The Magic Within

by Night--Mist

Battle of The Princesses and The Transformation

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The six mares made their way through the Everfree Forest, each faced with a different challenge that Twilight had started to take notice to how they handled it. The mares had made it to the other side of the top of the canyon and saw the old ruins of the sister's castle. "There it is, we're sure to find the Elements of Harmony inside," Twilight said.

They had begun trotting there when, out of nowhere lightning flashed making the ponies stop in their tracks. Before anypony had time to react, Twilight was swooped up in a dark blue mist and she screamed. "Princess!" her five new friends yelled in unison.

They jumped up to grab her, but before they could even reach her hoof Twilight had vanished. Twilight saw blackness for a second and then felt herself crash onto the stone cold floor of what she could only assume was somewhere in the ruins. "You really thought you could defeat me with these mere stones? The Elements of Harmony may have imprisoned me before, but now that they are in my grasp, and I now have the power to stop them from foiling my plans. Did you think I would make the same mistake twice? I was prepared for this moment. A thousand years I have waited to plot my revenge. You will not be enough to stop me," Nightmare moon said.

"My mother taught me how to duel with magic, and I hoped I would never have to use it, but if it may be enough to stop you then so be it," Twilight said as she took a stance, forming a plan to lure Nightmare Moon away from the stones.

"You're kidding, You're kidding right?" Nightmare Moon asked unimpressed.

Twilight charged Nightmare with her horn glowing and in turn Nightmare charged her. When they were inches away form each other, Twilight teleported herself to where her aunt had left the stones unattended. She kept thinking to herself, 'just one spark'. She was not quick enough, for her aunt knocked her away, causing Twilight's crown upon her head to fall off. Twilight watched in horror as Nightmare Moon caused the stones to shatter. "Now you shall never see your precious mother or your sun again," Nightmare Moon said as she laughed menacingly.

Twilight was now filled with rage, for to hear she would never see her mother again was infuriating. She held back no longer and launched a beam of purple magic at her aunt. Nightmare Moon had only little time to dodge the the spell her niece had cast at her, and she soon shot back a beam of dark blue. The two princesses kept on trying to aim a magic spell at each other and some had grazed their fur.

Meanwhile, still outside in another part of the ruins Twilight's friends were searching frantically for her when Rarity said, "Look," pointing at the flashes of light that were being caused by the two princesses battling.

"We gotta help Princess Twilight, she needs us," Rainbow Dash said.

"Well what are we all waitin for, let's get movin," Applejack saind and the five ponies started heading for the room the princesses were battling in.

Back in the room, Twilight was starting to feel her limit being reached as she thought to herself, 'She's a lot more powerful then I thought, but we can't have eternal night, I have to do this for my subjects. But how can I stop her if she deflects or dodges almost every spell I cast at her? Oh, if only my mother could have told me something that could have helped me.'

Just then her thoughts were interrupted as Nightmare cast a spell that sent Twilight flying back. Soon Nightmare moon started to walk towards her. "Seems that you will not be able to fulfill your destiny that your cutie mark has set for you, little princess," Nightmare Moon says, thinking she was victorious.

"What destiny? I-I don't understand, what is it that makes me such a threat to you?" Twilight asked, as she struggled to get back to her feet, but was soon knocked down again by a less powerful but still strong spell.

"Why bother telling you dear niece. You will not fulfill it, and I will see to that," Nightmare Moon replies.

Then Twilight heard something that gave her a sign of hope. Her new friends were calling her name. "Princess Twilight," Rainbow said.

"Hold on sugar cube, we're on our way your highness," Applejack said in the distance.

"We're coming darling, do not worry your majesty," Rarity said.

"Well, how touching, your friends are here to share your defeat. Not that I care, without your precious Elements of Harmony, no pony can stop the night ruling forever," Nightmare Moon said.

It was at that moment Twilight had an epiphany and thought, 'My friends, what they did for each other and me in the Everfree Forest, they were the Elements of Harmony in a way I have only just realized. Maybe that's what mom meant in her letter. Maybe we can still defeat Nightmare, together.'

Twilight once again wobbled to her feet as she said, "You think that destroying the stones stops the power of the Elements of Harmony? Well you're wrong, because the Spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here."

Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity all came to her aid and Applejack asked, "Are you alright sugar cube?"

