Chapter 31
On the train ride to Canterlot, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash informed the others of the good news they had about getting married as well. Needless to say, a round of congratulatory hugs and such were given. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were also informed of when the wedding for their four friends and human would be. None of them were sure as to why Celestia asked them all to come to Canterlot though, but they would soon find out. The train pulled up to the station and the group made their way through the town up to the castle. The guards opened the door and the group of mares and human made their way in.
Upon entry, Celestia stood at the top of the staircase to greet them with a smile. “Good evening my little ponies, and Charles.”
The girls and Charles all bowed. “Good evening princess.” Twilight greeted.
“I am terribly sorry to call you all here on this holiday, but something important has come to my attention.”
“It’s all right Celestia, we’re always happy to help, so what do you need us for?”
Celestia’s smile faded. “As you know, we have Dark Flash in the dungeons, she has been secured so she can’t cause trouble, however, as it turns out, she was once a friend of Luna’s.”
Rainbow hovered above the others. “What? You expect us to believe that she and Luna were friends?”
Celestia looked over at Dash and continued. “I know it sounds hard to believe, but it is true, she was once known as Night Shine. She lived here in the castle for a time until she started getting made fun of by some of the staff. She tried to inform Luna about it but was blown off as her being silly. In the end, she had enough, blew up part of the castle and flew off.”
Twilight’s eye’s widened in shock. “SHE did that?!”
Celestia just nodded. “I believe she has fallen prey to her own dark emotions of rejection and sadness, thus turning her into something else, much like what happened to Luna before when she turned into Nightmare Moon.”
Rarity then began. “So I take it that you want us to use the elements of harmony to change her back, correct?”
Celestia smiled at them. “I do, I would like this to be a Hearth’s warming gift to my sister, she has no idea of what I am planning, I believe you can change her back and restore her to what she was before.”
Charles then came forward with a question. “Ok, so you want the girls to use the elements of harmony to change Dark Flash back to Night Shine, but why am I here, I’m no bearer of an element of harmony.”
“I would like you nearby in case Dark Flash manages to break loose and tries to escape.”
Charles suddenly looked sullen. “Forgive me princess, but last time I tried to fight her, I wasn’t really much help, Princess Luna did most of the work in that fight. I think that made it obvious that you two are stronger than I am, you could probably handle her yourself. ”
Celestia kept her warm smile. “Charles, haven’t you been training in magic with Twilight?”
“Well, yes but……”
Celestia raised a hoof to cut him off. “And didn’t you save my sister from being hit by Dark Flash’s fire ball that would have killed her?”
“Yes but…”
She cut him off again. “Charles, you are a strong warrior, you have proven yourself capable time and again, and with Twilight’s training, I know you have grown a little in strength, I have every confidence you can handle this if she breaks loose.”
Charles thought for a moment, then looked up at Celestia and smiled. “You can count on me your majesty, I will do my best if worse comes to worse.”
“Glad to hear it, now come, we shall retrieve the elements of harmony and take Dark Flash to a more open area so you six can use them.” Celestia began walking as they followed her to the chamber where the elements were kept.
Along the way, Discord appeared and followed. “Hello my friends, so good to see you on this joyous holiday.”
Charles, Fluttershy and Pinkie smiled upon seeing Discord, the others still were wary around him. “Hey Discord, Happy Hearth’s warming.” Pinkie cheered.
“And a happy Hearth’s warming to you too Pinkie, and to all of you as well, tell me, what brings you all by the castle at this time of the year?”
Fluttershy informed. “Princess Celestia asked us to use the elements of harmony to turn Dark Flash back to what she was before so Luna can have her friend back. Her name used to be Night Shine.”
Discord put his lion paw to his chin in thought. “Ah yes, I remember hearing about that. So you six are going to change her back to Night shine, splendid, I’ll bet Luna is very pleased about this.”
Celestia then spoke. “Actually, my sister doesn’t know about this, I want this to be a surprise gift for Hearth’s warming for her.”
“But then how does she not know about this going on right now?”
“I have her busy entertaining a visiting dignitary I invited over for a visit.”
With Princess Luna:
“I must say, it seems rather rude for your sister to invite me over and not be here herself.” The dignitary said as he and Luna sat at a table to enjoy a nice meal. The dignitary was a griffon ambassador.
Luna responded with a fake smile. “I am terribly sorry about that, I’m sure she will be along any moment.”
“Well, that will give us plenty of time to talk, did I ever tell you of the time I went to visit the country of Saddle Arabia, I know your sister went there, but you simply must go yourself, it is a wonderful country with……” The griffon ambassador just started rambling on with boring details.
“I think I’d prefer being banished to the moon than this. Next time I see you big sister, you’re going to get it.” Luna thought to herself.
Back with Celestia:
The group had retrieved the elements of harmony and were now on their way to get Dark Flash.
Discord took notice of Applejack’s hat. “Applejack, is that a new hat your wearing?”
Applejack answered with pride. “Darn tootin, Charles got it fer me from his old home.”
