Tapping one slippered hoof against the crystalline floor, Princess Cadence stared anxiously out one of the throne room window, her cup of hot cocoa completely forgotten amidst the snowstorm of worry swirling around inside the princess' mind. Earlier, she'd received word that Twilight had been possessed by the same darkness that once afflicted Aunt Luna, resulting in her transformation into "Midnight Sparkle" and terrorizing Ponyville. The others, with the aid of Sombra, had successfully driven the darkness out of Twilight and that Celestia and Luna were on their way to assess the situation, promising to report back with their findings. However, three hours had passed since then and yet still no word from her mother or her aunt. Despite Shining Armor's assurances that everything was fine, Cadence couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong and that the conflict was far from over.
She arose from her seat and paced to the center of the room, stopping to face the blue and violet amethyst throne. Following her parents' battle in Canterlot, an event she'd heard about and regarded with a mixture of both dread and fascination, Cadence had not seen Sombra in months and his letters were few and far between. Whenever she spoke to Twilight about this, her sister-in-law was reticent on the matter, preferring either one- to two-word answers or changing the subject entirely. In fact, Twilight's behavior had become exceedingly off since Sombra's disappearance, and she wasn't the only one to notice. Celestia voiced her own concerns about her former student's moodiness and anti-social behavior, clearly just as apprehensive as Cadence was, if not more.
"Caddy, is everything okay?"
Shining Armor soon strode onto the throne room, adorning his full royal guard regalia as he'd just returned from a training drill with his troops. Purple, golden-edged armor contrasted perfectly with his snow-white coat, giving him an appearance of strength and regality. He always looked so handsome in his armor, reminding Cadence of the stories about brave knights rescuing princesses that she loved as a filly. She never would've guessed that she would eventually get to live out that fantasy. Shining removed his plumed helmet and cradled it in one foreleg.
Cadence nodded. "Yes Shiny, it's just that I'm a bit worried. Neither Princess Celestia or Luna has sent word back. I wrote to Canterlot but they've yet to return."
"It's probably nothing." Shining lovingly guided Cadence into an embrace. "I wouldn't worry too much on it."
Cadence smiled, nuzzling into Shining's neck. "Maybe you're right. Maybe everything's fine."
"Oh honey, you have no idea how wrong you are."
They both gasped, jerking their heads in the direction of the mocking feminine voice. From behind a crystalline pillar, a mare traipsed boldly towards them, a bemused smirk stretching from ear to ear as she studied them. She looked like...
"Twiley?"
The mare let out a titter. "Afraid not, Shiny. The name is Midnight Sparkle, formerly Nightmare Moon, and your new queen. You should be honored."
"What did you do to my sister?!" Shining growled.
"Oh calm down! She's still in here." Midnight tapped her temple. "Just barely." She then turned her attention to Cadence and her eyes widened. "You look so much like Mother. It's so eerie..."
Cadence could pick up on the trace amounts of longing in her. "Your mother...?"
"Yes, Queen Concordia. I'm your Aunt Midnight."
"W-what?"
"Surprised" didn't even begin to cover the emotions that'd registered in Cadence's mind. She wasn't aware that Celestia and Luna had a third sister, as neither of them had never mentioned it nor was it in any of the history books or genealogical records she'd browsed. Then again, it was only a year ago that Cadence first learned of her true origins as Celestia's firstborn child so she wasn't entirely shocked at the existence of an unknown family member. She quickly shelved her concerns for later; there were bigger concerns occurring at the moment, such as the fact that her sister-in-law was currently the host for what she assumed to be a malevolent force. Midnight's aura read of subdued anger so it would be wise to remain calm and try not to antagonize her.
Midnight then waved a hoof dismissively. "But enough of the pleasantries. I didn't come here to merely reminisce on the past."
"What is it that you want, Midnight?" Cadence carefully asked, choosing a more diplomatic approach.
Midnight smirked. "I want the Crystal Heart. Hoof it over and nopony gets hurt."
