//------------------------------//
// The Nightmare of the Moon Part 5 
// Story: The Dragonfly Hive 
// by Silver Dragon Blade Wing 
//------------------------------//

The group quickly scattered as Nightmare Moon fired a beam of magic at them, Blades took it head-on but the magic merely flowed over her like water thinks to her immunity. The Pegasus-like Kirin giving their enemy a smug smile while said Alicorn gave a growl. Dusk took to the air with Rose as Sparks went to the right with Dragonfly on the left, Indigo staying back with the others as they waited for the right moment. Nightmare Moon was heavily outnumbered here but she still had her magic, despite it being weakened from her escape. Dragonfly ducked under a bolt as Sparks, Dusk, and Rose attacked from three different directions, his father had always said: "Son, should you ever have to face an Alicorn, and I hope you never do, remember that they have the magic of the three original tribes and do not be afraid to fight dirty. Use the surrounding area to you advantage, and do not give them an opening to attack. Anti-Magic artifacts or similar items will give you an edge but Do Not underestimate them. Stay light on your hooves and hit them fast and hard."

Dragonfly moved behind a pillar and took stock of the situation: Blades was faring well thanks to her magic immunity and was engaging Nightmare Moon head-on, Dusk and Rose were using hit-and-run attacks and striking from the air. Each time Nightmare Moon turned to retaliate Blades would intensify her attacks and force NMM to focus on the Pegasus-like Kirin, which allowed the two flyers to pull back and attack from another angle. Meanwhile he and Sparks had moved to struck NMM from behind, the former carrying his halberd while the latter was carrying, of all things, an over-sized monkey wrench. Dragonfly and Sparks looked at each other, nodded their heads once, then as one charge NMM from behind.

That was when she changed her tactics, she teleported and caused the group of five to crash into each other.

Nightmare Moon reappeared a few feet from her original spot and fired a magic beam at the others, Indigo quickly put up a shield which deflected the beam into the ceiling, causing some wreckage to fall. Behind him the other were watching the fight as Twilight was trying her best to activate the Elements but was having no luck. The attacking group recovered and hit NMM from the rear, forcing the Alicorn to focus on them.

Unfortunately for the group, the journey through the forest and the events in the castle before had taken a small but noticeable toll on their fighting ability, which was only compounded by the Dark Magic still in the area. Blades was the only one not effected but the others were starting to get tired while NMM seemed to be gaining strength, Dragonfly realized immediately that she was feeding off the Dark Magic. They had to end this fight now or they would lose.

As NMM used her magic to blast all but Blades back as she engaged the latter Dragonfly landed next to Indigo who helped him up.

"Thanks. Twilight, any luck."

Twilight turned to him, shaking her head.

"No, I can't get the spark!"

"Try getting your friends."

"I can-"

"TWILIGHT! We can't keep this up! Forget doing this own your own!"

Twilight winced at the tone Dragonfly used, but before she could do anything NMM released a blast wave of magic that was solid enough to knock even Blades back as the dark Alicorn turned and charged at the others, who couldn't react in time as NMM formed a cone-shaped wedge in front of her and slammed into the group, knocking them back and grabbing the Elements before teleporting back to where she had been before the battle started.

She let out a snarl and her horn flashed, around her several pools of black-colored magic formed, and then from those pools shapes emerged. The shapes being silhouettes of Winged Thestrals made entirely of magic with red featureless eyes.

"You want a battle? Well take this!"

At that command the shadow Thestrals charged.

The group was waiting and all of them met the charge with their own, clashing with the shadows hard. The fight lasted for five minutes but soon Belle was knocked to the floor and the Shadow she was fighting reared up and came down with its fangs bared, aiming for her neck. Dragonfly and Rose noticed at the same time and blasted their own opponents away before charging to help her, but they knew they wouldn't get their in time.

But it turned out to be unnecessarily.

"POW! HA HA!"

A voice that was not any of their own suddenly called out and every single Shadow that was fighting the group was blown back, hitting the floor next to a surprised Nightmare Moon and dissipating into energy that faded away quickly.

"What in the name of the Moon!"

All of them looked back to the entryway and saw a group of five Ponies; In the center was a giant of an Earth Pony Stallion (Trouble-Shoes-sized) with a red coat with the hooves uncovered showing their brown color, blue eyes, and a buzzed cut mane and medium-length tail of yellow. His Cutie Mark was an antique minigun made almost entirely of brass (bearing resemblance to the original 1862 Gatling gun made by Richard J. Gatling) with a number of modifications. He wore a blackushanka with a large gold star set on the front on his head, a red t-shirt with a black greatcoat with red armbands which had his Cutie Marks in yellow over it and over that on his right shoulder was a bandolier with seven small pouches on the front and one big pouch on the back. Around his neck was a large grey and red champion belt with golden decorations and the Stallion's Cutie Mark on front of it. Over his left shoulder was a red sash with a yellow stripe and a yellow icon of an antique blacksmith hammer banging against its top, on his front hooves were a pair of black, gold-lined diamond-studded hoof boxing gloves with a skull emblem ring on each. Attached to his right upper leg was a small brown book with his Cutie Mark on the cover held in place by a leather strap with a silver button, on his back were four metal army-green cases with a red-colored icon of four Gatling Gun bullets. His lower half was covered by a pair of camouflage fatigues and a holder with a set of four Gatling Gun bullets hanging from the belt on the right side, on the belt over his flanks was a large red medical pouch with a basic white cross on the right and a large rectangle-shaped brown pouch held closed with a black leather strap and silver buckle, on the pouch lid above the buckle was a small red pin with the same hammer and anvil icon as the sash, and a red and white metal lunch box with a logo visible on the front of the item. The logo was the Equestrian symbol with the letters E, R, and K in Equestrian writing, under the letters in small words was "Equestrian Royal Knights".

