//------------------------------//
// Are Not Enemies 
// Story: Seven of Six: The Longest Night 
// by SpectralFury 
//------------------------------//

Not wanting to give Nightmare Moon any more of a head start than they already had, the team gathered only the bare minimum of provisions. Some food and medical supplies, along with water. Of course, the bare minimum was something rather subjective to the ponies, so there were a few things that may have been considered excessive.
    Or many things.
    With no more time to spare, they entered the forest.
    It was, as Twilight expected, woody, wild, and dirty. Unexpectedly, the fur of all ponies stood on end as an aura of wild malevolence descended upon them. The trees held silhouettes of monsters in the dark. The noise of insects and animals was constant, the air was humid, and there was a faint scent of decay that pervaded the nose. There was a dirt pathway to their destination, oddly enough, as the forest was supposed to be completely unused aside from the odd adventurer or camper.
    “So, none of you have been in here before?” Twilight asked.
    “It’s not exactly the safest of places, you know?” Rarity said.
    “On top of that, it isn’t natural,” Jacqueline added.
    “What do you mean?” Twilight asked.
    “The weather can’t be controlled,” Rainbow Dash said.
    “The animals care for themselves,” Fluttershy added.
    “And the plants are wild and untamed,” Jacqueline finished.
    Twilight looked at them all curiously. “You mean like most of the world?” Everyone save for Sunset looked like she just grew a second head. “What?”
    “What do you mean ‘like most of the world?’” Rainbow Dash asked evenly.
    Twilight tilted her head curiously at them. “Well, the vast majority of the world runs on its own, and doesn’t need outside interference to function. In fact, outside Equestria, only the griffon lands really practice environmental control, and that’s only with the weather.”
    “You’re wrong,” said Fluttershy.
    “Excuse me?”
    “You heard me. Everypony knows that without our help, the animals wouldn’t know when to migrate, what forests are safe, and how to take care of themselves.”
    “And it seems pretty far fetched that weather would be possible without the factories,” Dash said with a bit of a growl. “I mean, why would we even have an entire industry for it if it wasn’t necessary?”
    “Because Celestia is a control freak-” She slammed her mouth shut, but too late. Discord’s words had already slipped out. Everyone was looking at her with bewildered or angry looks, save for Sunset, who actually looked amused.
    “What do you mean she’s-”
    “How dare you-”
    “What did she ever do to-”
    Twilight cringed and backed off from the sudden tirade of words thrown at her. Her own face started to turn red as her fellow equines worshipped Celestia so blindly, and she was about to start yelling back with a loud bang sounded above them. They all looked up at the red sparks when Sunset spoke up.
    “That’s enough!” She stepped forward and stomped her hoof. “We don’t have time for this. Twilight’s right, only a handful of species even have the ability to doctor the environment like we do, and we do it the most. She wasn’t saying that it’s wrong to do so, only that it exists.”
    Fluttershy huffed. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
    Sunset pointed a hoof warningly at the pegasus. “Then maybe you should take a vacation to Taurland. I’m sure you’ll fit right in.”
    “Hmph!”
    “Now let’s go.”
    “Now wait just a gosh darn second!” Applejack announced, her posh accent slipping away. “Are we really going to just ignore what she said about the Princess?” There were a few voices of agreement.
    “What about you, hon? You’re the Princess’ student,” Rarity said.
    Sunset stiffened slightly. “Celestia is...look, Twilight’s not entirely wrong.” She winced as she got more flak in response. “But everyone’s entitled to their opinion!” she shouted over them. “I think she knows now that maybe she should keep it to herself?” She turned to Twilight to emphasise her words.
    Twilight crossed her arms and pouted slightly. “Fine.”
    Sunset smiled. “See! We can agree to disagree, and still be okay with each other. Right? I think that’s how it goes,” she muttered at the end.
    The rest of the group seemed uneasy at the idea, but slowly agreed to put their differences aside for the moment.
    “Good! We’ve gotten off track, let’s go, girls, we’re burning moonlight.” Sunset waved them on, and the group followed. Twilight silently fumed, but kept silent. She wanted to be the leader, to be the one to lead the group to defeat Nightmare Moon, but that seemed to be slipping away.
    Ride it out.
    Discord’s lessons popped into her head. Forcing something very rarely worked. She could try to step in and assume control, but she doubted that would go over well. Instead, she should take a step back and let things play out. If there’s an opportunity, then take it. Otherwise…
    Sunset seemed to actually be a decent leader. At least for now.

===

    It was an hour of trekking through the dark and monotonous forest. The humidity and heat was just faintly bearable, and more than once scrapes and bruises occurred due to the party’s general lack of experience in the matter.
    Had they acquired such experience prior to the trip, they may not have found themselves in their current situation.
    “Not again!” Sunset despaired. Within her mane, Philomena shivered at the sight.
    An entire pack of manticore surrounded the party in the clearing they had taken a moment to rest in. Four of the monstrous chimaeras looked at the little ponies like the dinner they were. The future looked bleak.
    “Well, it was a pleasure knowing all of you,” Pinkie said, playing a violin she had somehow acquired. Twilight looked at her curiously, suspecting chaos magic, but put it aside for now.
    “Rainbow Dash, you and Fluttershy run. There’s no need for you two to be eaten with the rest of us,” Sunset said, charging her horn. Behind her, Fluttershy was standing tall, but the trembling in her legs was enough to show that it was false bravado.
    “Absolutely not,” Rainbow said evenly. “If you think I’m going to abandon those under my care, you’re either stupid or are a wannabe hero.”
    Sunset whipped her head around and opened her mouth, but was silenced by a hoof. “I have a duty to all citizens of Equestria to lay my life down before anypony else comes to harm. The six of you run. I’ll hold them off.” She looked out to the approaching enemy, her gaze rock solid.
    Sunset looked back at the path they had come from, clearly considering it. However when she looked back at Rainbow as she walked away from the safety of the herd, something broke within her. She may have been a power hungry unicorn, willing to dabble in the darker arts, but abandoning a member of one’s herd, however temporary, was unthinkable. Here was Rainbow Dash, someone she had only known a few hours, laying her life down for complete strangers. The thought of just abandoning her when she was willing to die without a thought…
    Unacceptable.
    “I’m staying,” she announced, stepping forward to Rainbow’s side.
    “What are you doing?” Rainbow hissed.
    “Something stupid,” she whispered back. “Also I’m not going to just run away like that. We have a world to save! Are we really going to be stopped by something as trivial as manticores?”
    The effect was instant. One by one, the formerly cowering mares began taking their places at each other’s side, forming a ring to meet the approaching predators. The sight of the snarling ponies gave them pause, and they looked more closely at their supposed prey. They saw the unnatural lights on the horned ones, the steely looks from the winged ones, and the unnerving calm of the ground-bound.
    One of the manticores decided to try his luck and pounce. In return, he got a pair of hooves in his face, followed by a beam of purple light blasting him back. The other beasts suddenly took a step back, reconsidering.
    “Come on,” Sunset whispered, moving towards the other side of the clearing. “Keep together.” As the ring of ponies slowly moved to continue on their path, the manticores began giving them a wide berth. They snarled and snapped their teeth, but no more. Once they were safely away from the pack, everyone relaxed.
    “You...idiot!” Rainbow said, lightly punching Sunset in the shoulder. “How did you know that would work?”
    “Well, I once read that with most animals, you just need to present yourself as a big enough threat that messing with you isn’t worth it.”
    Rainbow sputtered. “You made up a plan based on something you read in a book?” She let out a frustrated groan, throwing her hooves in the air. “We’re lucky that worked.”
    Sunset shrugged. “Maybe, but I refused to just abandon you like that. Right?” She turned to the rest of the group, who gave words of agreement.
    Rainbow blushed slightly, taking her helm off and rubbing at the back of her neck. “Ah. Well...thanks, guys. That means a lot.”
    The group shared a few more words before moving on.

