//------------------------------//
// Confrontation 
// Story: It Takes Six 
// by Goldfur 
//------------------------------//

Nightmare Moon marched right up to Big Mac until they were practically nose to nose.  The alicorn was only about an inch taller than the large stallion but her huge magical presence made her seem so much bigger.

“How dost thou wish to die?” she asked with a malevolent grin.

“Old age would be nice.”  Big Mac’s voice nearly cracked from his fear.

Nightmare Moon lost her malicious smile. “I do not find thee amusing.”  She charged up her horn.

“Wait!  You wouldn’t kill one of your descendants, would you?”

The alicorn paused her spell and scowled.  “By what right do you make such a baseless claim?”

Big Mac prayed that the other group was on their way after hearing the hinge squeal.  He just needed to stall the murderous mare for a while.  “We earth ponies owe our special talents to you, Princess.  We would never have been able to match the other tribes without your gifts.”

“My so-called gifts do not make me thy ancestor.  They were granted so that your kind could serve me better.  I see no evidence that thou art one of those chosen to serve me other than thy unusual stature.”

Big Mac smiled.  “You want proof?  Then, how about this?”  He stamped a foreleg and a pillar of stone erupted from the floor underneath Nightmare Moon.  The alicorn was flung away and the stallion hastily made a break for cover.

Nightmare Moon recovered much more quickly than Big Mac hoped and she hurled a deadly spell at him.  He managed to dodge but the huge double doors were not so lucky.  They shattered with a deafening boom, shards flying everywhere.  The stallion ignored the ones that struck him painfully as he galloped in another direction.  He almost stopped when the Nightmare landed several yards ahead of him.  Instead, he redoubled his efforts, lowered his head, and charged at the black mare.

Nightmare Moon’s eyebrows rose at the sight but then she laughed and charged at him.  They came together with a resounding crash and they were thrown apart, her badly dented helmet clattering to the floor across the room. Shocked by the unanticipated result, the alicorn scrambled to her hooves and lit up her horn to blast the stallion who lay groaning on the stone paving.  Before she could do so, searing pain erupted down her head, neck, and withers. She screamed and threw herself to one side to spot the griffon that raked her with their talons.

After slipping into the chamber unnoticed, Gilda had been watching with horror from her hiding place when Big Mac had been confronted.  Despite their mission to bring intel back to Canterlot, she had not been able to sit idly by and watch her favorite stallion be killed.  At her first opportunity, she had taken off to defend Big Mac.  For once, she had put her dangerous talons to use in a real fight.  Unfortunately, Gilda had missed the alicorn’s eyes as she moved at the last moment, but the feel of tearing flesh had been most satisfying.  The sight of Nightmare Moon turning her attention to the griffon quickly dampened that elation.  For the next several seconds, Gilda frantically dodged bolt after bolt of deadly magic hurled her way.  Her luck eventually ran out as her wing was clipped and she was knocked to the ground.

Nightmare Moon landed in front of Gilda who desperately tried to run for shelter.  Before the alicorn could kill the griffon, she was slammed in the barrel by a recovered Big Mac, throwing off her aim.  Deciding that the stallion was the bigger and more immediate threat, she focused on him although staying aware of the griffon’s position.  Big Mac had not hung around though and ducked behind a huge pillar.

The alicorn laughed contemptuously and blasted away at the stone column, knocking large chunks off of it.  Just as the stallion was exposed though, a smoke bomb exploded in front of her, totally obscuring her view.  She fired off a few random shots before turning to look for whoever had thrown the bomb, only to have another go off, totally obscuring her view in all directions.  Then a massive firework blew up practically in her face, knocking her back and making her ears ring painfully.  Near deafened, Nightmare Moon could barely hear voices calling out to each other. Knowing now that she was up against no less than three opponents, she shot out a bubble shield that blew away all the blinding smoke.  She immediately spotted the griffon dive-bombing her and blasted her, only to see the shot pass through the catbird harmlessly.

