"I am telling you this is a golden opportunity. She is weakened and vulnerable; if we act now, then she will be ours!"
"And I am telling you, young lord, that it is still too soon. The piece is not yet stabilized and would be useless to us in combat."
Prince Blueblood tried to keep the vexation off of his face while he contemplated the sweet-sounding voice's words. After an appropriate period of silence, he addressed his empty chambers once more, "That does not matter; using it in combat has always been a last resort. And with the way my Aunt has been acting these past few days, it has become increasingly unlikely we will need it."
"But still..."
"But nothing," Blueblood interrupted, "we never truly needed its skills anyways. All I strictly need is the pretext its presence afforded me. If we deploy it now, our victory will be assured."
Just when Blueblood started to think he might have overreached himself on his ally's pride, he heard a soft sigh from the empty air. "Ah, it is as you say. So be it -- the preparations will begin immediately. Be warned, it will still require a day, at least, before it is dispatched."
Blueblood was positively beaming, "EXCELLENT! I shall have my part ready as well. Soon we shall both have our desires."
**************
'Faster,' Rainbow Dash thought as she streaked over the tree tops. 'Must...fly...faster.'
Glancing over her shoulder, she eyed the remaining members of the Night Guard flight following her. While some seemed to be having trouble matching her speed, the others were able to hold their positions several yards back.
'Come on!' She begged her wings as she faced forwards once more and flapped even harder. 'I can't let them beat me!'
Finally, she could see the edge of the Everfree Forest come in to view and realized that maybe, just maybe, she would make it in time after all.
"FLUTTERSHY!"
**************
Humming a tuneless melody, Fluttershy was enjoying herself in one of her favorite activities, rising with the sun and caring for her various animal friends.
"Hello girls," she quietly spoke upon entering her chickens coop, "and how are we doing today?" In response, the chickens crowded around her and began clucking loudly. "Yes, yes, I know you're hungry. Just give mama time to clean out the coop and I'll fill up the feeder with lots of fresh corn. How does that sound?" As she gave action to her words, her thoughts slowly began to wander, and she soon found herself thinking about her friends.
'It seems like forever since I've even seen them. First Twilight disappears and Pinkie is determined to find her in the forest. Then Applejack inherits the family business which Rainbow Dash seems to be helping with ever since the Crusaders collapsed. Now even Rarity has become hard to find as she is hardly ever in her shop anymore. I do hope we can get together again soon. I really do miss them.'
As she finished cleaning out the chicken house, she paused to listen to a noise on the breeze. "Howls? But it isn't time for any Zap Apple harvest, at least I don't think it is."
But Fluttershy was given no time to think; a maddened pack of Timberwolves bounded out from the Everfree forest. Worse still, they were now running... straight towards her! A whole pack of them just materialized from the Everfree's edge and she was so paralyzed with fear that she can only watch as them rush towards her with a menacing look in their eyes.
Just when they reached the edge of her property and are nearly on top of her, she heard a shout ring out, "FLUTTERSHY!"
WHAM!
Suddenly Rainbow Dash is there, wearing some form of gray armor, slammed into the pack leader and tumbled him to the ground. As the cyan pegasus springs back to her hooves, other pegasi wearing the same style of armor slam into the remaining wolves and coming to stand between Fluttershy and them.
"Hold them! Hold them back!" Dash calls out to the others, "don't let them near any of the animals!" Glancing over her shoulder she shouts back, "Fluttershy! Don't just stand there! Get yourself off the ground!"
Fluttershy is just able to let out a small "eep" as she launches herself into the air and hovers over the scene. Once she saw her friend airborne, Rainbow Dash faced forward again and gave the pack leader the biggest glare she could muster and flexed her wings menacingly, "Alright big boy, if you still want to tussle, let's go. You'd better be ready though, we ain't no pushovers."
A few of the pack members seemed to hesitate at the appearance of the unexpected reinforcements. They glanced nervously at the gray armor and sharp blades attached to each pegasus wing, but a sudden growl from the pack leader seemed to stiffen their resolve and they all crouched low, ready to spring.
"OK," Dash replies noting the new posture, "let's do this!" She shouts out as both sides lunge towards each other.
***************
"Where did I go wrong?" Luna lamented to herself, "When did it turn so wrong?"
As the afternoon sun slowly made its way across the sky, Luna laid curled up on her bed, replaying the past few months over and over again in her mind. She could trace every step, see every decision clearly, even recall her exact thoughts with each pivotal move, and she still could not pin point the moment when she had lost control. Obviously, the loss of Twilight Sparkle was undesired, but she had compensated and was well underway to gathering the remaining element wielders to her side. Even if the thought of Rarity still made her head hurt, it seemed but a price to pay.
But now all that work was ruined - destroyed by her own momentary weakness. Nightmare Moon was loose once more, using the bodies of three young fillies that Luna herself had incapacitated. Crushed, Luna had locked herself in her chambers within the castle, telling her concerned staff only that she wished to not be disturbed by anypony, and that Celestia needed to resume control of the moon once more.
