//------------------------------// // Friendship is Magic // Story: Another Side of Friendship // by The Great Twixie //------------------------------// It had been a long and exhausting journey – physically, mentally, and emotionally – but they had finally made it: the castle of the two sisters. Twilight pressed a hoof against the splintered double doors and stepped back as they fell forward with a loud bang! Twilight winced, subconsciously worried that they were breaking into Princess Luna’s old home, but quickly brushed the thought away as she felt the heat of the sun burn the back of her neck. She gestured for the other unicorns to follow and stepped inside the dilapidated castle. Either it was because they had found a door that lead to a different part of the castle or the architect was a terrible designer, the Mane 6 did not enter the castle’s foyer. Instead, they found themselves in a little chamber where the only thing that stood out was an orrery statue with five crystal spheres circling around a large globe. Each sphere had its own shape embedded in the surface, though they looked rather unimpressive to the majority of the group. The sculpture was covered in vines and moss from centuries of disuse, but it seemed to be the most undamaged artifact in the entire castle. “Whoa,” Moon Dancer murmured, looking up and down the statue. “Is this it, Twilight?” Sunset asked curiously. “Is this the thing we’ve been looking for?” “The Elements of Harmony, we found them,” Twilight breathed. Sunset and Starlight used their horns to levitated the crystal orbs off their pedestals, floating them down to the floor. “Careful…careful…they’re very delicate…. We don’t want to break them….” “Isn’t it a bit ridiculous that the most powerful magical artifacts in all of Equestria could be broken from a simple fall?” Tempest asked skeptically. “We can’t be too careful!” Twilight said urgently. “One, two, three, four…,” Trixie counted the orbs out loud, tilting her head. “There’s only five.” “Where’s the sixth?” asked Starlight. “The book said: when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed,” said Twilight, laying herself on the ground in front of the orbs. “Is that supposed to mean something?” questioned Sunset. “See, this is why I hate reading.” “I’m not sure, but have an idea,” said Twilight with a thoughtful look. “Would you girls keep an eye out for Daybreaker? I don’t know how long this will take, so it would be a good idea to keep watch in case we need to make a run for it.” “Are you sure?” Moon Dancer asked. “Wouldn’t it be better for us to stick together?” “If something happens, I’ll call you guys,” Twilight promised; Moon Dancer didn’t seem convinced. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine, Moon Dancer.” “We should probably be on look out anyway,” said Tempest supportively. “I don’t imagine that mare is going to be pleased after I dropped a bunch of boulders on her.” “All right, everypony, outside,” Sunset commanded. “Twilight needs to concentrate.” Sunset and the other mares exited the castle single file, leaving Twilight alone with the crystals. Twilight scrunched her face in concentration as her horn ignited with magic, trying to force her will into the Elements of Harmony. But as she kept pushing harder and harder, she could feel her magic rolling off the orbs like water. Twilight increased the pressure, sweat rolling down her neck. She had to get a reaction. She had to! The fate of Equestria hanged in the balance! But as she struggled to gain a ‘spark’ from the Elements, she failed to take in her surroundings. A trail of flames slid across the floor, sliding in a perfect circle around Twilight and the crystal spheres. As the trail went around a second rotation, the flames rose from the floor. On the third rotation, they reached as high as Twilight’s flank. On the fourth, it reached the height of her horn. Higher and higher the flames grew until it evolved into a flaming tornado with Twilight in the eye of the storm. It wasn’t until Twilight realized that the temperature had suddenly spiked around her that the lavender unicorn opened her eyes. She saw the walls of flame surrounding her and let out a terrified scream. Outside the castle, the rest of the unicorns turned sharply on their hooves when Twilight’s sharp shriek reached their ears. “TWILIGHT!” The mares cried in fear. The mares galloped back inside the castle just in time to see the flaming hurricane before it dissolved into thin air, leaving no trace of Twilight or the Elements of Harmony. Panic set in with the Mane 5. Everyone was shouting questions, running around like beheaded chickens searching for their missing friend. “Twilight!” Sunset yelled fretfully. “Twilight, where are you?!” “Look! Over there!” Starlight called out. The lilac mare was leaning her head out a collapsed window, pointing to the crumbling spire on the opposite side of the castle. In the shadows of the distant windows, they could see an orangish glow vibrating on the walls. Like the flickering lights of a fire. “What’re we standing around for?!” Trixie yelled. “Come on!” The mares galloped as a group across the room into a lengthy hallway, taking the first right in the