===

    “Do you hear that?” asked Pinkie Pie.
    The group stopped, ears out as they tried to hear what the pink mare had picked up on.
    “No.”
    “Nope.”
    “It’s this way,” Pinkie said, pointing. “Down the road.” The group followed, and within a minute they all began hearing a somber tune from some kind of woodwind instrument. Soon enough, they came across a cloaked equine leaning up against a tree. They had a flute up to their mouth, and was the source of the rather sad music. Next to her laid a saddlebag pair that had little, if anything, in them.
    “Who is that?” Twilight asked, only to get confusion and a lack of answers.
    “Let’s find out,” Sunset said. “I mean, there’s only one of them. They can’t hurt us if they want to do us harm, right?” There was some uneasy agreement, and they approached. “Hello!” Sunset called out. Immediately the music stopped, and the cloaked being looked at them.
    “Do my eyes deceive me? Is someone there to help me be free?” The voice was deep, smooth, and femenine.
    Sunset tilted her head at the odd words, but the information finally clicked. “You’re a zebra!”
    The zebra nodded. “Zecora is the name I go by. I have another if you want to try.”
    “What does she mean by that?” Applejack asked.
    “Zebra names are generally difficult for non native speakers to pronounce,” Twilight said before Sunset could speak. The two shared a gentle glare for a moment.
    “Indeed, my home tongue is hard to pronounce for those not native to my house.”
    “What are you doing here alone in the Forest?” Sunset asked.
    Zecora frowned. “My homeland has fallen to strife. I came to Equestria to restart my life. Canterlot may be the new Roam, but the Everfree reminds me of home. I am a shaman, maker of potions and brew. Selling them would help both me and you.”
    Twilight narrowed her eyes. “But that doesn’t explain you now. I mean, why are you just sitting here in our path?”
    Zecora put up a hoof. “Peace, young unicorn- I mean you no harm. I do not wish to cause you alarm. I was searching for a place to build my house. To prepare for the future- possibly a spouse.” She sighed. “Misfortune has befallen me, my supplies are gone. Blasted away by some demon spawn. For klicks and klicks my stuff was tossed. Now I wander, unfortunately lost.”
    “This wouldn’t have been a starry, blue fog that flew through the air, would it?” Applejack asked.
    Zecora nodded. “Indeed, at the time I did not believe my eyes. The Nightmare has returned, here to seize her prize.” She frowned grimly, a deep sorrow in her eyes.
    “You won’t have to worry about that,” Sunset said. “Cause we’re going to stop her.”
    Zecora looked at the group of proud ponies for a moment in scrutiny before a relieved smile pulled at her lips. “It may be hard to see, but the future may yet be free.” She stood up. “I would like to wish you well, as I must escape this hell.”
    Sunset nodded. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. Good lu-” she stopped as Rarity approached the rather dirty zebra.
    “Now I couldn’t just let somepony sweet like you wander off with nothing,” she said, opening her saddlebags. Soon enough, a dozen gems and a not insignificant amount of her supplies floated out. “Here, once you get back to town, these should fetch you enough money to stay at the inn while you pick yourself back up.”
    Zecora’s eyes widened, along with the rest of the party. “Oh, no. I must protest. I do not need to be so blessed.”
    Rarity let out a short laugh. “That’s what they all say, hon. Don’t you worry, I got plenty back at the shop. After all, what good is money if not to share it with somepony?”
    Sunset felt her fur stand on end again. She didn’t like it, but it pulled at something in her. “She’s right,” she said before thinking. Despite the logic in her mind protesting, she opened her own bags and pulled out one of the maps of the Everfree. “Here, this should help you get out of here a bit more easily.”
    Zecora opened her mouth to protest again, but shut it when she saw the other ponies quickly following suit. Within a minute her bags were full. Food from Applejack, some medical supplies from Fluttershy, Rarity’s gems, a novel to read from Pinkie, Sunset’s map, and a survival guide from Rainbow Dash.
    Twilight stood there, uneasy. She had nothing to give. Well, she did, but it wasn’t exactly safe to do. She cringed, weighing the pros and cons before throwing them out the window. Following the group’s example was just right. It was for a good cause, and she doubted that anyone there knew what was about to happen.
    She approached the curious zebra, and examined her garb. It was quite tattered and dirty, and so Twilight knew what she would give.
    “This’ll just take a sec,” she said, lighting her horn. Everyone was staring at that, which meant that when it flashed, her whipping tail should have been hidden. The light quickly vanished, revealing that Zecora’s damaged and dirty cloak and saddlebags had been both cleaned and repaired, good as new.
    The zebra looked at herself in bewilderment while the rest of the party looked on in awe. “I must say, that is some magic. The state of my cloak really was quite tragic.” She gave the party a short bow. “Thank you kind ponies, I had lost hope. I believed that my life had become a joke. In the future, seek me out. We shall be friends, I have no doubt.”
    No one saw Sunset flinch slightly, watching Zecora depart.
    “Come on, everypony, let’s go,” Sunset said. She let the group pass by her for a moment, watching Zecora continue on. However as soon as she was in the rear, she turned and looked at Twilight Sparkle with a curious expression.
    What the purple mare did was not unicorn magic.