"Some Princess I've turned out to be. Too fearful to admit my mistakes to my sister, and too weak to correct them myself."
Gradually, Luna became aware of a glow which permeated her room. It pulsed and flickered in an-eye catching display, drawing her eyes to the viewing orbs mounted on the wall. "Again? Why can they not understand I wish to be left to myself?" she sighed as she rolled away from the light. "No matter; it will pass just as it always does."
This time, however, she was proven wrong. The viewing orb had continued to blink for the last several minutes, and the light was starting to give her a headache. With a soft sigh, Luna levitated the orb from its resting place and placed it on the bed in front of her. "What is it?" she moaned, "What do you want?"
"Well finally! I was beginnin' to think this here ball was busted," The face said before it had finished forming.
"Applejack?" Luna asked surprised, "How did you get a hold of the Lieutenant's orb?"
"Well that's easy, he done gave it to me. Said something about maybe me being able to buck some sense back into you." Applejack offered up with a small grin.
"Did he now? I think I shall have to reprimand him for this."
"Well, I don't think he's too worried about that, since you'd have to get off of your flank to do it. Now how 'bout you try explainin' to me what in tarnation you think you're doin' just moping around like this?"
Luna turned her head away from the orb. "Is it not obvious? I am contemplating my errors and my boundless failure. I do not know of any other way to have betrayed my trusts so thoroughly."
"Oh Cider Spit," Applejack instantly shot back, "I know of a perfectly good way to be doin' that, just stay right there feelin' sorry for yerself!"
"What could you expect of me Applejack? I lost. How do you expect me to prevail now that Nightmare Moon is loose again?"
"Is that what's got your tail all bunched up? Listen here, this war is going to go down no matter what happens to you, so I suggest you get your kester in gear and get on down here and help!"
"It is of no use Applejack. I could not resist her a thousand years ago, so what makes you think I could resist her now?"
"Because this time you got yourself some friends!" Applejack shouted through the orb, "I swear, if you were in front of me right now I'd buck you so hard that that sorta thinking would be knocked clean out of your head!"
"But, I..."
"But nothin'. Luna Nos Custodit, remember? You watch over us, or have you forgotten?"
"No, I..."Luna tried to say.
"Well then get yourself on over to Fluttershy's cottage and pronto! Some of your soldiers are down and could use the help."
Upon hearing of the state of her warriors, Luna found herself shocked into motion towards her balconies door. Her shame grew as she thought of how she had disgraced her soldiers, but a new sense of pride began to grow as well. "What happened to them?" She asked as she unlatched the doorway and sampled the afternoon winds.
Applejack cracked a dry smile when she saw that the princess was finally moving. "It seems somepony is marshaling forces inside the Everfree Forest and made a move against Fluttershy. Now I don't suppose you have any ideas on who this could be do you?"
*************
As Luna descended, the evening sun illuminated some very interesting scenery. One side of Fluttershy's yard was torn and gouged from a confrontation that had taken place. She could also make out the remains of some chicken wire and a wooden building, which had some odd sticks pocking out, but other than that the damage was remarkably well contained. Her warriors had been able to keep their foes at bay and saved the rest of the property from harm. These thoughts called back to her a small amount of her lost pride, and brought a faint smile to her face.
As she landed in front of the door and knocked, Luna could not help but remember the last time she had visited here. She hoped it would be a better reception this time. When she saw not a pale golden coat, but a rainbow colored mane instead as the door was opened, it seemed her hope was answered.
"Ha, it's about time you got yourself out here," Rainbow Dash said as she let the princess into the cottage, "I was beginning to think you had chickened out on us."
"I am sorry to have worried you," Luna apologized as she passed by. "Now, I have heard that some of my warriors were injured, and I would like to see them?" Looking around the interior of the cottage she could see her forces now. The other members of Rainbow's flight were scattered around the room, bandaged and resting with their injuries, while Fluttershy was busy going back and forth between them and tending to them. Upon seeing their princess enter though, they all came upright at their best speed.
"Majesty," the Night Guard Lieutenant said while giving a strained bow, "you honor us with your presence."
"No," Luna returned with a nod, "it is your actions which have brought honor to us all. Please, rest yourselves, and tell me what happened." Even as the other members of the flight resumed their places on the floor, Luna could see that the
Lieutenant planned to stay standing.
"We have been conducting patrols through the Everfree Forest trying to find Nightmare Moon's location ever since we heard of her escape. Over the last several days we began to notice the tracks of various forest creatures outside of their normal territories. We believe that Nightmare Moon has been gathering a large number of them under her control and will attempt to use them as her main attack force. On our most recent patrol, we came across the trail of a Timberwolf pack traveling at hurried pace, and upon following the trail we determined that they were headed here, to Ms. Fluttershy's cottage. At this point we did not bother with any further caution and made our way here at top speed. We intercepted the pack just before they were able to harm Ms. Fluttershy. The results are what you see here. In exchange for our injuries we routed them and drove them back into the Everfree Forest. The remains of the pack leader and several others are contained within the collapsed chicken coop outside and the remaining members fled. End of report Majesty."