direction of the tower. At the same time, another whirlwind of flames exploded in the middle of the tower chamber, dropping a disoriented Twilight unceremoniously on the floor. The lavender mare coughed, having accidentally breathed in some soot, and blinked her eyes free from the daze. As she searched around the chamber, her eyes blew open wide as a horrible gasp escaped her lungs. Daybreaker stood on a raised dais with the sun casting a silhouette behind her through the high windows. Her burning mane and tail held the five crystal orbs aloft as the wicked mare chuckled sadistically. Twilight felt a spinetingling chill run down the length of her body. This was the first time she had come face-to-face with Daybreaker without her friends beside her, and the Mare of the Sun was holding the Elements of Harmony. For one brief moment, Twilight felt dread in building up in her stomach and instinctively thought to give up. But the lavender mare shook that thought away immediately. After everything they had been through – all the trials her friends had suffered – she wasn’t going to let it be for nothing! Twilight breathed heavy through her nose, narrowing her eyes on Daybreaker, and dragged her hoof against the floor in preparation for a charge. “You’re kidding,” Daybreaker snorted. “You’re kidding, right?” She was, in fact, not kidding. With her horn flared up with magic, Twilight rushed headlong at Daybreaker with a bellowing battle cry. Not to be outdone by a filly, Daybreaker lowered her much sharper horn and stampeded to meet Twilight halfway. But just as the two were about to clash, Twilight suddenly popped out of existence, leaving Daybreaker to ground her hooves to a stop, looking utterly bewildered. The Mare of the Sun blinked, looking around the chamber wildly, then spun around just as Twilight flashed back into reality, landing beside the Elements of Harmony. Twilight groaned, rubbing her head. She had read and practiced with teleportation spells, but that was the first time she ever used it in the field and without proper preparations. It was very disorienting. “Just one little spark,” Twilight mumbled as she lit her horn, lowering her had to the crystal orbs. “Come on. Come on!” The orbs glowed in the same aura as Twilight’s magic as the lavender mare strained herself to force a spark between them. But Daybreaker was not to be outdone. The flaming alicorn reeled herself up with a beastly roar and transformed into a flaming meteor, shooting across the room. She transformed back in front of Twilight and stomped her hooves on the ground between the Elements of Harmony, generating a shockwave that threw Twilight across the room onto her back. The lavender unicorn lifted herself up by her elbows, groaned weakly, but with a victorious grin on her lips. Arcs of electricity jumped between the Elements of Harmony, which were conveniently placed around Daybreaker. “No, no!” Daybreaker cried, her eyes blown wide in panic. And then…nothing. The magical glow and electricity disappeared in a rather anticlimactic fashion, leaving Daybreaker to blink in befuddlement. Twilight could feel her heart sinking into the bottom of her stomach. “But... where's the sixth Element?!” Twilight gasped. Daybreaker, realizing that Twilight’s attempt had failed, threw her head back with an insane cackle. The flaming alicorn raised herself up and stomped the ground with her hooves, generating the force to shatter the orbs like glass. Twilight could only watch in dread as the last hope for Equestria clattered across the ground at her hooves. “You little foal!” Daybreaker laughed. “Thinking you could defeat me? Now you will never see your princess, or the night again! Equestria will be purged in glorious fire!” As Daybreaker’s laughed echoed off the walls, Twilight’s head fell in despair. This was it. After everything they had gone through to make it this far, only to end in failure. Twilight closed her eyes tight, exhaling a shuddering gasp, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to spill over. She was scared. She wanted to go home. She wanted to see her family. She wanted this horrible daymare to end…. Twilight wanted her friends…. “Twilight, where are you?!” “I think it’s this way!” “Quick, up here!” “Don't worry, Twilight, we're coming!” “We’re almost there!” Twilight lifted her head with a gasp and turned around. She could hear their concerned voices echoing from the staircase and see their shadows against the wall getting closer. Her friends: Sunset Shimmer, Moon Dancer, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie, Tempest Shadow…they had come for her. They were coming to save her. That’s when it hit her. A suddenly jolt in her heart that cast a ray of hope over every fiber of her body; a spark. Twilight understand now.... Twilight turned back to Daybreaker, taking the alicorn aback by the brave and confident smile on her lips. “Why are you so happy?” Daybreaker hissed. “Don’t you understand? You’ve lost! The Elements of Harmony are gone!” “You’re the one who doesn’t understand, Daybreaker,” Twilight proclaimed boldly. “You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that? Well, you're