===

    “And you really have to watch your balance. If you let the positive and negative charges get too out of balance, you’ll end up with a thunderstorm.”
    The group had been listening to Rainbow Dash and Applejack discuss the similarities and differences between pegasus and earth pony magic for quite awhile. While Twilight had read up on it for some of her papers, she hadn’t really delved into something she couldn’t herself participate in. Still, it was quite interesting.
    “I must say, what I wouldn’t pay for a pair of those wings. They seem just so useful,” Applejack said, poking at Rainbow’s feathered side. “Or the ability to call down rain whenever I need it. I know the weather team does their best, but I really wish the town would hire more ponies so you can keep up with coverage.”
    Rainbow Dash looked at her in bemusement. “What do you mean? We’re a proper compliment for a town of Ponyville’s size.”
    It was Applejack's turn to be confused. “What? But, whenever I put in a request for an extra shower, I’m told that you are all stretched too thin.”
    Rainbow furrowed her brow. “I’ve never gotten any requests from Sweet Apple Acres. Are you sure?”
    Applejack frowned. “Completely.”
    Rainbow’s frown deepened. “I’ll look into that. It wouldn’t be the first time a weatherpony’s family asks them to nudge things around so their rivals suffer.”
    Applejack nodded. “Thank you.”
    Rainbow was about to say something when a shill scream came from Rarity. Everyone was instantly on alert, with Rainbow turning to look for the immediate threat.
    “SNAKE!”
    It was, in fact, a snake. One of the most common phobias of ponykind. Instantly everyone was backing away from the hissing creature, only to go still as they too ran into their own snakes. They snapped at their forelegs, pushing them together, surrounding them.
    “Where did they come from?!” Sunset yelled.
    “I don’t know!” Applejack said. “What do we do?”
    “Stay calm, everypony,” Rainbow assured. “Flutters and I will airlift Applejack and Pinkie out, the unicorns can teleport.” They all agreed, only for another scream to pierce the air. They all turned to find a massive serpent sliding out of the woods. It was easily sixty feet long, heavily scaled, and meant business.
    “Basilisk!” Sunset warned. “Don’t look it in the eyes!” Pony eyes were instantly averted, and all were starting to coordinate their escape when a snorting laughter overshadowed everything.
    “Pinkie?!” Twilight yelled. “What are you doing?”
    Pinkie snorted again and looked at Twilight, grinning in amusement. “Oh, it’s quite elementary, my dear Twily.” She stepped out of the herd and towards one of the smaller snakes with absolute fearlessness. She leaned down and examined the serpent, which started snapping at her. Pinkie dodged it effortlessly, and eventually looked down at it with an unimpressed gaze.
    “Points for looks, but the movement’s all wrong.” The snake, amazingly, suddenly looked at the pony with comprehension and almost embarrassment.
    “Pinkie?” Sunset asked carefully.
    Pinkie was completely unconcerned. “Oh girls, don’t you recognize a fear spell when you feel one?”
    The lot of them looked at each other warily, not sure if the mare was crazy or a genius.
    “I mean really…” She picked up the snake, much to its hissing protest. “All you have to do is look closely. See? It looks like a snake, but really look at it. The movement is too repetitive, there’s no flaws to the scales, and really, eastern Griffonia accent? We’re in the Everfree! If you’re going to have them hiss, at least get the accent right!”
    The snake, miraculously, looked away with a blush. Sunset was the first to start snickering.
    Pinkie dropped the snake and started walking around, giving criticism and tips as she went. “Too black, not enough black. Too many diamonds. Your scales are too shiny.” One by one, the snakes seemed to shrink as the girls started giggling at the scene. “And you!” The whirled on the basilisk, who moments before was looking upon them all with hunger. Suddenly it hissed deeply with a questioning inflection, as if asking, ‘Me?’
    “Yes, you!” Somehow, Pinkie was on its back. “You really need to work on this hide. I mean, come on! There’s no scars, no pits, no damage at all! A real wild basilisk would be covered in those!”
    The basilisk looked back at itself in concern, only to have its mouth pried open. Pinkie had, somehow, gotten inside.
    “And these teeth! Nine centimeters? Any basilisk worth their salt has at least ten centimeter width teeth. Yes, it looks scarier, but anypony with eyes could see that they’re too thin to be real.” She let out an unimpressed huff before zipping out and landing on the snake’s head, prying its eye open. The scholars among the party all flinched, but when Pinkie didn’t drop dead on the spot, they returned to their amusement.
    “And this eye color! What on Arcadia were you thinking! Roaring Fire Orange? Are you an idiot or just lazy? Did you even research basilisks at all? Sulfur Yellow. SULFUR YELLOW!”
    She landed on the ground with all the grace of a dancer, eyes shut and snout in the air. “I can’t work with this. The amount of disappointment I am feeling is simply too vivid for me to properly express into words. You really need a refresher course in illusion magic. Go back to school and try again. I don’t want to even get a letter until then.”
    The basilisk tried hissing something that sounded like an apology when Pinkie interrupted.
    “It’s too late for that, Mister Scales. You have already failed me. Get out of my sight.”
    The basilisk looked from Pinkie to the party, trying to summon up some ferocity. Unfortunately, the light laughter and snickering was simply too strong; with the serpent’s embarrassed look, it broke out into a roaring cacophony. Faced with an overwhelming amount of hostile amusement, the fear spell fell apart at the seams, and all serpents vanished from view.
    Sunset approached, still coming off the tail end of that infectious laughter. “Pinkie, that was amazing! How did you know all that?”
    She shrugged. “Eh, I made it all up as I went.”
    The party froze. “You mean...you didn’t know it was really a fear spell?” Rarity asked.
    Pinkie snorted. “Oh! I knew that. I’ve been to enough art expos to tell the difference between my own emotions and those that somepony is trying to press on me. After that I just kinda winged it. And the best way to get rid of fear like that is to laugh it away. I knew I could have just told you, but I thought it would be best to simply…” She bowed. “Demonstrate.”
    Hooves stomped on the ground in applause as Pinkie thanked her adoring fans.
Meanwhile, a blue cloud watched in irritation and growing respect.

