Chapter Eleven: The Elements are Awakened, The Nightmare is Purged! A New Threat Approaches from Deep Space!
The impact sent shockwaves through Bage's body as he gasped for air, the pain in his chest intensifying. Nightmare Moon withdrew her horn, leaving him stumbling backward, blood staining his saiyan armor. Despite the pain, Bage gritted his teeth and refused to give in. As he struggled to stand, Nightmare Moon circled him, her eyes filled with a mixture of triumph and malice. "Your defiance means nothing, saiyan. The eternal night is inevitable, and you are nothing more than a fleeting obstacle." Bage's mind raced, searching for a way to reach Luna buried within Nightmare Moon. He couldn't fight her head-on; Not with such a grievous wound. Instead, he needed to buy time for Twilight to activate the elements.
"I won't let you win," Bage growled, determination burning in his eyes. "Luna, I know you can hear me! You have to fight the Nightmare's influence! Eternal night isn't the answer, it will just make ponies despise it more!"
Nightmare Moon laughed mockingly, her voice echoing through the darkened chamber. "Pathetic. Your words are meaningless, saiyan. Luna is lost, and you will be the first to witness the eternal night." Bage coughed, the pain in his chest worsening with every passing moment. It was becoming harder to breathe, but he couldn't let Twilight and the others down. "With you out of my way, and Celestia dealt with, there is nothing that stands in my way!" Bage glanced over at Twilight and saw that she was panting in exertion. Her magic wasn't enough to activate the elements. They needed something else, or rather, somepony else. Just as he came to that realization, Nightmare Moon looked over and saw the lack of progress Twilight had made. "HMhmhm, It seems that you lack a certain spark, filly. How foolish of you to think that you could stop ME! I am Nightmare Moon, the true queen of the Night!" As she said this, she teleported over to the elements and brought her front hooves crashing down, shattering the stone orbs right in front of Twilight. As she stared in horror and despair at the destroyed elements, Nightmare Moon let out a wicked cackle. "Your precious Elements are gone! I have won, and the Night will last forever! MUAHAHAHA!" Bage grit his teeth in frustration, bringing himself to a standing position, and he heard the voices of Twilight's friends approaching the tower, a grin spreading across his features.
"That's where you're wrong, Nightmare! The elements aren't gone, they're just a bit late to the party!" Bage called out, causing Twilight to bring her head up, and she heard the voices of her friends calling out to her, giving her hope and reassurance. Her eyes went wide, and a rainbow sheen flashed across them.
"He's right, Nightmare Moon! The elements aren't gone, they were right here the whole time! 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! The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us." As Twilight called out each of her friends' names, the shards of the broken elements flew up and formed gold necklaces, latching around each of their necks.
Nightmare Moon stared in shock before a twisted scowl twisted her features. "NO! I WILL NOT BE SENT BACK! ESPECIALLY NOT BY A FILLY AND HER PATHETIC FRIENDS!" She lit her horn preparing to launch a devastating spell at Twilight. Bage pushed himself forward, despite his wound, and grabbed hold of Nightmare's horn, canceling the magic. "WHAT?! LET GO OF ME, YOU WRETCH!"
Bage just grinned, wrapping his other arm around her and pinning her wings in place. "Not a chance, I won't let you hurt them." Nightmare struggled against his grip, growling and trying to kick him, but the angle was too awkward.
"You FOOL! You'll be banished along with me! We'll be stuck on the moon forever!" Bage just grinned, chuckling.
"Somehow I doubt that. Twilight wouldn't banish me, no matter how much I aggravate her." Nightmare Moon stared in a panic at the charging elements, trying desperately to free herself.
"They still don't have the sixth Element! The spark didn't work!" Twilight shook her head, a glow appearing above her head.