His right foreleg was held straight out, showing he was the one who spoke.

To his right was a Unicorn Mare and a Cave Thestral Stallion, the Unicorn Mare had a blue coat with a bright red mane and tail, green eyes, and a Cutie Mark of a Dragon head shooting fire from its mouth. She wore a red firefighter's helmet with an orange pentagonal-shaped crest with her Cutie Mark emblazoned on the front, a red hoodie with flame decals under the helmet and a set of red robes that reached to her elbows and knees, and a red fire extinguisher which included a Pulaski, a type of forestry firefighting equipment, attached to the side. Over her chest was a black strap with Pony dolls resembling the Mare. One possessed the Western depiction of an angelic halo, while the other has cartoony devil horns and a pitchfork and over her flanks were two different bags: On her left was a worn knapsack stuffed with fireworks, an oil can, a gas cylinder, and a BBQ cookbook while on her right was a blue backpack with three small pockets and a tag with the Mare's Cutie Mark. Attached to the backpack are a bottle with a red mug on one side, a paper folded in half on the other, and a rolled up sleeping bag on the top.

Both packs had three green bottles each with a white rag and duck tape around the neck holding the rag in place. Around her forelegs were blue armbands holding a silver lighter and a matchbox each and over her hooves were black welding gloves.

The Cave Thestral Stallion was a good head and a half taller than most Stallions and had an dark grey coat, the trademark deep blue webbed mane, wings, and tail and a dark yellow eye. His Cutie Mark was a heavy-looking but still small, glowing, spiked bomb with large, blunted spikes and over his left eye was a black eyepatch. He worn red coveralls with a heavily padded Bomb suit, with a very large collar over his torso with the collar extended to cover most of the neck and surround the back and sides the head leaving only the top exposed, atop his head was a red bomb disposal helmet with a full face visor, just barely visible under the helmet through the visor was a red bandana with his Cutie Mark marked in white in several places. Over his right shoulder was a red, plaid sash held together with a bronze buckle, battle damaged silver metal plates on the shoulders and pouches on his waist with one on each side, on his chest were two pairs of red dynamite packs of three. On his knees were Orange knee-pads with black caps, worn, padlocked wooden chests with a key strapped to the bottom over heavily padded flaps with his Cutie Mark that covered his flanks. Covering his hooves were brown work boots with metal caps painted yellow and a metal plate held on by two leather straps with metal buckles on each lower leg.

To the giant Earth Pony's left was another Earth Pony Stallion and a Unicorn Stallion, the former a large (Big Mac-sized) Pony with a brown coat, a buzzed-cut red mane and short tail, and yellow eyes. His Cutie Mark was a 68-Pounder Cannon firing with a red glow covering the cannonball. He wore a red trench coat, a slightly over-sized reddish-brown Germane Stahlhelm with the Equestrian emblem on the sides in a shield decal on his head, around his neck was a short grey and black striped scarf and a small back gas mask large enough to cover the muzzle with a tan strap and attached to a black tube that when to a small dark red oxygen tank-like canister, black Epaulettes with red edging on his shoulders, over the tench coat was a brown bomber jacket with red fake fur interior and red armbands with his Cutie Mark patched onto the sides of the upper front legs. Around his chest was a gray flak vest with a zipper, three different sized pouches, and shoulder pads. Across his chest from the right shoulder was a brown leather chest strap holding a large combat knife. On the lower left side of the strap is a small leather pouch. Around his waist was a utility belt featuring a bladed buckle, canisters, and two large pouches. Over his flanks were a pair of brown saddlebags that were worn and slightly tattered with a large, worn and heavily faded black leather strap that held the flap closed with a silver buckle. Two badges, one a small round silver badge with a skull set over top explosions on the main body of the bags and the other an orange shield-shaped badge with the image of a helmeted Earth Pony head with a thin badge above that read "Rock Crushers" on the flap. Completing his looked was a pair of light brown camouflaged pants with silver knee pads and a pair of of dark brown tanker boots with metal plates capping the soles on each hoof.

The Unicorn was a half-head shorter than Princess Luna would be with a pure white coat, blue eyes, and black mane and tail. His Cutie Mark was what looked like a modified red-colored fire hose nozzle wrapped in black tape and outfitted with a bottom handle. He wore a stylized, extremely flared form of a Germane Stahlhelm with an added steel brow which had his Cutie Mark on it in red and a small line gap for his longer-than-normal horn, attached to the right side of the brow plate was a headlight made up of three neon tubes and a bent antenna protruding from a small battery pack at the back of the light frame. A pair of headphones that fully covered his ears was visible under the helmet. Over his eyes were a pair of red glowing goggles with flaps in a dark grey frame, covering his muzzle was a red respirator mask with a grey cap on the front and a grey filter on the right side, on the left was a translucent red tube connecting to what appeared to be a small red oxygen tank with grey top and a small gauge hanging on the Stallion's belt.

Around his neck was a multicolored striped scarf that trailed half-way down his front legs. Over his torso he wore a maroon greatcoat which was covered by a white smock, and a red undergarment visible around the base of his neck. The greatcoat featured a large collar and sleeves that partially covered his red gloves, while the smock had his Cutie Mark in a circle on each of its shoulders though one was covered by a plug embedded in his right upper foreleg which was attached via a tube to a device attached to the front of his right foreleg with three red and glowing vials. Over the chest of the coat was a stylized version of the Germane "Infanterie-Panzer" (Literally "infantry armour") with a large brown vest with the right side having two slots for what appeared to be syringes, while the left side had a pouch with his Cutie Mark on it and two medicine bottles inside.

