The Brightest Shine

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The concept of 'sleep' was a foreign one to Darkness, the normal existence of its species lived so far from any light that the concepts of 'day' and 'night' were equally meaningless. Out of the jumbled parts and pieces that had survived the destruction of its mind, this trait was apparently one of them. Once Steady Hoof had fallen asleep, Darkness crept out of hiding, putting up some insulating barriers so its' actions did not waken the sleeping fire-life in which it rode.

Its' first attempt to operate the bizarre collection of limbs and joints resulted only in driving a hoof into its eye, and experiencing the concept of 'pain'. Without the luxury of growing up in such a body, it had all the finesse and control of a racing squid.

It rapidly decided that in order to get anywhere, it would have to do things its own way. A black smoke began to flow from Shining's horn, enveloping the unicorn and gently lifting her out of the bed. While Shining slept, Darkness peered out through her green eyes at the city sparkling in the moonlight below, her body floating freely in the black smoke that concealed all but her face. After staring for some time, the black cloud of shadow poured through the seventh story window and floated down to the ground, flitting from shadow to shadow as Darkness made its way out into the city of bones.

It needed a plan, and to make one, it had to learn more about the present it found itself in. A few twists and turns soon took it around a corner and brought the crystal palace into view. Darkness could only stare in horror.

The massive power broadcasting antenna had been transformed into some kind of dwelling, bored full of holes and severely broken. The cryogenic plant that had manufactured the reflective dust cloud, as well as the heart and energy center that had powered darkness were all gone, boiled away into vapor in this sea of fire.

With trepidation, it flowed closer to survey the damage to the surviving crystal antenna, and to its surprise, found power still flowing through it. Under the base of the antenna/palace, a heart made of crystal acted as a primitive control circuit, channeling energy from below up and through the broken mechanism, resulting in dancing beams of light that skipped and flitted across the sky. The original power circuits that had sustained the reflective cloud had been composed mostly of crystal, and amazingly, they still functioned after a fashion, even though their flammable components had long ago burned to a crisp.

Darkness flowed back out of the way to hide in a dark shadow as it tried to puzzle this out; while the original antenna offered several options, it could not figure out what kind of power source fed the system, it's demands being quite considerable, even in this crippled state. Darkness reached into the sleeping mind it carried with it, checking to see if it knew anything.

The sun. The power source that burned beneath the crystal city and held back the winter was a fusion reactor that this fire life had used to kill Darkness! On purpose!

In its' native habitat, communication with anything else was rare, and so while the concept of 'helping' usually meant simply sharing information, the concept of 'attack' or 'kill' didn't really exist in a species that never had any reason to, even in the rare instances where two might share the same solar system.

Its' new mind flailed about for a response, and finding nothing in it's existence to judge this by, turned instead to the fire-life's mind.

Anger: After all the work and growth it had amassed, this creature had nearly destroyed it!

Rage: These creatures hadn't just taken advantage of its' death, they had actively sought it out for their own gain!

Something inside Darkness began to change. It's passive, analytical reasoning processes that had guided it across the empty void for billions of years were obviously ill-equipped for this new situation.

In their place, new personality rules and guidelines were established. Murder, a foreign concept that made no sense to Darkness, had nearly resulted in its' death. It would loom large in the new personality's worldview.

Emotions beyond that of hunger for materials and fear of death had been unknown to Darkness, but now, these too were hard-coded into it's new mind.
Hatred: the feeling these 'ponies' often had for others who were different.
Fear: a feeling directed at threats to life and health, and any shadows that might conceal them.

These were the tools they had used to reduce Darkness to this sorry state. They would now be the tools it used to return to its' true form.

The concept of gender was unknown to a species that lived in the vast depths of space, but here and now, Darkness found itself in a 'female' body, one already in the process of producing another fire life.

She. Darkness mulled the word over, its' new mind getting a feel for the new idea. She would set this right, and freeze out this ocean of fire. She would make these creatures... these ponies, pay for what they had done to her.

As of yet she had no fixed plan. The antenna could still be salvaged and used to several aims, but not while it was still swarming with these creatures, and she doubted she could clear them all out on her own. She would need time to re-form the antenna to its new task, and this new body would still require other 'ponies' to bring it raw materials and fuel. To make this work, she would have to become the..

Her mind once more found itself at a loss for words, and dug into Shining's memories once more.

Queen! A position of power in which she could command these 'ponies' to do as she bid! Best yet, the memories showed the social position was frequently established through violence and coercion, and could inspire fear as well as obedience! More searching revealed that Darkness's bones were currently ruled by such a pony, and that her standing was in question, her power unstable.

Darkness made her decision; she would replace this queen who ruled over her bones, and once established, she would have these ponies stand aside as she worked to freeze the fire ocean once more.