"But it did! A different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear my friends, to see them, how much I cared about them. The spark ignited inside me when I realized that all of them were my friends! You see, Nightmare Moon, 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!" In a burst of light, a tiara with a six-pointed star gem flashed into existence, settling onto Twilight's head. Nightmare Moon redoubled her efforts to break free from Bage's grip, thrashing and screaming. As the elements unleashed a massive rainbow beam, she could only watch in horror at her rapidly approaching defeat.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" As the beam crashed down on top of them, Bage felt a burning sensation flow through his body, and his mind. He felt the wound in his chest heal, and it seemed like a weight lifted off of his shoulders. A voice seemed to whisper in his ear, barely audible over the roar of the elements.
"You are worthy, young saiyan. May your power continue to aid in protecting Equestria. We give you the blessing of Harmony." He couldn't quite hear what the voice was saying, but as the burning was replaced by a gentle warmth, he lost consciousness.
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Bage woke up later, feeling groggy on the uncomfortable stone floor of the old castle. Sitting up, he noticed Twilight and her friends also waking up with groans. Looking down, he saw an unconscious alicorn with a crescent moon cutie mark on her flank against an inky black backdrop."Luna." She was lying there with her mane no longer resembling a night sky but instead laying flat and slightly disheveled, now a light blue color. He looked outside and saw that the sun had risen, so he sensed for Celestia's energy. 'It looks like she's back in Canterlot, probably checking up on Sunset.' Celestia's energy suddenly moved, to right outside the castle. A blinding, brilliant light flooded the room as Celestia appeared, drifting down through the collapsed roof.
"Princess Celestia!" Twilight ran up to her mentor, wrapping her in a hug. Celestia gave a warm, yet tired smile.
"Well done, Twilight. I knew you could do it." Bage got to his feet, walking up to Celestia. "I should also extend the same gratitude to you, Bage. Thank you fo-?" Celestia was cut off as Bage pulled her into a one-armed hug, his cheeks flushing as he struggled to keep his face neutral. "Well, this is unexpected, you're normally not one for such displays of affection." Bage pulled away, crossing his arms and turning around.
"Well, it's just... I felt your energy disappear before Nightmare Moon showed up, and I thought you were dead. SO I'm just, you know, relieved. That you aren't dead. So, yeah." Bage felt his cheeks heat up even more as Twilight and her friends started laughing. "HEY SHUT UP! SHE PRACTICALLY RAISED ME SINCE I WAS 12, OF COURSE, I WAS GOING TO BE CONCERNED!" Bage yelled, but the laughter continued. Celestia smiled, before turning her attention to the other individual in the room.
"Luna, my dearest sister. It's been a thousand years since I've seen you last. I believe we are long overdue to rekindle our friendship." Luna stirred, her eyes cracking open. When she saw Celestia, she scrambled to her hooves, keeping herself low to the ground. "Please, Luna, do not be afraid of me. I want only to make amends." Luna looked up at Celestia, seeing the kind and gentle smile, and pleading eyes. She threw herself at Celestia, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm so sorry big sister, please forgive me!" Luna wept into Celestia's fur, as the two sisters enjoyed their very tearful reunion. Twilight walked up to Bage, clearing her throat.
"Bage, I have a question. When we were first traveling to Ponyville, I asked you if you had heard of Nightmare Moon, and you told me you'd read a little about it. But when you were fighting her just now, you called her 'Luna' as if you already knew who she was before. So how did you know she was Luna before we did? And more importantly, how did you find out about her?" Bage didn't respond at first, choosing instead to continue to watch Celestia and Luna as they consoled each other. "BAGE!" He jerked his head around, seeing Twilight's annoyed face, and he sighed.
"Look, when we get back to Canterlot, I'll show you, but right now isn't the best time. Just, trust me." Twilight frowned but didn't press further. Celestia stood up, helping Luna to her hooves.
"I think it's best if we head back to Ponyville. The Everfree isn't the best place to be, even during the day." Bage suddenly felt a weight on his neck, and he craned his head around to see that Pinkie Pie had hopped onto his shoulders.
"How did you...?"
"You know what this calls for?! A PARTY!" Bage cringed as she practically shouted right in his ear.
