The Empty Room

by Wanderer D


Chapter 21 (Original)

The Empty Room

Chapter 21

By Wanderer D

o.o.0.o.o

An alicorn stood in the street, watching with an amused smirk as her opponents shuffled nervously.

Twilight Sparkle gulped as she took half a step back, wings flaring in alarm. At her side, Twilight Spark grit her teeth nervously.

Big Macintosh, still battered and hurt from his battle with the shadow chimera, stepped in front of a trembling Fluttershy protectively.

“Well, brainiac, any ideas?” Twilight Spark whispered to Twilight Sparkle.

“Yes, I think so, Twi- Spark,” Twilight Sparkle stammered. “Can we decide on a way to call you that is not my name? It feels weird.”

Twilight Spark rolled her eyes. “Just call me Spark for now, otherwise we’ll spend too much time arguing about that and end up naming me something stupid, like ‘Dawn’ because I’m your opposite. And we don’t have time for that.”

Twilight nodded. “Okay then... perhaps if I- wait, I don't have magic! I don't know what to do!” Twilight Sparkle started to shift from hoof to hoof nervously. “Maybe we can run away?”

“Stop panicking!” Spark snapped, then faced the Nightmare Alicorn in front of them. “We have to form a plan...” she muttered. “And keep in mind that we’re the only thing standing in between it and them,” Spark reminded the former unicorn, gesturing to Mac and Fluttershy.

“Ah can still fight!” Big Macintosh gasped, his battered muscles trembling in protest as he attempted to puff out his chest.

Summer snorted. “Sure you can.”

Fluttershy peeked from behind Big Macintosh. “Um... we could hide?"  she offered, cringing as the alicorn turned to look at her.

“Maybe, if you hadn’t said that aloud,” Summer said, rolling her eyes.

“So...” Spark began, narrowing her eyes. “Are you going to kill me or are we just going to keep making small talk?”

Summer grinned. “Do you want me to kill you? Because I can all too easily grant your wish.”

Spark growled. “You can try! You’ll find me a lot tougher than you might think!”

“I doubt that,” Summer snorted. “Between you and the pegasus, there’s not much you can do.” She then gestured at Macintosh with a foreleg, her expression unreadable. “And handsome over there is barely able to stay on his hooves.”

After a moment, Fluttershy peeked from behind Big Mac again. “Um... what about me?”

Summer stared silently at Fluttershy. The pegasus’ face slowly disappeared behind Big Mac again. “So,” the alicorn coughed. “What’s it going to be? Are you going to fight? Lay down and surrender?”

The reply came in the form of a lightning bolt slamming into her.

“What?!” Twilight Sparkle cried in shock, staring at Spark. She winced at the blinding light. “Princess Celestia told me never to use that spell unless my life depended on it! We should only use battle-magic as a last resort!”

“Well, just what type of situation do you think you’re in, Twilight?” Spark snarled, smacking the back of Twilight’s head with her hoof as her horn summoned a second and third lightning bolt before it became a veritable lightning storm. “I can’t believe you and I used to be the same pony! That is intolerably naive of you!”

“Hey! I’m just uncomfortable with it, okay?” Twilight rubbed the back of her head, but stopped when she noticed that Spark’s horn started glowing even brighter. “Wait... why did that-”

“Oh, that was excellent!” Summer laughed as the lightning storm stopped. Summer shook her head, smiling sadly. “You even caught me by surprise! But, I’m sorry to say that you were doing it all wrong.” Electricity gathered in large, crackling quantities around her. “Here, let me show you how it’s done!” The alicorn’s cutie mark began to glow brightly.

Twilight Sparkle raised a hoof in alarm. “Wait!” She cried. “Wait, I have a question!”

“Make it quick!” Summer growled, starting to glow with electric power.

“Isn’t there some other way out of this? We don’t have to fight!” Twilight Sparkle said, eyes pleading.

Summer blinked.

“Don’t be stupid!” Spark snapped. “The hay, Twilight! They’re Nightmare Alicorns brought back to life by the Guardian! You don’t reason with them! What are you trying to do? Make friends?”

“I um...” Twilight looked down and scratched the floor with her hoof nervously. “I was thinking they might be family...”

Spark returned her stare blankly.

“You know,” Twilight became smaller. “Like Princess Luna and Princess- mom are sisters? I thought they might also be part of my family?”

“Princess Mom?” Summer asked with a small smirk. “I never heard of her... and you say she’s Luna’s sister?”

“She means Celestia, you dimwit!” Spark groaned. “She’s learning how to call her mom!”

Summer looked back to Twilight. “Wait, so... you’re saying we’re family?” She narrowed her eyes. “You don’t have a horn, but there is a lot of magic in you...”

Twilight shot a quick glance at Spark, who glared back.

“Oh...” Summer frowned after a moment, realization finally dawning on her. The pegasus and the unicorn seemed awfully similar. “So that’s how it is...” Summer cleared her throat. “Well then... um, niece... you do know you have to kill the anomaly right?”

“The wha-” Spark sputtered. “How dare you call me that, you undead freak?!”

Twilight arched an eyebrow. “Is this common practice?” she asked after a moment. “Nightmare Moon said the same thing.”

“Oh, it’s happened before.” Summer nodded. “It happened to Spring... She was never quite the same again.”

Fluttershy raised her hoof to call attention to herself and wincing the moment it was granted. “Um... sorry... I don’t want to interrupt but... I mean...” She paused. “I guess I do mean to interrupt but... I was wondering... um...”

“Out with it!” Summer snapped tiredly.

“I- I just wanted to know why you’re being so nice and talking to us instead of killing us?”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac echoed the sentiment.

Summer sighed,  letting the electricity fade into the air. “I have no interest in fighting you... you’re weak.”

“I’m what?” Spark’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

“Weak. As in the opposite of strong,” the alicorn clarified.

“I know what the word means!” Spark shouted, glaring at Summer. “I am not weak!”

“You are strong in magic,” Summer granted. “But you are not capable enough with it to challenge me... in fact, you are siphoning the magic from Twilight here. You were not extracted out of her as much as... grown out of her, weren’t you?”

Twilight Sparkle blinked. “What do you mean by extracted?”

Summer chuckled. “That’s what Spring did so long ago, even before she was turned into a Nightmare. She decided to take out all the evil inside of her and cast it aside... what she didn’t realize is that she would end up splitting herself in two and that only one half would have the horn. It was a mess, let me tell you.”