There was much yet to be learned, much to be done, but it was nearly time for the light to rise above the horizon, signaling an end to the coma in which her host's mind lay. As the sky to the east turned red, Darkness flowed back through the shadows and into the hospital where this creature's mate lay.

Shining and Steady were both jarred awake that morning as the 'Queen's' fashion designers burst through their door with dresses and suits of every description.

“Rise and shine, shine, shine!” a cheery crystal unicorn exclaimed as she threw back the curtains, letting in the blinding light of the early morning sun. “Today's the big day, and you're our most important guests! So important in fact, the Queen sent us here to see to your dress personally!”

Shining groaned and pulled the covers over her head while Steady sat up and stretched with a smile; military life did occasionally have its' advantages.
“Good morning to you. Did anyone think to bring coffee?”

The bubbly unicorn gave him a quizzical look.
“Why would we do that? The sun has been up for hours, and it's time to practice my art!”

Steady shook his head with a grin,
“Well, if I were you, I would go find some coffee for Shining. Unless she wakes up in a cave, she's not much of a morning pony.”

“Oh, nonsense! The day is young and full of promise!” said the one Steady had decided must be the head fashionista, as she grabbed Shining by the tail and dragged her out from under the covers.

It was hard to say what happened next; there were several loud bangs and bright flashes, and then the two salon ponies were huddling in the corner of the room, while their leader had a black eye and no visible mouth.

Steady looked casually over at the very angry, very awake gray unicorn sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Good morning dear. Sleep well last night?”

“Glad to hear it. I believe those two unicorns in the corner were just leaving to get your coffee.” The two took the hint and fled the room in a hurry as their boss continued to yell through her nose and paw at her face. Steady leaned over and kissed her on the cheek before asking; “Did she really deserve to lose her mouth for waking you up? You never had any trouble waking up underground.”

Shining wiped the sleep from her eyes and finally managed a smile as she watched the unicorn before them having a fit.
“I hardly think waking up in a panic every day for weeks on end sets a good precedent. And besides, she hasn't lost her mouth, I just moved it.”

“Well, there was just so much room in her large intestine, it seemed a shame to waste it.”

The unicorn's eyes were bugging out of her head and she gave a nasal scream as Shining's eyes flickered green and she chided her,
“Now, now, it's not that bad. I'm sure a pony of your standing can figure out how to make a lipstick suppository.”

The offending unicorn fled the room as Shining laughed heartily, and a little deeper than what her usual voice would lead one to expect. Steady had not lowered his eyebrow, and was only looking more concerned.
“Shining, I admit it was rude of them to wake you, but don't you think that was a little excessive?”

There was silence as Shining turned to tell him off, then stopped to think about it. She had never been a morning pony, but the more she thought about it, the more alarm showed in her face.
“Steady... I think we have a problem...”

“We very well might if that pony finds a doctor with an X ray before you reverse that spell.”

With a grimace, Shining lit her horn, and from somewhere down the hall came the sound of incoherent shrieking and spitting.
“Steady, I didn't tell you last night, but...”

The whole story spilled out as Steady listened with wide eyes; Darkness, the plan to 'preserve' the ponies, the thing's near-death, waking up with it still in her head, all of it.
“I'm sorry Steady, I just...”

Steady pulled her back onto the bed, hugging her tightly as he shivered himself.
“I've been trying not to think about it myself. We came so close to losing everything, and now you're saying this thing has survived by hitching a ride in your mind?”

Slowly, Shining put her hoof against the wall, wincing as the howl of the crystal echoed louder in her mind. Steady's eyes went wide as what looked like blue flames flickered in the wall before them.
“It's mind is stuck in me, but not all of it is dead!” she added as tears welled up in her eyes, “The crystal seems to remember who made it, and it's constantly calling, calling, calling! It wants me to come home, but I'm not Darkness, Steady, I'm not, but it won't listen!”

As she cried into his shoulder, the two fashion ponies peeked nervously around the edge of the door, the cup of coffee held out before them in shaking hooves like a sacrificial offering. Steady gestured them over and gently offered the mug to Shining who took it gratefully.
“Thank you!” She seemed to notice the two worried-looking unicorns for the first time, and managed to put on a weak smile. “I am so sorry, I'm just not much of a morning pony.”

Steady kissed her gently on the neck, whispering in her ear. “Are you going to be all right for a day? There's at least a chance the Princess might know someone who could help us...”

Steady sighed.
“Neither have I, but powerful ponies tend to have ways of getting things done,” he shuddered at a memory of the late Commander Hurricane, “and right now, she's the most powerful pony we know...”

The rest of the morning was a blur of activity, outfits, makeup and grooming, that ended with Shining and Steady being herded out to a waiting carriage in full regalia to be whisked away to the ceremony. As they sped through town, Steady asked their driver the obvious question.
“What's the Ceremony of the Crystal Heart?”