Gilda saw that Trixie’s illusion had distracted Nightmare Moon as planned and attacked from the side, gouging fresh wounds into the alicorn’s shoulder and neck.  The griffon was not quick enough to retreat however, and with a scream of rage, a broad blast from the Nightmare’s horn knocked her from the air.

Before Nightmare Moon could take advantage, a glass bottle smashed into her face, shattering and spilling its contents onto her muzzle.  Inadvertently breathing in some of its contents made the alicorn’s head swim and she stumbled to the floor.  Gilda took advantage of the situation to get clear, wary of the glow from her enemy’s horn. However, it was not another attack but a spell to overcome the effects of the potion.  Nightmare Moon spotted the newcomers, especially the minotaur who had accurately thrown the bottle.  The zebra passed another to him and he immediately threw it.  The alicorn did not intend to be a stationary target and she jumped to the side.  To her surprise, this one exploded in a cloud of dust when it shattered on the floor nearby. She immediately began sneezing violently and frequently.  She had the presence of mind to blow away the dust and fired several random shots while trying to throw off the effects of the powder.

Gilda’s attack was thwarted as she was hit in the left shoulder, putting the muscles of both her wing and foreleg out of action.  She landed heavily and painfully, but she hauled herself to her remaining feet to limp away.  Fortunately for her, Penumbra had distracted Nightmare Moon with her own attack. However, in dodging a horn blast, her aim was spoiled and her spear tip hit armor rather than the vulnerable flesh. The alicorn flung out a wing to smash the thestral into the floor.  Before Nightmare Moon could blast her, a boulder hurled by Big Mac smashed into her head and horn, sending an enormous stab of pain through her.  She screamed and teleported away from everyone to give herself a few moments to shake off the injury.  Blood from a gash to her forehead dripped into one eye.

Penumbra recovered and launched another attack.  Nightmare Moon noticed the thestral but her defensive measures were affected by dizziness and pain.  The thestral dodged easily, slashing the alicorn across the flank with a blade strapped to her forehoof.  Despite the pain, the alicorn thrust her attacker away with a flat shield.  Nightmare Moon cast a healing spell upon herself, dulling the pain and closing the wounds that had been inflicted upon her.  She leaped into the air, high above her tormentors, her wings brushing the beams holding up what was left of the roof. She prepared an enormous blast of magic to take out her enemies in a broad attack, only to have her view suddenly obscured by a flock of frightened and frantic bats whose roosting area she had disturbed.  The alicorn tried to push them away, but for some reason, they came back to mob her. Then she noticed a very high-pitched sound coming from the direction of the thestral.  She was doing something with the bats!  She hurled a bolt of magic at Penumbra, but the thestral had been ready and dodged it.

Meanwhile, Big Mac took advantage of the distraction.  He picked up another huge piece of rubble and threw it at the alicorn.  Nightmare Moon accidentally dodged it, but the chunk of stone reached its peak and came down on her shoulder, knocking her to the ground. The rock pinned her wing to the floor, but she twisted her body to buck it away.  The stab of pain that shot through her wing told her that it was broken and it hung limply by her side.  Before she could cast a bone-mending spell, Penumbra and Irwin launched an attack but she fended them off with a flat shield.  Before she could respond with an assault of her own, one of Trixie’s fireworks once again blinded and deafened her momentarily.

Big Mac saw his opportunity and dodged around the Nightmare’s shield.  He galloped up to the alicorn, turned, and bucked her in the barrel as hard as he could.  Her enchanted armor saved her life, but several ribs were broken.  The shock made her drop her shield and everyone charged forward, but she teleported once more to the far side of the room to give herself time to recover.  Bathed in the moonlight streaming through the vine-encrusted ruined wall, she seemed to draw strength from it.  A powerful healing spell set to work mending her broken bones, but the others did not wait for her to recover and they began their attacks anew.

Zecora passed another bottle to Irwin with instructions on its use.  The minotaur nodded and hurled it, but Nightmare Moon deflected it away from her with her magic.  However, a direct assault was not intended this time.  Knowing that the alicorn would be on guard against similar previous attacks, the zebra had something sneakier in mind.  As the Nightmare prepared to deal with the approaching stallion, thestral, and griffon, she failed to notice that the nearby vines had started growing.  They rapidly lengthened and thickened, and she only realized that she was under a new attack when the plants started curling around her limbs, immobilizing her. With astonishing speed, they wrapped around her barrel and began constricting her.  With a cry of equal rage and fear, she blasted away at the offending vines until their threat was eliminated.