"A well-detailed report as always, Lieutenant. Now let yourself get some rest, or I shall have to order you to," Luna said as she noticed the strain her Guardpony was exhibiting in order to remain upright.
With a final, "Majesty," as he returned to the floor, Fluttershy came around and hesitantly approached the Princess.
"Oh yes, they were all so brave and gallant. Why, I don't think any of them would have been seriously hurt if they hadn't been protecting the other animals. I am, um, really sorry about that." Fluttershy said as her voice slowly faded in an apology.
"Do not worry Fluttershy, it is what they expect of themselves and each other."
"What the hay," Rainbow Dash grumbled from her place by the door, "you make it sound like we could have died for all you care."
"On the contrary Rainbow Dash. I would have been most displeased if any of my subjects had perished. Here, they did their jobs as they were trained and are to be praised for their success. Tell me though, when do we expect to be able to provide reinforcements to this area?"
Turning her head up at the question and hearing the sound of many hooves running up towards the cottage, Rainbow Dash simply replied, "Oh, right about now I guess," as she opened the door to admit some more of their friends.
"Oh Fluttershy, darling, you are not hurt, are you?" Rarity exclaimed as she burst in and began looking her friend over.
"Oh no, I'm fine Rarity. It was the Night Guards who got hurt trying to protect me."
"See there? I told ya all she was fine. It would take a lot more than some puffed up puppies in order to break through Dash's group," Applejack threw out as she entered the room. "Well howdy there," she nodded to Luna, "I wasn't sure if ya was gonna beat us here."
"And greetings to you as well Applejack. I decided that haste was required to attend to my Guards and congratulate them on a job well done."
Fluttershy looked back and forth between the grayish armor that adorned her friends. " Um, Applejack? It's great to see you, all of you again, but... um...why are you and Rarity wearing that armor? I know that Rainbow Dash said that she was hanging out with the Night Guards, so she would have some... but what about you?"
"Well darling, I will admit that it does absolutely nothing in the way of fashion," Rarity replied as she glanced over her armor, "but sometimes function simply leaves no room for style, if you know what I mean. Even if we would rather never have to associate ourselves with the group it represents."
"Now see here Rarity," Applejack cut in, "I thought we had agreed to forgive the Princess for this. It was more my fault then anyponies."
"Why yes Applejack dear, we did agree to forgive her," Rarity replied with a slightly upturned snout, "I never said I would forget though. However, I will admit that the current problem is not completely her fault."
"Well thank Celestia for small favors I guess." Applejack shot back as she felt her ire starting to rise.
"Um, girls?" Fluttershy asked as she hesitantly trotted between her two friends. "I don't mean be rude... but what is going on with the forest and the Princess? I know I heard the nice Lieutenant over there say something about Nightmare Moon, but Luna is right here, so how could she be free?"
"Ya mean Rainbow Dash didn't tell ya yet?" Applejack asked as she looked over towards the other Pegasus by the door.
"The opportunity hasn't really came up for me to tell her yet. How do you think she would have handled hearing that the Queen of Darkness herself sent out a personal hit squad?"
"Then allow me to be the one to tell her," Luna said as she approached Fluttershy. "It is my story, and I have the most effective means of communicating it after all." And with that declaration, Luna's horn began to emit a faint glow.
"Whoa there!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she jumped in between the princess and her friend. "Are you sure that's really necessary? This is Fluttershy for crying out loud!"
"Do not fear Rainbow Dash," Luna softly replied as she locked her gaze with Dash's, "I have no intention of overwhelming her, but there are some things she will need to see."
Rainbow Dash held the princess's gaze until she heard Fluttershy behind her softly ask, "Um, what would I be seeing exactly?"
"Truth," Luna said as she released her magic and let her glow fill the room. Once the glare had faded, Rainbow Dash could see Fluttershy's eye's start to cloud over and moved to catch her as she slumped to the floor.
"I still don't like this," Dash commented as she made Fluttershy comfortable.
"Never the less, it is still necessary."
Rarity shot Luna a cold glare before approaching her comatose friend. "Effective, yes; necessary is highly doubtful though. If she does not come out of the spell whole, then we shall have to have another... discussion on the matter."
"One afternoon with you was more than enough," Luna replied as she gently rubbed the base of her horn to dispel the headache she felt approaching, "Truth be told, I am rather surprised to see you wearing my forces' armor. I had thought you would have told all to my sister by now."
"Do not tempt me," Rarity replied with an icy tone. "As a matter of fact, that was my intention. However, my friends here intervened and convinced me to give you a chance. If what you showed me is really the truth, then I shall not endanger this kingdom. Besides, with all of the traffic your forces do in the forest, they are the ones most likely to find the clues we need to get my sister back. Zecora has already concocted a mixture which should free her from Nightmare Moon, once we find her that is."
