//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 // Story: A Dark Twilight // by Ugly-Duckling123 //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Celestia flew as fast as they could to the train station, trying to ignore the scared ponies and the way the dome kept looking like it would brake with each new hit Sombra was giving it. With each hit came a loud 'BANG' that sent Fluttershy to hide under a cart for protection. After the eighth time this happened Rainbow had enough. "Come on Fluttershy, you weren't this jumpy last time." Rainbow said her arms crossed. "That's because I was jousting with you," Fluttershy whimpered coming out once again "I didn't notice what was going on outside because I was too scared from that." 'BANG' "Eep!" she cried zooming back under the cart. "Fluttershy," Celestia called in her silky voice bending down to look under the cart. "The only way to get rid of Sombra is to find that staff for the scepter. We need to get to the train station and bring it back to the palace." she said reaching out her hoof to pull Fluttershy out. "You are being very brave helping us do this. But I'm afraid to say the longer you hold us back, the longer it will take to make this scepter and destroy Sombra." Thinking this over in her head, Fluttershy knew that she was right. Reaching out a hoof and crawling out once again Fluttershy took in a deep breath and.... 'BANG' went back under the cart. "And the longer it will take to get Twilight back..." Celestia added. With that, Fluttershy was out from under the cart and zooming off towards the train station leaving a slightly shocked Rainbow and a smiling Celestia behind. "Wow," Rainbow said blinking "I haven't seen her act like that since the Dragon Migration." And without another word they too flew to the station. Inside the Crystal Palace, Spike was ripping crystal after crystal out from above the throne with his dragon claws resisting the urge to eat them with the memory that he was doing this for Twilight. After he ripped them off, Cadence while still doing her protection spell, passed them to Rarity to inspect to check if they held any magical proprieties. So far they we hadn't found the right one. "Come on Spike think," he told himself. "Which one was the one Twilight hit last time?" Jumping down, Spike ran to the door so he could try and remember. "Ok, I was standing here... Twilight was looking around over there," he pointed towards the side door. "Then as we were going back out of the room... Twilight looked at the throne, said this wasn't Sombra's palace..." "Spike, we don't have time for memories," Rarity said as Spike ran back to the thone and pulled with all his strengh on the one in the middle. Only to be zapped back towards the other side of the room. "Spike!" Cadence and Rarity screamed running to the fallen drake his eyes red and green. "Spike are you ok?" Rarity asked. "Get away from my sister, Sombra!" Spike said growling a little. "Spike?" Applejack, Pinkamena, and Luna were standing right on the perimeter of the Empire with Shining Armour. "You sure you'll be alright?" Shining Armour asked again. "We'll be fine Shining Armour," Applejack said preparing her lasso and testing it on one of the crystals around her. "But..." Shining began, only to be cut off by Pinkamena. "Look buster, do you want your sister back or not?" she asked glearing at him. "Of course I do," Shining said back "I just don't want you to get hurt in the process." "Hey, we're Earth Ponies," Applejack said rewinding the rope. "There's nothing magical Sombra can affect." "Yeah, and we also have dark foal-hoods," Pinkamena said "He wont be able to scare us." "But if he does I'll be there to stop him," Luna said stepping up next to the mares. Sighing in defeat, Shining Armour looked out into the waste land of snow. "Just... Just be careful," he said, turning galloping back to the guards in case this scepter wasn't made in time. The three ponies looked at each other, then with out another word stepped out to into the storm. At the station Fluttershy was heaving and pulling at the flagpole to try and get it out. "Hey! What do you think you're doing missy?" the stationmaster yelled up to her. "I'm trying to get the staff for the Crystal Scepter," Fluttershy answered "What's it look like?" "It looks like you're damaging train station propriety..." the stationmaster called back nodding to two security guards when she didn't stop pulling at the flagpole. Rainbow Dash and Celestia were just arriving when they heard a scream from above them. Looking up the saw two security guards trying to pull Fluttershy from the flagpole, only for her to hold on flapping her wings with all her might trying to get it out. "Hey," Rainbow Dash called flying up to meet them. "You leave Fluttershy alone." "Fluttershy...?" one of the guards asked. "As in