By this time, the three were almost upon her, but her telekinesis hurled the remains of the plants along with some of the surrounding rubble at them.  Penumbra dodged and hurled her spear but Nightmare Moon deflected it with one armor-clad foreleg.  She prepared to strike back, but her opponents had split up to approach from three different directions.  In the moment that it took her to decide which was the greatest threat, suddenly there were six of them, then nine, then a full dozen!  The alicorn realized that they were illusions, but they were so perfect that she could not tell them apart from the real threats.  She prepared to fire a broad magic beam at them but her spell was disrupted by an agonizing pain in her hind leg.  She found a flower-covered timberwolf cub had sunk its wooden fangs into her limb and she blasted it into pieces.

“Blossom!” Irwin bellowed before hurling his club at the alicorn.

With a frustrated growl, Nightmare Moon threw out a spherical shield that hurled away the real attackers and she teleported away from the confusing fakes.  She appeared by the dried-up fountain with the stone ball decorations and threw up a broad shield between her and the ones who were giving her so much trouble.

Nightmare Moon panted from her exertions while glaring at the half-dozen beings who were already discussing how to renew their attack.  “I see it now – six warriors sent here to recover the Elements to use them against my rightful rule.  I had hoped to use them myself but that path doth seem closed to me.  However, I can stop you from using them against me.”  She lit up her horn.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Big Mac replied.

The alicorn paused and raised an eyebrow.  “How couldst thou not know of the Elements?”

Gilda frowned and said, “You mean the wind, rain, and thunder?”

“Nay, foolish griffon!  I speak not of the weather.”

Zecora said, “Perhaps she means air, water, fire, and earth.  But they are misconceptions of no worth.”

Nightmare Moon looked shocked.  “Are you all truly that ignorant?  You have no knowledge of how my sister bested me?” She laughed malevolently.  “If that is so, you are all doomed to failure. You have fought well, but you cannot defeat me.  In fact, I will not even let you survive to enjoy the reign of the moon.  You will never behold the magnificence of the Lunar Empire as I lead it to glory as is my destiny!”

Big Mac frowned.  “What glory?  What is to be gained by ruling over a dead world?”

Nightmare Moon’s eyes widened and she gaped at the stallion.  “What art thou talking about?”

“If it’s night forever, no plants can grow, we will run out of food, and we will all starve to death.”

“Not just ponies,” said Irwin, “but every creature large and small!”

The alicorn frowned.  “The sun will still travel through the sky, but it will remain eclipsed by my moon.  I shall still allow a tenth of the light through for the poor sun-loving fools and their plants.”

The stallion shook his head.  “I am a farmer and I can tell you that it’s not enough.  Most plants cannot survive with that little light.  Those that do will struggle to grow at all.  Plants only put excess nutrients into their fruit or seeds – malnourished ones have nothing to spare.  We will still starve.  Forget that mad plan, Nightmare Moon.  Release Princess Celestia and be our friend instead.  We really do not want to fight you.”

Nightmare Moon scowled.  “Thou seekest to deceive me, hoping I will stay my hoof.  My magic will sustain this world in spite of thy misgivings.  And my reign will not be put to an end by the Elements of Harmony!” Her horn lit up and she blasted the fountain.  Some of the balls remained intact but the alicorn stomped on them and shattered them.

“You were afraid of rocks?  Are you mad?” Gilda asked.

“Tis no matter what thou thinkest – they are a threat no more.  None of you are either.  I have tarried with you all long enough.  Time to die.”

Big Mac gave a double-buck to the alicorn’s shield but even his immense strength was not enough to break it.  He glared at the evil alicorn as she laughed at his failure.  He stepped back to rejoin his companions.  “My friends and I may not be able to stop you, Nightmare Moon, but others will come and defeat you.  You have just your ambition to drive you, but we have our world, our families, and our friends to defend.  We won’t allow you to succeed.”