wrong, because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here.” Sunset, Moon Dancer, Starlight, Trixie, and Tempest appeared from the stairway at that very moment. When they saw Daybreaker staring down Twilight, they immediately charged across the room and stood side-by-side with Twilight against the malicious alicorn, not a trace of fear in their eyes. Daybreaker was baffled. Did they not realize who they were facing? Why are they suddenly so brave? The broken shards of the Elements of Harmony responded to their appearance, levitating through the air with auras of various colors: orange, pink, purple, blue, and red. Daybreaker took a step back, appearing genuinely frightened. “What?” she gasped. “Sunset Shimmer,” Twilight announced proudly as she turned to the sunny mare, “who confronted the consequences of her own lies and faced them with the truth, represents the spirit of…Honesty!” The orange shards glided across the room to Sunset Shimmer, circling the surprised mare. “Moon Dancer,” Twilight continued, “who selflessly used her magic to protect ponies in need, represents the spirit of…Kindness!” A stream of pink shards floated around Moon Dancer, who pushed her glasses up with a soft smile. “Starlight Glimmer, who sacrificed her own desires to help her friends, represents the spirit of…Generosity!” Purple crystal shards glided around Starlight, who stared down Daybreaker with a wide, victorious grin. “Trixie, whose performance brought happiness and cheer to friend and foe alike, represents the spirit of…Laughter!” Trixie brushed her mane back with a cocky smile as the blue shards circled her. “And Tempest Shadow, who refused to abandon her friends for her own sake, represents the spirit of…Loyalty!” Tempest faced Twilight with a soft, appreciative look as the red shards flew to her. “The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw!” Twilight declared triumphantly, pointing a hoof at the stunned alicorn. “No matter what you did, no matter how much you tried to tear us apart, you always have – and you always will – fail, Daybreaker!” "You still don’t have the sixth Element!” Daybreaker shrieked; the fear was obvious in her voice. “The spark didn’t work! I still won!” “That’s where you’re wrong,” Twilight proclaimed. Daybreaker reeled back, terrified. “It did work. A different kind off spark.” She turned to face her friends with a joyful smile and a hoof over her heart. “I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me when I remembered that you all... are my friends!” A light burst suddenly in the air above them, causing every pony to tilt their heads, gasping. A sixth crystal orb – one with the mark of a six-pointed star – floated from the ceiling down to Twilight. Daybreaker, though the goddess of the sun, raised her wing to shield herself from the light. It burned her in a way she did not think was possible. “You see, Daybreaker,” Twilight continued powerfully, “when those Elements are ignited by the...the spark that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: the element of... Magic!” At Twilight’s final declaration, the shards of the Elements Harmony spiraled around the unicorns faster and faster until they smashed together around their respective wielder’s necks, exploding in a glimmer of light. Around each of their necks was now a golden necklace adorned with a gemstone of different shape and color. Around Sunset Shimmer’s neck was an orange jewel shaped like the sun, while Moon Dancer’s was pink and took the form of the crescent moon. Starlight’s necklace bore a purple star with trailing wisps. Trixie’s gemstone was blue and in the shape of a magic wand while Tempest proudly donned a red jewel matching the form of an exploding firework. But the final Element of Harmony, the one that had chosen Twilight to bear its power, had become a golden crown with a magenta six-point star that rested upon her brow. Daybreaker cowered in fear as she watched the ponies float off the ground, fueled by the energies of the Elements of Harmony they now wielded. The burning alicorn trotted backwards and nearly stumbled off the dais, her mouth opened in a silent scream. “St – stay back!” Daybreaker screeched. She blasted the Mane 6 with a stream of flames that melted the stone around them, but the Elements of Harmony shielded the mares from her power, letting the fires wash harmlessly over them. Daybreaker was now pressed against the wall, quivering in terror as the reality of her situation dawned on her. Colorful lights exploded from the gemstones of the pony’s elements and merged together into a spiraling rainbow that rose several feet into the air before turning sharply toward Daybreaker. The wicked alicorn tried valiantly to produce a barrier to defend herself, but the rainbow energy shredded through her magic as if it were little more than wet paper. The Elemental magics washed over her, drowning her in their light, and no amount of kicking or flailing could stop it. “NO!” Daybreaker screamed. “NOOOOOOOO!!!” An explosion of light filled the chamber…then, a calm hush fell over the castle. When the light dimmed, Twilight and her friends lay scattered on the castle floor, their bodies heavy and exhausted like they had run a fifty-mile marathon. It