“But... why would she do that?!” Twilight asked, appalled.

“Well... it was shortly after Winter had become a Nightmare and Celestia, Luna, Spring and I had to take her down...” Summer looked towards the plaza. “Celestia and Luna were not as powerful as they are now... I think at this point in time, either of them could take all four of us at the same time...” her gaze went back to the group. “But back then, we were all roughly equals in power. Spring was so scared that she might be next that she decided to purge all of the evil from herself and unwittingly created a unicorn that was, well, completely evil... Darkness Void.”

Twilight Sparkle gasped. “Darkness Void?!”

“You... know of her?” Summer asked, surprised. “That happened several hundred years before I was turned into a Nightmare.”

“I... read about her; she was already a legend when Starswirl the Bearded was just a colt.”

“Meaning that it is completely irrelevant right now,” Spark interjected, ignoring the sour glare she earned from Twilight. Spark, instead, glared at Summer. “Well, if you’re not fighting us, what now?”

Summer smiled ferally. “Now I find a stronger opponent to fight! Somepony particularly vicious.”

o.0.o

With a mighty push of magic, Nightmare Moon broke free of the Guardian's telekinetic hold.

The Guardian roared in fury as Celestia followed her sister's lead and released herself from his grasp.

“Guardian, this is your last chance!” Celestia called. “Give up now or-”

She stopped in surprise as a sphere of dark-blue magic, enveloped in black lightning, shot past her and slammed into the Guardian's face, making it rear back.

“Don't waste your time arguing with this monster!” Nightmare Moon snapped. “Look at what it just did! Celestia, you are too soft!”

Celestia gritted her teeth. “And you are too eager to fight!”

Both sisters flew out of the way as a huge claw, large enough to catch both of them at the same time, attempted to do just that.

“We will settle this later,” Celestia sighed. “This creature has indeed crossed the line.” Her eyes lit up with a blinding white light.

Nightmare Moon flapped back frantically as the sky was pierced by a white column of light coming straight from the heavens. It struck the invisible barrier that had encased the city, but soon forced its way past it.

The Guardian howled in rage and pain as the scorching energy of the Sun washed over it. Its mental screams made both Princesses wince in pain. Celestia narrowed her eyes as she slowly let out her breath and the light subsided.

“That was-” Nightmare Moon never finished her sentence as a huge chunk of red-hot rock slammed into her. Both crashed noisily against a building, which immediately fell on top of her.

Celestia stared in shock as the Guardian, charred black by the column of heat, waded its way out of a pool of molten rock.

“That will not be enough to defeat me!” the Guardian growled, arms raised as its multiple eyes shone with malevolent red energy. The molten rock around him flowed into the air for a second, the heat alone making the air around him shimmer. It then shot out, faster than the eye could see, towards Celestia.

Weaving and banking under the serpentine molten rock, Princess Celestia thought frantically of her next move. But as the bright red lava coiled around her, she knew she could only concentrate on dodging for now. She turned to her left, but the way was already barred by the molten rock. She hesitated for a split second, which was enough for the Guardian to crush her with all the lava it could pile on her.

The molten rock splashed down across the plaza, burning away the remains of the gallows and washing over stone-turned ponies.

The Guardian watched, a grin cracking the scorched flesh around its muzzle, as Celestia stood slowly, her legs shaking as the lava slowly dripped down around her body.

“I-” she gasped. “I will not succumb to something like this!” Her body glowed as the rock superheated around her and dripped onto the floor. When she released her spell, her coat was singed, but the damage was considerably less than what the Guardian had received.

A sudden blast of dark energy slammed into the guardian’s chin, snapping its gargantuan head back. The crackling ball of black magic faded to reveal a slightly disheveled Nightmare Moon, glaring angrily at the creature. “You should have stayed hidden, Guardian,” Nightmare Moon growled. “You aren’t even half as competent in direct combat!”

The Guardian slowly lowered its head, the charred skin falling away to reveal untouched scales beneath. Nightmare Moon rubbed her temple exasperatedly. “You have got to be kidding me.”

She darted out of the way, barely avoiding a swiping claw, and landed next to Celestia, who eyed the Guardian warily.

“When I cut the strands he had attached to both of us, his abilities should have been brought down a peg or two...” Nightmare Moon muttered.

“Take heart, sister...” Celestia glared at the creature. “We are causing damage. He’s just playing with us, trying to make us think that our efforts are for naught.”

Nightmare Moon’s eyes narrowed to glare at the monstrosity. “Then let us make him regret his audacity.”

Both alicorns shot into the air, circling around the Guardian from different directions, one leaving a trail of pure light, the other of sheer darkness. They flew and spun around the behemoth several times before pulling away and, in the process, tightening the trails around him.

The creature roared in pain as the twin trails burned its arms, chest and back. With nary an effort, its arms broke free, smashing the unsuspecting Celestia onto the hard ground.

“Sister!” Nightmare Moon shouted in surprise. She barely dodged the Guardian’s other claw as it swiped at her. Creating a lance of pure black energy, she shot it straight through the Guardian’s claw.

She took advantage of the Guardian’s pained roar to charge him, driving her horn through its scaly hide as a searing hot blast behind her alerted Nightmare Moon of her sister blasting her way free of the creature’s grasp.

“Fool!” Nightmare Moon challenged as her horn blasted pure destructive nergy into the Guardian’s body. “You are no match for us! Even if you regenerate, you take far more damage than we do!”

The Guardian responded to her taunts by grabbing Nightmare Moon with one of its injured claws. The blood dripping from it coagulated into tendrils that wrapped around the alicorn and squeezed.

Nightmare Moon shouted in a mingle of pain and surprise as she felt the magic being leeched out of her by the Guardian.

“Luna!” Celestia shouted, a beam of white light shot from her horn, slicing through the tendrils.

The moment Nightmare Moon felt the drain stop, she created a force-field around her body that slowly expanded, forcing the claw open wide enough for her to fly out just before the Guardian slammed his palms together.

“That...” Nightmare Moon panted, “that was close...”

“What happened?” Celestia asked, panting as well. “It seemed like you had suddenly lost the will to fight for a moment!”

Nightmare Moon shook her head as she followed her sister out of the Guardian’s reach. “He did something... he started absorbing my energy!

The Princesses gasped as the Guardian’s laughter echoed in their minds.