===

    The party had been walking for a while longer when Sunset fell back to speak to Twilight.
    “So...I bet you’ve seen a lot of different kinds of magic during your studies,” she said.
    “Yup.”
    “Even ones that are pretty rare or barely understood.”
    Twilight quickly became suspicious. “Yeah?”
    “Like...say...chaos magic.”
    Twilight’s eyes locked on to Sunset for a moment before she forced herself to relax. Though anyone paying attention would have noticed the flinch and skip in her walking. “I’ve read about it,” she smoothly said.
    Sunset frowned. “Uh huh. Have you ever used it?”
    Twilight snorted. “Of course. Everypony knows that unicorn foals use chaos magic until they’re taught not to.”
    “That’s not what I meant.”
    Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’ve had a couple magic surges, yeah.”
    Sunset glared. “Stop dodging my question.”
    “I’ve done nothing but tell the truth.” Twilight smirked at Sunset’s growing rage. She expected an explosive reaction, just as per usual, but Sunset looked at the rest of the group, took several deep breaths, and managed to bleed it off. Twilight was actually impressed.
    “Look, Sparkle. Nopony knows this because Celestia kept it quiet, but the reason I was exiled was because I delved into dark magic. I don’t believe in banning magic just because it’s not ‘normal.’ So if you’re worried about me tattling on you, don’t be.”
    Twilight eyed her for a moment. That did explain things, for sure. It would have been quite the embarrassment for Celestia if word got out that she raised a warlock, and Sunset admitting that was...it was a huge gamble. By all rights, Twilight, as did everyone, had legal authority to try and detain her on the spot.
    Warlocks were no joke, and the Crown did not tolerate them. Except this one, it seemed. And if she was willing to offer that kind of trust...
    “Yes, I used chaos magic to repair Zecora’s stuff.”
    “Amazing! I’ve never met anypony that could get it to work right. Is there a trick or…”
    Twilight smirked. “Looking for a new master?”
    Sunset sneered. “Knock it off, Sparkle. I am simply trying to have a discussion about a mutual interest.”
    Twilight snorted. “Yes, there’s a trick.”
    “Tell me!” Sunset’s eyes were hungry.
     Twilight’s smile was sickly sweet. “The trick is to be a foal, so you can forget the rules of unicorn magic more easily. Though, it would be best if it was the first thing you ever learned.”
    Sunset stared at her in confusion. “Forget the rules of- but those are the fundamentals of every spell and action! They dictate how everything works. You can’t just throw them away.”
    Twilight leaned in. “That’s why you fail.”
    Sunset sneered again. “You’re lying. It doesn’t make sense to-”
    “Look alive, everypony!” Rainbow Dash carefully called out. The group had approached a raging river that the path had run into. Ordinarily that wouldn’t have been much of an issue due to the bridge, however there was one problem, and it was quite major.
    An ursa major, to be precise.
    It was blocking the way to the bridge, taking up the entirety of the path. It mewled and moaned, its spectral flesh and fur scorched and torn in several places. That was bad enough, but the great beast was easily the size of town hall, if not bigger. And everyone knew how temperamental an injured beast could be.
    “Back. Up,” Rainbow quietly ordered, slowly stepping back. The rest followed suit until they were all a fair distance away from the threat.
    “What do we do?” Rarity asked.
    “There’s no way we can fight that,” Rainbow said.
    “We might-” Sunset tried.
    “Uh uh,” Rainbow interrupted, shaking her head. “Absolutely not. If you try to fight that, I will detain you for attempted suicide.”
    Sunset glared at her and snorted, but said nothing more.
    “Can we go around?” Applejack asked.
    “Not without another bridge. That river looked pretty nasty,” Rarity said.
    “Rainbow mentioned teleporting earlier,” Pinkie Pie said. “Why not just do that?” The group turned to the unicorns.
    “I never learned the spell,” Rarity said, looking embarrassed.
    Sunset shook her head. “I know it, but the Everfree is full of wild magic. This deep in, the transit could easily be disrupted, and I and whoever I tried to bring with me would either be injured or killed. Unless…” She looked at Twilight, who frowned.
    “Er…” Twilight stepped back.
    “Do you know something that can help us out?” Rainbow asked. “Because this little mission ends right here if you don’t.”
    She bit the inside of her cheek and considered her options, none of them good. “I know something that could help, but the issue is similar to Sunset’s. We wouldn’t die, but we could end up anywhere in the forest, and not even with a guarantee that we would be together.”
    Everyone groaned, the prospect of failure was nothing that any of them wanted to swallow, and as they looked to each other for a solution, it seemed inevitable.
    “I can do it,” said a soft voice. All turned to Fluttershy, who was vibrating under her skin, but wielded an expression of steel.
    “I’m sorry, but do what?” Applejack asked.
    “I can calm the ursa,” she clarified.
    “WHAT!” Rainbow scream-whispered. “Absolutely not!”
    “Rainbow Dash-”
    “NO!”
    “Rainbow Dash.” The guard shrinked underneath Fluttershy’s determined stare. “You know I can speak with animals, and I’ve worked with bears before.”
    “Harry is one thing, an ursa major is entirely different!”
    Fluttershy nodded. “I know, but I have to try. If I don’t, Nightmare Moon is going to take over Equestria! Do you know how many ponies will be hurt if we give up here?”
    “But it could kill you!”
    “I know, but that’s a risk I will just have to take, for the sake of everypony else.”
    “Are you sure?” Sunset asked. “I mean, I’ve read about ursas. One wrong move, and you’re done.”
    Fluttershy shook for a moment before taking a deep breath, and straightening her posture. “I know, but this is something I have to do.”
    The rest of the group was certainly unsure, but none made any more protests. They all knew the cost of their failure.
    “F-fine,” Rainbow said, looking down. “But you better come back!”
    Fluttershy smiled faintly. “Don’t worry, Dash. I’ll be fine.”
    The party followed Fluttershy, but stopped when she told them. She took several more calming breaths before flying over to the giant bear.
    “Oh, you poor thing!” she said, landing near it. “What happened to you?”
    The bear predictably turned and started growling at her, but the pegasus miraculously did not flee.
    Fluttershy moved to the injuries, but didn’t touch them. “What kind of horrible being would harm such a magnificent creature? These burns, and these cuts! You got into an awful fight, didn’t you?”
    The bear’s growling ceased, and turned into a kind of embarrassed grumble.
    “A black pony?” Her expression darkened. “I know who you’re talking about. We’re trying to stop her, and were on our way to the ruins when we ran into you.”
    The bear snarled, but not at Fluttershy, and she nodded in understanding.
    “I know what you mean. We’ll be sure to give her a stern talking to once we’re done with her.”
    The bear grumbled, but nodded.
    “We can’t just leave you here, though. Would you mind if we tended your wounds?”
    The ursa looked at her warily for a moment. She obviously wasn’t considered a threat, but injuries were a different story. After a scrutinizing gaze, the ursa rolled onto its belly, presenting the wounds on its back.
    And Sunset watched the whole time. At first she had just written Fluttershy off, a victim of her own hubris, but then it worked. A giant beast, a known ponykiller, was having a conversation with her, and then presented itself for treatment! All her life in Canterlot and beyond, kindness was an extreme luxury you afforded for your loved ones, rarely strangers, and never one’s enemies. And yet, here it was happening, and Fluttershy wasn’t being burned by it.
    Fluttershy smiled and waved her friends over, who tentatively approached. The ursa glared at them, but made no moves against them. After a bit more encouragement from Fluttershy, the lot of them were all over the animal, tending its wounds. Cold packs were applied, wounds sutured, burns smeared with cream. Soon they were out of supplies, the spectral bear was tended to, and looked considerably more at ease with the lot of them.
    “Lift your paw, please,” Fluttershy said, and the ursa curiously complied. She tied a pink and yellow ribbon on one of its claws, to which every Ponyville native gawked.
    “If you want me to keep an eye on you until you’re healed, find my shop on the southeast side of town. If any of the ponies get scared, show them that ribbon. It will tell them you’re under my care. All I ask is you don’t hurt anypony, alright?”
    The bear let out a rumbling.
    “A son? W-well...if you can keep him under control, I’m okay with it.”
    It stared at her for a moment before snorting, and grabbing the lot of them. Screams and squeals were abound as it licked them all, and promptly sat them down before walking away, each stomp shaking the trees.
    Sunset approached Fluttershy, saying, “Wow. I never thought it would be possible to calm a beast like that.”
    Fluttershy nodded. “Even the most fierce of creatures can turn into a big softie if you show a little kindness. You just need to be willing to show it.”
    “And the ability to speak to animals helps,” Twilight added.
    Fluttershy blushed. “Well, that too.”
    “As much as I’d like to continue on, perhaps we should clean up first?” Applejack asked, gesturing to the slobber covering them all.
    As the unicorns levitated water out of the river, Twilight saw an appraising gleam in Sunset’s eyes. She wasn’t sure, but she got the feeling that the little warlock was opening herself to friendship. Perhaps Twilight wasn’t meant to lead the Elements, but Sunset was. She didn’t like the idea of it. She wanted the mantle, but it was growing more and more obvious that it wasn’t meant to be. It made her fume, but she kept it quiet. They had a job to do.