"Speaking of that. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, anything to report concerning the fillies location?"
"Nope," Rainbow Dash chimed in, "nothing solid anyways. Nightmare Moon is being careful and not leaving any meaningful tracks for us to find. And since we can't just go flooding the forest with troops without exposing ourselves, we really need a better communication network. We were hoping Fluttershy's animals might be able to help us out there. Plus, we were hoping they could also help with locating Pinkie Pie."
"Why? Has something happened to her?" Luna asked with a small note of worry.
"She missed her last resupply drop a few days ago. This is the first time its happened since she went into the forest and I'm worried that Nightmare Moon might have found her."
"Well," Rarity exclaimed as she joined in, "I don't know if she has been caught or not yet, but I do happen to know of a way to find out."
"You do?" Luna and Rainbow Dash exclaimed together.
"Why yes. It is a little trick I know she can do. So would everypony please spread out around the room?" Rarity called as she moved to a corner of the cottage.
With everypony else casting curious glances at each other, they all did as Rarity asked and took up positions around the room; except for the injured Night Guards who had made to rise with the others, but were ordered back down by their princess. Once they had all assumed their positions, Luna's curiosity peaked again, and she asked, "So what is it we do now?"
"Why now, somepony needs to make a promise," Rarity answered with a smirk, "a Pinkie Promise, actually."
Luna couldn't help but feel confused at this request, "And what, exactly, is a Pinkie Promise?"
"I am so glad you asked Princess," Rarity said while with a broad smile. "The simple fact of the matter is that a Pinky Promise is one that, once made, will need to be kept forever."
"Forever?" Luna asked, confused with this reasoning.
"Forever..." a disembodied voice called out from a cupboard.
"THERE!" Rarity shouted and pointed at the source of the voice, "Open it quickly!"
Rainbow Dash, being the closest to the cupboard , streaked on over and flung the door open to reveal... "PINKIE PIE!"
"Hi girls!" Pinkie said as she lay stuffed on the shelving, "What's up?"
"What's up?!" Rainbow Dash cried as she pulled Pinkie Pie out and gave her a fierce hug, "We were worried that you were missing or hurt! What were you doing in there?”
"Well, I was looking around the forest like normal when, a few days ago, the animals started acting strange all of a sudden," Pinkie explained after Dash had set her down again, "It was super odd. All of a sudden there were Timberwolves and Hydras and Manticore's running around all over the place. I couldn't hardly move without bumping into anything, so I had to wait for things to calm down. That's when I missed out that last get together Rainbow Dash. By the way, you wouldn't happen to have any of the Sugar Cookies on you would you? I'm almost completely out."
"Sorry, I don't have anything on me at the moment. But never mind that! What happened next?"
"Oh well, I guess I'll just have to raid one of my emergency cookie stashes later. Anyways, with all of the those animals and monsters running around I got to thinking, 'Maybe somepony is throwing a party!' I mean, why else would they be running out like crazy anyways. So, I followed a group for awhile and guess what? I didn't find any parties, but I did find Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo."
"YOU DID!?" everypony screamed in unison.
"Ah, yeah. I was just about to go on over and say hi when my Pinkie Sense told me somepony was talking about a Pinkie Promise, so I came back here."
Luna had listened to all of this with a look of mild bewilderment on her face, but after Pinkie actually stopped there she asked, "Be that as it may Pinkie Pie, how did you manage to hide yourself in the cupboard?"
"What cupboard?" Pinkie asked with a look of honest curiosity on her face.
"Why, the very one Rainbow Dash just pulled you out of!" Luna fired back as she pointed toward the still - open door.
After Pinkie made no motions to answer the question, Applejack just sighed and said, "Forget it Princess. This is just one of those things you got to accept as Pinkie being Pinkie."
Luna kept her look of bewilderment up for a moment longer, then she decided to move onto more important matters. "Very well. Now you said you came across the young fillies correct? Could you lead us back to their encampment?"
"Oh sure, it wouldn't take any time at all to get there. I think we might want to wait for Fluttershy to finish getting up first though." she said as she pointed over towards the Pegasus who was just starting to stir and was emitting a faint sobbing noise.
"Oh Twilight," tears were starting to fall freely down Fluttershy's face and into a small puddle on the ground when Pinkie Pie bounced over.
"There there Flutter's, it will be all right. I know it will."
Trying to hold back her tears long enough to see clearly, Fluttershy leaped up and hugged her missing friend, "How, how can you be so sure?"
"Well," Pinkie Pie started reluctantly, "I kind of stole a look at the script."
The confusion was apparent on everyponies' face as Luna stepped forward and asked, "So are you saying you know the future?"
"Not all of it," Pinkie Pie answered, still holding Fluttershy, "I couldn't see much, and he wouldn't show me anymore. The big meanie."
