Chapter 6
About a few minutes passed, but to Lancer, it felt like hours. The one wolf that he truly loved was dead, killed by Sombra. Nothing would have been able to lift the sorrow from his shoulders. Not only that, but his friends… No, the entire pack would be forced to deal with this loss.
Soon, Lancer finally finished crying, he looked up at Sombra, who was...smiling.
Smiling?
Smiling?!
SMILING?!
Lancer’s sorrow was replaced with pure rage. It felt as if there was another side to him, but at this point, he didn’t care. There was no call for what Sombra did… He needed to pay.
Without warning, Lancer leaped towards Sombra and sunk his claws deep in Sombra’s flesh. The force of Lancer’s jump managed to knock Sombra off his feet and Lancer stood on top of him. “What are you smiling at?! That was a life you killed! She did not deserve to die, and yet you took her life out of cold blood! Now you’re going to join her!”
“You don’t have the guts.” Sombra sneered.
Lancer snarled and placed his jaws at Sombra’s throat. “You won’t have any guts when I’m done with you.”
Just then, a blast of magic threw Lancer off of Sombra. Once Lancer had recovered, he looked up to see Nightmare Moon standing close to Sombra. “You will get no closer to him,” she said.
Lancer stood up, “I’ll deal with you later, demon. Sombra is mine.”
“Is that any way to talk to your mother?”
“You aren’t my mother; my mother is the wolf you possessed! I want you out of my life!”
“I’ll always be in your life, Lancer.”
Lancer had had enough; he charged his horn and fired a huge bolt at Nightmare Moon. Nightmare Moon was launched several yards backwards. Lancer’s paws began to give off a gold aura. “What on earth…?” He questioned aloud.
Nightmare noticed that he was distracted and decided to take advantage of that opening. She approached Lancer quietly, and was about to leap, when Lancer leapt at her. He managed to scratch at Nightmare’s chest, resulting in a small bit of her fur falling off, almost as if it were a shell… “Is that the best you can-” Suddenly, another patch of fur fell off, then another, then another. “What in the world?”
Lancer then spread both of his wings and took to the skies. He blasted Nightmare Moon again. It sent her on back, and more scorched fur flew off. Then Lancer closed his eyes. He focused all of his emotion into one attack. Because of this, his fur was completely gold. “Now you’ll PAY!”
Lancer’s horn gave of an incredibly bright light, sending a beam at Nightmare Moon. Nightmare tried to dodge it, but it was no use. Nightmare was consumed by the beam. As the beam started to recede, the gold glow that Lancer’s fur had changed back to blue. He started to feel tired, so tired that once he landed, he passed out.
******
Rarity was laying in her own bed with Fluttershy sitting close by. Rarity glanced at her Pegasus friend, "Fluttershy, have you ever thought about settling down with someone? And maybe...start a family?"
"Why do you ask?"
"You just seem like a wolf that would make for a wonderful mother."
Fluttershy blushed. "Thank you Rarity... To be honest, I would like a family of my own, pups to look after, a mate to be at my side...but I'm happy the way my life is now, too."
“But still, I hope you find someone.”
"Thank you… and I hope you find someone as well… especially with your pup on the way."
As if on cue, Rarity began to feel a sharp pain in her stomach. "Ooh! Bad choice of words darling…”
"Oh, I'm sorry..." Fluttershy blushed.
“Well don’t just stand there! Get Megan now!”
"Huh? Wait, the pup's-"
“Hurry!”
Fluttershy bolted in the direction she could smell Megan. Eventually she found her in the medical room, looking after Twilight and Comet. "Megan!" Fluttershy panted. "Rarity is going into labor!"
Megan shot up. “She has?!”
Fluttershy nodded.
Megan bolted out the door and ran towards Rarity’s room. She was obviously in pain. “Rarity, do you think you can hold it till we get to the medical room?”
“I think so,” Rarity answered.
Megan scooped her up and walked quickly back to the med room. Rarity was panting hard, but managed to ask, “Megan? I would like Fluttershy to stay. She’s done a lot for me and-” Rarity cringed from pain, “It only feels right, but only if she wants to.”
“Well...if you’re sure.”
“I am.”
Megan finally arrived at the medical room. There, she set Rarity on a table and glanced at everyone there, “I’ll need you all to leave, except Fluttershy.”