“But-” Nightmare Moon gasped. “How?!”

“Foolish Princess, I established another link to your souls when I touched you,” the Guardian’s voice taunted. “... you will now die, and feed me...”

“We... we must break the link!” Nightmare Moon growled as she crashed on the hard floor.

Celestia landed next to her and fell promptly to her knees. “But... how?”

The Guardian chuckled in their minds as it slithered up to them. “You can’t. At least, not before I drain you completely.”

o.0.o

“I hate the fact that she’s watching us. She could attack anytime she wanted to,” Spark growled, keeping her eyes ahead.

“Well, it seems she really doesn’t want to kill us,” Twilight mused. “I wonder why that is? How come Nightmare Moon and Summer can control themselves and the others can’t?”

“Who cares?” Spark snorted. Her eyebrow rose as she noticed a new sight. “Hey, isn’t that one of the Wonderbolts?”

Twilight smiled, waving her hoof. “Soarin’!”

The Wonderbolt jumped when he heard his name, and he and the two unicorns with him looked at the group in surprise.

“I’m glad you made it, Soarin’!” Twilight sighed in relief. “When we all got separated I feared the worst!”

“Well, I managed to catch Mr. Golden Cross and Paper Craft here,” Soarin’ said, motioning at the two unicorns. “We were wondering what to do now...”

“We should get everypony together and go help my mother,” Twilight said after a moment. “She might need the Elements of Harmony to stop the Guardian, and that won’t happen if we’re all over the place.”

“That’s assuming everypony survived, which is a pretty far stretch,” Spark muttered.

“Um,” Fluttershy peeked out from behind Big Macintosh. “Maybe we should keep going? It can’t be a good idea to stay in one place... I think...”

“The Shadowbolt Commander is right,” Soarin’ somehow said with a straight face. “We should move along.”

“Yeah, let’s get going, sis,” Spark snorted.

“Wait... I hear something!” Twilight exclaimed, raising her hoof.

“What do you think it is?” Fluttershy asked, now hiding behind Twilight.

“I’m not sure...” Twilight said as the group slowed down. “But we should prepare an ambush, just in case.”

“Oh, look at you!” Spark smirked. “All brave in the face of danger! It seems I’m rubbing off on you...”

“I think it’s a good idea,” Soarin’ muttered. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Big Mac glanced at Golden Cross and Paper Craft. “You two better hide, just in case it’s something dangerous.”

“I refuse!” Golden Cross shook his head. “You might need a healer if this turns ugly! You’re barely standing on your own as it is! Let me help!”

Twilight and the others exchanged glances, but at a nod from Twilight, Big Mac relented.

“Paper Craft, go hide for now,” Soarin’ instructed.

The young unicorn was about to reply when he caught the stallion’s eyes. Cringing, he nodded and walked into a nearby alley.

Paper Craft stepped into the alley slowly, his eyes searching for hidden enemies. “Celestia...” he muttered as his eyes widened.

In front of him stood two statues of two very familiar ponies.

“I guess you didn’t make it out in time,” Paper Craft said softly, walking up to the stone effigies of his mother and father. His teeth ground against each other as anger coursed through his veins. A flash of his sister falling, the sound of her neck snapping. His father stepping over her broken lyre.

“You deserved it...” he whispered.

o.0.o

Outside, the group had vacated the main street and waited apprehensively as the noise that Twilight had heard became more obvious. It sounded rickety, followed by scratches of stone against something else.

Twilight and Spark looked at each other, ready for action.

“Ah keep tellin’ ya, Ah’m worried about Dashie,” Applejack’s voice reached them. “She hasn’t woken up yet since Gilda...”

“I know,” Trixie sighed. “But, she’s still recuperating and the emotional stress was probably too much...”

“Trixie!” Golden Cross shouted, jumping out of hiding and trotting up to the showmare, who was strapped to a wagon containing Applejack.

Twilight and the others also emerged from their hiding spots and slowly approached the mares.

“Applejack, are you-” Twilight gasped as she noticed her friend stroking Rainbow Dash’s mane.

The cyan pegasus, breathing shallowly and moaning in discomfort, lay next to Gilda.

“She ain’t waking up,” Applejack reported, turning to Twilight. “Ah’m sorry, Twi. Ah don’t know what to do other than keep her company... and watching for the dead.”

“Oh, Applejack...” Twilight tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

A soft glow enveloped Applejack and levitated her out of the wagon. She gasped in surprise when Spark hugged her. “Twilight Spark...”

“Just call me Spark... I’m glad you’re okay...” Spark whispered.

Applejack sighed and leaned in just a bit, closing her eyes. “Thank you.”

Trixie and Golden Cross approached Twilight, who was trying to figure out how Rainbow Dash was doing.

“Let me take a look,” the elder unicorn suggested as he stepped onto the wagon. His horn lit up with a soft white light that enveloped Rainbow Dash.

Twilight and Trixie hovered over him until the light died down.

“Well, she’s okay...” Golden Cross breathed at last. “I cast a couple of healing spells. She’s in no danger of dying anytime soon, but she definitely needs rest. She’s more exhausted than anything. I imagine her battle took a lot of energy out of her and I suspect that the stress of her friend dying was too much for her.”

Twilight looked at Trixie. “How did Gilda...” She couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Trixie shook her head. “She fought Fall head on... I managed to devise a plan to stop the blasted monster, but Gilda had to get close to her and...” She sighed. “I’m sorry, Twilight, this is as much my fault as hers...”

“Now don’t say that!” Applejack rebuked, looking up from her embrace. “Ah was there, Trixie. If you hadn’t done that, and if Gilda hadn’t helped us, we would all be dead, includin’ Gilda and Rainbow. It was just a matter of time before Fall found them.”

Trixie turned away until her eyes settled on Paper Craft, who walked out of the alley apparently realizing that there was no danger. “I know you; you’re Lyra’s brother...” She cringed. Yet another failure.

Paper Craft nodded. “I never got to thank you for helping me stand up to my parents.”

Trixie sighed. “It... it was the least I could do.”

“Trixie...”

The showmare’s heart skipped a beat as she turned around, her eyes going wide as she saw Big Mac slowly making his way to her. He looked tired and in pain as he limped forward, but his eyes were alight with unbridled happiness.

“Macintosh!” Trixie quickly trotted up to him and hugged him, kissing his lips and cheek before embracing him. “You’re okay! Thank Nightmare Moon!”

