"What? No celebratory cheer for daddy?" Cosmos, aka, The Storm King, asked, looking down at Tempest.
“Go away, father.” Tempest spoke loudly and calmly.
“She’s funny." Cosmos chuckled, looking around the room as if waiting for them to agree. "You’re so funny darling.” he then reached out a hand to Gallus, gesturing to him. “Here, crown me. Haha, get it?!”
Gruff stepped up when Gallus hesitated. “Give him the crown you ungrateful colt-cuddler!” he yelled, which made many of the royals in the crowd gasp and cover their mouths.
“...Rising Dawn, go long!” Gallus reared and threw it.
Rising Dawn caught the crown as it flew to her, and made to place it on her head. “By the power of the sun, I now-”
“Oh, give it a rest.” Nyxmare’s horn glowed and the crown was snatched from Rising Dawn’s aura. “Literally!”
Rising Dawn collapsed as Nyxmare shot a sleep spell at her.
“Now, where to start... how about by getting rid of some of this…” Chrysalis’ horn ignited and she snatched the jeweled pin from Gallus’ suit, sending it flying to Nyxmare, who attached it to the crown.
“Perfect fit!” Cosmos laughed cruelly, noticing the heartbroken look on Gallus face. “Aww, did that hurt? Pfft, so be it. Falling in love is weak.”
As he said this, Tempest charged up her broken horn with as much power as she could muster. The two alicorns beside her followed her lead, and they threw up a forcefield that surrounded the watching crowd, including Sandbar’s parents and the unconscious Rising Dawn.
“Well, they’re safe, and now we’re in here!” Ember muttered
“It’s the best we could manage. If you three had stayed out of it in the first place you’d be safe!” Luna whispered, speaking to Celestia, Ember, and Snowdrop.
“Never. We know you, we wanted to make sure you were okay.” Snowdrop replied
“And I need to apologize... I let the want for beauty go to my head and-” Celestia began to say
“Apologies later guys, we’ve got bigger things to worry about!” Tempest spat, clearly struggling to hold up her part of the forcefield.
“Temp... your horn…” Luna breathed
“I... I can’t keep it up much... longer... help!” she gasped, as Pharynx ran to her.
“Will you stop? This isn’t what you want, any of you!” Chrysalis snarled
“How do you know what we want?!” Gallus yelled, making all four of the villains pause. “Have any of you ever asked what we wanted?”
“Exactly!” Tempest agreed, dropping her half of the forcefield, Luna and Celestia holding it up on their own. “We are not you!”
“Of course you’re not me, Tempest.” her father walked by, scuffing a hand over her mane, and Tempest huffed, turning to glare at him. “I’ve had years of practice, you’ll get there.”
“No, she won’t!” Gallus shouted. “She never will and I really wish none of you had gotten there yourselves. Love isn’t weak or ridiculous, it’s amazing!”
“Enough of this foolishness, it is time for my part of the plan!” Nyxmare announced.
Nyxmare tossed the crown to Cosmos, who caught it. She took off, hovering in midair. The moon suddenly rose, blocking out the sun. The room grew very, very dark, the now emerging stars being the only light besides the glow from Luna and Celestia’s horns.
“No!” Celestia screamed. She galloped forwards.
“Celestia, no!” Luna yelled, knowing what her mother was capable of.
Celestia stood before Nyxmare Moon, and her horn began to glow brighter. “I am not afraid of you! I won’t let you take away the day!”
The sky began to brighten, and Celestia was raised into the air. Her eyes closed as her mane lengthened, flowing and striped with pink, purple, blue, and teal. Her flank flashed as a golden sun appeared on it, followed by the actual sun appearing in the sky. Celestia fell to the ground, weak but looking very happy.
“I did it…”
“Oh, you did it alright.” Nyxmare blasted Celestia, and she went flying, landing back beside the others, knocked out.
Snowdrop and Ember knelt down to her, as Luna filled her own horn with even more magic. The young alicorn then held up the forcefield alone.
“And now I demand, crown to my head!” Tempest shouted, horn sparking as the spell made the crown jerk from her father’s hand and landed on her head. “It worked!”
“I hardly think so. This is just tedious and highly immature. Give me the crown! All of you get over here!” Cosmos demanded loudly.
“Hold on Tempest.” Gallus raced up, Monarch padding at his side. “Maybe the stories are right. Maybe good really is more powerful than evil.”
“Oh please, you’re killing me!” Cosmos said, doubling over as he laughed.
“Yes!” Gruff stalked forwards and hissed like a cat. Monarch leapt at him, clawing his face. “Ah, ow! Get it off of me!”
As Gruff struggled, Chrysalis used her magic to drag Pharynx forward. “Hm... your father should be jealous.” she said as she admired Pharynx’s muscles. Pharynx hissed and wriggled out of her magic, taking off and landing beside Tempest.
“You will all regret this!” Nyxmare shouted, charging up her horn.
“Luna, give us a path out!” Tempest cried, as Ember placed Celestia on Snowdrop’s back.
They ran as Luna warped the forcefield to protect the bystanders as they ran for the exit. Suddenly, Nyxmare blasted at Snowdrop, and she stumbled. The Pegasus filly’s glasses flew off her face and were stepped on by Chrysalis as she ran after them. Snowdrop fell to the ground, blinking sightlessly.
“Someone help!” Snowdrop cried, and Luna turned. She pulled out the moon crystal and leapt over Snowdrop, standing in front of her.
“Moon crystal, shine a light bright as the sun!” she pleaded, and it did, blinding Nyxmare.
“Everyone get in a circle!” Tempest said “Around Snowdrop, quick!”
They did so, Gallus standing between Sandbar and Gilda. Pharynx stood between Thorax and Tempest, Ocellus huddled beside Thorax. Luna stepped forward to stand between Tempest and Sandbar. Ember stood beside Ocellus, fists clenched
“Leave my friends alone!” Tempest shouted as Nyxmare, Chrysalis, the Storm King, and Gruff approached.
“This is between you and me.” Luna added, glaring at Nyxmare.
Tempest took a breath, and her voice began to reverberate around the room. Her horn charged up as she began to create a spell on the spot. There was no time to test and see if it would work. It was a chance she had to take, or else the villains would definitely win.
“The strength of evil is good as none when it stands before pure hearts as one!”
“The strength of evil is good as none when it stands before pure hearts as one!” Pharynx added, lighting up his own horn, Luna and his siblings following his lead.
Though the others didn't have horns, they still wished to help. Gallus took his sister’s claw in one claw and Sandbar’s hoof in the other. Luna held Sandbar and Tempest’s hooves, Pharynx grabbed Tempest’s and Thorax’s, and Thorax took Ocellus’. Ember grabbed Ocellus’ hoof as well. They all chanted Tempest's spell, out of sync but unwavering in courage. Snowdrop stood on shaking legs, followed Luna’s voice, and latched onto her, wrapping her hooves around the alicorn’s neck. Then, finally finding a rhythm, the creatures all shouted together.
“The strength of evil is good as none when it stands before pure hearts as one!” they all yelled
The kids were suddenly lifted into the air, holding each other tight and glowing with light. A bright, rainbow colored light wove up to the crown still on Tempest's head. It suddenly shone brightly, engulfing all the villains. Everyone closed their eyes from the intensity of the light, until it died.
The kids landed, hitting the floor again. They stumbled and looked up. Rising Dawn and Celestia woke up, and the forcefield dropped. Cosmos; The Storm King; was now made of stone. Gruff and Chrysalis were sitting in chains, and Nyxmare Moon was…
“Nebula Star?” Rising Dawn trotted to the mare lying on the ground. “Sister?"