Comet, Twilight, Spike, and Stargazer exited the room while Fluttershy remained behind. “Why do you want me to stay?”
“Because you’ve done so much for me,” Rarity managed to reply, “You were my best friend through my- Oh...my!” Rarity suddenly screamed.
“Easy Rarity,” Megan cautioned. “You’ll be okay. Take some deep breaths.”
Rarity did as Megan said, but she was in serious pain.
“That’s it…”
*****
Lancer found himself gazing into a dark void. ‘Am I dead?’ He asked mentally.
“No,” a feminine voice said.
Lancer looked for the feminine voice, and saw Nightmare Moon standing a few yards away from him. “Then what happened?”
“You forced my dark shell from Luna.”
“You mean...my mom is okay?”
“For now, but when I return…”
“Then maybe I should make sure you don’t return.”
Nightmare gave a laugh. “Nothing you can do will ever get rid of me.”
“Is that a challenge?”
“Would you like it to be?” Nightmare Moon’s horn began to glow.
Lancer’s horn started to glow as well.
Both wolves charged at each other, and when they finally reached each other, Lancer directed his horn straight for his rival’s heart, but Nightmare Moon was ready, and pushed him away with her paw. “Is that the best you have?” Nightmare Moon scoffed.
Lancer growled and shot a beam at her. It hit her in the snout and sent her to the ground. “Is that the best you have?” Lancer asked, standing up.
Nightmare Moon growled, and charged at him again. Lancer spread his wings and flew up, dodging the attack. He then used his horn to fire another beam, but Nightmare Moon deflected it with her own blast, then fired another which hit Lancer and sent him to the ground. Once he recovered, he saw Nightmare Moon’s snarling face just before he felt a piercing pain in his neck. Lancer soon found himself beneath Nightmare Moon on his back, her paws pinning him to the ground. “Have you had enough now?” Nightmare Moon asked, out of breath.
“Not by a longshot,” Lancer replied. He lowered his head and blasted Nightmare Moon’s face with his horn, this sent Nightmare Moon onto her back. Lancer took advantage of the opportunity and pinned her to the floor, while also making sure to clamp down on her neck so she wouldn’t pull the same trick on him. Nightmare smiled. “You may have won in your dream, but you will never destroy me in the real world.” With that, Nightmare Moon vanished in a puff of smoke.
Lancer stood back up, and soon heard a voice calling him. It sounded a bit like Nightmare Moon, but calmer, and much more gentle. It also sounded...sad. “Lancer? Lancer please wake up. We all need you so much.”
It was his mom.
*****
Lancer awoke to see his mother looking over him. Her kind blue eyes were now filled with tears. But when she saw Lancer was awake, her eyes widened before she nuzzled his neck. “Oh Lancer, thank goodness you’re alright.”
“Ye- yeah…” Lancer said, “Did I…”
“You were knocked unconscious by Nightmare Moon… But I don't want to relive the past right now. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“I’m glad you’re okay, too Mom...but I just wish…”
“You wish what?”
“I wish Bright Eyes were still here.”
“About that…” Luna went away from Lancer for a few moments, then came back with another wolf. She was aquamarine, but there were a set of wings and a horn. She also had those same pink eyes as… No, it couldn’t be, could it?
“Hello, Lancer,” the wolf smiled.
Lancer bolted to his paws. He knew that voice anywhere. “Bright Eyes?”
She nodded.
“But...how?”
Bright Eyes cleared her throat- and spread her new wings. “You have your mother to thank for this.”
Lancer looked at his mother, “You revived her as an Alicorn?”
“I have. I figured that she had earned it.”
“So… you did the same thing that Celestia did for Twilight?”
Luna tilted her head.
“Aunt Celestia went into...some place...and brought Twilight and Stargazer back as an Alicorn after Nightmare Moon killed them.”
“I see… Well, that is what I did to get Bright Eyes back.”
Lancer smiled. “Thank you.”
“After seeing what you meant to each other… I couldn’t just let her die without trying.”
Lancer and Bright Eyes blushed.
“Would you like me to leave you two alone?” Luna asked.
“I think that would be nice,” Lancer said.
Luna nodded and left the two wolves alone.
“So… I heard from Eclipse that you lead in Mom’s place. Is that true?”
