Celestia sighed sadly as she raised the sun over Canterlot, Luna having already caused the moon to set. Normally, the act brought her comfort, a constant in an inconstant world, but today, with the skies having not only retained their sickly green stain and only seeming to grow worse, what ease she felt was nonexistent. “Luna, you had best get some rest. It will be a very long day.”
Her sister gently hugged her with one wing. “Celie, I can stand a long day. What I cannot stand is leaving you alone to face this.” She smiled as Kibitz arrived with a cart, tea and cookies laid out and ready. “For the time being, perhaps our morning tea? Some cake?”
The Princess of the Sun smiled. “That will help, yes.”
-
In Sombra’s Canterlot, Twilight and her friends were gathered with their allies, rested and enjoying a simple breakfast. “So, we all understand the plan?”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “You went over it often enough, Twilight, I think we’ve got it down.”
“I only hope that the plan can work.” Sombra looked away from his dishes and towards the skies, looking just as bad as they did in the other Canterlot. “There are so many factors at work here, so many variables that you’ve only guessed at.”
“But it’s still a solid plan, based on what we know.” Sir Quill looked to his king encouragingly. “And if it works, then all of our problems are solved.”
“Yes, but that ignores an important detail.” The king turned back to them and continued, “For all I know that destiny is unfixed, fate is another matter. I can only hope that it is on our side this day.”
Applejack gave the king a reassuring smile. “Don’t you worry, Sombra. We got this.”
The king gave a hopeful smile in returned. “Your parts in the plan I’m not worried about, but the chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” He looked to Trixie, who nodded solemnly, then to Twilight. “Can you send a message back?”
“That’s what I’m here for.” Spike produced a quill and a sheet of parchment. “Whenever you’re ready.”
“Please tell Celestia that we have formulated a plan, and that we will shortly set off to defeat the princesses. Tell her that we will do all in our power to keep her and her world’s Luna safe during the confrontation. And, in case things go wrong, please tell her that I have never forgotten our night in the wishing garden.” At the king’s nod, Spike rolled up the parchment and blew fire upon it, setting it on its way. “Is everypony ready?”
-
Luna yawned as she trained her telescope upon Canterlot, boredom setting in. “I’m beginning to think we should just go to them and get this over with. It’s not like their plan to encase us in crystal will work.”
Celestia was similarly bored as she kept her gaze on the horizon. “No, but it’s so much more fun for them to come to us.”
“One supposes.” The younger sibling turned away from her telescope and noted, “It’s a shame we won’t be able to get the spell to travel to the other world before we wipe them out.”
“Won’t we?” The elder sibling smiled. “Believe it or not, sister, I have a plan of my own to lure my goody-goody counterpart back here.” She gestured upwards at the sky and noted, “You’ve noticed this, haven’t you? Odds are this is related to her travels back and forth between worlds, some unforeseen side effect. The walls between worlds might just be thin enough to pull her here, and once that is done, I’ll force the spell out of her, force those little minions of hers to trap her in crystal, and then I will continue on to her world, safe from harm.”
“We.” Celestia glared at Luna for a second before the latter countered, “We will continue on. Us. Plural.”
A soft chuckle as she rubbed her sister’s chin. “Of course.”
-
It took all of her will to avoid crying as Celestia read Sombra’s letter. She felt a comforting hoof on her shoulder and looked to Luna. “I’ve been a fool, Luna. I should have listened to Star Swirl. If I had…”
“Celie, the heart has a strong pull to it. You know that better than most. He may not have understood that, but I do.” She smiled and noted, “And it is good to be reminded that you are no more perfect than anypony else.” The two shared a gentle nuzzle, and Luna asked, “Was there ever reconciliation between you and Star Swirl?”
A sad smile, and the elder sister nodded. “Some, but a part of me thinks he never quite forgave me.”
-
“A fortnight away from my bed! Oh, I am getting too old for…” The old mage paused as he caught sight of his ruler. “Celestia! You nearly gave my old heart a start!”
“Sorry.” The princess looked forlorn as she looked to him. “It is good to have you back.” At Star Swirl’s disbelieving expression, she continued, “You were right, to be cross with me. My actions were…”
He waved a dismissive hoof. “Speak no further of the subject Celestia. I do understand, but the sad truth is that making decisions you do not want to make is part of being a ruler. While I am pleased that you have accepted my wisdom on the subject, I am only sorry I had to make a decision for you.” He quietly moved away and noted, “Now then, let’s move on and pretend this never happened. All for the best, I think. Anyway, I have had some thoughts that you might be interested in…”
Celestia barely heard him go on about his newest theories as she softly knocked her head against a wall, her guilt remaining. She could never tell him she’d unsealed the mirror, or that she’d gone through one more time.
But she could make sure it was the last for a very long time.
-
As they flew towards the sisters’ castle atop Sombra’s chariot, members of his guard pulling them along, Twilight and her friends couldn’t help but look down below at Ponyville. “So dark and dreary a place. And no Everfree Forest just drives the point home. As frightening as it is back home, seeing Ponyville without it at the town’s borders is unsettling.” Rarity shivered. “I shudder to think how our counterparts ended up due to all of this.”
“Ah’d rather not dwell on it, Rarity.” Applejack turned her gaze ahead as the chariot landed and its passengers disembarked. “Best that you don’t neither.” She turned to Sombra and asked, “You ready?”