********
The moon was rising high into the night sky as the Timberwolve howled in pain while being levitated above the forest floor. "And who gave you permission to fail!" the two voices called from either side. Looking down, he could make out the Unicorn and Earth Pony forms of his mistress. The Unicorn was tending the boiling cauldron in the center of the clearing, horn softly glowing to keep him suspended, while the Earth Pony was circling him with eye's filled with contempt. "I gave you a simple task concerning the weakest pony in existence and you bungled it. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" He tried to whimper out a response, detailing the demise of his pack mates. "A likely story, but that is still no excuse for your complete failure."
At this point, the Unicorn faced him full on and gave a look of disgust. "Just be glad I have decided to grant you some mercy." With this, her horn glowed even brighter and shot out a slender beam of solid light with passed through his head. The glow around the Unicorns horn then disappeared and the Tmberwolve collapsed into a loose pile of sticks. As the Earth Pony began to drag the pile towards the cauldron and throw it into the fire below, the Unicorn turned and addressed the cowering mass of various monsters. "Let this be a lesson to you all about the price of failure. The next one will not be as, fortunate."
********
In the tree line of the clearing, a small assortment of ponies observed the execution with varying degrees of horror. Applejack and Rarity shared looks of revulsion, Rainbow Dash wore a look of disgust, Fluttershy had her head almost buried in the ground with her eyes tightly closed and looking like she was going to throw up, Pinkie Pie had a weird confused look, and Luna overlooked them all with a gaze of distaste.
"Oh Sweetie Belle, how could she make you do something so cruel?"
"And did ya see Apple Bloom there? She didn't even bat an eye lash. She used to get queasy when ever any of the animals got sick. Now she's feeding those remains into that fire."
"Now ladies," Luna whispered, "remember that they are not in control of themselves." Looking over the assembled group, she could not help but feel a sense of hope. If she and the remaining Element wielders could not dispel Nightmare Moon, no pony could. "Hopefully, that will not be the case for much longer. Rarity, you still have the mixture from Zecora, do you not?"
"Right here," Rarity said as she levitated a small yellow vial. "She said that it would expel any possessing spirits if we can coat their bodies in the powder."
"Correct. But remember, since Nightmare Moon is split between them we shall have to cover them all at the same time. Otherwise the linkage between them will not break and she will remain in control."
"Hey, guys," Rainbow Dash chimed in, "I get all that... but I only see two of them. Where's Scootaloo?"
"Why I am right here Rainbow Dash." This time a third voice joined with the duo from the clearing, which drew the ponies eyes upwards to find a small Pegasus perched in the trees overhead. Once Scootaloo was certain she had their attention, she jumped towards the clearing and used her wings to help boost her distance further away from the startled ponies. "And thank you for the advice about your mixture, child. It would be inconvenient to lose these forms just yet."
Realizing that the element of surprise was lost, Luna lead her band of ponies into the clearing. "Nightmare Moon, we are here to have you answer for your crimes. You are to release your hold on those young fillies and return them to their families," she decreed while keeping a close eye of the surprised monster hoard.
"I think not child. While it is inconvenient for them to be so young, this linkage between them does have its uses. Part of me will find it limiting again when I can finally merge these three bodies back into my proper form."
"You will not!" Rarity shouted out in horror, "You will do nothing to harm my sister!"
"And what makes you think you have a say in this matter?"
"I say the fact that ya have our sisters gives us plenty o' say!" Applejack shouted back.
"Possibly," the trio of fillies scoffed as they started to distance themselves from each other, "however, I think I have a way to remedy that. So far, all of my attempts to generate a melding potion have failed. But, if I were to use the essence of the three pony tribes I believe I will have more success. You, fortunately, will not survive the attempt." This last bit was made with a pointed glance at the bubbling cauldron. Apple Bloom then turned and faced the monsters who had been waiting on her command. "Take them down."
As the monsters gathered themselves to rush the ponies, Luna took a quick moment to formulate a plan. "Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, you three will need to incapacitate the fillies and dispel Nightmare Moon. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, we are on monster interference."
"Oh, what's that mean?" Pinkie Pie asked excitedly, while Fluttershy just let out a small "Eep."
"It means ya get to play keep away, sugar," Applejack answered while keeping her eyes locked on her sister, "keep them things away from us."
"Okie dokie lokie!"
"Um, Princess Luna? Are you sure about this?" Fluttershy asked nervously, "I mean, how can I fight them?"
"My dear Fluttershy," Luna replied as she started to gather her magic for an attack, "I trust you will find a way to tame these beasts."
"Um, I really don't know about that..."
"Time to can it ponies," Rainbow Dash called out, "here they come!"
And with that the battle was joined. Luna hurled herself into a new pack of Timberwolves and began throwing telekinetic blasts left and right, throwing her foes in all directions. Once she was finished with her current bunch, she took to the air to find a new target. She either blasted them with magical energies from above, or swooped down into their midst to engage them at close range.