The driver stumbled and nearly fell when he heard that.
“You mean you don't know?” Steady shook his head while Shining shrugged in her gown. “Wow. I guess you guys really were frozen like they say.” He cleared his throat and picked up speed as he explained:
“The Ceremony of the Crystal Heart is held every year; everypony gathers for the fair and has a good time, and at the height of it all, we all send our light and love into the crystal heart to keep us safe for another year.”

“Huh, that does sound kind of fun...” Steady conceded with a smile at Shining.

“It used to be.” the driver grunted, “But for the last few years its been all about beauty and pretty dresses. The Princess decided the fair food was too fattening, and now all they serve is 'diet water,' and you don't even want to know what happened when the royal quilting bees got out of their hive last year!”

“Yes, as in actual stinging insects that quilt things.” Their driver growled, “Since Fabulosity took the throne, everything has been about fashion, clothing and looks!”

Shining was still trying to puzzle that out as their carriage began weaving between salons and hooficure tents.
“But how would you even-”

“Something about a spell that mixed animals. I think they were mostly bees and spiders.” He shuddered. “So many legs! It took nearly a week to get them all out of my wife's closet...”

The carriage door was opened by a well-dressed stallion who helped them out and hurried them along to the back of a large stage draped in red silks and satins. As Shining ducked under a low-hanging lace curtain she couldn't help but snicker.

“It's like that time dad...” She lowered her voice to whisper in his ear, “It reminds me of the places where they photograph mares for stag postcards!”

Steady thought about it and answered with an absolutely straight face,
“Maybe she really is a professional hooker...”

Their guide gave them a dark look as Shining shook with suppressed mirth and chewed on her own hoof while Steady pretended not to notice. They were shown to their seats just behind the podium and left to wait for the ceremony to start.

Almost forty-five minutes after the scheduled kickoff time, the crowd around them began to murmur and point, and following their hooves, Steady made out what appeared to be a blond sailing ship, complete with rigging, sailing its way between the ponies below.

“Is that a tall ship made of hair?!” Shining asked, not quite sure is she was astonished or disgusted.

Steady could only stare as the mane cut made it's way towards the stage, eventually breaking into the open, revealing a pretty young mare in a shimmering blue gown that reminded him of ocean waves... Her escorts lifted her up onto the stage and set her down before the microphone, a length from where the two of them sat.

Half the audience glanced at their watches, which now read 12:30, then back up to their Queen.

By the thirty minute mark, Steady was already having trouble staying awake, and by the one hour mark as Fabulosity droned on about the future of lace and its' use in the collar, Shining was apparently unconscious along with a significant portion of the audience.

This 'Queen' did not deserve to rule. Even by the low standards these fire creatures set for themselves, this one was obviously suffering a serious mental malfunction. The Queen would be overthrown!

Darkness clumsily shifted the padded cushion out of the way, bringing her skin into contact with the bare crystal of the stands, the flickering blue light nearly invisible under the full glare of the noon day light.
The crystals in the Queen's necklace began to grow, linking together and cinching tightly around her neck as she idly tugged at them with a hoof. Slowly, the Queen's necklace grew thicker and tighter, looking less like jewelry and more like a slave's collar. She managed another few sentences as it got harder to breathe, but by now, those in her audience were so desperate for a diversion, most had no trouble writing it all off as a prank.

When the Queen finally paused in her speech to ask for her mirror, the look of horror on her face as she saw the black crystal restraint was priceless.
“It's hideous! Get it off! Get it off!” She wailed as she staggered about the stage, before tripping over the edge and splashing face first into a huge punch bowl of 'diet water.'

While the audience roared with laughter and most of the Queen's advisers hurried to help their queen out of this latest fashion disaster, the master of ceremonies saw her opportunity and took the microphone.
“All right, everypony! Let's charge up the Heart! Let's hear it for the Queen!”

Ponies all throughout the fair went to their knees and poured out their strength, their light and love into the heart which began to sparkle and spin rapidly in its pedestal, even as Darkness surrounded herself with black smoke and began flowing up behind the mare at the microphone.

Several things happened at once. A number of ponies screamed, the Crystal Heart flared like the miniature sun that powered it, and Darkness burst into flames. The force radiating out from the circuit controller was like nothing she had ever experienced! Her very essence burned as she writhed and shrieked in agony, the black smoke surrounding her host rapidly scorching away in dark clouds of sooty smoke.

She was about to die! Again! The light and heat pouring off the heart left no shadows to hide in, no safety to run to! The crystal ponies shone brighter as their bodies bent the unbearable light around themselves, making it look as though they were glowing.

It was her only chance! The fire burned brighter and closer, her thin layer of protection rapidly failing, as Darkness burrowed in, deeper and deeper, desperately trying to escape the light.