“You six won’t be doing anything,” the alicorn declared.

As Nightmare Moon lit up her horn, an unseen wind suddenly blew, lifting the shattered pieces of the Element globes and sending them unhindered by the alicorn’s shield to the six.

“What is this?  What is happening?” Nightmare Moon demanded.  “Is this some new trick?”

The shards split up and whirled around the individuals, lifting them up into the air.  Energy filled them and each tilted their head back and closed their eyes

“NO!  THIS CANNOT BE!”  Nightmare Moon fired her horn at them, but the iridescent energy that surrounded the six deflected the beam.  Again and again, she tried with the same result.

The shards abruptly coalesced into gems set in five necklaces and a crown that settled on the friends and power overwhelmed them.  They felt drawn together by the bonds that had grown between them during their quest. They could now sense the characteristic that made each one special – Gilda’s absolute honesty; Zecora’s unstinting generosity; Irwin’s unfailing kindness; Penumbra’s uncompromising loyalty; Trixie’s need to elicit laughter and joy; and Big Mac’s desire for friendship. All of them knew that they would forever be a part of each other’s lives from this moment.  They also knew that there was one other who needed them.

A burst of rainbow-colored magic erupted from their midst and struck the black alicorn.  Nightmare Moon screamed and felt as if she was being torn apart. Suddenly, something that had been part of her for a millennium was ripped away and the pain stopped.  However, the iridescent assault continued and her feelings were laid bare.  Her hate and jealousy evaporated, and her intentions were revealed as the selfish and dreadful things they truly were.  She could not bear it any longer.

“PLEASE – MAKE IT STOP!”

The rainbow assault ceased and the six settled down to the ground. The alicorn moaned and collapsed onto the floor.

Panting, Gilda said, “What the heck was that all about?”  She reflexively flared her wings, then her eyebrows rose.  “Hey!  My wing and leg are healed!”

Penumbra said, “Now that you mention it, I'm completely fine now too.  How about you, Big… Mac…?”  She stared at the stallion who was approaching their defeated foe, oblivious of the thestral’s consternation.

“Are you okay, Nightmare Moon?” the stallion asked.

The alicorn lifted her head.  “No, not Nightmare Moon.  My name is Luna.  And yes, for the first time in centuries, I believe I am fine.  Better than fine.”  She slowly got up to her hooves and the six could get a good look at her.  Gone were the dark nebulae that had been her mane and tail, replaced by a bright blue that glistened with sparkling stars that contrasted with her velvet-black coat. Her eyes, while retaining the slit pupils, no longer glared evilly.  Instead, they seemed dewy-soft and shy.  Where once was a terrifying creature of malevolence now stood a beautiful and vulnerable mare.





“My thanks to thee, my Prince, and thy true companions for freeing me.”

“I’m no prince,” demurred Big Mac.

“Those wings and horn belie thy statement,” Luna replied.

“What are you talking about?  I don’t have—” His throat choked up as he felt something that should not be there.  He turned to see red-feathered wings that had flared out at Luna’s ridiculous statement.  “I… I… have—” His eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped to the floor in a dead faint.

Luna smiled softly at an old memory. “We did that too.”

“Hey!  What did you do to Big Mac?” Gilda demanded angrily as she stalked up to Luna.

“Peace, griffoness – I did nothing. He has merely passed out from the shock of realization that he has ascended.”

Gilda’s eyebrows rose.  “That can happen?”  She looked him over.  “Gotta admit those wings look great on him.  Really, really great.”  A chuckle from Luna made the griffon realize that she was staring at the stallion rather hungrily.  She hastily averted her eyes, put her talons on his withers, and gave him a shake.  “Hey!  Mac! No time for a nap.”

Big Mac groaned but did not open his eyes.  “Tell me I’m hallucinating.”

“No such luck.  You’re a sparkling-brand-new alicorn, dude.”

“Nope!” the stallion said with another groan.  He put his forelegs over his head as if the truth would go away if only he didn’t look. He flinched at the feel of the new appendage growing from his forehead but stubbornly refused to accept it.