Leaping in between several Hydra heads, Pinkie Pie cheerily called out "Tag! You're it!" and began dogging the jaws which always seemed to be just a fraction of a second to slow to snatch her. "No you sillies, that's not how you play!" she called out a moment later while she looked at the various heads sticking out of a tangled mass of necks. "You were supposed to TAG me." Out of the corner of her vision, she noticed a single Cerberus pup making its way towards her friends. "Hey! You can't go that way!" she shouted as she pulled out her party cannon and shot out a blast towards the pup. All of a sudden it found itself with a wad of sticky dough in its face which caused it to stumble to the ground, getting even more entangled in the mess. "Oops, I must have mixed up the streamers and the baking dough again." she said with a slight giggle.
At the same time, Fluttershy found herself facing off with several Manticores. The one in front was giving her a suspicious look while all she could do was to crouch down and beg, "Um, if you don't mind, could you please leave us alone? We would really appreciate it. Eep!" she squeaked out as, all of a sudden, the lead Manitcore just leaned on in and unexpectedly licked her and gave her a welcoming purr. "Oh! I recognize you now. How have you been?" One of the other Manticores came on up and abruptly shoved the first one aside. Seeing this new behavior, Fluttershy just felt something inside her suddenly snap and she started to glare at the new monster. "You! There was no need to do that!" Faced with one of the most formidable force of nature, the Manticore found its will power suddenly faltering under the full force of "The Stare." Once she saw this Manticore was sufficiently subdued, Fluttershy turned her gaze at the remaining ones. "And you! Why are you all helping Nightmare Moon and being bad bullies. Shouldn't you be ashamed of yourselves? Why I should tell all of your mothers what you have been up to."
Meanwhile, the struggle against the three possessed fillies was not going nearly as well. All three ponies had no desire to seriously hurt their opponents while the fillies harbored no such restraint. Even though no pony could beat Rainbow Dash in a straight race, Nightmare Moon was using Scootaloo's natural agility to dart in and out of her reach, landing a string of light blows which were beginning to add up. "Dang it squirt. Why won't you just stand still!"
"Rainbow Dash! Dodge!" she suddenly heard Rarity call out. And as she instantly leapt aside, a bolt of lightning struck the ground where she had been standing. "Thanks!"
"Don't mention it!" Rarity called back as she continued to face down her sister. Sweetie Belle had not even glanced towards Rainbow Dash as she had launched her attack. "That was extremely bad form Sweetie Belle. I thought I was your opponent."
"Oh you are dear sister." Sweetie Belle said as she suddenly launched a slender beam of solid light straight at her sister. Rarity barely had enough time to throw up a weak barrier which diverted the beam just past her side.
"I must say that is a most curious spell. Maybe you could tell me how it works later?"
"I think that will be a problem, dear sister, since you shall not be around to learn it."
Applejack, in the meantime, was having a much harder time with her own sister. Even though she wasn't as fast as Scootaloo, or as deadly as Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom still had all of the strength she built up from working on the farm. And while Applejack's strength was greater, she was also less inclined to use her full force. "Gotcha!" Applejack called out as she pounced on her sister once again. "Now just hold still!"
"I think not, dear sis." Apple Bloom hissed out as she started to struggle. Eventually she managed to make enough room to land several powerful hits, with one just glancing the front of Applejack's throat. Coughing and wheezing, Applejack had no choice but to release Apple Bloom as she rolled away and tried to catch her breath.
*Cough Cough* "I...don't remember...you fighting...this dirty...before...Apple Bloom."
"I think you still have me confused with somepony else, dear sis." Apple Bloom shot back before she launched herself at Applejack once more.
Eventually, a shout from Rarity rang out, "Girls! Regroup over here please." Which prompted Rainbow Dash and Applejack to disengage from their fights and stand back to back to back with her.
"What's up?" Applejack asked once they were sure of their defenses.
"Well, we are obviously not making any progress with our current strategy, so I thought we might need to switch it up." Rarity replied.
"And just what do you have in mind?" Rainbow Dash countered, "I hope you aren't thinking about having us change targets; because, truthfully, I don't think you guy's could handle Scootaloo as she is now."
"Oh, I agree with you. And I do not want to think about either of you trying to handle Sweetie Bells current magical abilities." Sweetie Belle chose this moment to launch another solid light beam at them which Rarity barely managed to angle away again. "Case in point I think. No, what I am proposing is a change in tactics. Since we are having trouble holding them or disabling them, I think we should just try directing them. If we can just get them together, then I can cover them with the powder.
"A filly round up huh?" Applejack huffed back. "Can't see how it could hurt. Like ya said, we ain't makin' much progress this way. Let's do it."
"On it." Rainbow Dash called back out as she launched herself towards Scootaloo once more.
With the new battle plan in mind, things started to go a little smoother for the fatigued trio. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were now focusing on dodging their opponents blows and attacked with only the intent to drive the fillies closer to one another. It took several minutes, and numerous times with just two of the fillies together, but eventually they were able to force Scootaloo and Apple Bloom back to back to back with Sweetie Belle. Seeing the opportunity present itself, Applejack hurled herself in the midst of the fillies and called out, "Now!"