===

    The uneasy feeling that the forest forced upon them was reaching a crescendo. The further they went in, the worse it got, but still they trekked on. They told each other stories and played verbal games to distract each other, but it was starting to wear thin.
    However, a light at the end of the tunnel shined.
    “Look!” Twilight said, pointing above the treetops. In the distance, the tip of a castle tower could be seen in the moonlight.
    Sunset groaned in relief. “It’s about time! All in favor of running the rest of the way? I’m ready to get those Elements and take a break.”
    A chorus of ayes resounded, save from Applejack and Fluttershy. Still, outvoted, they soon joined the small stampede that was running down the path. Their goal was in sight, they had the means, they just needed to complete the journey.
    All they had to do was get through a copse of black, spiked vines.
    Applejack gasped as soon as they started running past them. “Everypony stop!” She skid to a halt, tripping over one of the vines.
    “What?” Sunset asked, but it was too late. The rest of the ponies similarly tripped or stepped on one of the vines, and all hell immediately broke loose. The vines sprung to life, quickly wrapping around the ponies and starting to squeeze tight. The unicorns immediately tried blasting them, but as soon as they did so the vines spat some manner of resin on their horns, stopping them. All the other ponies simply struggled, but to no avail. Slowly, their breathing became harder and harder.
    “Stop struggling!” Applejack called out. “They’ll let you go if they think yer dead!”
    “That doesn’t make any sense!” Sunset shot back in a panic. “We need to fight!” She pulled on her vines more, only to be punished for her resistance.
    “Trust me!” Applejack said. “You need to relax! They’ll set you down.”
    Sunset stared at the farmer for a long second before nodding, and going limp. Her...friends...had been four for four so far. She had fought and succeeded with them. It was time to trust without question. The other ponies, seeing this, did the same. Within seconds, the tightening stopped, and the vines even started to loosen as they slowly put the ponies down.
    “That’s it,” Applejack said. “Shallow breaths. You don’t want to disturb them none. Now when they set you down, lie there for a bit and catch your breath.
    The ponies nodded their understanding, and the lot of them did as they were told. The vines did shift from time to time, but Applejack’s reassurances were enough to keep them from panicking again.
    “Okay, now, we don’t want to get caught by ‘em again. The unicorns can float themselves, and the pegasi can carry us earth ponies. Understand?” Her friends responded in the affirmative. “Okay, go.”
    Like a well oiled machine, the ponies extricated themselves from the deathtrap. Things were going more-or-less alright, but Rarity quickly began to struggle.
    “Mph! My magic is tuned for precision, not power!”
    “We’re almost through!” Pinkie Pie said, pointing to the soon to be barren path.
    “Hold on, sugarcube!” Applejack said. “Just a bit longer!”
    Rarity grunted and struggled. “I can’t...hold...on…” With a final yelp, she started to fall towards a particularly dense patch of vines. She screamed as she fell, and fell, and fell…
    She finally opened her eyes, noting that Twilight and Sunset had caught her, and were hovering over safe ground.
    Rarity chuckled in embarrassment as she was set on the ground. “Thank you, you two. I just couldn’t even think about getting caught by them again.”
    “Not a problem,” Sunset said with a smile.
    “Anytime,” Twilight said at the same time, glancing at Sunset. The two shared a short glare before letting it go.
    “What were those things?” Sunset asked. “I’ve never read about anything like that before.”
    Applejack brought an arm up to wipe the sweat off her brow. “I’m not surprised. They’re extremely rare, and are almost never seen outside the Everfree. We call them plundervines, because when they show up in Ponyville, they steal everything that isn’t secured. Food, tools…” She frowned. “Ponies.”
    The lot of them gasped.
    “Wh- why haven’t they been catalogued?” Sunset demanded.
    Applejack frowned. “We try to get somepony out here each time they show up and cause trouble, but they’re always gone by the time the authorities show up. About a decade ago...two ponies were lost, and when we tried to get somepony to come out, they called plundervines just a myth. Officially the ponies got themselves lost in the Everfree, and declared dead a month later.”
    Applejack’s face was burning red, and the vines may very well have been incinerated by her gaze if she were a unicorn.
    Fluttershy stepped forward. “Applejack, did you know these ponies?”
    Applejack sighed, and hung her head. “Yes, but- it’s not important right now. I don’t like bringing back painful memories, and we have a job to do.” She turned and continued on, despite the protests of the others.
    With their moods sufficiently dampened, they continued on.