“There’s something I never thought I would hear my child say,” Golden Cross muttered.

“Father,” Trixie said, leading Big Mac up to Golden Cross. “This is Big Macintosh, of the Apple family. He... it’s thanks to him that I’m here. He helped me so much... I thought you would like to meet him.”

Golden Cross gave Big Macintosh a look. “We met recently.”

Big Macintosh fidgeted nervously under the very serious appraisal he received.

“So far he’s been a calm and straightforward pony, willing to help, and bears a remarkably strong will,” Golden Cross remembered, looking at his daughter. “I have seen his diligence and love for his work at the market... I couldn’t have picked a better stallion for you if I had tried, Trixie.”

Trixie beamed. “Thank-”

Fluttershy meeped, drawing everypony’s attention to her as she stared at the grinning face just in front of her.

“Don’t worry, little one. It will be your last mistake...” Spring whispered ominously as smoke came from within her mouth.

The other ponies froze in surprise. Nopony had seen her arrive.

“Well, well, well...” Spring sneered, her hoof tracing Fluttershy’s jaw, enjoying the feeling of the trembling pegasus and the way Fluttershy’s eyes watered with even more tears. “What have we here?”

Fluttershy whimpered, paralyzed from fear as the alicorn slowly circled her.

Spring looked over Fluttershy’s shoulder at the others. “So, you managed to kill Fall?” she snorted. “That won’t help you... she was deranged; she didn’t know right from left. She would walk into a trap even if it had a large warning sign. Defeating her is no big deal.”

“Get away from Fluttershy,” Twilight growled.

“Or what?” Spring taunted, whispering into Twilight’s ear. “What could you ever do to me, little pegasus?”

Twilight tried to leap at the alicorn, but found herself frozen in place by Spring’s magic. She tried to speak, but the same spell prevented her from talking. She gazed across to Fluttershy, her eyes widening slightly when she noticed her friend was paralyzed with the same spell.

“Oh, don’t be too scared,” Spring cooed, nuzzling Twilight’s neck. “That’d be no fun!”

“How about you face us like a real alicorn and we show you how scared of you we aren’t?” Spark growled.

“Oh, I will,” Spring replied as her horn shone brighter. “Just after I kill-”

Suddenly something hit the side of her muzzle, drawing blood and stopping her diatribe.

Twilight stumbled forward when the field holding her in place disappeared. Applejack managed to catch Fluttershy.

Spring glared as another pegasus, two unicorns, and three fillies came into view.

“I wouldn’t do that, dear. You would really regret touching a strand of hair from any of my friend’s heads,” Rarity warned. Her horn shimmered with light as thousands of bright little objects levitated around her.

“We’ll see...” Spring said, suddenly disappearing under a cloaking spell. “Won’t we?” she asked as she appeared behind Rarity. The alicorn’s eyes widened and she ducked under a fast kick from the fashionista, and then jumped up to avoid the line of diamonds and gems that followed.

Spring ducked suddenly, barely able to dodge the blade of air that slashed where her head had been a moment ago.

“Damn,” Spark muttered.

“You’ll need to do better than that, little po-” Spring’s gloating was interrupted by somepony slamming hard into her back . She cried out in pain and surprise as she was violently slammed against the floor.

“How’s that for a change?” Summer laughed as she landed next to her fallen sister. She looked at the most recent group of ponies. “Hm... you two seem interesting...” She grinned at Rarity and Sweetie Belle, who exchanged a worried glance. “Perhaps after I take care of Spring we can have a good fight...”

“Summer!” Twilight walked up to her. “Sweetie Belle is just a filly and Rarity is just...” She hesitated. “Well, a fashion designer last time I checked...” she muttered, frowning at the disheveled state of her friend.

“A fashion designer?” Summer asked with a dismissive chuckle. “She’s bathed in Winter’s blood! I felt her battle! It was glorious!”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Are we talking about the same Rarity?”

“Twilight,” Rarity walked up to her. “Why... are you talking with the Nightmare Alicorn that the Guardian brought to life with the intention of her killing us?”

“Um...”

“Summer!” Spring shouted as she stood up from the small crater she created when she landed. “How dare you!?”

Summer grinned. “Well, niece, it’s time for you to go. I have business to attend to.”

Twilight stepped back. “Are you sure?”

Summer snorted. “Go and save your mom,” she ordered without taking her eyes of off Spring, who was charging some sort of spell. “I owe Spring a favor.”

Twilight glanced back at the others. With the addition of Misty, Rarity, Cinnamon, Daisy Sprout and the Crusaders, they all seemed to be together now. A resolute look crossed her face when she heard a distant explosion.

“We will... and thank you...” she said as both she and Rarity galloped off towards the others.

Summer smirked. “Anything for family. Right, Spring?”

“Shut up!” the other alicorn shouted, suddenly disappearing.

“And here we go again...” Summer grinned. “Just like so long ago...”

“This time it will be different, sister,” Spring spat as she re-appeared just next to Summer. “This time... I will kill you!”

o.0.o

Checking one last time to see that everypony was in the cart--Golden Cross and Cinnamon having already begun to treat the injured amongst them as best they could--Twilight slowly led the group away from the battling alicorns and towards their ultimate destination: the plaza and the Guardian.

“Twilight,” Applejack called as they galloped through the streets, risking a glance behind at the alicorns. “Are you sure we can trust one of them alicorns to help us?”

Spark rolled her eyes. “‘Auntie Summer’ is probably having more fun right now than she would fighting most of us...” Her eyes strayed to Rarity, the white unicorn seeming to not pay attention, though the small smile that played across her lips suggested otherwise.

“She seemed honest enough...” Twilight commented, flying alongside Applejack. “And the way those two were going at it, I don’t doubt there’s bad blood between them.”

“Well, dunno about you gals, but I’m glad we’re not staying to see what happens,” Soarin’ muttered. “I see you’re more comfortable flying now, Twilight.”

Twilight lost control and struggled hard to get it back. “Please,” she gasped, “don’t bring it up. I’m trying not to think about it!”

Rainbow Dash twitched, her hoof slowly moving away from the covered form in the cart. Fighting back the emotions that swelled within her, she groaned and sat up. She looked at her friend. “That’s how it works, Twilight...” She frowned. “Wait... you’re a pegasus now?”