Rarity, realizing that Applejack was an attempting to focus the attention of the fillies on herself, quickly removed Zecora's mixture from her bags, tossed it in the air over the assembled group, and blasted the vial in the air. As the power floated down to cover the fillies, Rarity let out a sigh of relief. They had done it! They had vanquished Nightmare Moon and had saved their sisters!
Applejack as well was wearing a small smile of satisfaction and turned to watch her own sister return to herself. However, she was only greeted by another cruel smile from the filly as Apple Bloom suddenly turned around and bucked Applejack in the chest plate, hard! Scootaloo also took this opportunity to launch herself towards Rainbow Dash and land several unguarded blows directly into her face.
Seeing each of her friends going down, Rarity could only gasp in horror. Why did it not work? Glancing up towards where she had exploded the vial, she eventually noticed the fine dust was floating down only to be diverted to the sides by a faint barrier simmering in the air. 'She knew! She knew what we were trying to do and was ready for us. And I wasted our one chance to save them.' Rarity was so shocked by her failure, that she failed to notice the small flare up of power from Sweetie Belle, and let a full force lightning bolt slam into her armor. Fortunately the magical defense's of the armor absorbed a lot of the damage, but Rarity was still thrown several feet in the air and landed in heap, only semiconscious.
Surveying the scene from her position in the air, Luna saw the three friends go down and the three possessed fillies approaching them to finish their work. Seeing that Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy seemed to have the monster situation under control, Luna dived down and slammed into the ground behind the fillies. Turning to face this new threat, a smirk made its way onto the faces of the three as they began to circle around her.
"Still so foolish, you think to challenge me alone child? What can you hope to accomplish that these three could not?"
"I plan of your defeat obviously," Luna tried to keep the worry out of her voice as she attempted to keep all three fillies in her field of vision, "I will not be hampered by the feelings of restraint like they were."
"An empty threat child. You could not defy me back then and you cannot defy me now. You are weak without my conviction behind you and will remain just a small scared, little filly. Always either hiding behind or being overshadowed by her big sister. You will never be able to threaten me because, without me, you are NOTHING!"
Remembering the past and all of the consequences of it, Luna could not help but cringe. Nightmare Moon had a point. She had been almost nothing until she had begun to manifest her other side. Of course she controlled the Moon and the Night, but it was not just her anger at nopony enjoying her Night which brought forth her demon; it was her frustration that no matter what she did, she was always overshadowed by Celestia. It was only natural that the Day would always outshine the Night. Her manifestation of Nightmare Moon had given her the confidence to at least try though. However, it was not worth the cost she had wound up paying, or worth the suffering she had put her sister through. This time, she would handle the consequences herself.
"You may be correct that I am diminished without you, however you are still a threat to the peace and stability of this realm. As the Princess of the Night and co-ruler Equestria, I do here by proclaim you a threat of the highest order and will do all in my power to defeat you."
"Brave words child, but still an empty threat. You cannot defeat me without defeating yourself. Remember, I AM you, even if you never wished to admit it."
Luna hung her head at this declaration, for in her heart she could finally see the truth she had long been denying. "You are correct in that respect. I can see that now. After you left, I was distraught. Not just with my failure, but I was without my convictions. It took the gallant actions of my Night Guard to remind me that no matter the course, once it is set, one should see it to the end. So I will not fight you unto destruction."
"Oh? And just what is it you shall do then?"
"I shall embrace you," Luna softly intoned as she slammed a hoof into the ground, sending out a ring of dark energy which spread and quickly enveloped all four combatants. Even though they tried to dodge or run from the energy, the fillies found themselves bound to the ground and unable to move.
"YOU WOULD DESTROY US! WE WILL NOT SURVIVE THIS!" the fillies wailed as their forms seemed to waiver. One moment they would appear to be solid, the next a form of shadow and smoke would be visible as it was seemingly pulled toward the princess at the middle of the circle.
"No, we shall not survive as we are now. Instead, we shall be whole again once more." Luna softly spoke as she braced herself for the coming impact.
The fillies let out once final scream as their shadowy form were finally ripped from their bodies and began to swarm around the waiting princess. As the three fillies dropped to the ground like discarded puppets, the shadows twisted and squirmed as they slowly began to merge together to form one enlarged mass which looked down on the patient princess below with a look of hatred and contempt. With a final howl, the mass slammed itself into the princess and unleashed a powerful shockwave which shook the entire clearing. Seeing their mistress' forms laying on the ground, the remaining monsters scattered. Soon the only creatures remaining were of the pony variety.
"Ug, what happened? Did we win?" Applejack asked as she picked herself up off the ground.
"Well, I don't know." Pinkie Pie answered as she looked around the clearing in confusion. "Since we are the only ones left though, I think we did. Although I do hate it when sore losers just run away like that. We could have always played another round, and I would have volunteered to be it this time. Party poopers."