“Trixie assures you that you do have wings and a horn,” the unicorn said as she joined them.  “Although she wonders why she did not get wings too.”

“Harmony has its reasons,” Luna said. “I am just ecstatic that it brought you six together to free me from my foolish mistake.  Although calling it a mere mistake grossly understates the seriousness and tragedy of its consequences.”  Luna hung her head low.  “How many ponies died because I succumbed to my jealousy and hate?”

Penumbra said, “If you are truly repentant, then you will end the night and release Princess Celestia.  She will decide your fate.”

Luna looked up at Penumbra.  “I never expected to meet a thestral so unwaveringly loyal to the Princess of the Day.  Fear not, warrior, my sister hath been released already and brings the sun even as we speak.”

Indeed, dawn was breaking, rapidly brightening the ruins.  With the moonlight no longer needed, Luna’s horn lit up and the orb rapidly set.  It had barely gone when the sun was briefly eclipsed by another alicorn.  Princess Celestia was glowing with her power, awing the onlookers, but the alicorn only had eyes for her sibling.

“Your mane and tail… it is you!”  Rushing up to the dark alicorn, Celestia flung her forelegs around her.  “Oh, Luna!  How I have longed for this day!  Welcome back, sister!  I hope that you can forgive me for banishing you to the moon so long ago.”

Luna hugged her sister back.  “There is nothing to forgive.  I allowed myself to be seduced by the Nightmare and turned against thee and anypony who would choose the day over my night.”

“But it was my pride and neglect that led to your loneliness and jealousy.  I was such a poor sister to you.”

“And I should not have bottled my feelings up inside to fester and corrupt me.  Had I but made you listen, mayhap none of what happened would have come to pass.”

“But I am still at fault,” Celestia protested.  “I misused the Elements of Harmony and trapped you in the Nightmare instead of cleansing you.  I spent centuries trying to undo that mistake.  As I was no longer able to wield the Elements, I had to find new potential Bearers.  Thankfully, I did, and we both owe them more than we can ever repay.”  Celestia released Luna from the hug and turned to face the others who had all approached the sisters.  Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.  “Who in Faust’s Name…?”  She blinked for a moment before shaking herself and recovering her composure.  “Uh… although these were not the ponies that I had arrang— that I had expected.  May I ask who you wonderful heroes are?”

Gilda laughed.  “Talk about oblivious!”

Penumbra glared at the griffon then faced the princess.  Before she could say a word, a small sound emanated from across the room, getting louder as it grew closer.  The final few twigs coalesced into a flowery timberwolf cub as it bounded across the rubble-strewn floor.

“Blossom!  You’re okay!”  Irwin sank to one knee and scooped up the tiny creature which had his full attention as it barked and licked the minotaur.

Penumbra rolled her eyes before turning back to Celestia and saluting smartly.  “Corporal Penumbra of the Royal Guard, Your Highness. My companions are Gilda, Zecora, Irwin Goodall, Trixie—”

“The Amazing Trixie,” the unicorn corrected.

Celestia chuckled.  “I remember you from our lessons, Ms. Lulamoon.  I believe you have done well for yourself in your career, not to mention in this endeavor.  And who is the pegasus on the floor?”

Gilda snorted as she restrained a laugh. “That’s no pegasus.  Hey, Mac!  Time to accept reality and rejoin us.”

The stallion sighed.  “I suppose I gotta.”  He uncovered his head and got up on his hooves.  He found himself almost at eye-level with the gobsmacked white alicorn and he bowed nearly poking out her eye with his new horn.  “Macintosh Apple at your service, Your Highness.”





Celestia gaped even more than previously.  “An alicorn stallion?  Where did you come from?”

“Right here, ma’am.  I was an earth pony right up until all that magic happened.”

Penumbra said, “It’s true, Princess. Big Mac only just transformed when we used these things on Luna.”  She tapped the necklace she was wearing.