"AAGH! PINKIE!" Pinkie grinned sheepishly.
"EHehe, sorry Bage."
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Bage was honestly surprised with how quickly Pinkie Pie could throw together a party. Even more so when he saw that she had a banner already made that said 'Welcome back to Equestria, Princess Luna!'. "How did you have that made already? You just found out her name a little bit ago." Pinkie just laughed.
"Silly Bage, I just read ahead!" Bage felt another headache coming on and decided to just stop questioning her. "That's probably for the best, Bage."
"Ok, how the hell?!"
Meanwhile, Twilight was standing off to the side, looking down at the ground and frowning. Celestia noticed this, walking up to her student and sitting down next to her. "What's the matter Twilight? Are you not happy to return to Canterlot to continue your studies?" Twilight looked up at her.
"That's the thing, though, now that I know what it's like to have friends, I have to leave them." Bage raised an eyebrow at that.
"Didn't you have a couple of unicorns that hung out with you in Canterlot?" Celestia gave him a look, that basically said 'Now isn't the time', and wrapped her wing around Twilight.
"Then we shall remedy that, right now. Spike, take a note: I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the unicorn Twilight Sparkle shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue to study the magic of friendship. She must report to me her findings from her new home in Ponyville." Twilight's face lit up.
"Oh, thank you so much Princess! I'll make sure to study harder than I ever have!" Bage rolled his eyes and smiled.
"Don't think I forgot about you, Bage. In addition, Bage shall also stay in Ponyville, as well as report to me his own findings." Bage's face fell.
"Oh, come on! I told Sunset and Tho- Free Breeze that I'd be back today! Besides, I still need to get Sunset back for throwing that watermelon at me!" Celestia gave a small smile, but her eyes told a different story: 'You're staying in Ponyville with Twilight, even if I have to magically restrain you, and confine you to this town's borders.' Bage opened his mouth to argue, but a voice in his head told him it wasn't a good idea, so he closed it and crossed his arms.
"Then it's settled. I hope you both enjoy your stay in Ponyville. Now, if you'll excuse me, Luna and I must return to Canterlot so she can get settled in." Bage watched as the both of them boarded a chariot, and left.
"Isn't this exciting? Are you excited cause I'm excited I've never been so excited, well, except for the time that I went GHUH but I mean really-" Bage clamped Pinkie's mouth shut with his hand.
"Not now Pinkie. I need to pay a quick visit." Pinkie pulled her mouth free, taking a deep breath.
"You mean you have to go see Sunset?" Bage just gave her a look and took off for Canterlot.
"Yep, I thought so. Boy, is she gonna be mad." Rainbow Dash gave her a confused look.
"Pinkie who are you talking to?"
"Oh, no one important. OOh, that reminds me, I've gotta go replenish my emergency party supplies! This one cleaned me out!" She sped off, leaving a pink dust trail.
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Bage landed in Canterlot just before Celestia and Luna's chariot touched down. Just as he was about to check on Sunset's well-being, something crashed into him, sending him sprawling on the ground. Looking up, he found Thorax on top of him, looking both worried and embarrassed. Sunset followed closely behind, glaring at Bage, but there was a hint of relief in her expression.
"Good to see you're not six feet under, Hot Head," Bage said, getting up with Thorax still clinging to him. He walked over to Sunset. "I wanted to beat Celestia here because I know she's going to be tight-lipped about everything. She's got me and Twilight stationed in Ponyville for who knows how long. Blame Twilight for that. Anyway, I need you to keep an eye on things here, just in case stuff goes down when I'm not around. I'll drop by for training every now and then. By the way, I sensed you tried to take on Nightmare Moon solo. How'd that play out?" Sunset gestured to her injuries.
"How do you think, numbskull?"
"Yeah, figured. I hope you made it difficult for her, though." Sunset chuckled, giving a half-smile.
"Somewhat. She pulled a magic trick and got a cheap shot in. And you? How did you fare against her? The sun's back, so I'm guessing not too shabby." Bage gave a nervous laugh, rubbing his neck.
