//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: Nightshield Vs. The Elements of Harmony // Story: A Moon's secret // by LightShieldtheunicorn //------------------------------// “So,” Says Luna. “You have the Elements of Harmony, Light- I mean, Nightshield!” “Don’t encourage him!” Celestia whispers in her ear. Luna gives her an eyeroll. “Indeed, I do!” Nightshield proclaims, as The Elements slowly circle his head. “You know, it’s funny. You princesses keep these Elements so safe, and so secure, like they’re so important. But considering they’re the supposed key to friendship, you sure don’t live by them. I mean, let’s go down the list: Honesty? You act like I’m your equal, but I’m just your stupid protector! Laughter? Maybe when you’re not fighting. Generosity, ha! That’s a good one. Loyalty, CLEARLY no. You hate each other. Kindness? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” “Are you finished?” Luna groans. “Wait,” He answers, cupping the purple gem in his hooves. “Hang on, Lunie. I’m just getting to the good part! Magic! That’s really all you two have isn’t it? Well, had! You don’t have it anymore do you? Guess you don’t really need the other elements. They’re just a suggestion. Magic is the one with all the power. Well, I mean, if you’re looking for power, and not fwiendship! Look at you two. You don’t deserve these! Keeping them for yourself all this time? Ha! That’s some GREAT generosity right there.” “You say that like you’re not planning to be worse!” Celestia shouts. “Oh, I’m gonna be WAY better,” Nightshield counters, floating the gems into his arms. “I’m giving these away to ponies who deserve them. Ponies close to me, of course. Wouldn’t want these puppies in the wrong hooves again, now would we? Naw, I’m giving them to my wonderful guards!” “NOW, HOLD UP!” Apple Bloom interrupts. “YOUR COLTFRIEND WAS GONNA BAKE CELESTIA LIKE AN APPLE CRISP, AND GIVE THE ELEMENTS AWAY TO RANDOM PONIES?” Another ‘shhh’ from Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. “WHAT!” Apple Bloom argues. “ARE Y’ALL NOT SURPRISED TOO?” Scootaloo shrugs. “I dunno. I thought this story was going to be about Nightmare Moon destroying some poor, innocent stallion. At least the fact that he’s a jerk makes me feel a little better.” Luna shoots her eyes at the orange filly like fiery lasers. “Haha,” Scootaloo laughs nervously. “But not that much better.” The princess glares at her, but keeps going. “Wait,” Shadowblade exclaims, in-story. “Really? You’re giving the Elements of Harmony to us guards?” Nightshield gives him a friendly pat on the back. “Of course, my stallion! And I know just the Element for you! Hold out your hooves!” The guard holds his hooves out eagerly, as the red gem lands between them. “Loyalty,” He decides. “For my loyal guard!” “Aww, congrats, Shadowblade!” Skychaser smiles, doing a cute little flip in the air. “Sweet of you to congratulate him!” Nightshield praises, handing her the pink Element of Kindness. “Wow,” Eclypsa sniggers, eyeing the princesses. “There goes the royal family’s reign over Equestria. Guess you had the element of surprise all along, huh Nightshield?” “Eclypsa,” The king responds. “That is hilarious.” He promptly floats the blue element of Laughter over to her, then turns to face Luna. “Luna, once you admit that you don’t care about the power of friendship, you can join me and have the Honesty element. But, you have to be honest first. Come on, Lunie. Admit it!” “Ok,” Luna commands. “But first, use the elements to imprison me in stone like we imprisoned Discord. If you truly love me, the stone will be broken, and I’ll join you.” “Luna!” Celestia breathes, but her sister winks and she backs off. Nightshield’s face twitches a little. It’s cute, Luna thinks. He hopes he loves her enough. He hopes he’s good enough. He hides it well, but Luna knows him. “Very well,” he says. “Guards, activate your elements!” The guards pose dramatically, but nothing happens. “I said activate your elements!” Nightshield roars. “It’s not working, King Nightshield!” Skychaser whines, shaking the gem as though it would shoot bullets with enough effort. “You fool,” Luna cackles. “The elements only work if a pony demonstrates the element in question. In other words, of course it didn’t work! Shadowblade may be loyal to you, but he betrayed us! As did Skychaser, so Kindness is out of the question. And Eclypsa-” The guard cuts her off. “It’s not my fault the gem doesn’t like my puns!” “Nobody likes your puns,” Luna remarks. Skychaser swoops over to Nightshield’s throne. “Well,” She comforts him, grabbing the floating Generosity element. “Here, why don’t you try Generosity? It was really generous of you to give us all those elements!” “No!” Nightshield wails. “I want the Element of Magic! That’s the powerful one!” He whacks the gemstone right out of Skychasers hooves. It freezes in place midair, and appears to be lighting up. “Whoa,” Skychaser cheers. “It’s glowing! You really are generous!” Luna clears her throat. “Ahem, no he is not. The purple gem is not glowing, fool. It is my magic glowing around the gem. I am carrying it with my magic, and now I AM BRINGING IT TO MYSELF. AND NOW I AM HOLDING IT.” Celestia steps up beside her. “And now, we will be taking the other elements back!” Nightshield growls, and shouts: “ATTACK!” “Wait!” Shadowblade calls out. “My element is finally working!” “Mine too!” Yells Eclypsa. Sure enough, all three elements are beginning to glow. “You idiots,” Nightshield rears, and stamps his hooves. “It’s just Celestia and Luna stealing them with their...magic?” It turns out, the elements actually are lighting up, and, in a massive flash of rainbow, the guards become encased in solid rock. Skychaser, who had been flying at the time, crashes to the ground. Nightshield stands baffled, surrounded by terrified statues. “Serves them right!” Luna grumbles. Nightshield looks up from the statues, boring into Luna and Celestia with his eyes. He pants a few times, as though trying as hard as he can to find a reason not to hurt Luna. Apparently he can’t find one, because he charges toward the princesses. The princesses charge toward him. There, in the center of the throne room, they collide.