"I'll be fine," Twilight said as they all face the Mare in the Moon.

All of the sudden the stones that had been shattered start to glow as Twilight said, "Applejack, who reassured me when I doubted myself, represents the Element of Honesty. Fluttershy, who tamed a manticore with her compassion, represents the Element of Kindness. Pinkie Pie, who vanished fear in the face of danger, represents the Element of Laughter. Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the Element of Generosity. And finally Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own hearts desire, represents the Element of Loyalty. They're spirits got us through every challenge you threw at us."

"But you still don't have the sixth element, the spark didn't work," Nightmare Moon said, still trying to convince herself more then Twilight that she was victorious.

"But it did. A different kind of spark. A spark that everypony feels inside when you realize you have true friends to stand by your side. I felt it the moment I was happy to hear all of you, to see you. How much I realized I cared about all of you. That spark ignited in me when I realized that you are all my true friends," Twilight said as she turned to Nightmare Moon and a flash of light formed over her, revealing the sixth element stone.

Nightmare Moon saw the stone and asked to no pony in particular, "But, how is that possible?"

"You see Nightmare Moon, when the spark that resides in all of us has lit the flame of friendship, that reveals the sixth element. The Element of Magic," Twilight said as the stone and fragments glowed and engulf all six ponies in light.

Soon the light settled to reveal a new crown of silver atop Twilight's head with her cutie mark upon it, and silver necklaces around her friends with their cutie marks upon them. The six ponies then each aimed their jewels at Nightmare Moon and fired their magic, yet it seemed to do nothing when fired individually. "So the elements formed into jewels, they still won't be enough to save you. I'll pick you all off one at a time," Nightmare Moon said as she laughed again.

Twilight then told her friends to aim their magic at her crown and it may send a single beam strong enough to defeat Nightmare. They all agree and Twilight said as they began to aim their magic at her, "We won't be coming for you one at a time."

Soon the magic was released and aimed at Twilight's crown which she powered up the magic within her crown and her eyes shined as bright as day as A rainbow of magic was sent in an arc as Nightmare yelled, "Noooooooooooo!"

The moment the wave of magic struck her, Nightmare Moon cried out in shock, "Impossible!" She rose up in panic, desperately trying to tear her way out of the rainbow cyclone. Her screams of fury and fear however were soon drowned out by the immense power of the Elements.

Soon the magic was gone and all ponies were lying on the ground. "Oh my head," Rainbow Dash said.

"Everypony okay?" Applejack asks.

Rarity was happy to see her tail back and Fluttershy mentions that they all had necklaces with their cutie marks upon them. "Ah thought you was talkin a lot of hooey your majesty, but Ah reckon, we really do represent the Elements of Friendship."

"Indeed you do," said a voice, which sounded all too familiar to Twilight.

Soon Princess Celestia appeared before them. Twilight's friends bowed as she ran to her mother and said, "Mom, you're back."

"Twilight, I'm so proud of you. I knew you could do it," Celestia said.

"But, you and Cadence told me I was overreacting," Twilight said.

Cadence then appeared in the room and said, "What we said was you needed to make some friends, nothing more."

"That's right, Cadence and I had begun to see the signs of Nightmare Moon's return, and we knew it was you who had the magic within to defeat her. But you could not unleash that power until you let true friendship and it's trust into your heart, like you displayed by uniting the elements powers as one. Now if only another will let true friendship into their heart as well," Celestia said.

Twilight and Cadence knew what she meant as they looked upon an alicorn pony that looked far more gentle then Nightmare Moon. "Princess Luna, It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this, and the first time my daughters have been able to see your true form. It's time to put our differences behind us, for we are all meant to rule together little sister. Will you except our friendship?" Celestia asked.

Luna looked down feeling guilty for what she had done. She then stood up and nuzzled her elder sister and said, "I'm so sorry. I missed you so much my sister."

"I've missed you too," Celestia said as she and Luna formed tears of joy in their eyes.

Celestia then said, "Luna these are your nieces, Princess Mia Mora` Cadenza, or, as we like to call her, Princess Cadence."

Cadence walked up to her and nuzzled her aunt. "And Princess Twilight," Celestia said as Twilight took a step towards her aunt.