Trying to get her breathing under control as she slowly made her way towards her sisters crumpled form, Applejack tried to keep her groan inside herself. She could see that Rarity had dragged herself over towards her own sister, and Rainbow Dash was checking on Scootaloo. Fluttershy meanwhile was examining the prone form of Princess Luna who had yet to rise from her explosion. Once she reach Apple Bloom, Applejack slowly sank down and gave her sister a small nudge with her hoof. "Hey there little sis. Don't ya think you'v been sleepin' long enough." 'Wait a moment, did I just see her eyes flutter?'
"Oh, just five more minutes Sis." Apple Bloom let out in a very weak voice.
Applejack was so astonished that she just froze for a few seconds, then she found herself leaning in and giving her sister the biggest hug she could remember giving. "She's waking up! Apple Bloom is waking up!" she hollered out as tears streamed down her face.
"Sweetie Belle is too!" Rarity cried out from her position as she hugged her own sister.
"Even the squirt over here is starting to come around!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she kept a close eye on her biggest fan.
"Um, Girls? I don't know what's wrong with the Princess. She is the one not waking up now." Fluttershy softly called out from her position by Luna.
As the assembled group looked over towards the prone form, Luna's eyes suddenly shot open and were completely white with raw power! She slowly rose into the air and hovered over the forest clearing as magical vortex swirled around her and whipped the wind into a frenzy. Stray twigs and fallen leaf were blown every which way with a force more powerful than the strongest Pegasus storm on record.
"What in Tartarus is she doin'?!" Applejack yelled out over the storm.
"I don't know!" Rarity yelled back, "It looks like her magic is out of balance and is trying to stabilize itself!"
After several moments of enduring the winds, the storm slowly subsided and Luna was gently deposited on the forest floor. She took several deep breaths as her eyes slowly regained focus and observed the scene in front of her.
"Um, Princess, are you OK?" Fluttershy asked, since she was the closest.
"Yes, we...I think so." Luna said as she seemed to be slowly examining herself, "I must say though, that was most definitely, weird."
"Just what in tarnation happened to ya then?" Applejack called out.
"I finally realized something. I have been running from the truth that Nightmare Moon and I are distorted reflections of each other. I was so scared and determined to keep her buried forever that I never truly confronted her, my most spectacular mistake."
"And I take it this has now been rectified?" Rarity chimed in.
"Yes. I called her spirit back into myself and have finally sorted things out. She will never menace us again, for she is now truly a part of me."
"And just what do you mean by that?" Rainbow Dash shot in.
"I mean that Nightmare Moon's hatred had been seeping into my mind and plans even before she fully manifested again. I was disregarding options which would have been more beneficial to us all, and focused only on myself instead."
"So does this mean what I think you mean?" Rainbow Dash asked with a hopeful note in her voice.
"Yes. I shall do as you have suggested to me countless times before. Tomorrow, I shall request an audience with my sister and explain everything. No more hiding and no more secrets. Tomorrow, we shall leave the night and enter the day. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, can you please make certain that the others are safely guided home?"
"Of course your highness."
"Okkie Dokie Lokie."
"Thank you. Now if you will all excuse me, I have a pressing desire to feel the wind in my feathers. So for tonight, farewell." And with that, Luna launched herself into the sky. 'Was I always this light?' she thought to herself as, in no time at all, she had reached the limit of comfortable cruising altitude. Leveling off, Luna just basked in the rightness of this feeling. Looking up at the moon hanging in the sky, she could not help but feel that everything would soon be put to rights. 'Soon my faithful warriors. Soon I shall be bringing you home.'
**********
Unbeknownst to the princess, another figure was looking at the moon and lamenting on the unfairness of life. Spike the dragon was slowly shuffling his way home to the library after another wasted day of waiting and another wasted night of binging on doughnuts. As he nearly stumbled on an unseen rock, he let out a violent curse. "Celestia damn it! What is going on? First Twilight, then the Crusaders, and now Rarity. Every pony I know is disappearing on me. Isn't there anything I can do to help anymore?"
A sudden flash of light and the noise of a crash in an alley off to his side caught his attention and had him hurrying over to investigate. Once he arrived, he peered into the shadows and saw a pony lying a pile of garbage, trying to rise but having no success.
"Hey! Are you all right?" he called out in concern as he rushed over to the unknown pony's side and tried to see what was wrong. What he found was a pony so covered in grim, cuts, bruises, and blood that he was amazed even Celestia's protection spell was keeping the poor soul alive. He gently helped them to their hooves and carefully slipped a front leg over his shoulder to help guide and support them towards help. "Don't worry. I got you. If you don't mind me asking, what happened to you?"
"...Spike... is...that...you?" The voice was incredibly weak and had next to no energy in it, but there was something in it that whipped his head over and he found himself looking into a pair of violet eyes.
"Twilight?" he could only ask in a faint whisper that was more prayer then question. He saw the eyes slowly start to tear up, and then he just lost it and gripped her as if he would never let her go again. "TWILIGHT!"