//------------------------------// // In the Dark // Story: Harmony // by The-Jefe //------------------------------// Celestia was walking in a large grassy meadow near ponyville. She was enjoying the flowers and the many creatures that were bouncing, flying and calmly walking. She had sat down to listen to the birds sing, feeling her sun gently beat down on her neck and back, the wind slightly blowing. For the first time in two thousand years, Celestia could relax. Then everything changed. The grass started to die, it turned black and brown around Celestia's hooves. She stepped back in shock, reeling at the sudden change around her. The Animals began to flee and cry out in pain, their painful squeals of pain filled the air, piercing Celestia's ears. She covered her ears with her hooves trying to block out the terrible noise. The sky turned blood red, the sun became sickly looking, only giving off a soft red light that seemed to be waning. She could feel the sun’s sadness, its hurt. It was as much alive as she was and very connected. Shadows began to cover the land. Killing everything they touched. Celestia tried to fly away from the shadows, her wings beating the stale air rapidly, pushing it back and forth, but eventually they reached her. The shadows reached up from the ground and wrapped themselves around her body, effectively chaining her to the ground, and swarmed around her. She could feel the corruption seep in through her mouth, eyes and ears. It crept through her body killing whatever bodily tissue it touched. She could feel it start to rip apart her soul and feast upon it. She screamed. Then she woke up. Mortals and their dreams... sometimes I wonder why I even bother looking. Their nightmares are depressing and their fantasies are beyond reason... Then again, so am I. Celestia woke up screaming, she jumped up form her bed entangling herself in the covers. She thrashed about knocking over a dresser and breaking her mirror. She slowly began to come back to her senses, the sense of panic beginning to go away. She calmly pulled herself out of the mess of bedspreads and broken glass. She frowned at the mess she made, her horn glowed and the mess disappeared. The bed was made, the mirror was fixed and the dresser was in its rightful place. Celestia stood in the dark room for a moment before walking to her balcony window. She stared out into the night, wanting to get a glimpse of Manehattan on such a clear night. Luna really has done a nice job tonight. Something was off. The lights on the Empire State Building were going out one by one at first, then they started going out in groups until there was a dark shape in the middle of a mass of stars. Celestia felt something in the pit of her stomach, something was wrong. The Empire State Building's lights never went out. She did not know what her nightmare was, she did not know it was not simply a manifestation of her mind, but a warning, no matter how inconvenient or vague it was. Celestia started walking backwards, her hooves creating soft clopping sounds as they struck marble, lifting several meters into the air as the sudden rush of wind, and the loud slam of her bedroom door being thrown open. It even scared the life out of me... if any at all. Celestia calmed as her sister started rambling about a letter from the mayor of Manehattan. "...He spoke of screams coming from the Empire State Building, everyone they sent to investigate the sound has not come back and he fears the worst." Luna paused,"I fear we may be under attack sister." Celestia's calculating mind went to work. "Luna, ready a squadron of Pegasi Guardsponies and send them to Manehattan. Have them report back as fast as they can as to what the situation is." "Sister... I want to go with them, whatever the threat is, I want to be able to identify it myself." Celestia opened her mouth to say no, but stopped. Luna was no longer a child, she was powerful again, almost standing as tall as Celestia with the same ethereal mane, only filled with stars instead of every color of the sunrise. "Do what you feel is best Luna, I trust your judgement." Little did Celestia know that was the smartest thing she had ever said in her 5000 year lifespan. ******** Luna was dressing in her battledress, something she had not done in over 2000 years, in the First Age Of Strife. (But that is a different story for a different time, and requires a History lesson. I hate History lessons.) She levitated the first half of the breastplate up to her chest, then connected the second half from behind, they made a soft clicking noise as the cool blue metal met with its other half. Luna all the while pondering the threat. Could it be the Griffons again? No, they learned their lesson 2000 years ago. Luna smirked, We kicked their tails back into the mountains in a hurry. Maybe its Aquella? We haven’t heard anything from them in a while. Luna’s eyes went wide, Maybe its the Techno Union! She bit her lower lip at the implication of such a thing. Luna’s thoughts were interrupted by a Royal Guard entering her room. “Princess Luna? 8th Recon is ready to to move at your command. “Tell them I will be ready to take off in 5 minutes.” The Guard nodded and Luna was alone with her thoughts once again. Its not as