"The Crystal Heart? But you must know that without it's protective magic, the Crystal Empire would be swallowed up by the Frozen North."
The dark alicorn merely stared at her. "Do I look like somepony that cares? My request is more than reasonable so I suggest that you comply while I'm being civil." Her pupils vanished behind walls of cyan energy. "Trust me, you wouldn't like me when I'm angry."
"You're not getting that heart," Cadence uttered with finality, horn ablaze and wings spread outward.
A cyan glow from Midnight's horn illuminated her smirking countenance.
"I was hoping that you'd say that."
Cadence crouched down low, her chest nearly touching the floor, a wave of heat causing her back to sweat. She bounded upward to evade a secondary energy beam, the blast carving through the floor as though it were a knife through butter. Erecting a barrier, Shining Armor deflected some of the debris, gathering the material up and tossing the crystalline shards right back at the assailant. Midnight lifted a glowing wing up, shielding herself from Shining's attack and returning fire with a magic missile. The missile split, one half glancing off of Shining's hastily-summoned barrier while the other just barely missed Cadence's head, instead tearing a chunk out of a nearby pillar.
Conjuring a large cyan claw, Midnight grasped Shining in it and yanked him forward so that they were nearly muzzle-to-muzzle.
"Twilight, I know you're in there!" Shining Armor pleaded through his grunts. "Please fight it!"
"There is no Twilight. There is only Midnight!"
Finishing her letter, Cadence hurriedly sent it away. "Shiny!"
Midnight sneered, "Give me the Crystal Heart." The fingers of the claw tightened, extorting a pained groan from Shining. "Or I'll snap him like a toothpick." A series of cracking sounds accompanied Shining's gasps, sounds that put Cadence's teeth on edge. "Go on, see if I'm bluffing."
"Let him go!"
"After you give me the heart!"
What could Cadence do? She would not sacrifice Shining Armor, her husband and true love; that was not or ever would be an option. There was no way in Tartarus that she could ever give the Crystal Heart over to this madmare. Neither choice was even remotely acceptable but she had to do something and do it quickly. And then, it hit her.
"Please, stop this. You don't-..."
"...-Have to do this? Yes, yes, I know. Goddess, you sound so predictable. Oh look, you're even doing the teary-eyed, pouty-lip look. Bah, disgusting!"
Cadence whimpered, taking a timid step forward. "But why? Why are you doing this?"
A shrill, almost insane chortle echoed throughout the throne room. Midnight glanced at Cadence in utter disbelief. "Isn't that the million-bit question? Do you know what separates a mere royal from a queen? The love of her subjects. That, my little niece, is the true source of Celestia's power."
Midnight strolled around towards Cadence, the claw keeping Shining hostage floating beside her.
"They raised her up to godhood status, fed her the belief that she is above everypony. Their love and admiration gives her the power to stay in control. I want what she and everypony, even the lowest of commoners have: love. Such a simple concept, one creatures great and small experience every day and yet, one that has eluded me for eons. But this day, I will finally have it. Just you wait-..."
A flash of cornflower blue shot past Midnight, bounced off of the wall, and struck her in the back, forcing her to release her hold on Shining. Dropped onto his hooves, he turned and fired a bolt of his own, hitting the alicorn in the stomach and sending her flying across the room. Midnight's wings shot open, creating drag that slowed her down, her hooves skidding along the floor until she came to a stop. The royal couple unleashed a barrage on her but this time she was prepared, activating a magic wall that stopped all of their attacks. She chuckled aloud, a cruel almost mocking noise.
"You sly minx! You got me monologuing!"
The floor shook and little ripples vibrated through the crystal surface. The room began to shift, only for Cadence to realize that both she and Shining were actually sinking into a shimmering liquid that used to be the floor beneath their hooves. No matter how hard they twisted their bodies or jerked their limbs, the liquid refused to release them, clinging to them in thick globs of an elastic, glue-like consistency. Beating her wings, Cadence haltingly began to rise, only for the liquid to wretch her back into the pool. Soon, the pair found themselves up to their necks when the floor hardened and reverted back into its crystalline composition.