Besides the red tank, on his belt was a red leather equipment satchel with a darker-colored emblem of his Cutie Mark accompanied by a worn clipboard with paper hanging from the side and a set of two white pill bottles along with two red pouches; one with his Cutie Mark on the case. Over his rear half he wore a pair of camouflaged combat slacks with red and dark grey kneepads. Over his right flank was a red satchel with a grey belt with a silver buckle; the sides of the satchel had two pockets with a silver button on each side and the flap was held down by a strap. On the center of the bag was his Cutie Mark. On his left flank was a larger red satchel that was open, showing three large syringes on the side and two rolls of bandages and two large medicine bottles inside. His back hooves were covered by black combat boots with red gaiters or spats over them.

Sparks, Dusk and Rose spoke first.

"Mom!"

"Dad?!"

The Big Mac-sized Pony Earth Pony Stallion with the brown coat, buzzed-cut red mane and short tail, and yellow eyes answered first.

"Heard you kids needed some help, we came here as fast as we could."

The giant Earth Pony blew on his right hoof before setting it down and smiling.

"Rest of team couldn't come, had to keep panic down but..."

The only Mare of the five gave her own smile as her horn let loose some fire.

"We were able to come and help."

Nightmare Moon snarled and with a roar summoned more of the Shadow Thestrals, more than before.

"And who the buck are you?!" She shouted, the giant Earth Pony walked forward until he was in front of the others.

"I am Big Round, Heavy Weapons Pony and Royal Knight, and this..." He reached up to his back and pulled out a minigun exactly like his Cutie Mark. "...is Oksana. She weighs one hundred fifty kilograms and fires two hundred bit, custom-tooled cartridges at ten thousand rounds per minute. It costs four hundred thousand bits to fire this weapon..."

He started turning the side-mounted hoof crank.

"...for twelve seconds."

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

Nightmare Moon let out a shrill shriek of surprise as she threw up a shield, it was all she could do as those "ten thousand rounds per minute" projectiles cut down her Shadow Thestrals like a lawnmower to long grass and impacted her shield with bright and powerful explosions, Big Round laughing as he keep the weapon trained on her.

"Not so mighty now tiny Alicorn!"

More Shadow Thestrals appeared and charged at Big Round only to run into a wall if fire, the Mare wading through it like nothing.

"Name's Flame Flower, Pryomage, Royal Knight, and volunteer firefighter plus Sparky Gears second mother, and I almost lost my daughter long ago. Never again!" She let loose more fire, the Shadows disappearing within and dissipating. The heat swirled around NMM as the other Earth Pony Stallion joined the fray, pulling out what looked to be a 110 pounder cannon that had been shrunken down to be able to be shoulder-mounted with two handles built into the bottom and a targeting scope mounted to the left side.

"Sergeant Trencher to you moon maggot, of the Earth Pony Rock Crusher's battalion and Royal Knight." He, to the surprise of those from Ponyville, aimed his weapon right under him and fired. But instead of being blown up as they had expected Trencher instead was launch into the air, where he fired three more shell which impacted against the floor and taking out several more Shadows before coming down on top of another back hooves first, crushing the unlucky Shadow under him.

Nightmare Moon finally had a reprieve as Big Round's gun went click several times in rapid succession, but as she released the shield she saw sixteen black cannonball-like spheres with large, blunted spikes surrounding her. She only had time to yell in surprise as they exploded, sending the dark Alicorn into the ceiling and back to the floor with a crash. The Cave Thestral Stallion laughing with a launcher of some kind in his right hoof.

"I'm Blasting Cap lassie, Dusk and Rose's dad. Demolitions Expert and Royal Knight." He put the launcher on his back and pulled out a weapon that looked like a pirate-style cannon with a stock and a sight near the front of the barrel. He aimed and fired a cannonball at NMM who was standing back up, the projectile hitting the Alicorn square in the chest and sending her flying back with a scream right into a pillar.

The final Stallion of the newcomers used a cleaver-like blade fixed into a bonesaw grip, with a large syringe filled with red, glowing liquid to fight off any Shadows close to him and a wooden crossbow with a metal barrel attached to a canister which housed a syringe until it was fired. His Cutie Mark was present on both the canister and the frame of the Crusader's Crossbow.

"And I'm Healing Ray, Medic and Royal Knight." He lit up his horn and both he and Big Round were covering in a red sheen while their eyes glowed yellow. "Schenell! Go get zem!"

More Shadow Thestrals appeared and attacked, Big Round dropped his weapon and slammed his hooves together before laying it out on the Shadows yelling "CRY SOME MORE!". Trencher pulled out an entrenching shovel with a tan wooden handle fastened with green metal and went to town while Flame Flower summoned a small pillar of fire that formed into an obsidian axe with glowing lava flowing along the blade's extreme edges. Any of the Shadows she struck were set aflame and quickly vansihed in puffs of fire and smoke, Cap pulled out a  double-bevelled battle-axe with a wooden shaft and spiked crossguard and literary charged into the fray with a loud battlecray, the battle-axe glowing red with electrical bolts of the same color zapping around it.

Behind them the others regrouped and watched, recovering their strength and readying themselves to jump in again. Twilight turned to Sparks.

"Your second mother is a Pyromage and a volunteer firefighter? How does that even work?"

Sparks shrugged.

"Couldn't tell you, she was those before I was born."