Charles responded from the back of the group. “That place was no home, I was treated as a monster there, that was just a place I was stuck in till I found my real home here.”
Discord used his magic to levitate Applejack’s hat off her head. “Hey, what in tarnation are ya doin? Give it back.” Applejack was glaring at Discord.
“Oh relax, I just want a closer look. Hmm, sturdy….nice braid, it even has an apple on it.” Discord then floated it back to Applejack and placed it on her head. “There, see, I just wanted a better look.” Discord then turned his attention to Charles. “So Charles, you really went back there?”
Charles answered. “Believe me, I didn’t want to, but I knew it was the best place to go to get something special for my girls.” He smiled as he spoke.
His mares smiled back at him. Discord then started. “Well frankly, I think that place is rather boring, not enough chaos going on.”
The girls and Charles stopped in their tracks, Celestia stopped as well and turned around while keeping a straight face. The girls all yelled. “YOU WHAT?!”
Charles then spoke on his own. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, let me get this straight, are you saying you can travel between worlds too?”
“But of course, being a god of chaos, I am capable of it, Celestia is too. I would think you thought that possible since she, Luna, and myself have more power than you do and you were able to cross the dimensional borders, though Celestia and Luna never do.”
Celestia then started. “Because it could be dangerous. We have used our powers to peek into other worlds, but never travel to them. Now come, let us continue.” Celestia turned and started walking again, the others followed.
They soon reached the dungeons and Dark Flash’s cell. Dark Flash looked up at her visitors. “Well, well, what a pleasant Hearth’s warming surprise, nine visitors. What do you want?” She said sarcastically.
Celestia answered. “Dark Flash, because you have proven to be a threat to Equestria, I have no choice but to sentence you to…….” Dark Flash figured it was death and just hung her head with a scowl. “Be purified by the elements of harmony.”
Dark Flash then raised her head and looked at her confusingly, Celestia was wearing a smile. “Excuse me?”
“I am well aware that you have been corrupted by your dark emotions which turned you into what you are, much like what happened to my sister many years ago.”
“You must be joking, I am how I am because your sister betrayed me, she turned her back on me and ignored me when I asked for her help.”
“She was only part of the problem and learned from her mistakes, the other part of the problem is you for letting your emotions get the better of you and turning you into what you are now. But the elements of harmony can change that, they can remove the darkness from your heart and make you Night Shine again.”
Dark Flash stood up and glared at them. “I TOLD YOU, NIGHT SHINE IS DEAD, LUNA KILLED HER THE DAY SHE TURNED HER BACK ON ME!”
Celestia looked at her with pity. “Tell me, if you could go back to the way things were and make them better, would you? To be with Luna again, to be friends again? Would you?”
Dark Flash hung her head and turned away. “There is no going back.”
“Yes there is, the elements of harmony can make you who you were, who you are supposed to be, surely there is some part of you inside that is still Night Shine who longs for the days that you and Luna were friends.”
Dark Flash just looked sad with her head still turned. “How can things possibly go back after what I did when I left?”
“Because Luna realizes it was her fault this happened, and she is terribly sorry about it, she wants you back, she wants her old friend Night Shine with her again.”
Dark Flash lifted her head and looked at Celestia. “She really wants me back, after what I did, after I nearly…….” She couldn’t finish her sentence.
Celestia smiled. “She does, so what do you say, can you forgive her for what she did to you, she forgives you for all the wrong you’ve done so far.”
Dark Flash looked to the side again in thought. “I…..I…..GAH!” She winced as she clenched her eyes. “NO,…get out of my head!” She started thrashing a bit, causing her chains to rattle. She glared at Celestia. “I will never forgive you or her for rejecting me.” Her eyes were slitted. “I will rule all of Equestria and be its queen.”
The group all became worried. Celestia spoke to Discord in a hurried manner. “Discord, teleport us to the garden.”
“Right.” Discord snapped his eagle claw and the group disappeared from the dungeons with Dark Flash in tow.
They reappeared in the gardens and Celestia quickly placed the elements of harmony on their respective owners. Dark Flash was still in chains with the magic inhibitor ring on her horn. The chains were attached to the ground.
“Girls, use the elements now!” Celestia commanded. Dark Flash looked as if she were struggling with something.
“NO…….get out of my head.” “You need me, remember how she hurt you, how she betrayed you?” “I……DON’T……WANT……YOU!”
Twilight and her friends activated their elements. Their necklaces started to glow, their bodies enveloped in the same color glow as their element, they rose up in the air, Twilight’s eyes opened to reveal pure glowing white eyes. A rainbow shot forth from them in a spiral, the two connected just above their heads and shot down in one big rainbow at Dark Flash. Her body became encased in a swirling vortex of colors as she screemed out. “NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Charles, Celestia, and Discord shielded their eyes from the bright flash that erupted from the magic that was affecting Dark Flash.