was many moments of tense silence before the ponies began to stir. Tempest Shadow lifted her had off the ground, rubbing her throbbing forehead, as the others began to recover one by one. “Ugh, my head…,” she moaned. “I have sooo many regrets.” “Nngh…everypony all right?” asked Sunset, wincing. “Trixie will answer that…after Trixie wakes up in three to four days,” Trixie groaned. “Yeah, she’s fine,” Starlight replied. She rose to her hooves, stretching her limbs with a grimace. “I haven’t felt this exhausted since my dad’s five-hour lectures on the importance the first bread and cheese ever made in Sire Hollow.” “Hey, girls, look at this!” Moon Dancer gasped, pointing to her neck. “Check out these necklaces. They look just like our Cutie Marks.” “What?” Sunset blinked, looking down at her own. “Whoa, it really does. That’s kinda awesome.” “Wait a minute,” said Trixie, sliding up to Tempest with a smug grin. “Does that mean your Cutie Mark is a firework? Can you make fireworks with that horn of yours?” “You wanna find out?” Tempest growled, pointing her sparking horn at the showmare. “N-no, no, Trixie’s fine,” Trixie stammered, laughing nervously. Twilight was lost in her own thoughts, smiling proudly at the crown that sat atop her head. After all the trials and tribulations, they had succeeded. They found the Elements of Harmony, defeated Daybreaker, and ended her cruel reign once and for all. Finally, it was over – “Uh, not to rain on everyponies parade,” Moon Dancer called attention to herself, pointing a hoof to the hole in the ceiling. “But we still haven’t fixed the whole sun issue.” Aaaaand there goes the mood, Twilight thought grumpily. Unfortunately, Moon Dancer was right. Just because they defeated Daybreaker doesn’t mean they fixed the sun issue. But how were – BOOOM!!! All eyes shot to the sky. For some strange reason, a circular rainbow was expanding outwards in the clouds above the castle. Then, a dark blur shot through the gap in the ceiling and crashed into the floor, causing all the unicorns to jump back with startled screams. Tempest built up the energy in her horn, ready for another fight, but everypony soon relaxed when they realized it was none other than the ruler of Equestria herself, standing tall over the heroic ponies. “Princess Luna, you’re okay!” Twilight gasped. “I’m the one who should be saying that,” said Luna, letting out a breath with a hoof over her heart. “For a moment, I feared that you had been defeated by Daybreaker. But it seems my fears were all for naught.” “Did you sonic rainboom all the way over here?” Sunset asked teasingly. “I was worried, all right,” Luna replied, pouting. “Now…let’s do something about that pesky sun, shall we?” She turned her gaze to the offending sun that loomed overhead, her horn radiating with power. The princess lowered her head slowly and the celestial body followed her guidance, disappearing over the western horizon. Luna then turned to the east and raised her head, pulling the moon to join its twinkling friends in the inky black sky. Everypony let out a collective sigh of relief as they felt the moon’s chill cascade over their overheated coats. Luna turned to the heroes of the hour, smiling proudly at them. “You have done well, my little ponies,” she praised them. “I knew you could do it?” “That makes one of us,” said Starlight Glimmer. “I always knew Daybreaker would one day return, but I never feared its coming,” said Luna. “And I knew you six would find the magic deep inside you that would resonate with the Elements of Harmony and obtain the power that would defeat my sister. Although, I was a little surprised to discover that somepony else had seen the signs as well,” Luna added with an amused chuckle in Twilight’s direction. “Wait, so you knew that…,” Sunset gasped, surprised. “You lied to me?” Luna offered. “Yes, I did. And I will reprimand you for that. Another time.” “Wait, something doesn’t make sense,” Starlight pointed out. “You just said you knew the six of us would be able to defeat Daybreaker. But none of us have ever met each other until today. It was a freak accident that we even ended up together.” “…Unless it wasn’t an accident,” said Sunset Shimmer, realization washing over her. She pointed a hoof at Luna. “You were the one that threw me at Trixie, causing the accident that allowed us to meet. You did that on purpose, didn’t you? You planned the whole thing!” “I’m happy that you think so highly of me, but no,” Luna smiled, shaking her head. “I knew you six were destined to find the Elements of Harmony, but I had no idea when you would meet. Rather, your fates were guided by a power much greater than my own.” “But…who could be greater than the princess of Equestria?” asked Moon Dancer, mystified. “You are not ready to meet him quite yet,” said Luna enigmatically. “But you will. One day. It was the hooves of fate that brought you six together and allowed you to unleash a power that can only come when you allow true friendship into your heart…. Now if only another will as well.” She turned to face the opposite side of the room and shouted, “Princess Celestia!” Twilight and the others faced the direction where Daybreaker once stood, but instead