Luna did not hold back and brought her youngest niece into a large embrace while she said, "Thank you for freeing me my dear niece. I was so lost within that monster you encountered. I don't know how I can ever repay you or your friends for saving me from that cloud of jealousy that had consumed me. The six of you have my undying gratitude dear niece, I mean that quite literally."

Twilight then returned her embrace as she had a moment with her long lost aunt she thought she would never see. Her five friends had a moment of silence and shed tears of joy as they watched Twilight get reacquainted with her Aunt Luna when they realized their necklaces began to glow. Celestia then said as she noticed them glowing, "You have just about fulfilled your destiny Twilight."

"What do you mean mother?" Twilight asked as she pulled of her Aunt's embrace.

Her aunt was a little confused herself at first, but then saw Twilight's cutie mark and understood. "Step this way dear," Celestia said as she guided her daughter to a center point between her friends.

"The Elements of Harmony have one last thing they must do before their powers go to sleep till they are needed again," Celestia said.

"And what is that?" Twilight asked curiously.

Before she could receive a verbal answer, the elements burst so much power towards Twilight, no pony had any time to react. A white orb of light had engulfed her and began to lift her off the ground. This sent a sensation through her enire body as she began to transform before the eyes of everypony in the room. When the orb had faded, Twilight hovered slowly to the ground, landing slowly and soon saw everypony in the room staring at her in aw, including her aunt and sister. Celestia smiled and said, "Congratulations my little one, well, I guess you're no longer that little anymore."

Twilight realized she was as tall as her aunt and sister and that her horn and wings had become longer as well. But that was not what baffled her most. Her mane now flowed like her mothers and Princess Luna's, who's mane was flowing again as well. "You have fulfilled your destiny my dear," Celestia finished.

"I don't understand. What is my destiny?" Twilight asked.

"You are now 'Princess of the Stars'. While your Aunt Luna has control over the moon, You will now have control over the stars at night," Celestia said.

"Congratulations my niece. That will actually lift some strain off my mind. All in all this is a great honor," Luna said.

"Way to go little sis," Cadence said.

"Your not jealous or mad Cadence?" Twilight asked.

"Twily, I couldn't be prouder of you. Of course I'm not mad or jealous of you. Each one of our destinies has an important meaning, I figured that out a long time ago sis. Just hope cousin Blue Blood can do the same one of these days," Cadence said, as if she thought he would get old before that happened and it made everypony laugh.

"Way to go Princess Twilight," her five friends said in unison as they bowed.

"Thanks girls," Twilight said.

"Hey you know what this calls for? A party," Pinkie Pie said with enthusiasm.

Soon, all the mares were off towards Ponyville as the were given royal chariots to ride upon. Pinkie Pie had soon sped off her chariot after they made it out of the Everfree Forest and headed towards town to tell everypony the wonderful news. When the Princesses and other four ponies arrived, ponies were waiting in the street to greet all of them and were amazed at Twilight's transformation. They all soon dismounted the chariots and everypony was asking Celestia and Luna how the entire event had played out. Twilight was watching and all of the sudden felt sad, Cadence and Celestia notice her mood and Celestia was the first to ask, "Why so glum my daughter?"

"Yeah aren't you happy that you fulfilled your destiny and can return back to Canterlot with us?" Cadence asked.

"That's just it, just when I realize how wonderful it is to have friends, I have to leave them," Twilight said.

Her friends realize how she feels and begin to feel the same way. Just then Cadence whispered something to their mother and Celestia said soon after, "Spike, take a note please."

Spike grabbed his parchment and quill and wrote while Celestia said, "I, Princess Celestia, here by decree, that my daughter, Princess Twilight Sparkle is free live in Ponyville and to travel between Canterlot and Ponyville at whatever moment of her choosing or when time deems it necessary, taking on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue to study the magic of friendship and must report to me on her findings whenever she learns something new about friendship from her new home in Ponyville."

The crowd cheers and her friends all come to her side giving her a hug of approval. "Oh, thank you mother, I'll study harder then ever before," Twilight says.

"That's good to hear honey, Though I think we'll have to stay here with you while you learn how to control bringing the stars out at night," Celestia said.

"Oh, almost forgot about that," Twilight said.

Soon the Princesses and Twilight's friends head off to Sugar Cube Corner to enjoy the Party that Pinkie Pie had set up.