“Oh, my!  It seems Harmony has had plans of its own.  This must come as a big shock to you, Mr. Macintosh.  I’ll have to have my niece, Cadance, have a talk with you.  She will help give you insight into what it will be like now that you’re a prince.”

Big Mac’s eyes widened and he shook his head.  “Nope, nope, nope!  I’m no prince.  I didn’t even want these things!”

Celestia glanced over to her sister and Luna nodded, understanding what her sibling was thinking.  “What we want and what we need to do are often two entirely different things.  Luna and I had no ambition for leadership before we ascended, but ponies turned to us for it anyway.  But I will not press you about it for now.  There will be time for that later after we celebrate the return of my sister.”

Penumbra said, “We may have to deal with Nightmare Moon’s deeds first, Your Highness.”

Celestia frowned.  “Luna – did…?”

“I deeply regret that ponies died this past night,” the Alicorn of the Moon confessed with her head averted in shame.

“Oh, sister….  You have many wrongs to right, but I will be there for you this time, I promise.”

“I will accept the consequences of my actions, Tia.  But, I thank thee.”

Celestia nodded.  “I think we had better head off to Canterlot.  I will—”

“This is where I heard the sounds coming from!” a brash voice came from beyond the shattered doors.  A moment later, a blue pegasus zoomed into the room. “They’re over here!”

“Rainbow Dash?  What are you doing here?” Gilda asked.

“That egghead that the princess sent — oh.  Hi, Princess! Good to see you back.  I told Twi she had nothing to worry about. Wait!  Is that Nightmare Moon?”

“That’s Princess Luna, Princess Celestia’s sister,” the griffon informed her.

“Celestia has a sister?  Next, you’re going to tell me this red guy is her brother.”

“N-nope,” Big Mac said.

Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened into saucers and her wings stopped flapping.  She came down to the floor with a thud and her jaw kept dropping. “Big Mac?”

“E-yup.”

“Princess Big Mac?”  The pegasus snorted before she burst out laughing, rolling on the floor in hysterics.

“Not that funny,” Big Mac complained.

Before anyone could say more, five more ponies entered the room.  In the lead was Twilight Sparkle who immediately spotted Celestia and rushed up to her.

“Princess!  You’re okay!  I hoped as much when the sun came up.”

“Yes, my dear student.  These fine heroes defeated Nightmare Moon and freed my sister.  I see that you made some friends as I asked you to do.”

“I could not have made it this far without their help.  Let me introduce you.  You have already met Rainbow Dash.  These are Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy.  They wanted to help me find the Elements of Harmony so that we could defeat Nightmare Moon, but I gather that we were beaten to the punch.” Twilight faced the dark alicorn.  “I believe that you are Luna, Princess Celestia’s sister, correct?”  At Luna’s nod, Twilight continued.  “Welcome back, Princess.”  She then turned to Big Mac.  “However, I do not know who you are, sir.  In fact, I have never even heard of an alicorn stallion before.”

“You met me at Sweet Apple Acres yesterday.  I’m Big Mac.”

Applejack said, “Yep, that’s my brother alright.  Usually not this much of a show-off.”

Rarity smiled.  “Darling, the rubies are a nice touch, but you really must upscale your accessories beyond practical farm gear.”

For her part, Fluttershy peeked out from behind Irwin and looked the red stallion up and down.

Twilight’s mouth made an ‘O’ in surprise before it morphed into a broad grin.  “You ascended? You must tell me all about it!  How did it happen?  Did you do some great magic?  Were the Elements of Harmony involved?  Is that one you’re wearing?  I have to run a comprehensive series of tests on you!  Are you—”

“Twilight!” Celestia interrupted.  There will be time for that later.  There is much to be done first.”

“Starting with your surrender!” came a loud voice from above.

Unnoticed until now, several thestrals had flown in on silent wings and had perched on the roofing beams.  Many more thestrals were pouring into the room through the damaged section.  The largest spread his wings wide and bared his fangs.  “Nightmare Moon, we, your loyal servants, have come to aid in your defeat of the Sun Tyrant.  Command us and we will deal with these lesser creatures!”

“Uh-oh.  Somepony’s late to the party,” Pinkie Pie said.


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