===

    The endgame was upon them. The Castle of the Two Sisters was in sight, a mere few hundred feet away, across from a rather large chasm in the ground. They could have very well gone around, but the rend in the earth went on for who knew how long. Thankfully, there was a rope bridge, albeit collapsed from the rigors of time.
    It was a simple task to send the pegasi out to retrieve it, and for the unicorns to cast a spell to ensure its integrity.
    Confident and proud, the seven ponies crossed the bridge, only for it to collapse behind them at the strike of a blue cloud. They gasped in shock, and the cloud seemed to linger for a moment to mock them before speeding towards the castle.
    “She’s after the Elements!” Twilight said, charging forward. Everyone else followed her, not wanting to allow their enemy free reign with their prize. They were just about to reach the main portcullis when Sunset yelled for them to stop.
    Having recently paid the price for failing to heed the warning of one of their own, all immediately screeched to a halt.
    “What is it?” Twilight frantically asked.
    Sunset held up a hoof and lit her horn, eyeing the doorway with suspicion. “It feels like…” She shook her head. “No, it couldn’t be.” She smirked and grabbed a nearby stone, throwing it at the door.
    The smirk vanished when the stone turned to fine ash, and all gasped.
    “That doesn’t look healthy,” Pinkie said.
    Rarity lit her own horn, and flinched at what she felt. “By Celestia, is that…”
    Sunset nodded. “Dark magic, and it’s twisted into a war ward.” She sighed. “This will be trouble.” She took a deep breath. “Give me a second here, I need to discuss something with Twilight.”
    The party nodded and stepped away, pulling out snacks and water for a quick meal.
    “What do you think?” Twilight asked, gesturing to the invisible wall of death mere feet from them. “Can you break it?”
    Sunset frowned, checking it again with her magic, and shook her head. “Not quickly, no. Breaking dark magic normally requires preparation. It’s...sticky, in a sense, like hot tar. You need to freeze it and chip it away...normally. Or else you’ll end up with it attaching to you.”
    Twilight nodded. “And that’s bad. But, wait. You said normally?”
    Sunset didn’t say anything, and just stared at the ward stoically.
    “Wait, you’re not talking about…” Sunset looked at her. “You can’t be serious!”
    Sunset sighed. “I know what you’re thinking, and yes it’s pretty dangerous, but it’s doable.”
    “What’s doable?” asked Rainbow Dash. She and the others had overheard parts of their conversation, and had decided to investigate.
    Twilight looked at Sunset. “You don’t have to tell them.”
    “Tell us what?” Applejack asked. Sunset gave Twilight a bit of a look for that, but shook her head in resignation.
    “I am, with Princess Celestia’s permission, a journeymare level warlock.”
    The lot of them shouted in fear and shock at this admission. Some stepped back, others just stared, but Rainbow Dash stepped forward, wings out.
    “Explain,” she calmly ordered, clearly ready to arrest the unicorn at a moment’s notice.
    Sunset took a breath. “Everypony knows I was exiled. What nopony knows is that it’s because I started delving into dark magic. I wasn’t corrupted or anything, but I was hotheaded. I got myself exiled by arguing with her and not budging on...certain matters. I spent a little over a decade elsewhere before she found me and allowed me to return. One of the things we discussed was my interest in dark magic. We came to an agreement. I would be allowed to practice, as long as she supervised, and as long as I didn’t go crazy.”
    She looked Dash right in the eyes. “You can confirm this with her personally when we’re done here.”
    Dash stared right back, eyes narrowing more than once before she stepped back. “Alright. One chance. If Princess Celestia doesn’t back you, I’m arresting you on the spot, and I bet she’ll help me.”
    Sunset nodded. “Done. Now as for why this is relevant. You can break dark magic with normal magic, but it’s a long and hard process, because the magicks are basically incompatible. It’s like trying to disassemble an engine without the right tools. It’s possible, but you’ll probably end up hurting yourself and the engine while doing it. In order to break dark magic efficiently, you have to know and use dark magic.”
    “So you can break the ward?” Rainbow asked.
    Sunset took a breath and looked at the door. “Yes, with your help. All of you.”
    The ponies were understandably baffled.
    “How can we help with this?” Fluttershy asked.
    Sunset explained, “Dark magic has a reputation of being infectiously corruptive. I disagree, but I do acknowledge the fact that it can influence a user if they allow it to, with greater intensity equalling greater influence. This-” She pointed at the door. “-is a war ward. It’s designed to vaporize anything unwanted on contact. It was made for war, and as such it needs to be handled extremely carefully. Anypony trying to interface with it has to basically bathe in dark magic to do so. If I were to try and dismantle it by myself, I would probably get overloaded in a second. Usually a team of unicorns would power a filter to keep another unicorn's mind safe while they dismantled the ward. We don’t have that, but we do have her.”
    She pointed at Twilight.
    “Me?”
    “Yes, you. I won’t elaborate exactly what she knows, but she knows a special kind of magic that can make powering a shield with unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony magic possible.”
    Twilight nervously laughed for a moment before putting a hoof on Sunset’s shoulder. “Would you excuse us for a second?”
    Sunset had a strange feeling of being pulled somewhere, and suddenly had Twilight’s nose against hers. “Are you crazy? What are you talking about I know how to…” She sputtered. “Chaos magic isn’t the universal solution!”
    Sunset gently shoved Twilight away from her. “The books say that chaos magic can do anything! Discord proved this when he transfigured grass to granite, or made it rain chocolate milk! Anything is possible.”
    Twilight facehoofed. “Yes, it can do anything, but that doesn’t mean I have any practice doing what you’re asking of me!”
    Sunset smiled. “So you do know how to do it.”
    Twilight pressed her lips in a line and glared at her. “Yes, I know how to do it. I’ve never done it.”
    “That’s good enough for me.”
    Twilight sputtered. “What! If it fails you could die or worse.”
    Sunset gave her a steely gaze. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take.” She turned to walk off.
    “Why?”
    Sunset turned. “Excuse me?”
    “Why? I understand the fate of Equestria hangs in the balance, but if you go insane, we’ll have not just Nightmare Moon, but you to deal with!”
    Sunset let out a groan and gave her a teacher’s stern glare. “Because we all have a job to do! Because if we don’t stop Nightmare Moon, our home is going to be destroyed, and replaced with whatever fascist state she thinks up!”
    Twilight didn’t know what ‘fascist’ meant, but replied, “And I agree with you, but that doesn’t mean we should be trying untested solutions when the consequences of failure are that severe!”
“Twilight Sparkle, you are the most intelligent and well read unicorn I ever saw at the SGU. There was barely any spell you didn’t get on the first try, and even then you only needed one other attempt. I might have power, but you have power and skill. More than me, even. You broke all of my records, and made it look easy. You will not only try to cast this magic, you will succeed.”
She turned and left, only to find that the rest of the herd had found them. The lot of them were looking at her with wariness and uncertainty.
“And as for the lot of you! I can see it in your eyes. The fatigue, the doubt, but I have something to say about that. Horseapples! I know how to pick out talent from a class of noponies. And I have to say that each and every one of you has a strength that few can compare to. Now here’s what’s going to happen. Twilight’s going to bridge your magic together, and use it to feed a shield so I can get rid of this ward. Then we’re going to go in there, get the Elements of Harmony, and defeat Nightmare Moon. Then we’re going home. If any of you have something to say otherwise, then stuff it!”
They all stared and blinked at her for a moment, speechless. That is, until Rainbow Dash started cackling.
“No pep talk like a military pep talk. Is that where you were? The army?”
Sunset bit her lip. “Something like that. Now, let’s go!”
There really wasn’t much to argue against that kind of confidence. Indeed, Twilight felt what the rest of her friends showed. A warmth within herself that gave her a boost, a drive, and the will to believe.
Twilight decided right then and there that Sunset must have been the sixth bearer. She was the only true option. She inspired them all at their lowest, brought them together at their weakest. It was a sharp pain in her chest, but it was the truth.
Her reward was lost, but perhaps she could settle for simply saving the world.
“This is all you, Twilight,” Sunset said, gesturing for her to take the floor.
Twilight took a deep breath. “Alright! Fighting off a dark war ward’s worth of corruption, easy!” She smiled, her confidence faltering, but the warm looks she was given by her friends reinforced her conviction.
“Okay. Sunset in front, I’m behind her. Everypony else form a semicircle within hoof’s reach. Earth ponies to my sides, then pegasi, then Rarity. That should keep things balanced and easy to work with.” She summoned a rock, and started drawing circles for them to stand in. Once they were in position, she turned to Sunset, who nodded her head.
“Alright, now all of you transfer your magic to me. I know this will be difficult for the non-unicorns, but I know it’s possible. Just call upon your magic as usual, but instead of using it for your talents, I want you to touch me with your hooves and ‘push’ it towards me. I’ll be able to meet you halfway if need be.
The girls gave their affirmation, and took their positions. Twilight took several breaths and called upon her chaos magic, shaping it into a kind of transformer to change the differently kinded energies she was about to absorb into unicorn magic.
“Okay, do it.”
Rarity’s was the easiest, of course. Then it was Pinkie Pie, surprisingly enough. Rainbow was next, though Fluttershy and Applejack struggled. Twilight reached out and pulled the connections to her, and locked everyone in. Taking one last breath to fortify herself, she opened the valves, and almost instantly overloaded herself before she was able to shunt all the magic through her horn into a general mental defense spell. She didn’t have the concentration for anything more specific.
Sunset sucked in a breath as Twilight’s protection hit her.
“Woah, that feels weird,” she said.
“I’m stable for now, but this is pretty taxing,” Twilight warned. “Work quickly?”
Sunset nodded and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before her face twisted to a scowl. Violet fog leaked from her eyes, and when she opened them, they were green and red, a classic sign of dark magic use. Her horn bubbled black, green and purple, and she sent her spell at the ward.
The effect was, strangely enough, almost silent on part of the ponies. There were a few grunts and deep breaths here and there, but it was much like watching a craftsman carry out their work. Quiet, focused, and without speaking.
Twilight knew better. She knew that within Sunset’s mind was a kind of speed chess, where she attacked the ward, trying to subvert it, while the construct fought back in trying to repair itself and throw her off. She noted that Sunset’s enraged expression had settled into a disturbing calm, as if everything was fine, and she wasn’t in black turmoil beneath. She hoped it was something to do with her shield spell, and not because Sunset had that much practice.
Then Sunset gasped.
“What is it?” Twilight instantly asked.
Silence.
“Sunset, what’s wrong?”
Sunset’s breathing got heavier, and she started grunting. She still said nothing.
“Sunset, cut the connection.” Nothing. “Sunset!” She was starting to interfere when Sunset finally spoke.
“I got this. I got this.” Twilight eyed her carefully, trying to find some sign of the situation growing worse, but Sunset’s mask remained in place.
Then it evaporated.
“Oh, fuck!”
The connection started to invert, and an infectious orange started to push back against Sunset’s black. Twilight reinforced the shield as best she could, but suddenly found the power being drained from her, into Sunset.
“SUNSET!”
“Sorry about this!” The black blob on Sunset’s horn expanded outwards into an all encompassing fog for a split second before focusing inward, and was forced explosively down the connection. As soon as it hit the ward, everyone, even the non-unicorns, felt something shatter.
And then they knew no more.