"Now then," Midnight said in a business-esque tone. "I believe you were going to give me the Crystal Heart."
"Absolutely not!" Shining declared. "I'd sooner die than give it to you-ah!"
Midnight's aura squeezed Shining's neck, rendering him unable to speak.
"Now that can be arranged, 'Shiny'!"
"You..."
Both Midnight and Shining Armor turned towards a shaking Cadence, her eyes shut and face clenched in an expression of extreme concentration. They both watched as she growled and her eyes flicked open, revealing black pupils with maroon irises surrounded by crimson eye-shadow. A deep rumbling groan thundered throughout the throne room, the entire castle's foundation shaking as though struck by an immense earthquake. Cadence's mane stood on end, the violet, rose, and pale gold locks transforming into a cloud of shimmering light ceriseish gray dust. When she addressed Midnight, it was in a booming delivery punctuated by a mouthful of sharp teeth:
"You don't know...WHO YOU ARE MESSING WITH!"
The floor around Cadence crackled and heaved, exploding outward in a concussive burst, showering Midnight in crystal shards that would've cut her to ribbons if she hadn't used her magic-coated wing to bat the pieces away. An eerie stillness saturated the room as the pink alicorn descended onto the floor, her light rose-colored body wrapped in a crimson aura. The aura withdrew from around Cadence's form, retreating into the long, spear-like horn atop her brow. Freeing Shining from his imprisonment, Cadence tenderly caressed his cheek with a wing before turning her ire towards the intruder. Gone was the sweet and serene Princess of Love, replaced instead with passion incarnate.
"As I said before, Midnight, you're not getting that heart."
Midnight's lips curled into a sneer. "Let's agree to disagree. Now show me what you're made of!"
~*~
The portal closed behind the band of nine as they found themselves once again in Ponyville. Their collective ordeals inside the dream-world were harrowing but they came out of it stronger and more determined to end Midnight's reign and freeing Twilight from her clutches. The town was in near-pristine shape, shocking considering recent events and it was only through the terrified and bewildered gazes of its residents that indicated that anything was amiss. Speaking of which, it wasn't long before the group was swarmed by ponies, their attention focused squarely on the princesses as they noisily jabbered and hurled questions. Celestia and Luna tried to calm the crowd down but their fears only made them more restless, all of them pushing and shoving each other to try to get to the Royal Sisters.
A burst of purple and green flames erupted skyward, startling the crowd and causing them to leap backwards, bestowing the ennead with a wide berth. Sombra gave the crowd a quick, irritated sweeping glance before jerking his head towards Celestia. The mare shook her head in disapproval and then cleared her throat, sliding back into her royal mindset.
"Citizens of Ponyville, thank you all for your patience. I know many of you are confused. The truth is, the same darkness that created Nightmare Moon has returned and this time, it has taken Princess Twilight." Everypony gasped at this revelation, a low wave of murmurs flowing amidst the crowd. "This 'Midnight Sparkle' must be stopped and I want to assure you that we are doing everything in our power to contain the situation. Now, can anypony tell us where Midnight Sparkle is?"
An earth pony stallion raised a hoof and stepped forward. He wore a green bowtie and had the image of an hourglass adorning his flank. "Yes, I heard her, well, talking to herself. She said that she was in the mood for some sightseeing and decided to visit the Crystal Empire. Apparently, she has relatives there?"
"Thank you, Time Turner. As for the rest of you, I want to let each and every one of you know that my sister and I are in the process of detaining this criminal so please remain calm and carry on. That is all."
Gradually, the crowd dispersed, leaving Celestia and the others to discuss things without so many prying eyes.
"The true task will be to separate Midnight from Twilight. Sombra, can you-...?"
The dark unicorn looked as though he'd aged ten years in a matter of hours; his experiences in the dream-world must've hit him harder than any of them had known. He was lightly stomping his forehoof on a patch of tall grass, then passing his hoof through it back and forth as if playing with the texture. At first glance, one might be mistaken that he was watching the grass' movements but no, instead he were peering through the grass, his eyes focused on it with an almost uncomfortable intensity. Thanks to the dream orb, everypony had seen what happened and had all made the conscious choice to leave him be. Applejack lightly patted his shoulder.
