„Stop!“ Hidden Spark's head yerked upwards. The hypnoticed guests slowly turned around as if they were in a trance. The double door sprang open. Five ponies, three fillies and one baby dragon sprinted into the room and stopped. Hidden Spark gasped. Her eyes went wide and her maw dropped. But...but...that is impossible! Her shock did not last long. It faded away as quickly as snow in the summer sun and was replaced with hot fury.
Applejack called: „Everypony, you have to wake up! This is not Twilight Sparkle. You have been tricked. This is....“
„Silence!“, bellowed Hidden Spark sharply and rose to her hindlegs. She slammed her hooves on the ground in front of the throne. The mare's brow was furrowed. Her mane danced over her heavy breathing snout and salvia dropped from her long fangs.
The festival's guests looked from one opponent to the other. They all wore those blanc faces and reddish eyes. No one moved. The ponies seemed to wait for the next step. Hidden Spark demanded to know: „How did you escaped the Princesses?!“
The mane five shared amused glances. Pinkie Pie hopped around and laughed: „We tied them up.“ Oh my goodness! This simple idea is embaressing. Her cheeks flushed with heat.
Hidden Spark lowered her head. „How clever little ponies you are“, she sneekered. Her glance threw daggers at Applejack as she rested her eyes on her. The dark alicorn smiled mischievously. „Sadly you are too late!“, mocked Hidden Spark, „Equestria is already shattered in an eternal night. You have failed.“
Applejack furrowed her brow. She pushed her hat back. „Yes, we made the mistake to understimate you“, she said, „But that does not mean, we cannot fix it.“ She took a step forwards.
Rainbow Dash cheered: „Go for it, AJ!“
„We have faced you already twice before, Nightmare“, the farmer explained and a deep self assurance laid in her voice, „And we defeated you both times. We have been able to purify Princess Luna and Rarity. We will be able to do the same again with Twilight.“ She looked over all those hypnoticed ponies and said: „What is the purpose of darkness if there is no light to shine the way, you are going?“
How senitmental! Those words were like thick sugar for her ears. Very sweet, but extremley unhealthy and pointless. Hidden Spark stepped forwards and rolled her eyes. „What a lovley, but absolutley ridicolous sentiment“, she sneered, „You can save your breath. Your philosophy won't work with me. Do you really think, that simple words will bring your oh so beloved Twilight back? You are even a greater fool then I thought!“
Hidden Spark's horn flared red. The guards snapped out of their frozen position. They took their spears and slowly started to form a circle around the mane five, coming closer and closer. The friends immediately closed ranks. „Oh, come on!“, shouted Rainbow Dash, „Seriously?! Compared to the Princesses the guards will be easy-peasy!“
I wouldn't make that bet. Hidden Spark smirked. Her horn glowed once more. The guards shouted a cry of war and charged forwards. Immediatley the mane five were lost under a mass of white bodies in golden armour. One could hear angry screams and saw several fast movements. Applejack and Rarity were again fighting side by side.
Because the unicorn had no longer the barrier on her horn, she could use her magic more effectivley on the opponents. Applejack kicked and slapped her way through the guards, which fell down like leaves. It was surprising how strong the mare was. Perhabs the farmer could even break another pony's bone with one kick.
Every now and then one could hear a loud poof, followed by confetti, which rained down on the unconscious guard. Pinkie Pie had somehow managed to drag her party canon even into the great hall. And now she turned this fight into some weird party. Fluttershy had ducked down and seemed to hope, nopony saw her worthy to attack.
Hidden Spark crunched her teeth. She watched the fight and a vein on her neck started to swell with anger. The mane five were strong, because they worked as a team. Even the guards were many and had surrounded the tiny group, Applejack and her friends were able to break free. „Over there!“, shouted Hidden Spark, „Over there! Over there!“ She pointed at the fighting ponies, but the guards never were able to defeat them.
Aaarrrrghhhh, I could just scream! Hidden Spark pressed her hooves against her head. The fools, the idiots! They were not even able to get rid of a bunch of fillies. But on the other hand, Hidden Spark had believed, that the Princesses were more then enough to keep Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie in the Canterlot Caves. And she had been wrong. „I am surrounded by idiots!“, shouted Hidden Spark and rose to her hindlegs. Thunder broke free and the loud noise made everypony look up. Even the guards stopped fighting. Memo to myself: Never let a foal doing a mare's job!
Hidden Spark jumped down from the throne podest and landed in front of the mane five. She bared her teeth and hissed: „That's it! I am going to deal with you myself!“ And this time I won't show any mercy! Her horn flared red once more, became brighter and brighter, until she let out an enermous beam.