===

    When Twilight finally stirred, she felt like she had just ran a hundred miles. She blinked slowly, her eyelids heavy, and looked up.
    The moon was there to greet her, and she felt ice go down her back. Nightmare Moon calmly sat in a half ruined throne of blue, next to an empty throne of yellow, staring at her, tapping her hoof idly on the floor. They were surrounded by the dilapidated and crumbling walls of the castle’s throne room.
    “Girls...girls are you there?” She looked around and found her friends lying around her, unconscious. However as soon as she spoke, they began to stir. She glanced over at Nightmare, expecting her to move to stop them, or even speak, but the alicorn did nothing. Deciding that they weren’t seen as a threat, she decided to take advantage of her enemy’s passivity to help them.
    One by one they stood, their bodies obviously just as drained as hers. Magical exhaustion, courtesy of Sunset, who was-
    “Oh no.”
    Sunset was still out cold, which wasn’t a good sign. What was even worse was that where her horn once was, there was now only a cone of charcoal. An absolute magical overload, the career ender for any unicorn. She might have been able to put out a few sparks under strain, but all the infrastructure for her magic was now irreparably damaged.
    Twilight sighed. Sunset would have never done that unless the alternative was death.
    Clap. Clap. Clap.
    The group turned to look at Nightmare Moon, who was smiling down upon them, not with cruelty or pity, but actual admiration.
    “Well done, my little ponies. I am impressed, and that is something I rarely say.” She stepped off her throne, and slowly approached them. Rainbow Dash stepped forward and tried to raise her wings aggressively, but failed.
    “Now now, there’s no need for such aggression, Rainbow Dash,” Nightmare said, causing her to flinch. “Yes, I know your name. I know all your names. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkamena Pie, and finally, Sunset Shimmer.” She smirked. “How could I not? I’ve been following your lives as soon as I became aware of you, years ago.”
    The lot of them gaped for a moment, but it was Twilight that asked, “Why?”
    Nightmare smiled at her. “Why, because of the prophecy of course.” Her smile faltered when they looked to each other in confusion. “Wait, do you not know? No, I remember hearing you speak of it as I witnessed your journey.” She narrowed her eyes. “Or...do you not know it all?”
    Twilight swallowed and tried to stand tall, but her knees were shaking just enough to be visible. “On the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about nighttime eternal,” Twilight quoted.
    Nightmare nodded. “Correct, and the rest?”
    “The rest?” Twilight repeated.
    Nightmare scowled. “Yes, the rest. The rest of the pr-” She froze, her eyes going wide. “Oh, sister, you sneaky sneaky snake.” She huffed a laugh. “You didn’t tell them at all, did you!” She devolved into maniacal laughter, stomping her armored hooves on the ground. The sound was enough to finally get Sunset to stir.
    “Um, excuse me, but was there more?” Fluttershy asked.
    The laughter suddenly stopped. “I believe that is obvious.” She stepped back and started pacing before them. “Yes, the prophecy details my return, but it goes on to say: ‘So the six shall rise against her, and defeat her with the magic of old, but they must fear the eventide, for it will betray them all.’”
    “Even-what?” Rainbow asked.
    Twilight explained, “It’s an archaic term for- oh.” She looked to their fallen comrade. “Sunset.”
    “Or Twilight,” Nightmare mocked.
    “Twilight what now?” Sunset said, slowly standing. “Ugh, what’s with the headache- Nightmare Moon!”
    “Quite. We were just discussing the imminent betrayal of yourself, or Twilight Sparkle.”
    Sunset hissed, bringing a hoof to her horn, but yelping as soon as it made contact. “I...would never!”
    “My prophecy states otherwise,” Nightmare said smugly.
    “Wait, your prophecy?” Twilight asked.
    Nightmare cackled. “Indeed! I foretold my own return a hundred years before I was banished. Quite ironic, if I do say so myself, but one cannot decide what they prophesize when opening themselves to the future.”
    “How can we even trust you’re telling the truth?” Applejack demanded. “You could just be spinning all kind of lies!”
    Nightmare smirked. “I suppose you’ll just have to trust me. After all, can you really risk a traitor in your midst? Is it even difficult to determine who it truly would be?” She looked to Sunset. “After all, which one of you was exiled by my sister? Which one of you is the warlock? Which one of you had dreams of returning to Equestria with an army to overthrow Celestia?”
    Sunset grit her teeth and looked away from the others, who were eyeing her with a bit of suspicion.
    “Most impressive,” she purred. Sunset looked up, confusion evident on her face.
    “Ambition, power, will, intelligence. These are things I respect,” Nightmare said. “You would be a fine vassal at my side. Join me, I and I will make all your darkest dreams come true. You will rule with absolute authority. None will question you, all will worship you, and nopony will ever stand in your way again...Princess Sunset.”
    Sunset let out a choked gasp, and looked to Nightmare in shock.
    “Or you,” she continued, looking at Twilight. “An adept chaos mage, cunning, wise, and just as power hungry, if not as aggressive. Your master hides themselves well from my dream scrying, but know that I could teach you far, far more than them. Join me, and your power will surpass Starswirl, Celestia, and even Discord! You will be the mistress of magic, altering reality with the same ease as a flick of a hoof.”
    Her secret now out, Twilight’s lack of denial invoked just as much scrutiny from her newfound friends.
    Twilight was ashamed to actually consider her offer. All that magic. All that power at her command. She could achieve her dream with Nightmare’s aid, and far more easily than on her own or with an imprisoned Discord. A new golden age for all of ponykind was right before her. All she had to do was take it.
    She looked over to Sunset, who had turned at the same time to meet eyes. They stared at each other for a moment before movement behind them drew their attention. It was their friends, nervously shuffling about, trying to determine if their hesitance was genuine or a lie to buy time. Their friends, who they fought and bled with for the past who-knew-how-many hours in the accursed Everfree Forest. Their friends, who believed in them. Their friends, who taught them all how to be true companions during their journey.
    Suddenly, they were wondering why it was a choice in the first place.
    The two eyed each other, looking grim, and nodded to each other. The other five held their breath as the two eventide unicorns turned to the Princess of the Night, and frowned.
    “We reject your offer,” Twilight spat.