Twilight chuckled nervously. “Um... alicorn... actually. My horn is just on loan right now...”

My horn is staying where it is, thank you very much!” Spark snapped back at them.

Applejack looked from Spark to Twilight and back. “What are you going to do?”

Twilight sighed and looked away. “I don’t know... I don’t want Spark to die, but everypony keeps telling me that it’s the only way.”

“Everypony could be wrong,” Sweetie Belle interjected from where she sat with the other three fillies, having draped a piece of cloth over herself. “A unicorn’s horn can’t be easily destroyed and displays regenerative properties directly influenced by the unicorn’s inherent magic.”

“That’s true!” Twilight remembered, suddenly smiling. “We might get out of this if only we can-”

“Duck!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“No, only if we-” Twilight was interrupted when she was suddenly yanked her from the air. She landed painfully, barely avoiding the huge piece of wall that had been hurled through the air towards her. Her eyes went wide. “T-thanks Rarity...”

“Don’t mention it,” Rarity replied.

Rarity and Spark quickly jerked the cart out of the street and around a corner so they see what was happening in the plaza.

“The Princesses are having a hard time...” Spark reported after a moment. “I never suspected the Guardian to be that strong... it’s taking a lot of damage, but it shows no sign of even being tired.”

Twilight remained silent for a moment. “We need the Elements... they’re the only things I can think of that are strong enough to stop him.”

“But how?” Rainbow Dash asked, hopping down from the cart and wincing as she landed. She gave Gilda’s body one last mournful glance before walking up to them. “We don’t have Pinkie Pie with us.”

Rarity, who was having a quiet word with Sweetie, glanced up and nodded. “Dash is right, dear. We can’t simply walk up there and try to use them if she’s not here.”

“Ah’m afraid she’s right... as much as we’d like to do something to help, Ah really don’t know what we could do.”

“Maybe we should just wait?” Fluttershy asked meekly.

“Right now, I don’t see any other choice...” Twilight muttered worriedly as she looked back at the battle.

“So, we’re doing nothing?” Soarin’ asked, frowning.

“There must be something...” Misty thought aloud. “I can fly, I can fight... we should be out there... we need to be out there...”

“Don’t tell me you’re chickening out,” Spark sneered at Rarity, who huffed and straightened.

“Just because we cannot use the Elements right now doesn’t mean that we cannot kick flank,” Rarity stated.

“And Trixie can help too!” Trixie stated, walking up to them. “With our magic we should be able to help... at least a little...”

“No!” Daisy Sprout shouted, running up to Trixie and throwing herself around the older mare’s forelegs. “Please, sis... I just got you back! I don’t want anything to happen to you!”

Trixie smiled down at Daisy Sprout. “Tri- I know, sis,” she said, kneeling to hug her back. “But I have to do it so that you, dad and mom can be safe.”

“I can’t let you go just like that, Trixie,” Golden Cross spoke up, walking up to her alongside Cinnamon. “We lost you once... and you’ve been risking your life since you arrived in Canterlot... how could we just let you face such a monster without us?”

Trixie smiled at them and shook her head. “No... you can’t... mom, dad... I love you and I understand what you’re saying... but you cannot just leave Daisy Sprout behind.” Her eyes locked with her father’s. “I will be back...”

“And Ah’ll make sure she does,” Big Mac assured them, stepping next to Trixie and smiling at her. “Ah’ll make sure nothin’ happens to her, Mr. Cross.”

Golden Cross seemed torn, but his wife's hoof on his shoulder let him know the right choice. He nodded reluctantly, letting out a little sigh of defeat. “You two be careful...”

“Sis... are you really going out there with Big Mac?” Apple Bloom asked, looking worriedly at Applejack.

“Ah... Ah have no choice, sis... not if Ah want you and the others to be safe.” Applejack sighed, nuzzling her sister. “Now, you, Scootaloo an’ Sweetie Belle behave yerselves, okay? Take care of each other and listen to Mr. Cross and Miss Cinnamon, ya hear?”

Apple Bloom sniffed and nodded. “Ah will, sis...”

Scootaloo walked up to where Rainbow Dash, Soarin’, Misty and Twilight were talking. “Rainbow Dash?”

The cyan pegasus raised an eyebrow at Scootaloo. “Hey, squirt. What’s up?”

“I don’t understand what’s happening...” the filly confessed worriedly. “Is Nightmare Moon really a bad mare? Why are you a Shadowbolt?”

Rainbow Dash smiled softly, patting the filly’s head. “Things are very complicated... I don’t fully understand everything myself, but... we’ll figure it out once this is all over.”

“What we need is a plan...” Twilight said, walking to the middle of the street. “We can’t barge in there just like that and fling everything we have at the Guardian.”

“Not to mention all the lava is going to make it very hard to even get close,” Spark pointed out. “Pegasi and unicorns may be able to do something but the others...”

“Maybe... maybe we could all cast a spell to cool it down?” Trixie suggested after a moment of thought. “If we all link our magic, we could make a really strong gust of freezing wind.”

Rarity and Spark exchanged glances. “For something like that... we would need everypony’s help. Even Sweetie, and Daisy...” Rarity hesitated. “It would be rather risky.”

“Would a burst of wind be enough to freeze the ground?” Rainbow Dash asked. “And no offense, but you guys can’t fly. What will you do if the Guardian just sets everything on fire again?”

“We’ll throw more cold air at it!” Daisy shouted helpfully from the wagon.

“This ain’t gonna work...” Applejack sighed. “We won’t be able to get close enough and-”

“That’s it...” Twilight whispered. She looked up at everypony around her. “That’s it! I got it!”

“Got what? A plan?” Soarin’ asked as everypony leaned in closer.

Twilight smiled and nodded.

o.0.o

Nightmare Moon’s horn glowed with dark energy as chunks of rock and balls of lava encased in silver and black energy levitated around her. With a roar of anger and power, she sent them flying with as much force as she could muster at the Guardian.

But the Guardian merely batted away the projectiles as if they were nothing, despite the obvious damage they had left on its titanic arm.

Nightmare Moon dived down to avoid one of her own missiles hitting her on a dangerous rebound. She narrowed her eyes and prepared another spell.

“Sister!”

Nightmare Moon snapped her head around just in time to see a long tendril of lava about to smash into her, but, suddenly, in a burst of light, there was Celestia, horn flaring as a large force field surrounded the pair.