"Sombra?"
He turned slowly to look at Applejack, his gaze faraway. "Yes?"
"Are ya...feelin' alright?"
"I am. Thank you for asking." His tone was wrong, coming off far too soft, like that of a sleepwalker. He then smiled at her with a mite degree of appreciation. "Truly. Thank you."
"Are you sure?" Spike asked gently. "You can tell us if something's wrong."
"I'm sure, Spike." A more serious expression dominated Sombra's features as he peered past them and directly at Celestia. "Now then, what's going on?"
Celestia was in the process of doing a double-take. "I...I was just wondering if you were familiar with banishing spells or exorcism rites?"
"I have some experience. In this instance, we're going to need to infiltrate Midnight's mind."
Luna spoke up, "As mind magic is more your forte, we'll leave that task to you. Celestia and I will create a diversion, splitting Midnight's focus and allowing you easier access to her unguarded mind."
Sombra merely nodded and stared off into space.
Celestia turned to Rainbow Dash. "I need you, Spike, Applejack, and Pinkie to collect the Elements from the Tree of Harmony." She waved her horn over the pegasus and her compatriots. "That is a return spell. It will take at least fifteen minutes to activate so be prepared to meet us at the Crystal Empire."
"You've got it, Princess!"
A flash of golden light and the four were gone.
"Goddess-speed. Gather around, everypony."
Forming a circle, Celestia and Luna charged up their horns, a reverberating hum whistling through the air as the wind rippled and whipped around everypony. Raw magic tangibly seeped into the air. Grass and dirt were tore up and spun around them like a gyroscope. The sisters then crossed their appendages, this action generating an orb of intense gold and blue energy, blinding everypony who witnessed it. Once the light dissipated, the place where the group once stood was empty, leaving a smoldering patch of grass in their wake.
~*~
Rainbow Dash heaved out a tired sigh, eager to get this whole mess over and done with. She wanted her friend back and for things to get back to normal, or at least quiet until the next cataclysmic, near-end-of-the-world event. Maybe she'd get to take a nap after kicking Midnight's flank to the moon and back. A nap and some cider.
She glanced at her companions-Spike, Applejack, and Pinkie-and nodded lightly, happy to have been split into Team B by Princess Celestia. Things had gotten a little too heavy back in the dream world, what with Sombra's little meltdown, and she needed to be away from the ex-tyrant in order to get her thoughts in order. Thanks to the dream orb-thingy, everypony had witnessed what had happened in his dream, including his second life and emotional breakdown. Rainbow herself didn't know what to say or think, so she'd elected to put as much space between her and the umbrum as possible. The truth was, she was still wary of Sombra but seeing him so distraught like that made him look like an actual pony and this had her second-guessing herself.
Maybe he wasn't so bad after-
"Look! We're here, we're here!"
Pinkie's exaltation snapped Rainbow out of her thoughts and for that, she was grateful. After all, she was a doer, not a thinker, a mare of action and daring. She left the pondering and nerd-think to Twilight, or at least, she did until Nightmare Moon, or "Midnight Sparkle" returned in their lives. It left a sizable hole in the team and Rainbow swore that this end would soon. One way or another, the nightmare would end for real.
"About time. Let's grab the Elements and head over to the Crystal Empire."
"Ah agree wi' ya double, Sugarcube."
The Tree of Harmony was an enigma whose true power and origins eluded them, the crystalline structure so old and mysterious that even Celestia and Luna lacked even the tinniest clue as to where it came from or what it even did. Apparently it was a living organism, an embodiment of Harmony itself and displayed a will of its own, such as when it aided the gang against Lord Tirek with that deus ex machina box. Just being within a few feet of the Tree filled everyone present with a sense of wonderment and inner peace, almost as if coming home after being away for months. Rainbow was aware that she wasn't the calmest and most rational of ponies but the inexplicable warmth that the Tree generated filled her with a sense of collectiveness that she normally lacked. As she collected the Elements on the upper branches, each gem that fell into her hooves was another weight lifted off of her shoulders.