Princess Luna:
Princess Luna was walking down the hall with the griffon ambassador next to her as he continued rambling on about something the night princess held no interest for. The hall they were walking had windows lining it that looked out to the garden. A bright flash outside caught her attention. “What was that?” She said quietly to herself as she stopped and looked outside. “Sister? Discord? What are the bearers of the elements doing here?” She saw them standing in front of Dark Flash. “Dark Flash too, what is my sister up too?”
The griffon ambassador spoke up. “Princess, is something wrong, oh, there is your sister, what is going on out there?”
An answer was given as the elements of harmony activated before their eyes. Luna’s eyes widened as she soon realized what may be going on. She quickly turned to the griffon. “Ambassodor, I’m terribly sorry, but I must take my leave.” Luna then flew through the halls as fast as she could to get to the door that led to the garden.
She reached it in no time and stepped outside just in time to see the rainbow from the elements of harmony strike Dark Flash and hear a scream. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Luna raised a hoof and used a wing to shield her eyes from the bright flash that followed. The light faded and Luna lowered her wing, before her, the six mares were on the ground looking tired. Charles, Celestia, and Discord helped each one of them back up. Luna trotted up to her older sister. “Sister, what is going on, what is all this?”
Celestia smiled. “A present for you for Hearth’s warming sister.”
Luna just looked at her quizzically, a moan was then heard. “Oooohhh.”
Every pony, god, and human looked to the source. Lying on the ground was an alicorn with a silver coat, mane and tail, the mane moved and glittered much like Luna’s. The chains and ring were gone. Luna slowly made her way over to the downed alicorn that slowly opened her eyes. “Night Shine, is that you?”
The alicorn sat up on her haunches and looked at Luna. “Luna, is that you?”
Luna smiled with tears forming in her eyes. “Night shine, it is you!” Luna glomped onto Night shine knocking them both over. “I missed you so much Night Shine, I’m so sorry for not listening to you when I did.”
Night shine narrowed her eyes. “GET OFF ME!” She pushed Luna off of her, stood up, and just looked at her.
Luna was surprised by this. “Night Shine, it’s me, Luna, your old friend.”
“I know who you are, you’re the one that hurt me, do you really think I had forgotten how you ignored me when I needed you the most!” She spoke with anger clear in her voice.
Luna was now looking rather regretful. “Night Shine, I’m sorry, I really am, I just didn’t think any pony could ever thing the worst of you, I’m sorry I didn’t listen. Please believe me when I say that if I could go back and change things I would, I would have listened to you and done something.”
“Well you can’t, and you didn’t, I may not be Dark Flash anymore, but I still remember what happened.” She traded her angry look for one of sadness as she turned her head away. “I thought we were friends, I thought I could count on you to be there for me, but you weren’t.”
Luna came closer. “Night Shine…..I can’t tell you how sorry I am that I did that, I’ll say it as many times as you want me too, I just want you back, I miss you.”
Night Shine looked back at Luna. “I missed you too, but you really hurt me. I don’t know if I want to take the chance of being hurt again”
Luna came closer and put a hoof to Night Shine and looked her in the eyes. “Night Shine, I promise from now on, I will listen to you and be there for you no matter what, if you ever need me for anything, I will be there, I swear by my moon.”
Night Sine’s eyes started getting teary. “Really, you promise?”
Luna gave a smile. “I do, I did just swear by my moon didn’t I, and you know I mean it when I do that.”
Night Shine smiled back. She embraced Luna in a hug as she spoke. “Oh Luna, I missed you so much, can you ever forgive me for all those things I did as Dark Flash.”
Luna hugged back as she started to cry tears of joy. “I already have, I’m just happy to have my friend back.”
While this was going on, Pinkie pulled a hankerchief out of nowhere while Discord made one appear, they both blew their noses noisily making confetti come out. Fluttershy, Twilight, Applejack and Rarity just had a sweet smile on, Rainbow Dash just looked bored. Charles watched the whole scene with a smile of his own as well with his arms crossed.
Celestia finally came forward once Luna and Night shine broke their embrace. “Luna, this is my Hearth’s warming gift to both of you.” She said to both Luna and Night Shine. “Happy Hearth’s warming sister.”
Luna looked to her sister with a smile. “Thank you sister, I was going to let you have it for sticking me with that boring ambassador, but I think this makes up for it.”
“Boring, excuse me?” Came a voice from behind the group. “So you think I’m boring do you?” The griffon ambassador asked looking none too pleased.
Celestia came forward and addressed him. “Ambassador, do forgive my sister’s comment, she’s just having a long rough day.”
“Well, I don’t know what’s going on here but I do not appreciate being ignored, you invite me here for a casual visit, don’t greet me yourself, your sister ditches me in the hall and comes out here, then I find my way here and she calls me boring, I can assure you this does not sit well.”
“I’m terribly sorry ambassador, I can explain everything, why don’t we go to the dining hall for a nice dessert as an apology.” Celestia then led the ambassador away from the gardens.
Charles spoke up. “Come on every pony, let’s leave these two alone so they can catch up.” They all agreed and left.