"Yeah, about that. She stabbed me in the chest with her horn, then got blasted by the elements of harmony. I mostly just threw her through a building," Bage muttered. Sunset shook her head and swatted his arm.
"You moron. How did she manage that?"
"She cheated and caught me off guard. But it's fine; I held her in place while the elements did their thing. They're the reason I'm not leaking right now."
Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Elements of Harmony, huh? I thought those were just an old mare's tale."
Bage nodded. "Apparently not. Twilight and her friends are the bearers of the Elements. Sounds like a fairy tale ending, doesn't it?"
Sunset smirked. "Bage, you live in a world of magic-talking ponies. Everything is a fairytale. So, you're leaving me in charge of Canterlot's safety? Big shoes to fill, Mr. Saiyan. How do I know you're not just dodging responsibility to chill in Ponyville?"
Bage scratched his head. "Well, it's not really my call; Celestia was pretty insistent. Plus, Twilight's stuck in Ponyville too. Celestia wants us to 'report on our findings about friendship.' I can't wriggle out of it. Think you can handle things here?"
Sunset rolled her eyes. "I'm not a rookie. I've got it covered. But you owe me, Monkey Boy. I won't let you escape to Ponyville and forget about me. We're meeting up for training at least once a week, deal?"
Bage grinned. "Deal. But for now, I'm counting on you. I'll be back for updates and training. Take care of Canterlot, Sunset."
As Bage turned to leave, he glanced down at Thorax, still clinging to him. "You know, you could let go now. I'm not vanishing into thin air."
Thorax blushed and quickly released Bage. "Sorry about that. I just... I was really worried."
Sunset smirked. "Worried about Bage? I don't think you should be concerned; he can handle himself. For now, I think I need to step up my training routine."
"You better. I don't want to come back to Canterlot and find you slacking off," Bage remarked.
Sunset glared at him, but there was a friendly smile beneath it. "You act like I'm a recluse like Twilight." Bage shot her a knowing look.
"Before we started training, you were practically nocturnal and more of a hermit than Twilight. You made her look like a social butterfly." Sunset flushed red, slapping Bage's arm, which made him laugh. "Alright, I've gotta get back to Ponyville before Celestia gives me a lecture. Just remember, I'm a quick flight away if you ever want to spar." With a wave, he took off just before the royal chariot landed nearby.
"I swear, if he wasn't so lovable, I'd roast him," Sunset said, turning to Thorax, who was miming speechless surprise. "So, what was that about? You latched onto him like your life depended on it."
"Oh, that? Well, after Nightmare Moon said she was headed to Ponyville, I was worried Bage might get hurt. So when he showed up unscathed, I was just relieved to see him," Thorax explained.
"Really? He's not exactly a pushover. Like I said, he can take care of himself. Even a stab to the chest couldn't kill him," Sunset replied, raising an eyebrow. Thorax smiled but didn't say anything.
"I know, but he's the only one who gave me a chance, not just calling me a monster because of what I am. He spared me during the invasion and even stood up for me to the captain of the guard!" Sunset patted Thorax on the shoulder, laughing.
"Yeah, if Bage has anything, it's guts. Guts to tell Shining Armor off, guts to spare Chrysalis. I'm surprised he's still alive, to be honest." Sunset sat down as Celestia's personal chariot touched down a distance away. "Did Celestia bring someone back with her?" As Celestia stepped out of the chariot, she helped another pony out, another alicorn. "Oh great, now there's three?" Celestia led the second alicorn over to where Sunset was sitting, giving her a warm smile.
"Sunset, good to see you up and about. I'd like you to meet my sister, Luna." Sunset's eyes nearly popped out of her skull.
"Wait, wait, sister? Since when did you have a sister?" Celestia's smile grew a little wider.
"Oh, I figured Bage would have told you. Luna is who Nightmare Moon was before her banishment a thousand years ago." Celestia said as if it was obvious. Sunset's eye twitched.