"I'm all done here!"
"Me too!"
Applejack shifted so that Spike could slide off of her back. "We're good. Let's get goin'-...tarnation!"
A brilliant pillar of multi-hued light erupted in the Tree's center, accompanied by a warbling-whistling tone that resonated in both the forest and in the quartet's souls. The light stretched outward, gradually taking on a scintillating pony shape. Tall and thin, the pony was a magenta cloud with a blue interior, filled with waves of twinkling white and golden sparks, giving it the impression of being a miniature galaxy. From its head and hindquarters there flowed impossibly long strands of pink, purple, and dark blue hair, billowing as if caught in a hurricane. It gazed at the group with golden-orange orbs of intense light that were somehow soothing and gentle.
"Greetings everyone," the pony stated warmly in a mare's voice, carrying with it the tone of being a long-lost mother or grandmother. "We don't have much time and yet there is much to be done."
Applejack was the first to speak. "Who...what are ya?"
"I am the manifestation of the Tree of Harmony itself. You may call me 'Harmony,' if you are so inclined."
"So wait, you're the Tree of Harmony?" Pinkie asked.
"Indeed I am, Pinkamena. But there isn't any time for explanations. You are soon to be called to join Celestia and the others to battle Midnight Sparkle once again. This time, however, you shall be victorious."
"But how?" Rainbow shook her head in despair. "The Elements didn't beat Nightmare completely the last two times so what makes this time any different?"
Harmony flashed her a maternal smile. "Now that you have brought the missing piece, this time, you will have the power of ALL the Elements at your side."
"'Missing piece'? What's that?"
Harmony held a hoof outward frog-up past Applejack. "Come forward, Spike the Dragon."
"SPIKE?!"
They all regarded each other with confusion.
Spike pointed at himself. "Me?"
"Yes, Spike. For you see, as powerful as the bond between the Royal Sisters was and is, as well as the bond with your friends, you were all missing a key component of harmony, and thus, friendship: The Element of EMPATHY. Without empathy, there cannot be kind words, the want to create laughter or the drive to stick by your friends. In order to forge the bonds between everyone, there must first be the ability to look beyond oneself and consider the feelings of those around you."
MEANWHILE, BACK IN PONYVILLE....
Deep beneath the Castle of Friendship, a stone orb began to rattle and shift in the soil, desperately tunneling its way out of its confinement. During his little greed-fueled binge, Spike had unwittingly confiscated an orb from the Castle of the Two Sisters and subsequently forgotten to return it. Fast forward to the Golden Oak Library's destruction at the hands of Lord Tirek, where the orb had been unintentionally shoved and buried into the ground like a seed, laying dormant and awaiting the day until it was called upon. That day, it appears, has arrived. Burning with ancient magic, the orb dug itself through miles of dirt and propelled itself through the air, ready to meet its bearer.
BACK INSIDE THE EVERFREE FOREST...
There was a distant whistling before a gray orb whizzed through the air and jerked to a halt, floating in mid-air right in front of an incredulous Spike. The orb's surface cracked and rumbled, crumbling away to reveal a blazing golden radiance. Encompassed in a similar glow, Spike was lifted into the air and the object flew to his neck, fastening itself in place with a golden collar. The luminescence subsided, exposing a golden-yellow gem affixed to the collar, this one in the shape of a heart. Spike floated back down to terra firma, marveling at his new accessory.
"Ah...Ah don't believe it..."
"Spike...? He was an Element Bearer this whole time...?"
"Oooh...pretty..."
"Now you are ready," Harmony beamed, just as a golden-white flash appeared around the ponies and dragon. "Good luck, my friends."
The quartet disappeared, leaving Harmony by herself.
"My own end draws near. I only hope you are prepared for when it comes," she stated ominously, fading once more to rejoin the Tree.