of the flaming mare of wrath, a completely different pony laid on the ground in her place. Her coat was as white as fresh snow and her mane the color of a glittering rainbow. The dark circles under her eyes showed signs that she hadn’t slept in ages, which – considering she had spent a thousand years trapped in the sun – seemed quite possible. The alicorn stirred with a startled gasped, her glistening-blue eyes shooting around wildly. She raised her head weakly as Luna approached her with her wings spread. “It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this,” said Luna in the softest voice she could manage. “Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, sister.” “L-Luna…,” Celestia’s voice cracked. “Is that…truly you. It’s – it’s been so long, I…. I feel so tired….” “The long day has finally passed, sister,” said Luna kindly, resting on the floor across from Celestia. “Now the time has come to rest. For both of us.” “Luna, I’m…I’m so sorry,” said Celestia remorsefully. “The things I’ve done, I – I don’t know how you can forgive me – “ “Do not blame yourself, sister,” said Luna earnestly. “It could just as easily have been me who turned evil.” “You? Evil?” Celestia chuckled. “Now that would be a nightmare.” “Celestia, let’s leave the past where it belongs,” said Luna, offering a hoof to her sister. “Will you accept my friendship and come home?” The Mane 6 watched the scene play with equal parts anticipation and apprehension; Tempest felt the urge to prepare her horn in case things didn’t go the way they hoped. Princess Celestia looked hesitant for a moment, her eyes lowered in thought, until she rose to meet her sister’s gaze and suddenly bounded forward. The goddesses of the sun and the moon embraced each other with their wings; tears spilled freely down Celestia’s face and on Luna’s coat, but the younger sister did not mind. “I'm so sorry!” Celestia wept. “I missed you so much, little sister!” “I've missed you, too,” Luna whispered gently in her ear. Moon Dancer sniffled beside Twilight and said, “I’m so happy everything worked out in the end.” “Yeah, it’s finally over,” Twilight sighed in relief. “Not yet it’s not!” Trixie suddenly announced, making the mares lean back in surprise. “You know what this ending needs: A catchy song and dance number!” “I do not sing or dance,” Tempest declared with a harsh glare. “Oh reeealy?” Trixie challenged with a mischievous grin as she blew out her cape to obscured the view – And just like that, everypony was back in Canterlot in record time. Every Earth pony, unicorn, and pegasi lined the moonlit streets, bouncing with cheer as showers of streamers and confetti rained down on their heads. Twilight Sparkle tried to look humble as she cantered down the road side by side with her friends, but she couldn’t stop herself from smiling so wide. Trixie was soaking in the attention, blowing kisses to her adoring audience. Moon Dancer was on the opposite side of the spectrum, smiling and waving sheepishly. Starlight waved at the cheering ponies and even gave them some high hooves while Tempest stood tall and proud with a smug grin. Sunset, who was used to this sort of thing, just shook her head at her friends and smiled. Behind the heroic unicorns, four pegesi guards pulled Princess Luna’s carriage, but the ruler of Equestria was not alone upon it. Princess Celestia stood beside her sister, waving her hoof meekly beside Luna (the height difference between the two was striking.) The older alicorn still looked deeply tired, but she managed a soft smile as her sister allowed her to lean against her for support. She was taken aback when many ponies started throwing flowers at her hooves, almost certain that everypony would hate her for what she had done. She supposed that, with kind and gentle Luna leading them, ponies were a lot more forgiving than they shoulder be. Then, as the heroes and the princesses made their way through the downtown area, some strange magical force compelled everypony to sing: 🎶(“My Little Pony!”) 🎶“I used to wonder what friendship could be,” Twilight sang happily 🎶(“My Little Pony!”) 🎶“Until you all shared its magic with me!” Twilight looked at her friends before they jumped away in several directions. 🎶“Big adventure!” Tempest bumped her flank against a newly released Grubber. 🎶“Tons of fun!” Trixie flapped her cape over the bald snooty mares, magically restoring their manes. 🎶“A beautiful heart!” Starlight flashed her horn, returning the colt's Cutie Mark. 🎶“Faithful and strong!” Sunset popped in cheerfully between the smiling princesses. 🎶“Sharing kindness!” Moon Dancer pulled Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, and Lyra into a group hug. 🎶“It’s an easy feat!” Twilight sang with pride. 🎶“And magic makes it all complete!” The Mane 6 came together in another group hug, laughing. 🎶(“You have my little ponies!) Spike smiled at Twilight and her new friends, proud of how far she had come when he wasn’t looking. The baby dragon then procured a camera from the crowd and waved a claw at the mares to get their attention. The Mane 6 spotted Spike, noticed the camera, and posed together as the flash went off. 🎶(“Do you know you're all my very best friends?”)