Once they had recovered enough Dragonfly and the guards rejoined the fight, beating back the Shadow Thestrals and allowing Big Round to reload his weapon as NMM lifted herself out of the rubble, sore from the double hit but still not out yet. Shaking her head she soon saw Twilight trying to active the Elements but she still couldn't get them to even spark, looking around she noticed that none of the others had seen that she had recovered and a smile came to her face.

There was no warning.

Nightmare Moon lit her horn and caused the Shadow Thestrals to suddenly explode, sending the startled Ponies back as NMM shot forward before they could recover and grabbed the Elements before teleporting to the other side of the room, where she quickly lifted her front hooves.

"NOOO!" Twilight yelled, but it was too late, Nightmare Moon stomped down on one of the stone spheres, causing this and the other four to shatter into hundreds of pieces. Nightmare Moon reared back and laughing with all her strength as the others started in shock, Twilight's heart sinking as the reality of their only weapon against her had been destroyed before their very eyes.

"You little foals!" Nightmare Moon laughed. "Thinking you could defeat me? Now you will never see your precious, or your sun! The night will last forever!"

Dragonfly looked at the shattered pieces then at Nightmare Moon.

"True, but you'll be alone."

NMM stopped laughing as she and the others looked at him, the former glaring.

"What are you talking about?! My subjects will see the beauty of my night and they'll adore me as they always should have!" Dragonfly glared back and walked forward.

"The thing is, without the sun there is no warmth. Without warmth plants will start to die, then the animals, and finally all life dies as the planet freezes over. Nothing will survive! And all you will have to rule Nightmare Moon is a lifeless ball of ice. All alone, forever."

Before anypony else could add to that Nightmare Moon suddenly roared and, with speed that she had not shown until then, flew like a lightning bolt and crashed right into Dragonfly, who due to both the surprise and speed of the Alicorn mare, was unable to react in time. NMM released a blast of magic that send everypony else flying back away from the two as Nightmare Moon pinned Dragonfly down, the former enraged as she began shouting.

"THEY WILL SEE MY NIGHT! I"LL KEEP THEM ALIVE NO MATTER WHAT!"

Dragonfly winced at the volume, but knew that she was becoming more insane as she was absorbing the castle's Dark Magic. That was the problem with Dark Magic and why it wasn't practiced, the more the caster used it the more they fell into insanity.

"DRAGONFLY!!" Both Belle and Dancer shouted as they and the others quickly got too their hooves, turning immediately to help him. Nightmare Moon quickly brought her horn to Dragonfly's neck and pressed it against him as she glanced sideways at the approaching Ponies.

"One more step and I'll slice his neck open!" Nightmare Moon shouted, the group stopping in their tracks. Dusk had his crossbow leveled on NMM's head but was afraid of pulling the trigger, the Alicorn smiled smugly.

"What's the matter, my child of the Night." She said mockingly, "Don't wish to risk killing your friend."

"No, he's just distracting you."

To the surprise of everypony, Nightmare Moon included, Dragonfly suddenly jerked to the side. A moved that should have sliced his neck open but instead their was only a shower of sparks as the Unicorn was engulfed by green fire, which quickly faded away to reveal his true form.

With a smirk that would have made even a Dragon pause.

"Surprise witch."

Dragonfly grabbed the sides of NMM's head and pulled her down as he leaned up, his horn glowing with an increasingly bright glow. The others saw what was coming and shielded their eyes, just in time as the room lit up in a white flare. The Flare Spell was one of the simplest spells in the book and was usually used to light up an area though it could blind an opponent in a pinch for a few seconds, it was also very quick to cast and didn't need much power at all. In this case Dragonfly held the spell as he pulled NMM's head down, the intense light blinding her. As she was a creature of the night Nightmare Moon had eyes developed to better see in the dark, but she too had the same weakness of bright light. Now light that intense at that close range would have literary burned out a normal creatures eyes, as an Alicorn the damage would be only temporarily, but it was enough.

Nightmare Moon shrieked in pain as she tore free of the Royal Changeling's grip as she reared back her eyes shut and smoking, but Dragonfly didn't let up. Wings glowing he used the Leaping Wing Strike to slam into NMM's chest and sent her flying backwards, following the attack with a strike right to her horn which caused her shriek to go up a few levels. It was a common misconception that horns as well as wings were... well... you should know. In truth that wasn't the case; the reason the two parts were sensitive was because of the number of nerve bundles within.

As Unicorns and Pegasus channeled magic through their horns and wings respectively a large number of nerves was needed for them to do so, and while it allowed them to channel the magic it came at the cost of those limbs being very sensitive to touch. Now, lightly tapping a Unicorn's horn would only mildly annoy them while gentle nuzzling or touch a Pegasus' wing was very soothing to them. It should also be noted that the thing Pegasus Ponies would do with their wings under certain... conditions was actually something from their primitive days, long before the Ponies were even fully sapient. When a primitive Pegasus was willing to mate they would spread and display their wings much like birds doing a courtship dance, to attract an interested partner. An old trait that still carried to this day, as Dragonfly had seen Thunderlane's wings flare when he saw Flitter with a wet mane after she came out of one of the showers in the Hive.

But it was also because of those nerve bundles that hitting either limb hard enough would floor the Pony they were attached to, which was just what Dragonfly was aiming for. Nightmare Moon may have been a powerful magic caster, but with the hits to her horn and wings she was unable to focus as even panic casting required a second for the magic to gather and each hit disrupted the magic and caused it to dissipate each time. As Nightmare Moon was reeling from the quick attacks of the Changeling Royal Blades, Dusk, Rose and Sparks made their moved, combining their body weight into ramming her side and sending the Alicorn into the floor as the Changeling and ponies dog-piled on her, joined by Trencher and Big Round.