The mane five screamed and jumped aside, trying to take cover. A large hole burned itself into the carpet. Applejack and Rainbow Dash somehow had managed to get under a table. Hidden Spark looked around and slowly creeped through the room. Her head was lowered and her wings folded. Her serpent eyes gleemed.
„Come out, come out“, she whispered, „Come out, you little foals.“ Her ears twitched as she heard Rainbow Dash, asking Applejack something. The mare turned around.
The blue pegasus nodded. „On it“, she said and spreaded her wings. What are you plotting, pegasus? Anxiously Hidden Spark stopped.
With a dash of rainbow the blue pegasus shot out of the table. Hidden Spark stumbled backwards and yerked her head upwards. Rainbow Dash was flying higher and higher, until she almost touched the celling. Oh no, you don't!, Hidden Spark thought as she watched the mare shooting down, her hooves were directed at her. Obviously Rainbow Dash wanted to pin her on the ground.
Hidden Spark bared her teeth and got into a charging position. Her serpent eyes glittered, while she watched the pegasus, flying in her direction, her wings bashing through the air. The dark alicorn's horn started to glow. Purple lightnings creeped over it like elecricity. Then suddenley Hidden Spark fired a strange, twisted, lightning shaped beam after Rainbow Dash. She hit the pegasus in mid-air.
Rainbow Dash's scream cut through the air like a dagger of sound. The pegaus winced in pain and buckled over. Her wings flept around without any controll, her face was a grimace of pure agony, she showed her teeth and pressed her hooves against her belly, while her hindlegs kicked around. Her screams were long, loud and shrill. Full of agony.
Hidden Spark laughed. Her eyes gleemed and she felt sadistic joy, running through her veins as she watched the struggeling pegasus. Delight painted itself on her face. It was so wonderful to see Rainbow Dash, buckeling over, screaming and howling like an animal, which got skinned. She deserves that. And her friends as well.
At that moment something hit her flank. Hidden Spark gasped in shock. Her spell was been thorn appart and Rainbow Dash hit the ground like a doll. She laid there, groaning and sighting in relief. Hidden Spark herself was flung through the air. Somepony had cletched itself around her and they rolled over the ground.
Finalley Hidden Spark came to an halt. She laid on her back, above her stood an orange mare with emerald, worried eyes and a hat. Her eyes narrowed disdainfully. „You!“, Hidden Spark hissed at Applejack. I should have taken her off first! Apparantley Applejack was the glue, that kept this group together. If she had been imprisoned somewhere else or even killed, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash had abandoned all their hope and would have staid in the Canterlot Caves.
Furiously the alicorn hit the farmer in the stomach with her hooves. Applejack gasped in shock and hit the ground with her chin. The mane four gasped. The festival guests formed a circle, so the farmer could not flee. Hidden Spark fired another beam and nearly hit the farmer. Applejack gasped and panted in shock. The curse had hit a chair and turned it into tiny flakes of ash.
Applejack turned around. Hidden Spark bared her teeth furiously. Her eyes gleemed. Clouds started to swirl above the orange mare. Thunder cracked and lightnings caressed the fabric. Then several bolts dashed down. Applejack howled in pain and jumped out of the storm. Several strands of burned fur could be seen.
„Fight back!“, shouted Hidden Spark and once again charged at her. She hit the farmer with her chest and tossed her around the room. Applejack flew around and rolled on the ground. Her emerald eyes looked at the dark alicorn. Love. It was deep in her glance. And so much sadness. But no hate, no anger. Just love. „Fight back!“, repeated Hidden Spark and fired another beam. She blow off Applejack's hat, which landed softly on the ground behind her, „Why won't you fight back?!“
Applejack explained: „Because I won't harm you, Hidden Spark. I don't want to fight you. I know, Twilight is still in there. Twi, you just have to find yourself. Fight back! I know, you can do it.“ Her voice was quiet, soft and friendly. Not firm, but also not desperate. More confident. The alicorn shot forwards and snatched Applejack by her neck.
The other ponies shouted in shock and terror as the dark mare angrily slammed her teeth into the flesh of her head. Viciously Hidden Spark pulled her head around, yerked it from side to side. The orange farmer screamed. Tears floated out of her eyes. She rose to her hindlegs in a desperate try to escape the pain in her head. Hidden Spark growled once more and turned her head around. With a terrible ease she flunged Applejack around the hall.
The farmer hit the ground. Blood splittered around and the drops traveled a long distance, painting red lines on the floor. Applejack rolled on her side. Her eyes had been closed due to the pain. Now she slowly opened them. Hidden Spark stood above her and grinned evilly. She was certain, Applejack would die. She could not survive. Not with these wounds.
