Sandbar and Spitfire looked over at him. He smiled softly.
“Sandy…” he walked forwards. “Look at me.”
“No, look at me.” Spitfire objected, moving to stand beside Gallus. “You love me, remember?”
“No, you don’t.” Gallus protested, voice calm and still smiling faintly.
“Yes you do!”
“Sandy, look at me.”
Spitfire whipped around towards Rising Dawn. “Bring down the barrier now!”
“I do not take orders from you!” Rising Dawn snapped
“Sandbar?” Spitfire turned back to him, seething.
“Sandy.” Gallus stated, and Sandbar focused on him. “I never told you that I loved you because I was scared. I thought I wasn’t good enough. That I could never be good enough. I thought it was only a matter of time before you realized that yourself. But Sandy-”
“Please!” Spitfire broke in.
Gallus ignored her. “Sandy, that’s me!” Sandbar turned to look at the stained glass window as Gallus continued. “I’m part Hidden Isle, and part Equus.”
“Sandbar, eyes over here.” Spitfire growled.
“And Sandy, you’ve always known who we were and who we can be.” Gallus kept going.
“Don’t listen to him.” Spitfire interjected.
“Sandy…” Gallus locked eyes with him. “I know what love feels like now. Sandy… of course I love you. Sandy, I’ve always loved you.”
Gallus reached and leaned in, Sandbar leaning in as well. The two boys kissed, Gallus holding Sandbar tightly. The crowd gasped and aww’d. The two boys pulled away, and Gallus watched Sandbar worriedly.
“Gallus…” Sandbar said, smiling.
Gallus let out a happy squeak and nuzzled him. Sandbar held him close, pressing his forehead to Gallus’.
On the stairs, Ember and Thorax glanced at each other. Luna beamed and pulled Snowdrop to her with a wing. Pharynx chuckled and wrapped a foreleg around Tempest.
“True love’s kiss.” Pharynx murmured, smiling at Tempest. “Works every time.”
Tempest giggled and rested her head against his shoulder.
Then, Spitfire snarled. She whipped around and lunged for Rising Dawn. “Give me that crown!”
Rising Dawn gasped, and both she and Nebula Star ignited their horns.
“Guards! Seize her!” Rising Dawn screamed, as Luna and Celestia rushed to help their mothers.
Spitfire ran for the edge of the airship, and Tempest charged after her. As Spitfire pressed her back to the side of the airship, Tempest stepped in front of the crowd.
“No! Stop, stop!” she shouted, then turned to Spitfire. “Spitfire, I know you. You are so much more than just a villain. You have to believe me, because I’ve been there. I’ve been where you are. Do not let your pride get in the way of what you truly want.”
The crowd waited with baited breath. Gallus and Sandbar held each other, Gallus holding Sandbar’s hoof in his claw and a wing wrapped securely over him.
Spitfire’s necklace began glowing orange. She looked down at it, then up at them. She smirked, then flapped her wings and rose into the air, spinning in a circle as smoke enveloped her. Flames danced and everyone scrambled backwards. Soon, she was revealed.
Spitfire’s wings were cloaked in large, dancing flames. Her mane flowed like a crackling fire, eyes a bright red and fangs peeking from her mouth. Her cutie mark pulsed with energy through her gown, which had also begun sparking with fire. Her hooves lit up as well, and the image of a Phoenix reared behind her.
“What is that?!” Celestia shrieked.
“Her full form when all her Phoenix Magic is activated!” Tempest replied.
Spitfire cackled madly and they scrambled away.
“True love’s kiss won’t defeat this!” she shouted “The world will know my name!”
Spitfire flicked her hooves and jets of fire shot out at them. Tempest snarled as her mane fell out of its mohawk and framed her face.
“Everyone stay back!” Tempest shouted “It’s me she really wants, this is my fight!”
They all watched as Tempest’s eyes flashed electric blue, her broken horn igniting. Storm clouds began to gather, and lightning flashed.
“Tempest?” Pharynx asked
Tempest looked at him, before lightning shot out of the sky and the flash enveloped her. They all gasped, before a streak of familiarly colored electric blue lightning blasted Spitfire in the shoulder. She snarled and turned to face the direction it had come from.
Tempest hovered in midair, mane back in its mohawk. Wings made of crackling electric blue energy supported her. Her coat and mane colors blended in perfectly among the clouds. She raised her hoof high, and the storm rumbled. Lightning formed at her hoof, which she promptly launched at Spitfire.
Spitfire roared in frustration and sent another jet of fire at Tempest. Tempest dodged it.
“Come on Tempest! Let’s finish this once and for all!” Spitfire roared, eyes flashing.
Tempest snarled. Her horn glowed and electricity flew from the clouds and touched her broken horn. She channeled lightning from the storm into her horn, then fired it at Spitfire. The pegasus ducked, taking the battle over the water. She blasted fire at Tempest again. As Tempest retaliated, she scorched Spitfire’s shoulder.
“You forgot something.” Tempest snarled
“What’s that?” Spitfire jeered
Tempest smirked. “Water channels electricity.”
With that, Tempest fired a lightning bolt at the ocean. It crackled and sent a wave up, showering the low flying airship and its passengers with seawater. Spitfire gasped and surrounded herself in a bubble of flames, which were snuffed out but did their job in protecting her. The boat was rocking back and forth wildly in the air due to the wind from the storm.
Sandbar staggered to the railing, Gallus beside him. Gallus took a breath and let out an almighty roar that was part lion’s roar and part eagle’s scream. This got both fighting girls’ attention. Gallus then lifted Sandbar up and carried him out to hover between the girls.
“Gallus! Sandbar!” Luna shrieked.
Both boys ignored her.
“Tempest! Spitfire! Back down!” Sandbar shouted
Spitfire laughed. “And what are you two gonna do? Scream at me?”
“That’s enough!” Sandbar called. “It’s got to stop, you know fighting isn’t the answer! Nobody will win this way! We need to listen and respect each other!”
“That won’t be easy.” Spitfire snarled
“Then be brave enough to try.” Sandbar said