As this fight went on Twilight looked at the remains of the Elements, realizing that if she had come alone she would have been easily defeated and the more the thought sank in the more despair filled her heart. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie came up to her and sat beside her.

"Don’t worry Twilight, we’re here!" Pinkie said, wrapping a foreleg around her shoulders.

"Don’t worry, we’ll be there!" Applejack added.

Twilight looked at them with wide eyes, then something clicked in her mind. A special spark suddenly appear in her eyes as the realization came to her. Exchanging looks with the girls, they give each other a quick smirk before silently turning around to face Nightmare Moon as she finally fought off those attacking her, their expressions shifting to fierce confidence.

"You think you can destroy The Elements of Harmony just like that?” Twilight challenged as Nightmare Moon recovered. "Well, you’re wrong, because the spirits of The Elements of Harmony are right here."

As if they rehearsed this moment, all five mares stood around Twilight Sparkle as the rest of the group got clear and Dragonfly reapplied his disguise.

"What?" Nightmare Moon exclaimed.

Before Nightmare Moon’s eyes, several shards suddenly rose from the broken elements, surrounding the mares one by one as Twilight spoke.

"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of… Honesty! Fluttershy, who tamed the Manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of… Kindness! Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of… Laughter! Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful Serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the spirit of… Generosity! And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart’s desire, represents the spirit of… Loyalty! These five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us. And Dragonfly and his friends helped get us here, right where we were needed."

"But you still don’t have the sixth element!" Nightmare Moon protested. "The spark didn’t work!"

"But it did!" Twilight corrected, facing the five ponies. "A different kind of spark. I felt it at the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you."

Twilight smiled, as a single pair of tears escaped her eyes.

“The spark ignited inside me when I realized that you all, both the girls around me and the others that came here with us… are my friends!"

Upon Twilight Sparkle’s epiphany, a light glowed around the unicorn as all eyes watch it descend before her. It did not take long for Twilight Sparkle to realize what it all meant.

"You see, Nightmare Moon," Twilight continued. "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!"

It was then the sixth orb appeared, revealing the sixth element as it descends above Twilight. The shards of the other elements restored themselves, creating special gold necklaces with each element residing in the center. Twilight’s element was more special, a tiara with the element of magic shining triumphantly on her head. Dragonfly smiled as Belle and Dancer hugged him from the sides.

"Now you understand Nightmare Moon, the spheres were merely vessels. The real Elements can never be destroyed, when you shattered the spheres the Elements merely moved to their new vessels; these six Mares right here."

A bright light surrounds the six Ponies, as the Elements converged around them with raw power. The energy formed into  a large and powerful rainbow that shot up and crashed down toward Nightmare Moon, engulfing her in a multicolored cyclone.

"To quote something I once heard: TASTE THE RAINBOW, NIGHTMARE MOON!!!" Sparks bellowed.

"Nooo!" Nightmare Moon screamed. "Nooo!"

As the rainbow’s power consumed the Mare in the Moon, the elements themselves glowed brighter until Twilight Sparkle opens her eyes, which glowed as well. The brightness consumed them all, filling the entire room with radiance and the Castle was filled with magic that purged the Dark Magic from it, freeing the trapped souls and finally allowing them to pass on. Eventually, the bright light faded, leaving the six Mares laying on the ground, clearly spent from the exposure to all that power. The others' vision cleared and they rushed over, checking to see if the girls were okay, which they were.

"Ugh, my head," Rainbow groaned, sitting up.

"Everypony okay?" Applejack asked, as the rest got back on their hooves, the following responses answered her in the positive.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Rarity cried.

All the ponies, and disguised Changeling, turned as the fashionista looked behind herself. Apparently, the magic of the elements was so powerful, it restored her beautiful tail to its former, normal glory.

"Why Rarity, it’s so lovely," Fluttershy pointed out.

"I know!" Rarity said, cuddling and nuzzling her tail. "I’ll never part with it again."

"No, your necklace,” Fluttershy corrected, pointing at said item. "It looks just like your cutie mark."

Rarity finally noticed her gold necklace, noting how the purple diamond in the center matched her cutie mark swimmingly.

"What? Ohh!" Rarity exclaimed. "So does yours!"

Fluttershy looked upon her own necklace, gasping with delight and smiling warmly. All the other ponies acknowledged their new jewelry bestowed upon them by the elements’ power.

"Look at mine! Look at mine!" Pinkie said excitedly as she hopped over to the group.

"Aw yeah!" Rainbow said proudly, admiring her own.

The six ponies 'oohed' and 'awed' at their elements, as Twilight admired her tiara with a big smile.

At the same time Sparks tackled her second mother in a hug, the Mare laughing as she returned it saying, "Easy there kiddo." while Dusk and Rose hugged their dad, Grace joining in while everypony else watched the scene, Dragonfly with his forelegs around Belle's and Dancer's shoulders.

“Gee, Twilight!” Applejack spoke up. “I thought you were just spoutin’ a lot of hooey, but I reckon we really do represent the Elements of Harmony.

"Indeed you do…”"

A majestic voice drew the group toward the window, as the sun returns, and a warm light enters the castle ruins. As the familiar golden orb of hope and light ignited the dark sky, another made its way before the ponies. And there, standing majestically before them, was Princess Celestia herself, towering before her subjects. The Royal Knights and Guards saluting her, with Trencher whacking himself in the face with his hoof as he did so with an "OW!", while AJ, RD, Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy bowed. Twilight rushed towards her with Dragonfly, Belle and Dancer right behind her. The four in question all to happy to see her again.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight and Dragonfly gasped.

"Auntie!" Belle and Dancer shouted.