"BAAAAAAAAGE!"
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As Bage touched down in Ponyville, he noticed that Pinkie's party was still in full swing, but he was about ready to collapse, so he opted to head to the library to finally get some sleep after what had to have been the world's longest night. Although, he couldn't help but feel that he was forgetting something. "Eh, it probably wasn't important. Besides, I'm way too tired to worry about anything else right now." With the sun inching its way across the horizon, and the threat of Nightmare Moon behind him, Bage had a feeling he wouldn't have anything else to worry about for a while.
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Deep Space, Planet Chortis orbit
Frieza sighed with boredom, as he looked out upon his latest conquest. The Chortisans had been quite the troublesome bunch for some time, but with Zarbon and Dodoria sent to take care of things, they had quickly fallen in line. His only problem now was dealing with the aftermath, and that was never an enjoyable experience. "If only something new could present itself. It could even be a new uncharted planet for all I care, just as long as something breaks this monotony." He heard the door behind him hiss open, and he turned to see one of his saiyans enter. "AH, Shiso, thank goodness. I've been needing some entertainment. I hope you have something good for me?" Shiso did her best not to scowl, kneeling before the petulant tyrant.
"Yes, Lord Frieza, we've got one of our deep space scans back, and it seems we've discovered a new planet. I felt you might want to look into it personally." Shiso held out a datapad, her mind filling with all the ways she could make him feel as much pain as possible. Frieza 'hmmm'ed and 'huh'ed as he read the scan report.
"I hardly see how this is worthy of my attention, this planet has a barely registerable power signature. I'll send Dryce to deal with it, I'm sure he would enjoy the time away from the mines." Shiso glanced up at Frieza, seeing his back was turned.
"Dryce, Lord Frieza? Do you need me to go with him, to keep him in line? You know how he gets if he has free reign." Frieza gave a dry chuckle.
"OH HO HO, no Shiso, this is isn't a matter that requires your expertise. Dryce will do fine on his own. And if he goes out of control and blows up the planet, it's no big loss. For now, I have a different mission for you. I want you to head to one of my outposts, on the farther side of the galaxy. Recently our method of communication with it has gone dark, so I want you to investigate the matter. Your skills should prove perfect for this." Shiso furrowed her brow, wanting to protest but knowing it was pointless.
"Yes, Lord Frieza, I'll head out right away." She stood up and turned to leave when Frieza called out to her.
"Oh, by the way, I had a question to ask of you. Do you happen to know of a saiyan called, 'Bage'?" Shiso's eyes went wide.
"Yes, he's my brother. Why do you ask?" Frieza waved his hand.
"Oh, no particular reason, it's just, that a space pod that was seen leaving Planet Vegeta had an occupant whose power level closely matched his, so I wanted to make you aware, that he may have escaped the asteroid that killed your people. If you impress me on this mission, I will let you go out and search for him, as a gesture of goodwill. A reward, of sorts." Frieza gave another dry chuckle.
"Yes, Lord Frieza, I understand." Shiso walked briskly out of the room, her mind running wild. 'Bage is alive? I still have a family member out there?' If Bage was alive, and she could find him, she might have a shot at killing that bastard Frieza, and she could finally tell the prince where he could shove his ego. "All I need to do is find you, Bage. I just hope you remember me."
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Dryce's scouter beeped with an incoming call. "A mission to a new planet, you say? And free reign to do as I please? You spoil me, Lord Frieza. Yes, of course, I'll leave right away. I'll deliver that planet to you, ready for reselling. You can count on me." Dryce cut the call off and muted his scouter. He mimed throwing up and relayed a few orders to the soldiers under his command, the scarce few that Frieza had given him. "Prep the ship for takeoff, we have some fun to get to." Dryce gave a sadistic grin, revealing his razor-sharp, bloodstained teeth. "And fresh meat to tear into." He gave a dark, sadistic laugh as he made his way to his ship, his mind alight with all the things he was going to do when he got to his destination.