A dark, reddish hole was on the backside of her head. Blood ran down her neck and wetted her mane. She had a scratch on her nose and left eye. Thine red lines traveled over her nostrils and the corner of her mouth. Applejack flinched as she lifted her head carefully and gazed upon Hidden Spark. She choked blood as her voice came out of her lips, weak and trembling from pain: „What have you done, sugarcube?“
„Applejack?“ Hidden Spark's eyes widened. And with them something deep down inside of her mind. It was as if the world was taking a deep breath and time stopped. Something spread out of her mind. Pictures and words. They brusted out of Hidden Spark's mind like water out of dry sand in a dessert. And with them someone started to moved, someone Hidden Spark thought had finally given up the fight and went back to sleep.
***
„It looks good on yah as well.“ Applejack smiled as she watched Twilight. The purple alicorn was sitting on a chair and looked at her own reflection. She was wearing the farmer's cowboy hat. It laid behind her horn and softly touched her mane. Twilight turned her face around and checked it from every angle. „You think so?“, the purple mare asked. Applejack laughed. „Positive, sugarcube.“
***
It was a warm summer evening. Flies swarmed around. The wind rustled in the leaves of an old oak. Applejack laid next to its roots. Behind her stood a basket with freshly bucked apples. Twilight nestled in her side. The farmer had closed her eyes and chewed on a strand of hey. The princess herself was sleeping, enjoying the warmth of Applejack's body and feeling perfectly safe.
***
„You will like this story about Daring Do, AJ.“ Twilight softly dropped the book and opened it. Applejack laid down beside her. While the purple mare laid an hoof on the farmer's leg, she explained: „Daring goes into the plains this time.“ Applejack lifted a brow at the touch, but then she smiled and the two rested their eyes on the book and began to read.
***
More memories emerged on the surface. Memories of Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Spike. Of Celestia and Luna. Of the Cutie Mark Cursaders. Of all those things, Twilight loved. Applejack is right, Hidden Spark. I just had to find myself back inside me. Our friendship is stronger then you. As long as it remains, there is no obstacle, we cannot overcome, no enemey, we cannot defeat. With the magic of friendship, we can face every challenge. You are weak. Because you do not know this magic...and I feel sorry for you.
Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Rarity have rushed towards Applejack. They all eyed the wound and worry eclipsed their faces. The farmer was breathing in a fast and quiet wheeze. Her breast went up and down. She seemed to have lost conscious. It was Rarity, who lifted her head and spotted the change in Hidden Spark. „Look!“, she called and the others looked up as well.
Hidden Spark was floating a few feeth above the ground. Her eyes were closed and her head yerked backwards. Her mane and tail danced around her. Black smoke burled up and swirled around her. And in all this dark smoke there was a bright, violet light, which surrounded a purple mare with wings, horn and a star among five smaller for a Cutie Mark. „TWILIGHT!“ The cry of her friends was full of joy and relief. Never before the youngest Princess had been so happy to hear them.
Twilight felt the grip around her loosing off. Hidden Spark was screaming in anger. The smoke slowly transformed itself into a winged, shadowy alicorn with cyan eyes. The nightmare force rose her head, howled one last time with bared teeths, before she vanished, swallowed by what she had tried to defeat: the light.
Slowly Twilight Sparkle landed on the ground. Her knees became weak and she fall down. The mare shuddered. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash rushed towards her and hugged her, burrying her under a peal of bodies. „Twilight!“, they shouted, „You are back.“
„Girls, please.“ Twilight fought herself free. „AJ!“, she shouted as she spotted the farmer, laying on the ground.
Her hooves thundered over the marble stone as she sprinted to him. Twilight fell on her knees and wrapped her arms around Applejack's neck, pushing her on her lap. Salty tears rained down her cheeks and she whimpered: „I am so sorry! This is my faulth. Applejack, forgive me, please! I am so, so very sorry.“
Her friend's emerald eyes opened. Applejack smiled weakly. „It's alright, sugarcube“, she whispered, „Having you back is everything I have hoped for.“
Twilight laughed weakly and pressed her snout against Applejack's head. „I love you“, she whispered and kissed her forehead.
The farmer replied: „I love you more, Twi.“
Twilight smiled sadly. „I love you most.“
They were interrupted by a high-pitched cry. Pinkie Pie was sitting there, tears rained out of her eyes. „Oh my god!“, she whined, „This is soooo cute.“ The earth pony grabbed a napkin and sneezed into it, while she kept crying. Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash too seemed to be attatched by this situation.
Suddenley golden light flashed above them. „Twilight Sparkle!“ The calm voice was firm and furious. Twilight looked up and slowly sank on the ground. Gleeming like the sun Princess Celestia was flying above them. Her eyes were narrowed. The Solar Princess closed them and with another enermous flash of white light freed every guest from Hidden Spark's mind-controlling spell.