The three Unicorns and one Changeling rushed towards their mentor/Godmother/Auntie, sharing a warm embrace with her.

"Twilight, my faithful student. Dragonfly, my dear Godson, and Bluebelle and Diamond Dancer, my sweet nieces." Coming out of the embrace she turned to Twilight.

"I knew you could do it."

"But… You told me it was all an old pony-tale." Twilight pointed out.

"I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more." Celestia corrected.

As the other ponies lowered their salutes or stood up, minus Fluttershy given her shy nature, Celestia continued as it all became clear for her student.

"I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon’s return, and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart." Celestia said, Dragonfly speaking up.

"Reminds me me of something my mother once told me: Individually we are strong, together we are stronger."

Celestia smiled at him as Belle and Dancer hugged him and Twilight turned toward her new friends, offering a grateful smile.

"She is correct Dragonfly, now if only another will as well."

The Ponies turned as Princess Celestia made her way towards what remained of Nightmare Moon, or rather her true form…

"Princess Luna!"

There, sitting upon the remains of now useless pebbles and shards, a lighter blue alicorn, with an even lighter mane and tail, met their gaze. The paleness of her coat and mane a sign she had been drained of her magical power, the alicorn much smaller in size compared to the white-coated Princess Celestia. She gasped upon hearing her name, one she hadn’t heard in so long, as she looked toward Princess Celestia fearfully.

"It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this," Princess Celestia said, tears threatening to fall. "Luna, I'm so sorry. The day I lost you forced my eyes open, to see what I had become. Dad and moms would have be so ashamed." She reached Luna and laid down in front of her. "I was too blinded by the praise, by the love, by my own light, to see what was happening. Your banishment was only the beginning; After your went to the Moon the Thestrals suffered, having stillborns because my own Ponies lied to them and me. When they found out the Thestrals left Equestria entirely, setting themselves up in Hollow Shades. Then the Yetis came and the Great Famine right after. Once that was all said and done the Thestrals refused to come back, flat out telling me the oaths they had sworn were over, that they would not protect those that tired to doom them to slow extinction, it was six hundred years but eventually they come back, but they have not forgotten what happened to them and even now they do not trust me. I'm so, so sorry Luna. It's time to put our differences behind us, like we should have done so long ago. We were always meant to rule together, little sister, just like father had told us."

As Dusk had already told them earlier, the only ones surprised by this revelation were the Royal Knights.

"Will you accept my friendship and my long overdue apologizes?" Celestia offered, extending a hoof.

The other ponies leaned forward with interest, anxiously waiting to see how Luna would answer. Pinkie Pie, however, learned too far forward.

"Whoa!" She called, losing her balance.

After a brief moment, Princess Luna burst into tears and raced to embrace her older sister.

"I’m so sorry too!" Luna sobbed. "I missed you so much, big sister!"

Tears formed on the bottom of Celestia’s eyes, holding Luna close.

"I’ve missed you too, so much." Princess Celestia said, tearfully as the two Alicorns held each other tightly.

Dragonfly had a wide smile as Belle and Dancer turned to him.

"By the way Dragonfly," Belle started, then both Mares then slugged him in the jaw, knocking him over onto his back.

"That was for scaring us!" Dancer said as he got back up, rubbing his jaw.

"Yea, I deserved that." The two Mares then grabbed his shoulders and pulled him towards them gently, planting a kiss on his lips. Dragonfly froze for a second, but melted into the kiss. When they pulled out the Mares had a small blush while Dragonfly had hearts in his eyes and his tongue hanging out.

"Wwwooooowwwwww." He droned as Belle and Dancer giggled, along with most of others.

"Dragonfly, Bluebelle, Diamond Dancer, come here please." Celestia said, the three did as Luna watched them. Once they were standing next to her Celestia turned back to Luna.

"Sister, the Stallion is my Godson Dragonfly wings. His mother was a good friend of mine, and while he looks like a Unicorn now, he is actually a Changeling Royal."

Dragonfly gave Luna, who was looking at him curiously and a bit nervously, a sheepish smile while rubbing the back of his head.

"Hi Luna, sorry about the Flare Spell right next to the eyes but considering what was going on..."

"It's alright, You did what you had to do." Luna reached up and pulled him into a hug, then asked.

"If you're my sister's Godson, would that make me your Godaunt?"

Dragonfly returned the hug softly.

"If you what it to be, Auntie."

Luna smiled happily, Celestia than introduced the two Mares.

"These two are Bluebelle and Diamond Dancer, my distant nieces and Dragonfly's special someponies."

The two walked up on either side of Dragonfly and hugged Luna around the neck.

"Hey Auntie Luna." Both said happily, said auntie crying happily as she hugged all three of them.

That was when Pinkie Pie burst into tears, sobbing… But only for a few seconds, before blowing her nose.

“Hey, you know what this calls for?” She asked, her mood swinging from sad to cheerful.



Later, Back in Ponyville

The party was a great success, the entire town cheered for the princesses’ return, as the celebrations began. Among the crowd, Spike appeared giving Twilight a warm welcome. Princess Luna, unsure about being there, was suddenly approached by two young Pegasus foals presenting her with a beautiful necklace of roses, as she gave Celestia a teary smile. The Royal Knights soon left to rejoin the rest of their team, after Flame Flower and Blasting Cap said their goodbyes to their Foals. Twilight and Spike would be staying in Ponyville from now on too.

Now Dragonfly (in his natural Changeling form) was in the cleared-out storage room in the back of the Cozy Rest with the Mane Six, the Princesses, his two Marefriends and their friends. He had some things to explain like he promised back in the castle. Starting at the beginning he told those who didn't know everything, from the Civil War to Chrysalis taking over the Hives to his own under Ponyville. It took a bit of time to explain it all, but he got though everything.