Celestia took a deep breath. “I hate to admit it, Nightmare Moon... but I’m getting tired.”

The pair turned to face the Guardian.

“It’s odd, but...” Nightmare Moon growled. “I... I think I have faced him before...”

“Me too,” Celestia agreed, surprised by the revelation. “But when?”

The sound of air being displaced was their only warning.

With mighty flaps of their wings, both alicorns were quickly out of the Guardian’s immediate reach, but that didn’t stop him from from ripping more rock from around them and trying to crush them with his far-reaching telekinetic grip.

“Sister,” Celestia called. “I don’t know how longer I can keep this up... that... dome the Guardian created... it’s stopping me from recharging my energy... I can reach the sun for an attack... but I cannot draw energy from it!”

“It is the same for me!” Nightmare Moon revealed as a bubble of black energy encased her, preventing a lava tendril from spearing through her. “I can barely feel the Moon, much less use my link to it!”

“How can it have so much power? What is it?” Celestia growled as she blasted through several attacks to land a point-blank shot of explosive solar energy straight into the Guardian’s chest.

The Guardian roared in pain, swatting at the Celestia, who dodged the swipe and came back around for another shot at the beast.

It was then that she spotted something on the corner of her eye.

The Guardian’s arms flailed around as it noticed the smaller figures flying in fast circles around it. It took a moment for Celestia to recognize them.

“The Shadowbolts?! But how?”

“Princ- Mom!” a voice shouted far below her. Celestia turned to see Nightmare Moon already landing in front of Twilight, Spark, Rarity and Trixie. She quickly followed while the Guardian attempted to bat at the Shadowbolts.

“Twilight!” She nuzzled her long-lost daughter once she had landed. “I’m glad both you and Twilight Spark are okay!”

Spark, who had been concentrating on some sort of spell, almost lost her control when she heard that startling admission, but quickly forced herself to carry on, ears perked to listen in.

“Mom, we don’t have much time,” Twilight said. “So you have to trust me; I need you and Nightmare Moon to join Rainbow Dash and the others flying around the Guardian, I also need you to cast a cold spell to cool the air behind you as much as you can.”

“But-”

“No time!” Nightmare Moon shouted, jumping into the air, her horn already aglow. “It’s noticed we’re gone; we‘ll just have to trust your daughter!”

Celestia said nothing, but nodded and jumped into the air, her own horn alighting as she cast her spell. Soon, they were flying as fast, if not faster than, the Shadowbolts, their bodies becoming multicolored blurs as they encircled the Guardian.

“Is this going to work?” Trixie asked Twilight worriedly as she struggled to follow Misty and Soarin’ with both eyes and magic.

“It’d better...” Spark growled. “You’re putting a lot of trust in your ability to predict the Guardian’s reactions!”

“We have no other option!” Twilight said and looked behind them. “Golden Cross, Cinnamon, Paper Craft... Daisy... Sweetie... are you ready?”

Golden Cross nodded at his wife and the two fillies. “As ready as we’ll ever be.”

Twilight nodded back, turning to Trixie, Rarity and Spark. “How are you three holding up?”

“We’re holding...” Trixie quipped. “Trixie simply hopes the Guardian does what he’s supposed to!”

An angry bellow shook Canterlot.

“I think we’re about to find out!” Twilight shouted as the Guardian’s arms rose into the air.

o.0.o

Celestia gave Nightmare Moon a look. They the tendrils of magic coming from Trixie, Rarity and Twilight Spark’s horns were plainly visible as they used their magic to create a trail of cold air behind Rainbow Dash, Soarin’ and Misty.

“Wow, this is one helluva updraft!” Soarin’ laughed as the hot air pushed them up. “I think Twi’s plan might work, after all!”

“Didn’t know you two were close enough to call her that!” Misty yelled in reply.

“Well, she’s kinda cute as a pegasus!” Soarin’ shouted back.

“You do know that her mother is right behind you, right, Soarin’?” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

Soarin’ cringed and peeked back at Celestia, who gave him a steady look. He sheepishly concentrated on dodging the Guardian’s arms.

The Guardian’s eyes flashed and suddenly Soarin’ found himself dodging as balls of lava and fire were hurled towards them.

“It looks like it’s really working!” Misty shouted back. “Come on, everypony! We can do it!”

“I think I have an inkling as to what our Twilight is planning, sister!” Nightmare Moon called out as she increased her speed.

Celestia, not one to be left behind, pushed herself to fly ever faster. “I do as well... it’s a brilliant plan, and I am very proud of her!”

The pegasi and alicorns started flying faster, dropping or pressing upwards in the air to avoid the Guardian's attacks: the swipes of its enormous claws, the hissing balls of lava, and the odd chunk of a building hurtling through the sky.

Far below, Rarity, Spark and Trixie started to feel the pressure. “Twilight... we’re reaching our limits!” Trixie growled.

“It’s time!”  Twilight called. “Get ready, Golden Cross, Cinnamon, you two go to Trixie; Paper Craft, you help Spark; Rarity, will you be okay with just Sweetie and Daisy?”

“I’ll be fine, we have practiced magic together before; she knows how it works!” Rarity assured her.

“I wish I could be up there...” Scootaloo mourned, watching the pegasi weave around attacks. “I wish I could use my wings for something else other than pushing my scooter!”

“It’s okay, Scootaloo,” Fluttershy whispered. “We all wish we could do more...”

Big Mac nodded, looking at the fight. “Eeyup.”

“Are we gonna make it, big brother?” Apple Bloom asked.

Big Macintosh smiled. “Trixie and the others are doing their best.”

“And we ain’t just gonna sit here either!” Applejack added. “Once the hay hits the fan we’ll have to cover for the others and make sure nothin’ happens to them.”

Apple Bloom nodded as the group watched the unicorns take their places, all touching their horns together.

Twilight’s feathers ruffled. She watched Rainbow Dash and the others intently as they got closer and closer. “Okay guys, give Rarity, Trixie and Spark your power, now!”

Winds started to whip around the plaza, pushing the hot air behind the cold air the pegasi and alicorns created.

“Wait for it...” Twilight warned. “Wait for it...”

Suddenly the group of flyers banked down.

“NOW!”

The magic pushed the currents into their set path with tremendous force, catching up to the flyers. In an explosion of speed, they spiraled around the Guardian; the cold and hot air, propelled by magic and the vortex they had created, following behind.