The light swam before her eyes as consciousness gradually flowed back to Shining's mind. She was dimly conscious of somepony holding her hoof as the hospital room gradually came into focus.

When no answer was forthcoming, she slowly sat up and looked around, careful not to move her head too fast as she took in her surroundings. The sun outside the window was setting, and she was still wearing the ridiculous gown from that morning, albeit, looking somewhat the worse for wear. Sleeping in the chair next to her bed was Steady, his head tilted back and tongue hanging out ridiculously as he snored.

“Huh? Oh!” He exclaimed as he leapt from the chair, nearly hitting his head on the ceiling. “Oh Shining, you're awake!” Steady swooped down and hugged her tightly, making her cry out in surprised pain. “What? What's wrong?”

Shining gasped a little, but didn't push him away,
“Sorry, I just ache all over for some reason... It feels like I got in a fight and lost... Oh, OW!” She winced as she straightened up. “Steady, what the heck happened today?”

He looked worried as he explained,
“Well, by all accounts, the Queen nearly strangled herself with an outfit, and some kind of black smoke creature made an appearance just after, only to get burned up by the crystal heart. Shining? Are you okay?”

She thought about it. The presence that had been brooding at the back of her mind was absent, and try as she might she couldn't feel it anywhere. She slowly reached out with her bare hoof and pressed it against the crystal wall, ready to yank it back, but... Nothing happened. A wide smile spread across her face.

“I... I think I really am! It's gone! We're finally rid of that thing!” She exclaimed as she grabbed him in her magic and hugged him.

There was an “EEP!” as she remembered her aching body, but even as Steady let go, she was still smiling.
“Oh Steady, you have no idea how good it feels to be alone in your own head!”

Steady had finally begun to relax as it became clear the danger had finally passed, and he smiled ruefully as he ribbed her,
“Said like a pony who never had to share their bedroom with seven cousins during the planting season.”

Shining grinned, and was about to come back with a retort of her own when the door of their hospital room opened, and a fresh doctor trotted in with a clipboard suspended before his face.
“Good evening, Ms. Mind, I'm doctor Osteo. It says here you took a bit of a spill at the festivities today? Something about falling off a stage?”

Shining looked a bit sheepish as she brushed her mane out of her eyes, so Steady answered before she could invent an excuse.
“I'm afraid so; when everything started happening she took a bit of a spill. She just woke up, and we need you to look her over.”

The doctor nodded and began a quick examination,
“Pupils look good... normal response to light...” He lit his horn, the glow encompassing her whole body as he checked for broken bones or unusual swelling. “Nothing broken...” The glow of his horn left her as he jotted some notes down on his clipboard, “You may feel a bit sore for a few days, but I don't see anything that would be a serious concern to you or your son. Just take it easy for a few days and you'll be fine.”

The doctor paused, then smiled.
“Yes, your son. He looks to be a few weeks old and seems quite healthy. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to give away the gender. You didn't know?”

Shining squeezed Steady's hoof as tears formed in her eyes,
“We had been trying, but...” She sniffed as Steady kissed her forehead, “He's healthy?”

“Very. His heartbeat looks strong, and it won't be long now before you can feel him kicking. Congratulations!”

The doctor excused himself as the two startled ponies hugged each other and tried not to cry, all the stress of the last year pouring out at once as they finally realized they had made it.
“I'm... I'm going to be a dad...”

Shining wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffed a bit,
“And I'm going to be a mother...” There was a long delay as they both sat holding hooves and it all sunk in. “What do you think we should name him?”

Steady couldn't help but smile as he shook his head,
“After all the hell we've been through in the last year? How about 'Sunshine Happy Sparkle the First'?”

Shining couldn't help it; it hurt to laugh, but she laughed anyway, long and heartily until her sides ached. “Oh, OW!” she reached out and smacked Steady playfully on the back of the head. “You know it hurts to laugh! Why would you do that?”

Steady just smiled back at her as he held her other hoof,
“Sorry, I just love the sound of your laugh.”

Reaching out, she dragged Steady close and kissed him, long and slowly. When they eventually came up for air, Shining was still smiling.
“But seriously, you want to forget everything that happened?”

Shining thought about it,
“No...” she said slowly, “No, I don't. We had a real adventure together, we saved the bucking world, and I met... I met the stallion I'm going to spend the rest of my life with.” She gave his hoof a gentle squeeze as she looked into his eyes. “I want his name to be something that reminds us of what we have, and how far we've come.”

Steady smiled sheepishly,
“Well when you say it like that...” He looked thoughtful, “But honestly, what could we call him that wouldn't sound ridiculous? Ice flow? Doom and gloom?”

Shining placed his hoof gently on her belly.
“I think we should call him 'Somber Sky' ”

The Brightest Shine

by Cozy Mark IV

Ch. 15 Lest Darkness Rise