„Oh, shit“, whispered Rainbow Dash as with a low thunder of her hooves Princess Celestia landed in front of them. Her eyes seemed to root Twilight to the spot. Disappointment and anger laid in them. Without any greeting or friendly advice Celestia said three words: „My office. Now!“ Then with a strong flap of her majestic wings the Princess flew out of the room.
Twilight dropped her head on the ground and sighted. She closed her eyes and put her ears back. Oh, what have I done? She could understand that Celestia was angry. She had every right to be. After all Twilight had attacked her and threaten the kingdom with an eternal night. Her mentor had been angry with her before, but there here crimes had not been as worse. Now she would get punished, that was for sure.
Twilight came to her feet. She looked at her friends. „Goodbey, girls“, whispered the purple alicorn as she slowly made her way towards the exit, „If you care to visit, I will be in the Canterlot dungeons. Or even on the moon.“ The mane five gasped in shock and looked at her. Nopony spoke a word. Twilight sighted, lowered her head and trotted through the double winged door.
***
„But I let myself corrupt by dark magic!“ Twilight was sitting in the office on the ground. Several shelves surrounded them and there was a large table, full of parchment rolls at the window. Celestia and Luna were both standing in front of it. Their calm, emotionless eyes rested on the purple alicorn, which was lowering her head and stamped her hoof on the ground. Twilight had never looked more miserable.
The mare stammered: „Out of all ponies this has to happen to me! I am sorry. I failed you. I tried to attack you. I tried to shatter Equestria in an eternal night. I got curropted by this force! How could I let this happen. I am a bad student! I am a failure!“ Twilight whined and lowered her head. She whispered: „If you want to punish me or send me to the moon, go ahead. I know, that I deserve it.“
Celestia and Luna shared a glance. What were they thinking? Were they mentally discussing which punishment was the best for her? Twilight did not knew. She tried to imagine, how it was to live on the moon. Always picture the worst case scenario first! It had become an habit with her paranoia. Together with the all so familiar question „What could possibly go wrong now?“ or in other words „It can't get any worse“-situations. So it was natural that Twilight pictured this punishment first. After all Nightmare Moon had been sent to the moon for her crimes. So why should Celestia make any difference?
Finalley Celestia rose her voice: „You are a great student, Twilight Sparkle.“
„But I....!“, stammered the purple alicorn in protest.
Her mentor lifted an hoof to silence her. „As you have stated it yourself, you had been corrupted. Those crimes were not yours, but Hidden Spark's.“
Luna added: „My sister has forgiven me for my time as Nightmare Moon. So why on earth should we....?“
They were interrupted as the door went open with a loud bam and the mane five stormed inside, leaded by Pinkie Pie, who shouted: „Wait!“ With two jumps she landed in front of Celestia and added: „You cannot punish her!“
„It wasn't her faulth!“, added Rainbow Dash hastly.
Fluttershy sat down besides the Princesses and lowered her head as she asked in her shy manners: „Please, your highness.“
Celestia blinked. She again looked at Luna. They both seemed to be surprised by this sudden act. Finalley the Solar Princess said: „I am listening.“
Pinkie Pie started: „We all knew that something was off about Twilight.“
Rainbow Dash added: „And of course we told her to get help. Spike told me, he even asked her to write a letter to you.“
Applejack went on: „But when Twilight told us, that she was alright, not a single one of us cared to inform you. Despite seeing how much Twilight suffered from her disease.“
Rarity finished the explanation: „As Twilight's good friends, we should have taken her status seriously and informed you, despite the fact, that she probably did not want it. Then all of this could have been prevented.“
Fluttershy whispered: „Please do not throw her in a dungeon or send her to the moon, because it was us, you should blame, and not her.“
Celestia smiled. „I am not blaming anyone, my little ponies“, she said, „But I see, you all learned a valueable lesson during this tragic adventure. As my sister was about to say: Just like Luna, Twilight had not been at safe mind during her time as Hidden Spark. I have shown mercy once already. It would be foolish to did not do it twice.“
Her shadow fell on Twilight and the alicorn looked up. She slowly came to her feet. Celestia explained: „I won't punish you for what you have done. But I think, you will know be quite busy.“ The mare flew over them and opened the door. The mane six turned around.
„Busy?“, repeated Twilight confused.
The two royal sisters looked at one another. Celestia chuckled. „After all, Twilight“, she said with an amused tone, „You have got a true Summer Sun Celebration to prepare.“
Twilight laughed and hugged her friends in a big group embrance. Her violet eyes shimmered in joy. „You can count on us, your Majesty!“