    “And nothing you can say will change that,” Sunset added.
    Nightmare stared down at them coldly. “So be it. And what do you plan to do now that you’ve rejected my generosity?”
    “We’re going to get the Elements of Harmony,” Twilight stated.
    “And we’re going to kick your sorry ass!” Sunset yelled.
    Nightmare stared at them for a moment before bursting out into laughter once more. “The Elements of Harmony? Do you mean...these Elements?” Her horn glowed, and the stone floor rumbled. Two slabs lifted up in front of the thrones, and spread outward. The grind of stone on stone sounded through the hall as a strange, planetarium-like mechanism rose to the surface. Large arms lazily rotated, holding perfect spheres with images of gemstones upon them.
    “The Elements!” they all cried.
    Suddenly, blue lights streaked towards the device. Then, just like that, the Elements of Harmony were reduced to shards.
    Utter silence. The little ponies stared as their only hope was broken before their eyes.
    “Despicable,” Nightmare spat. “Even if you had the Elements, you aren’t worthy of them!” She sneered and started pointing at them. 
“The honest apple farmer that lies to gauge her potential business partners. The generous miner that likes to keep the biggest and prettiest for herself. The laughing artist that uses gallows humor and mockery as her fuel. The kind vet that cows her customers with her snarls and glares. The loyal guard that allows prejudice to cloud her duties. The two rival leaders, showing the early signs of the taint of corruption and madness.”
    She bared her carnivorous teeth in a wicked, cruel smile. “Failures, all of you. At your jobs, your lives, and as heroines.”
    The two unicorns hung their heads low, the reality of it all sinking in. There was no hope. No light at the end of the tunnel. No plan, idea, or whim that would help them.
    But as they felt their friends come to stand by their side, there was a spark. A wave of electricity went up their spines, triggering a deep seated truth within them both, and it showed them the way.
    Twilight looked up, something fey in her eyes. “Maybe so.”
    Sunset did the same, something cruel threatening to escape. “But it doesn’t matter.”
    “Because you’re wrong,” they both said.
    “You implied it yourself,” Twilight said.
    “The spirits of the Elements are right here,” Sunset continued.
    "And while we might not be paragons of those virtues…"
    "But I bet we're good enough to defeat you!"
    Twilight hit Nightmare with a sucker blast, sending her careening back into the planetarium. It shattered on impact, leaving her in a pile of debris. She expected to be exhausted, especially after Sunset’s power drain, but something was swelling within her. Something powerful, ancient, and infinite. As she looked to her friends, she saw them standing tall and strong.
    Sunset shouted, “When Rainbow Dash offered to stay behind so the rest of us would escape, she put the lives of others above her own, proving she represents the spirit of loyalty!”
    Nightmare started to dig herself out of the rubble, only to find that some of the stone shards started to levitate, and began to surround the flying pegasus.
    Twilight yelled, “Rarity helped a lost traveller escape the forest by offering her own supplies and food, and represents the spirit of generosity!”
    Nightmare saw another Element activate, and scrambled to dig herself out more, sending a blast of magic towards the group. To her shock, it fizzled out midway, and she started to panic.
    “Pinkie Pie saw through your illusions, showing that you can banish your fears with jokes and comedy, representing the spirit of laughter!”
    “NO!” Nightmare pulled herself from the rubble, and kept trying to stop them, but to no avail. None of her attacks did anything.
    “Fluttershy, who calmed the ursa with her compassion and love, represents the spirit of kindness!”
    Sunset finished, "And Applejack showed us that even in the most severe of doubt, one must be able to trust, and be trusted, showing she represents the spirit of honesty!"
    Five ponies had glowing stone shards rotating around them. Morale was high, energy was plentiful, and the seven mares were on top of the world.
    “It matters not!” Nightmare yelled. “There is still the sixth element, and the two of you will never allow the other to take it! There can never be harmony with seven, only six!”
    Sunset looked down, and smiled sadly. “When I was younger, I wanted to be a princess so badly. I wanted the power, the authority, and the wealth. I could do whatever I want, whenever I want, and nopony could stop me. But Princess Celestia was right. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t know what harmony was, what friendship could be, and that those were what I needed to be a true princess. I know I’m not perfect, and may well never be.”
    She paused.
    “But I’m okay with that now. When Twilight heard about my mission from Celestia, she did all she could to help it succeed, despite my ignorance. She was the one that brought us all together. Without her help, we would have never even made it out of the gate. In that, she represents the spirit of magic!” She smiled and turned to Twilight. “Kick her ass.”
    Glowing stone shards rose out of the planetarium’s rubble, and flew to the shocked Twilight. She felt the power of harmony growing within her. The power to defeat Nightmare Moon would be soon theirs. But she wasn’t happy. Sunset joined them. Fought with them. Helped them. Burned for them. And would be forced to stand aside. It wasn’t right.
So she would make it right.
    Twilight brought her magic to bear, chaos, unicorn, it didn’t matter. She wrapped her will around the elements and started pulling, trying to include the other in their group. Chaos and Harmony weren’t mutually exclusive. They could co-exist, and even thrive together. It was a fundamental truth. She knew it well, and would show this to the world.
    She felt something give, and smiled.
    “When stopped by the ward, Sunset addressed our fears. She inspired us, made us believe. It was through her words that we had the will to continue on, no matter what you would throw at us. By giving us the belief that we could continue on, Sunset represents the spirit of hope!”
    Sunset gasped, and watched as each of her friends donated a shard, which began to spin around herself. She tearfully looked to Twilight, who returned with her own smile.
    All together, the stone shards merged and condensed into golden jewelry; Twilight gained a crown, while the others each gained elegant necklaces. A growing whine began to build as the harmony magic started to reach a crescendo, and Nightmare Moon could only stand there and watch as all her efforts were thwarted once more.
    Light of different colors of the rainbow erupted out of the Elements, twisting together into a ribbon of color and magic that flew towards the fallen alicorn.