The Mane Six all looked shocked and a bit scared (though Rainbow tired to play her fear off), finally Twilight spoke.

"I... I don't know what to say Dragonfly." AJ continued.

"Ah don't like secret keeping... but... if this Chrysalis knows you're alive she will come after you?" Dragonfly nodded.

"Yes Applejack, and that would threaten those in Ponyville. This town is my home, I will not allow that to happen." Celestia spoke up.

"Which is why it is imperative that word of Dragonfly still being alive must not reach her ears. If even half of what Nebula has told me is true, and she has never been one to lie, then Chrysalis is a threat not just to Dragonfly and his Changelings and Ponies, but all creatures." Dragonfly continued.

"Now as far as Chrysalis knows, I was killed by Timber Wolves six years ago. I want to keep it that way, for now at least. Besides my mother who has disappeared, I'm the only surviving Royal, at least in Equestria, and the biggest threat to her and her plans." Dusk spoke next.

"If they think you're dead..."

"They won't come looking for you." Rose finished, Dragonfly nodded.

"Exactly, Now I understand this is a lot to take in and keep secret girls." Dragonfly said turning to the girls, Who's faces told him that they understood what he was saying. "Can I trust you to keep this secret? It wouldn't have to be forever as eventually Chrysalis will make a move, but it wouldn't be for a long time yet. She tends to massively overcomplicate her plans then just does whatever when those fail, mostly just throwing her own Changelings at the problem, heedless of the loses."

The girls nodded, understanding clear on their faces. Then Fluttershy, who hadn't said a word the entire time, spoke up.

"Ahmmm... why couldn't Chrysalis be talked down?"

Dragonfly frowned at her and spoke gently.

"While I understand why you asked that Shy, Chrysalis only cares about herself, eveyone else is either to be discarded or food. She is a complete and utter psychopath, she has only one emotion: Greed. When the time comes for me to face her, it will be a fight to the death. No rules, no safety, no mercy. At the end only one shall stand, while the other falls."

Fluttershy nodded her head sadly as Belle and Dancer hugged Dragonfly, him returning the hug as he looked a Celestia.

"When it does come to that time, there is a chance that I might not win. Celestia, if..." He trailed off, not wanting to continue.

"I understand my Godson, I know that your Changelings would rather live without a Royal than fall under her hoof. I've already told the Royal Knights and they all have vowed that should she win, they wouldn't hesitate."

Dragonfly nodded and released his Marefriends, standing back up.

"Now that we're all up to speed, there's a few Ponies I want to introduce you all to: The first one those in Ponyville will already know but he has something to tell you, the only one in this room that knew about before was me and he's chosen to let it out to you now."

Dragonfly walked over to a curtain at the back of the room, pulling it back to pick in and nod his head at something behind it. He stepped away as a familiar Pegasus Stallion walked out from behind the curtain.

"Thunderlane?" Rainbow asked, blinking in surprise at seeing one of her weather Ponies here. Said Stallion nodded, than dropped his disguise.

Those that didn't know before, which was most of the Ponies in the room, gaped in shock at Thunderlane's appearance. The Stallion in question lightly scraped a hoof on the floor as Dragonfly came up next to him and placed his on hoof on Thunder's left shoulder. It was a few awkward minutes, but finally Twilight spoke.

"What... what sort of Breed are you?"

"I'm a Hybrid."

Dragonfly took over, explaining to them what the Hybrids were. He told them everything Rhino had told him, including a bit that Rhino hadn't said until later.

"Changeling Hybrids... are viewed as abominations... to be wiped out?" Luna asked, her voice shaky. Dragonfly nodded grimly.

"Yes, only a few Hives ever accepted them, including my mom's and more recently mine. The others... it was Kill-on-sigh. No mercy, no remorse." Thunderlane nodded as tears started to fall.

"When my parents disappeared, when my Royal was killed, I took Rumble and fled. Reaching Ponyville I knew this would be a safe place to raise him, I meet Flitter and Cloud Chaser and he rest is history."

Rainbow Dash few down to him, a suspicious look on her face.

"Why did you never say anything about this?" She asked accusingly, Thunderlane glared at her.

"Dash, I was paranoid of being found out. If you were hiding from those who would kill you without any hesitation or remorse would you want to reveal yourself?! If those Changelings ever found me they would drain my E-Energy completely, and Rumble... First Mother... I don't want to even think about that, or what would happen to Flitter and Cloud Chaser."

Rainbow held her hooves up.

"Easy Lane, easy. But... what's E-Energy?"

Dragonfly took over.

"Well it works like this;" He told the gathered Ponies what he had told Belle, Dancer, and Indigo the first time they visited his Hive. Twilight especially listening with rap attention. Everypony looked horrified when Dragonfly reached and explained the Dry Hibernation, each of them shaking in fright.

"Okay! I fully understand why you never said anything now." Rainbow said, a look of terror on her face.

Dragonfly nodded, walking back over the curtain.

"After I found out Thunder here was a Hybrid I looked around and found that there were more in Ponyville, besides the brothers Thunderlane and Rumble there are: Four Fulls, no Halfs, and three Partials. Now who they are is not for me to say," He stopped at the curtain and turned back to the others. "They gave me their trust and I will not betray that trust. It's up to them whether or not they reveal themselves to you, they are also now members of my Hive."

He slammed his hoof on the floor.

"And I will protect my Hive, regardless of what the threat is."

The nods the others showed they understood, Dragonfly smiled.