the Element of Kindness, Fluttershy?" the other asked. "Er... Yeah who did you think that was?" Rainbow said pointing a hoof at the mare wrapped around the pole. "What have you stopped for?" the stationmaster asked. "Get that pony off of my flag pole." "Sir," Celestia said walking up to him. "Oh er... Princess Celestia," he said bowing. "What an honour." "Yes, I'm sure it is," Celestia said nodding so he could stand. "But we need that er... flagpole if you don't mind, the Elements, other Princesses and I need it to build something to protect the Empire." "Of course, of course," the stationmaster said. "You two pull that thing out so that Celestia can have it!" he called only to see they were already pulling at it with Fluttershy and Rainbow. "Gah... It's no use, it's stuck tight," Rainbow Dash said. "You were never one to give up so early Commander Hurricane..." an angel like voice said, only getting reactions from Celestia and the Crystal Ponies. Looking all around her Rainbow Dash saw in the wall, a pink Alicorn wearing a tiara and sky blue dress. "Queen Rose Quartz," Celestia said flying up to the roof as all the Crystal Ponies bowed to their late queen. "Celestia nice to see you again, is that a new mane-do?" Rose Quartz asked as if they were old sisters. "It's new to you," Celestia carried on "But I haven't changed it in six hundred years..." "Sorry to interrupt this lovely get together Your Highness's," Rainbow said getting over the shock, "But we need to find a way to get this staff out to make that scepter you broke up all those years ago." she said to Rose. "Oh I'm sorry, of course you do," Rose said "Oh but you can't do it Commander, and neither can Private Pansy. Although she tried very well." "Then... Then how are we suppose to get it?" Fluttershy asked slipping down the pole. "I placed it there with Alicorn magic,"Rose said turning to Celestia. "And only another Alicorn can undo it." All eyes were on Celestia, as she landed on the roof. "Very well," she said. Lighting her horn with the brightness of the sun, Celestia pointed her horn at the base of the flagpole, lighting up the whole thing. After a few seconds, the pole jumped out of the base and into Rainbow Dash's hooves. "Hope everything goes well," Rose said before disappearing. "Come on," Rainbow said tightening her grip on the staff. "We've got to get this back to the Palace." "I hope the others are alright, especially Applejack's group." Fluttershy said not even noticing a 'BANG' as she started to fly back the way she came. "I'm sure every-pony's fine Fluttershy." Celestia said, although mentally hoping she's right. Spike was standing alone in the middle of a dark room looking up at the two ponies on the thrones King Sombra was on the right with Twilight, dressed in a black dress and silver hoof guards on the left. Her eyes shining red and green, purple mist flowing out of them. Sombra was standing a sword in his magic grip, a wicked grin on his face. "What's a little orphaned dragon like you going to do about it?" Sombra asked, slowly walking down the steps as if mocking Spike. "Twilight belongs to me now, and as soon as I'm done with you, we're going to have some... fun." he said laughing at the look he got from Spike. "Twilight, you don't belong here," Spike said "Leave this creep..." Rarity was getting scared for her little Spiky-Wikie how he spoke out of nowhere, how his eyes had turned the color of Sombra's, how he wasn't answering her. "Cadence what do we do?" she asked. "We need to get that crystal out from above the throne," Cadence said "I'm not sure, but I think it's that that's making Spike act like this." "Indeed my daughter," an strong voice said ringing around the room. To the right in the crystals there stood a red Crystal Alicorn Sombra's crown on his head. "King Rubeus...?" Cadence asked tears forming looking at her ancient grand father for the first time. "Your little dragon is under one of Sombra's spells," Rubeus went straight to the point. "He and Clover the Clever were put under the same kind of spell last time when they reached Sombra's door of fear." "But then shouldn't he be... immune to the same spell?" Rarity asked bringing her hooves to her mouth realizing she talked back to a king. "No one is ever immune to fear, Princess Platinum," Rubeus said nodding his head to Rarity. Then returning to Cadence, "You my daughter, need to use your, magic of hope and love on the crystal the dragon tried to pull out. Only then will it come lose to go with the Scepter, and the drake will be safe." After he finished Rubeus disappeared from the crystals. Suddenly there was a crash, making the two mares spin around to see Spike had hit his head, blood dripping from it, yet he kept fighting, an invisible enemy. "Give back my sister you tyrant..." he screamed tears running down his cheeks. "Hurry