. She made my life brighter. But long ago, I accepted the fact that she and I would inevitably never see each other again. Our world aren't supposed to connect. My original plan around this was to replace your world's Celestia with mine after her defeat, but I would never be able to live with myself if I ever did something like that to her. Or you, for that matter. Your hearts been through enough of an ordeal already."

Burst Stream slowly nodded. "Okay. So why do you feel that dueling me is necessary?"

"I have no other reason than I want to be sure she's in good hands." Mirror Sombra said with a sigh. "But either way, I'll still send her back through with you and your friends. And I'll destroy the mirror from my end."

Burst Stream sighed. "Alright then. We'll settle this in about half an hour. Wouldn't be much of a fight for either of us if we weren't in top condition. Until then."

The next half hour ticked away slowly, but it came all the same. Burst Stream and Mirror Sombra made a charge at each other! Mirror Sombra raised a wall of crystals, but Burst shot through it with a charge shot from his blasters! Mirror Sombra put a shield spell around himself, but Burst followed up his assault by sending out a few blade beams! The blade beams made cracks in the shield spell with each hit! Neither was letting up against the other!

For every bolt of magic Burst sent out, Mirror Sombra sent out a flurry of crystal shards! "You fight well." Mirror Sombra noted. "But I should warn you that my next attack is my ultimate move!" Mirror Sombra raised his sword, and hundreds of crystals gravitated toward the blade! Forming a gigantic blade construct around the regular sword! "The next attack will end this."

". . . You said Celestia made your life brighter, right?" Burst Stream asked. Mirror Sombra nodded, and Burst took a deep breath. "For me. . . " lightning danced along the blade of Burst Stream's sword as he leaped into the air! "SHE'S THE REASON FOR ME EVER COMING THIS FAR! DRAGON STRIKE!" Burst Stream swung his sword down at Mirror Sombra, and a dragon projection shot out! It was white with a blue aura and eyes! Mirror Sombra raised his blade to block it, but the dragon projection burst through the crystal blade construct and his Sombra square in the chest!

As the dust settled, Mirror Sombra slowly rose to his feet. "I guess Celestia will be in good hands then." Both sets of elements and Princess Celestia regrouped, and left through the mirror. "For the last time, farewell." Mirror Sombra blasted the mirror with his magic! Destroying it for good. He then looked to Mirror Celestia and smiled. "I saw in your mind you wanted me to look at you the same way I did the other Celestia. I can't do that. But. . . maybe I could look at you for who you could be." Hearing this made Mirror Celestia smile just the least bit.

Back in the original Unity, both teams of elements had decided to go home. Save for Burst Stream. "Celestia? Could we talk?" Celestia nodded. "Do you miss me?"

"Yes. Very much." Celestia said with a sigh. "I do want to be with you again. But after how I hurt you? I'm not so sure. Even if I had good intentions, that doesn't excuse the pain I caused you."

Burst Stream sighed. "Celestia. It wasn't your fault. Or even mine for that matter. But, you do have a point. I'll never blame you for what happened. The one responsible already paid for what he did. All the same, it's going to be a bit of a while before I would consider us couple-ready again. But I also don't want us to be distant or avoiding each other. So, I came to a little arrangement."

"Oh?" Celestia asked. "And what would that be?"

Burst scratched his head nervously. "I think it would be best for both of us if we part ways. At least, on a relationship level. But I'll still drop by and see you when you're free so we can patch things up. I. . . hope that we can be together again. Eventually. Because I really do want to be with you. But, after everything recently? Maybe we could both use a bit of separation."

". . . I accept." Celestia said with a small smile. "It might take some time, but something tells me we'll wind up back together soon. Or maybe more than just us. But before we part, one last kiss?"

Burst nodded. "This goodbye's not forever. It's just for now." The two shared one last, brief kiss before Burst left Celestia's arms.

"It looks like you split on good terms." Nightmare Moon said with a smile. "I bet there's plenty of girls that'll be excited that you're back on the market."

Burst Stream gave her a small smile. "Actually, there's only one girl that I'm considering already." Especially after reflecting on a certain promise I made. "One who I've been getting pretty close with recently. You know her pretty well, but the next gala is when I'll officially tell her what I think of her and how I've been feeling towards her recently."

"Looks like I'll need to get a dress." Nightmare Moon said with a smile. "You'll save a dance for me before meeting with her, won't you?"

She doesn't suspect a thing yet. That's good. Burst Stream thought with a smile. "I promise. I'll make it a point to dance with you again. We've had a lot of fun the last couple of times."

Nightmare Moon smiled lovingly. "If you're promising, then it's sure to be a guarantee." That night, it was pretty obvious what Moon was dreaming of. Maybe I'll know what a happy ending feels like. . .