The ponies on the ground braced themselves as a huge tornado formed around the Guardian, feeding off of the magic and thermal forces. It tore apart everything around its edge as the winds buffeted against anything standing.

When the tornado hit it, the Guardian roared in anger. With a great cracking sound, the gray dome that surrounded Canterlot broke apart, its magic being absorbed into the tornado funnel.

“It’s working! It’s working!” Twilight shouted in glee as the earth shook and the magical energies crackled against each other. The Guardian had already been obscured from view by the violent swirl of wind and magic, its writhing silhouette illuminated only briefly by the intermittent bursts of magical lightning that lashed at the creature.

“The magical reactions and the sheer wind should be tearing him apart!” Rarity shouted.

The buildings around them shuddered as the roofs were ripped off by the wind, immediately absorbed into the tornado.

“Y’all need to be careful! You’re too close!” Applejack shouted over the howling wind.

“She’s right!” Twilight shouted as loudly as she could in the hope that her voice would reach the others. “We have to step back!”

“I can’t hear you!” Spark shouted back. “We’re too close to it!”

“What?!” Twilight looked back over her shoulder as pieces of debris started landing around them. “This is getting dangerous!” she shouted, motioning with her foreleg. “Move back!”

The unicorns nodded, slowly stepping back as more and more pieces of the nearby buildings, and even rocks, rained around them.

Suddenly, out of the vortex, a huge arm burst through. Cut, bleeding, and being actively torn apart by the forces acting against it, it nevertheless tore a piece of a building and rose.

“Scatter!” Rarity shouted, her magic cutting short as she levitated Sweetie and Daisy behind her. She immediately ran to the side, Trixie, Golden Cross and Cinnamon following close by.

Twilight dove to the other side of the street, followed by Paper Craft and Spark. Behind them, Applejack took Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to one side while Big Mac and Fluttershy had fled in the other direction.

The arm reared and hurled the wall at them. A split-second later, it impacted, veritably bouncing off the ground and raining shards of rock and stone that flew in all directions as it continued its trajectory.

Twilight followed its trajectory with horror as her eyes swept towards Applejack, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, who stood transfixed as the wall bounced into the air towards them.

“Applejack! Apple Bloom! Scootaloo!” Twilight shouted, knowing that it was already too late.

Applejack held the two fillies close and cringed, closing her eyes as her life seemed to flash in front of her eyes. Her world exploded.

From the sidelines, the others suddenly saw a bright flash appear just in front of Applejack and the fillies. A shimmering red shield was thrown up against the impact, only half-formed by the time the wall struck it. The shield cracked beneath the strain, the wall slowed but not stopped by the desperate defense.

The shield collapsed, only to be replaced by a smaller one that took the rest of the impact before being crushed by what remained.  A dust cloud covered the whole area, obscuring them from sight.

“Applejack!” Twilight shouted, her voice echoed by Rarity, as screams of “Scootaloo!” and “Apple Bloom!” echoed around.

They ran into the dust cloud, fearing the worst.

o.0.o

The moment the unicorns stopped their spells, Rainbow Dash, Soarin’ and Misty felt the effect.

“What’s happening!?” Soarin’ shouted as they looked down.

“The Guardian attacked them somehow!” Rainbow Dash cried out, her eyes on the ponies far below.

“We can’t let up!” Celestia interrupted. “I’m as worried as you are, but we need to stop the Guardian!”

“But what can we do, your majesty?” Misty asked. “With all due respect, only you and Nightmare Moon could even hope to do any damage!”

“Sister,” Nightmare Moon studied the vortex below them. “The Guardian is trapped, but it will free itself soon and regenerate. We need something decisive.”

Celestia glanced at Nightmare Moon and nodded slowly. “I know that look, Nightmare Moon... what is it that you have planned?”

“We create another tornado... then we’ll feed our power, along with that of the Elements of Harmony, into it and force it to clash with the one below.”

“I hate to break it to you, your highness, but there simply aren’t enough of us here to create another tornado, especially now that we don’t have icy contrails or burning rock to fuel it...” Soarin’ ventured, cringing a bit as the Nightmare’s eyes settled on him.

“He has a point, princess,” Rainbow Dash admitted. “And we need more than that... we need the Elements of Harmony, which are in the palace...”

Celestia shook her head. “After what happened with Discord, I placed a spell on their container so that I can summon them whenever I need them.”

“That still doesn’t mean we can use the Elements!” Dash cried. “We need another plan! Without Pinkie Pie we can’t do it!”

“Well, why didn’t you say so?” Pinkie asked.

Rainbow Dash shot up into the air so fast, all the Princesses and the Shadowbolts were able to see was a rainbow contrail.

“Pinkie Pie!” Nightmare Moon smiled at the earth pony sitting inside a hot air balloon. “I take it your operation was successful?”

Pinkie smiled as dozens of pegasi rose into the air around them. “I brought them all! Here’s Ponyville!”

Nightmare Moon and Celestia exchanged glances. “I think you can summon the Elements, sister,” the Nightmare said.

Celestia nodded as Rainbow Dash lowered down to their level, breathing hard. “Pinkie Pie! You’ve got to stop scaring ponies like that! How long have you been here anyway?!”

“Oh, ever since the shield went down. I was waiting for the opportune moment!” Pinkie Pie smiled.

o.0.o

Trying desperately to see through the cloud of dust, Twilight flapped her wings uselessly and coughed in a fruitless attempt to clear the air.

“A-Applejack!” she called. “Apple Bloom! Scootaloo! Can you hear me?! Are you okay?!” She searched around her immediate area. “Please tell me you you’re all okay...”

“T-Twilight!”

“Applejack!” Twilight shouted, flying towards the voice. “You’re alive!” she hugged the orange mare the moment she saw her. “But, where are Applebloom and Scootaloo?”

Applejack sighed and pointed behind her. Twilight gasped. “Oh... oh, no...”

“Wh- what?” Spark spat blood, trying to ignore the two crying fillies that were watching her with worry and horror. “Don’t- don’t tell me you care, Twilight...” She pushed something towards Twilight Sparkle.

The purple pegasus landed softly next to her clone. Half the unicorn’s body was buried under the thrown wall. “Spark... your... your horn...” she whispered, looking down at what the unicorn had pushed towards her. “Your- your body... it’s-”

“Useless now,” Spark whispered. “Can’t even feel it.”