“Yes, Eclipse said that I was suitable enough after breaking up a huge argument during a meeting.”
“Wow, you did?”
“Yeah…” Bright Eyes blushed, “But now I’m glad your parents are in charge.”
“Maybe, but I wish I had been able to see you when you took Mom’s place.”
“Well...I doubt I did a good job.”
“I’m pretty sure you did.” Lancer grinned. “I mean the pack’s still alive. Surely you did something right.”
“Well...I guess… But I’m not sure I should run out and...get myself...killed...again… I never really thought I’d say that…”
“Well, at least you’ll have a few more tricks up your fur.”
“Maybe…” Bright Eyes pawed at the ground, “So...mind if I ask where you were while you were...well, ‘dead’?”
“Well… I was in a human shelter.”
“I see...and you found Twilight there?”
“As a matter of fact, yes.”
“Just now you mentioned someone named ‘Stargazer’...who’s that?”
“That’s Twilight’s pup. When she died, her pup came back with her.”
“Really? Where are they?”
“Twilight and Comet are back at the shelter taking care of Stargazer.”
“Oh… Do you think I could see them soon?”
“Maybe...I’d have to ask Celestia how she did that portal spell.”
“Okay.”
“But you have to meet Megan.”
“Is she a human?”
“Yes, but surprisingly, she’s the only one who can understand us.”
“She understands us?”
“Yup, it’s cuz she has this necklace that let’s her talk to us.”
“A necklace? Does it have some sort of magical properties?”
“Yes.”
“Huh… I think I’ll have to ask Zecora about it.”
“Okay. But Twilight looked at it and even she didn’t know what it was, and yet when Aunt Celestia looked at it...”
“What?”
“Nevermind. Maybe it’s just me.
“What is it?”
Lancer took a breath. “She seemed to know what it is.”
“Then maybe we should ask her.”
“We will, but right now, I would much rather rest.”
“Oh, okay, I understand. Do you want me to leave?”
“No, not yet.”
“I see...well…” Bright Eyes lay down next to Lancer, “May I rest with you?”
“You may. Oh and one more thing.”
“Yes?”
Without warning, Lancer kissed Bright Eyes. This caused Bright Eyes cheeks to burn red, and she smiled shyly, before she kissed him back. Lancer smiled, “Just wanted to return the favor.”
“Thank you.”
******
After a long half an hour of excruciating pain, Rarity’s pup had finally come into the world. He was a grey pegasus pup. Rarity nuzzled the pup lovingly. He was so small, but Rarity couldn’t help but love him. He looked so much like his father. If only he were here to see his son.
“He’s really cute.”
Rarity suddenly looked up from her son to see Fluttershy hovering near her. “Oh, Fluttershy, I forgot you were here.”
“Oh, it’s alright. I can go if you want.”
“No…it’s alright. I just-” She glanced at her pup, “I never could have imagined how wonderful this all is.”
“Having a pup?”
“Yes… Don’t get me wrong, going through labor was one of the most painful things I’ve ever gone through, but it was definitely worth it.”
“Oh I’m sure it was. It would also be wonderful if he had a name.”
“Oh...yes… I had completely forgotten about that. I already had it picked out already after Brainstorm had died…”
“What is it?”
“Lionheart.”
Fluttershy gave Rarity an odd look.
“I have my reasons… Before I came here, a kind mountain lion helped me, he got me food, brought me into his pride and treated me as one of them. They even protected me from a bear attack.”
“Wow…”
“Yes… Not all lions are bad.”
“Hmm… That’s interesting.”
A small whimper could be heard from Lionheart. Rarity looked to her pup and knew what he wanted. “Excuse me Fluttershy, I-”
“I understand, I’ll leave you two alone.” Fluttershy smiled, then flew out of the room.
Rarity merely shook her head and laughed.
******
Celestia looked over her pack. Everyone was finally safe, but for how long will that peace last? Nightmare Moon is still out there looking for another host, someone angry, hurt, jealous, lustful, hurt...it would be far too easy. Even if Nightmare were out of the picture, there was still Sombra, and he was just as big of a threat if not more powerful. But for now, they all needed to rest and celebrate not only Luna’s return, but the birth of Twilight's daughter, Twilight’s ascension to beta, and the return of Firefly's daughter. What a day this has been!