if the Techno-Geeks would attack on the opposite side of the Country anyway. Luna lifted her helmet out of its rack, the blue metal held her reflection. What it reflected was a worried princess with the weight of an entire city, no... a Kingdom on her shoulders, but lucky for her, she did not have to do it alone. Luna closed her eyes and using her magic, lifted the helmet onto her head. She opened her eyes, and walked out the door to go save her people. ****** Luna had to slow down in order for the Pegasi to keep up with her, even at half her top speed the Guards were struggling (mind you the 8th Recon was the fastest Guard Pegasi Unit in Equestria) Luna was aware of this but maintained half speed, any slower and she would go insane. Soon enough however, they were at the city limits of Manehattan, the sight was not pretty. How fortunate for this story that I was already going that way. There were hundreds of ponies fleeing the city, screaming and crying like animals, trying to run away from an invisible enemy that was striking them down. But the strangest thing happened. They got back up, however their bodies did not contain the correct souls. I was sweeping those up in my arms, their ghostly, transparent faces looking upon the carnage with sadness as I swept through the city, picking up their loved ones. Luna was about as shocked as they were, she could not see what was killing her subjects. Her horn glowed as she cast a spell that would lighten the area. What she saw shocked her further. It wasn’t an enemy in armor, nor did they have weapons, or even tangible bodies. They were shadows, black and misshapen, that were killing ponies. Luna flew further away from them as she realized what they were. No! It can’t be them! They can’t be here! Oh no I have to warn Celestia! And almost as if they could read her thoughts, (I’m still not entirely sure that they couldn't) looked up at her, hundreds of them turned their gaze on Luna. And she ran, she was completely oblivious to what the 8th Recon was doing, they were attempting to help evacuate the populace, but they too fell victim to the shadows. Not that they could have escaped them in the first place. Luna kept flying away, as fast as she could, but still the Shadows gained on her, not quickly, slowly, but fast enough to where she would be within their grasp in seconds. Luna being the “athletic” one of the two sisters, pulled an aerial maneuver that Celestia wished she could perform, while at the same time blasting the Shadows with a ball of magical energy, making all but a few of them burst into shreds of darkness that quickly turned into nothing. Luna flew faster than she has ever before in her life, it took an hour to reach Manehattan at half of her top speed, it took her 10 minutes during this trip. ***** Celestia had just nestled back into bed, calm with the thought of Luna making sure everything was alright. “I’m sure Luna will have the issue solved before sunrise.” She closed her eyes and spoke softly, “I am sure of-” and then Luna went straight through the balcony door, sending glass flying in every direction and throwing the pane against the opposite wall. Poor Celestia, she had just gotten relaxed, and had just learned that her Kingdom was under attack by Chaos. Celestia stared in disbelief at the panting, wide eyed, panicked Luna, “You are completely sure of this?” “I am as sure as the Moon raises at Night, and the Stars twinkle in the sky. They were shades, a Chaotic creation, they were killing and possessing in that order.” “Discord!” Celestia flew out the window and straight into the Garden, only to see the Draconeques still encased in stone with a silly expression stuck on his face. Luna landed next to Celestia, staring at the statue. "But how? He hasn't released anything, how did Shade's get into our world without him?" Its simple really, I "planted" the seeds of corruption before those 6 ponies encased me in stone again. Celestia and Luna both jumped as they heard Discord's mocking voice in their heads. I'm not stupid, I knew that at one point in time or another that Twilight Sparkle would have found a way to "un-corrupt" her silly friends. What is more interesting is how she managed to un-corrupt herself, now that I did not see coming. But I have a feeling you had something to do with it, Celestia. "You knew you would eventually fail, so you made sure that it was't forever?" And here I thought you were the smarter of the two Luna, yes I did exactly that, and as soon as those shades reach me, I will be able to escape, and take my revenge. It won't be dancing Buffalos or chocolate rain. I will make sure it rains ACID ON YOU ACCURS- Celestia and Luna both flew away from the statue before Discord could start his rant. "Luna, ready the Army, call all reserve battalions in Coltstantinople, ready the defenses of that city, if they cut us off from the ocean we are doomed." "What are you going to do sister?" "I am going to call the Bearers, and have them resurrect a friend of ours." "You mean..." "Yes, I do." ---------------------------------- Oh this is starting to get so EXCITING don't you think so? I can't wait to tell you the rest of the story. Feedback of any kind is appreciated. You know if anyone actually GETS this far.