Applejack stepped past Twilight and knelt facing Spark. “Twilight Spark... Ah- Ah have no words to say that could thank you enough...” she gulped, feeling her eyes start to water. “You saved us... you saved mah sister and Scootaloo...”

Twilight Spark’s scowl receded. “I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing...” Her own eyes watered as Applejack nuzzled her. “I don’t want to die,” she whispered.

Twilight looked away, closing her eyes as the words hit her like a freight train. She slowly approached Applejack and Spark, leaning down to nuzzle her clone. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to know you better, sis.”

Spark chuckled and hiccuped. “Me too, smarty pants.”

A magical wind whipped the dust cloud from around them, clearing the view for the others to approach and behold the scene.

Nightmare Moon and Princess Celestia landed close to them, levitating Pinkie Pie behind them.

“Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy,” the Princess listed. “It’s time! We need to use the Elements now!”

“Can you save her?!” Applejack asked Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon.

“I don’t know...” Celestia answered honestly. “We will try our best, but... we need to defeat the Guardian first, Applejack. Only then can we help her.”

Applejack gritted her teeth, preparing a retort, when she felt a hoof on her foreleg. Her eyes locked with Spark’s, a resolute look on the other mare’s face.

“Go... you’ll only be a few paces away...” Spark choked. “We all need you to be strong. I might not live... but at least... at least you’ll remember me... right?”

“We all will,” Applejack cried, leaning close to nuzzle the dying unicorn. “Ah promise.”

Spark chuckled weakly. “It’s more than I deserve...”

“I’ll do what I can for her,” Golden Cross whispered, stepping forth. “I- I can’t promise I can save her on my own, but-”

“Don’t worry,” Spark interrupted. “I’ll still be here when you’re finished with him. Now go kick that monster’s flank.”

With a final nod, Applejack turned. Her Element floated up to her, as did the rest for their respective holders.

The Guardian roared, arms whipping out from time to time from the vortex, each looking worse than the other. The tornado’s strength increased; the Guardian’s magic feeding more energy into it, but it also started to unravel.

“We need to hurry!”

The Element of Magic floated ponderously towards Twilight Sparkle, who leaned down and picked up the broken horn with her mouth.

Tendrils of magic flared from the horn and the Element of Magic. They encompassed Twilight, who started floating and glowing.

High above them, the pegasi from Ponyville sped up, beginning to create a tornado funnel of their own.

Celestia raised her head and her horn flashed. Both Princess and Nightmare disappeared, only to reappear mid-flight alongside the pegasi, adding their speed, magic and sheer presence to the tornado, which grew stronger.

“Do it already!” Spark shouted, coughing blood as all the Element Bearers took off into the air, encased in the magic of the Elements. They spiraled higher, and a rainbow of energy formed around them.

Trixie, Big Macintosh and the others gathered tore their eyes away from the spectacle, scrambling to extract Spark from under the piece of wall.

o.0.o

Within the rainbow energy, the six mares looked at each other.

Twilight Sparkle’s horn glowed with magic. She spread her wings as her mane slowly turned a bit translucent, and purple and pink lights shone within, finally revealing to her friends her appearance as an alicorn.

She smiled at her friends. “Thank you for saving me... and thank you for being here.”

Pinkie Pie laughed. “Silly Twilight, where else would we be?”

“Ah wish things hadn’t gone so badly, Twi,” Applejack said. “But Ah’m glad... oddly enough, that Ah got to meet another side of you.”

“And I am glad I don’t have to hide anymore,” Rarity admitted, looking at the others. “I’m sorry I lied, and I promise I will explain.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Rainbow Dash grinned. “We could have had a lot of fun if I knew you could take it!”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Dear, I’d much rather be designing dresses.”

The group chuckled.

“Girls...” Fluttershy spoke up. “I’m just glad we all made it.”

The others smiled.

“We all are, sugarcube,” Applejack whispered. “We all are.”

“Alright, Princess,” Rainbow Dash teased. “Let’s finish this once and for all!”

o.0.o

The Guardian’s eyes flashed as it became a bit smaller, sacrificing size so that it could start expanding the eye of the tornado, as the myriad cuts and gashes in its body slowly started to heal.

Its eyes scanned around it until it sensed something above. Then they widened in fear as a second tornado loomed above him.

A swirl of rainbow energy suddenly whirled around the tornado the Ponyville pegasi had created, changing it completely into chromatic energy.

The pegasi and the two Princesses flew out of the vortex as the Elements of Harmony took control of it.

The multi-colored tornado shot down towards it as the Guardian opened its fanged mouth to scream in denial.

o.0.o

Pegasi, Princesses, unicorns and earth ponies cheered as the two tornados collapsed against each other, drowning out the screams of the beast within, sending expanding waves of rainbow energy out and shaking the world around it.

The energy washed over all of them, making them feel refreshed.

Buildings that were about to collapse were renewed.

The stone statues that used to be ponies started glowing. The rock softened into warm coats and the confused ponies of Canterlot stared at each other in confusion, fear and hope.

Summer slammed against a wall and groaned painfully, held there by Spring’s magic. “I told you I would take care of you this time!” Spring laughed mockingly.

Summer’s eyes slowly opened and looked past her. “Nah... just like last time, sis... I win.”

Spring frowned. “What do you mean?”

Summer simply smiled as rainbow energy washed over them, turning them into little more than dust.

The Elements of Harmony purged the evil within and without the tornado until, with a sudden gust, it dissipated, revealing six ponies standing in front of a large statue of a serpentine creature.

“Is... is that Discord?!” Twilight gasped.

“No...” Princess Celestia said as she and Nightmare Moon landed next to them. Slowly, the ponies of Canterlot and the new arrivals from Ponyville approached as well to surround the statue. “That is not Discord,” she continued. “His name was Balance.”

Nightmare Moon walked up to the statue. “I couldn’t recognize him... he had mutated so much.”

She stepped back, alarmed as the statue shuddered and spidering cracks appeared all around it.

Celestia and Nightmare Moon spared a glance at one another before facing the statue with grim resolve, just as Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash prepared themselves for another fight.

But the fight never came, the cracks spreading and growing until, with a resounding crunch, the statue collapsed to pieces.

Celestia’s shoulders sagged as she let out a deep breath as cheers erupted once more around them all.

“It’s over. It’s finally over.”

o.0.o The End o.0.o