Cadence!" Rarity said running to hold back Spike from hurting himself. Cadence closed her eyes and concentrating aimed part of her magic towards the center crystal making it glow white, a rainbow shining around it. A few seconds later it shot a beam towards Spike who was struggling in Rarity's arms to get to a non-existent Sombra. As soon as he was hit, Spike stopped moving, his eyes turning back to normal. "Wha... What happened?" Spike asked rubbing his head feeling the blood running from it. "I... I was standing in front of Sombra and... and Twilight," he explained not noticing he was in Rarity's arms. "She was his queen, and she... she didn't recognize me..." "Oh Spike," Cadence said coming over to the two bringing the crystal along with her, "We'll never let that happen. We just need to get these pieces together and get her back." she said kissing the baby dragons head. "You sure?" Spike said sniffing a little. "We'll do everything to get your sister, and our friend back, Spike." Rarity said spinning him around so he could hug her for comfort. Applejack, Pinkamena, and Luna were tugging though the snow, their eyes closed when they heard the King chuckle to himself. "Ah." he said "Live sacrifices, being led here by a goddess." Luna's ears peaked up as she opened her eyes to look around her. "Did you guys hear that?" Applejack called out stopping holding onto her hat. "Quit stalling Applejack," Pinkamena said walking on "We need to find that king and rip that crown off of his fat head." "You were a lot more fun last time you were here Pinkie Pie," Sombra's voice called stopping Pinkie in her tugging. "What, did Discord get to you again?" "Sombra," Luna called out into the blizzard. "Leave them alone!" "And why would I do that Luna?" Sombra said emerging, in his pony form, though the smoke cloud that had just appeared. "It's 'fun' to mess with Pinkie. And I'm sure Applejack has some things to toy around with too..." "You keep away from me!" Applejack cried unwinding her lasso. "Oh please, you really think a simple rope will get my crown?" Sombra asked rolling his eyes. Suddenly he shot a beam of Dark Magic at Applejack making her eyes go red and green. Suddenly she was clutching her ears and screaming. "Stop! Stop yelling at me. It wasn't my fault. I'm sorry" Applejack was back in time. She was a six year old filly, standing in front of two identical coffins all around the room were her family yelling at her. "You're a disgrace." "Appleseed and Honey-Crisp are dead because of you." "Now Apple Bloom will never have any parents to love her." Right in the front row was a baby yellow filly, a pink bow tied in her mane, asleep. Next to her were the sister's brother Big Macintosh, he glared up at Applejack. "I aint never speaking to you again." he said running out the room. "Mac wait." Applejack said tears forming. "Please..." she looked around to find no one, and nothing left except her father's hat, as a reminder of what she had done. "No... NO!" "NO!" Applejack's eyes shot open as they returned to normal, to a surprised pair of royal ponies. "How did you get out of my spell?" Sombra asked not paying attention on where Pinkamena was. "I got out because I realized, no matter how bad I screw up, not matter how bad things become..." Applejack said her eyes locked into Sombra's "With a family as big as mine, and friends as great as the ones I have, I will always have somepony to go to for help, for love, for kindness, to cheer me up. I may of been the reason why Apple Bloom has no parents, but every Apple came over to help raise her, and I did the most. Not out of guilt, but out of wanting to be a good sister. As long as there are friends and family, we are never alone." Applejack looked away. "Get it Pinkie?" A flash of pink flashed right in front of Sombra's eyes before he could react he felt his crown be lifted off of his head. "Got it!" Pinkamena yelled throwing it to Luna who started running with Applejack back to the Empire Pinkamena bringing up the rear. "Get back here with my crown..." Sombra growled turning back into smoke and chasing them, shooting beams of Dark Magic at the three, who dogged each one. "We're almost there!" Applejack said looking over her shoulder to see Sombra just a few paces back. Then they were back inside the safety of the dome, hearing grumbles from the king outside. Sighing with relief and panting hard, all three mares fell to the ground. They heard running hoof-steps coming towards them, Applejack looked up to see Shining Armour and two guards. "Every-pony alright." he asked. "Of course we're alight. We said we would be." Pinkamena said hair slightly poofyer, but still mostly straight. "Now come on, we have a scepter to put together." After helping Applejack and Luna up, every-pony set off to the Palace, each hoping it wasn't too late to fix things.