"Now with that taken care of; Celestia, Luna, I have a few Ponies I want you to met."

Dragonfly pulled the curtain back to reveal six Ponies: two Earth Ponies, two Unicorns, and two Pegasi. Only one of the Pegasi was a Stallion, the rest were Mares. The Ponyville Ponies blinked at the six.

"Pansy Flower?" Fluttershy asked.

"Platinum Bar?" Rarity tilted her head.

"Clover Leaf?" Applejack raised an eyebrow.

"Cookie Dough, Pudding Cake?" Pinkie winked out of sight of the others as she was behind the others.

"Hurricane Storm? What are you guys doing here?" Rainbow asked.

The six Ponies merely smiled as Hurricane spoke.

"Well girls, there is something we need to tell you and the Princesses, while we're not Changelings..." He reached up to the pendent we was wearing and pressed the green gem as the other did the same. The six were covered in green flame for just a second and when it vanished it revealed six very familiar Ponies. Hurricane Bolt looked at the others, his smile large and bright.

"We still had to stay hidden from sight as well."

The shock on the Mane six's (except Pinkie who already knew) and the Princesses was too funny and Dragonfly fell to the floor on his back laughing hard, joined by his Marefriends and his friends at the sight of the very wide eyes and that didn't just hit the floor but fell through it.

"I told you they're reactions would be worth it!"

The shocked Ponies stood there for at least ten minutes as their brains rebooted from the sight of none other than the very Founders of Equestria right in front of them. Finally, Luna recovered.

"Dad... moms?" She asked, her voice low and barely audible. Hurricane smiled gently at her.

"Luna, our little moon... you've grown so much since we last saw you."

"Just look at you our sweets, after so long the two of you have grown into such beautiful and radiant Mares." Platinum said, holding a hoof over her chest and a soft smile on her face. Celestia recovered next, and her eyes widened again as she remembered.

"The Everfree City... after Luna was banished." Her face twisted in horror, "I..." She couldn't finish as Clover walked up to her and hugged her.

"You can thank your Godson and his Hive, if it wasn't for them..." Smart Cookie picked up.

"They bought us back to their Hive, and as Platinum here would put it: "They been nothing but gentlecreatures to us." Said Unicorn Mare nodded.

Twilight along with the others finally recovered.

"How?!" She turned to Dragonfly who was standing back up.

"How? How in the name of Harmony do you have the very Founders of Equestria here??!! Just how???"

Dragonfly chuckled.

"That has a bit of a story to it; you see..." Dragonfly recapped the Everfree mission for them, explaining how they had got to the city to get whatever Chrysalis had wanted first, which had turned out to be the Founders. How his group had found and freed the six of their stone prisons, and how they were now living in the Hive, under disguise for the time being. Both Celestia and Luna wrapped their parents in a big group hug, the eight Ponies overjoyed to finally be reunited. Once the released the hug, the two Alicorns turned to Dragonfly who smiled back at them.

"Dragonfly... this... this is easily the best gift either of us could have been given. Not only did you bring back Ponies we had thought lost to time, you also pulled them from Chrysalis' jaws. Bluebelle is right that about me calling it a major victory." She let out a sigh.

"I knew when I first held you as a Nymph all those years ago that you would be something special, I never thought something like this would happen."

Luna hugged him again, tears of joy falling from her eyes.

"Dragonfly, thank you.. thank you so much."

Dragonfly hugged her back.

"You're welcome... Auntie."

Luna hugged him tighter with Celestia joining it. Off the the side Pinkie.

"Seems our Changeling friend here attracts interesting company as his special talent huh?"

The others could know nod.



Later
After the Founders reapplied their disguises the group when their separate ways: Dragonfly when back to the Hive with Belle and Dancer in tow, the Princesses returned to Cnaterlot along with Dusk, Rose, Grace, Blades, Sparks, and Indigo. Thunderlane and the Mane Six went to their homes, Twilight getting settled in.

The day pasted very quickly and everypony was tired, Dragonfly was in his room with Belle and Dancer, staring at them in surprise.

"Girls, you sure you're ready to take that step?"

The two Mares, who were laying down on the bed, smiled reassuringly and nodded their heads.

"Yes Dragonfly, Dancer and I have talked it out and, we're both ready if you are."

"If we do take that step, please be gentle, it is our first time."

Dragonfly stared for a few minutes, then gave them a soft and reassuring smile of his own.

"I will girls, I will."

He climbed onto the bed and sat down as the Mares sat up and they embraced as they kissed, Belle and Dancer placed their hooves around his neck while he placed his around their waists, gently rubbing their Cutie Marks.

It was a night they would never forget, a night filled with love.




Meanwhile, at the same time

Dusk yawned as he opened the door to his bedroom, too tired to use his night vision so he just turned on the light sitting on his nightstand. When it came on his good eye snapped open in surprise as his wings went "BOING!" There on his bed was Grace, laying on her side wearing a dark red one-shoulder one-piece swimsuit with a green belt and blue buckle and a large cloth red rose on the single strap that went over her right shoulder and a smaller one on the left front of her belt.

"Grace me lass, wha?" He sputtered, a blush forming on his face.

"Dusk," Grace purred, "I think it's time for us to take the next step. But only if you're willing to, I'm ready, are you?"

Dusk stood for a second, then smiled and leaned his head down, kissing her on the lips. Grace wrapped her hooves around his neck and her tail around his waist, pulling him onto the bed with her underneath him on her back.

Like Dragonfly, Belle and Dancer, Dusk and Grace would remember that night for the rest of their lives. But something else happened that night, Dusk and Grace were laying wrapped around each other as the moonlight shined brighter then before on them for a few minutes.