“As I will ever be.” The king was dressed in armor beneath his furred cape, his crown replaced with a protective helmet that aided his resemblance to his counterpart, one that his guests did not fail to notice. He led them onwards, the rest of their path clear as they approached the castle. The gathered seven ponies and lone dragon quietly drew nearer, and the outlines of Celestia and Luna became clearer from one of the structure’s balconies. “Let the show begin.”
Celestia looked down upon them with a condescending snarl. “Last chance, Sombra! Hand over the keys to the other world, and you’ll be rid of us forever! Even better, you’ll have your fair lady love!”
“Never!” The king dramatically waved a hoof and called, “I don’t believe for one second that you’d leave this place so easily! Your reign of terror ends today!”
The princess’ snarl turned to a grin as she countered, “Well, you’re right about that, but it won’t end without me getting what I want!” With a chuckle, she amended, “All I need to do is bring my counterpart here, and that will be that!”
“Not going to happen! There’s no way our Celestia would fall for some cheap trick!”
She laughed at the lavender alicorn’s retort, but before she could respond, Luna leaned in and whispered, “You never did say how you were going to lure her here.”
Celestia growled, then turned back to the rest and called, “Who said I’d use a cheap trick?! She’d come running if a friend were in danger! Even better if said friend was family!”
Before Luna could remark, her sibling turned on her and unleased a powerful burst of magic, sending her flying off the balcony and to the ground below as she cried out in pain. She was wrapped in an aura of magenta magic and lowered to the ground safely, unconscious but otherwise unharmed.
“Hey, you can’t do that!” Spike looked to Pinkie and asked, “Can she do that?”
The party pony shrugged and reasoned, “Well, this is a teen-rated fanfic!”
-
An audible crack sounded, and Celestia turned to the sky. “Luna, did you…?”
She was shaken from her thoughts as her sibling shot through the air, crying out in pain as she smashed hard into the mirror portal. The device shattered upon impact, its frame cracking and breaking as she fell to the ground.
Celestia rushed to her and cradled her in her forelegs, her eyes going between her sibling and the destroyed mirror. The ground beneath her rumbled, and she looked back up as the very sky cracked, the sun looking different, almost as if two were merging into one. She frantically looked about as the décor of the palace shifted around them, quickly realizing what was happening.
“No!”
-
“It’s happening!” Twilight looked about uneasily as the world shifted around them, trees appearing and disappearing at random from their places surrounding the castle. “The worlds are merging!”
“Oh, this is going even better than I’d have hoped!” The corrupted Celestia rose up and laughed as a flash of light caught her attention on the ground. “And here she is, the guest of honor!”
Twilight looked and gasped, “Celestia! How did…?!” She noticed Luna’s prone form and asked, “Is she…?!”
“Unconscious, but she’ll be fine.” Sombra approached and laid his world’s Luna beside her as she rose to her hooves. “I’ve stood at the sidelines long enough. It’s time I ended this.”
From high above, the corrupted Celestia cackled. “Oh! Seems the kitten’s finally letting out her claws! Come on, Princess, show me…!” The mad princess went silent as her counterpart took hold with her magic, streams of energy whipping from her horn and ensnaring the fallen Celestia before violently slamming her into the ground. Held down, she called out, “Forgetting something, princess?! Injure me and…” Her eyes went wide in shock as she realized, “WHY AREN’T YOU INJURED?!”
Indeed, Celestia was unharmed, and she smirked as she looked upon her opposite. “The rules have changed.”
While Celestia kept her opposite at bay, Luna’s opposite groaned and got back to consciousness as a familiar voice reached her ears. “But mother, I do not wish to be an accountant…I wish to raise the moon!”
“What?” She gazed upon her counterpart and carefully inched closer. “But I thought…”
“Sister, make the world stop spinning, I need to…”
Both their eyes went wide as an arc of magic lanced between their horns, the corrupted Luna jumping back as thoughts, images and sounds flooded her mind, memories from long ago. Vulnerability and envy, an opening for a terrible darkness. Year after year, decade after decade of her fortitude wearing away, until finally…
“There can only be one princess in Equestria! And that princess, will be me!”
“No…” She couldn’t keep the images out of her mind, the sensations of her limbs twisting and warping, her teeth turning into terrible fangs as she was changed into something unnatural, something terrible. And worse, it brought to mind the day her sister had returned, and the terrible effects of that day. “No! NO!”
Somewhere, deep within her mind, a light shone, and her eyes took on a brilliant glow as the Umbrum influence upon her was purged and ripped away, shooting back to whence it came as her garments went back to their original state. She collapsed as her counterpart regained her full senses, and the two looked into one another’s eyes. The native Luna smiled. “Hello, Luna. I’ve heard much of you. You have my sympathies.”
The non-native Luna smiled back. “And you mine.”
Both got to their hooves as quickly as they could while the strengthened, corrupted Celestia struggled with her bonds. “Fine, whatever! I was fine ruling alone anyway! The worlds are merging, and you can’t stop me without sealing her away too!”
“Who said we’d seal you away?” Twilight came to her Celestia’s side and declared, “We had a different plan in mind, one that you helped us with just by staying right here!”
The corrupted princess’ eyes shrank to pinpricks. “WHAT?!”
Celestia smiled proudly. “You figured it out, didn’t you?”
“You don’t send us off with them all the time, now do you? And it’s already working.”
“WHAT ARE YOU TWO TALKING ABOUT?! TELL ME!”
“Don’t you remember why you built this castle here, Celestia?” Twilight smirked and explained, “I found out not long ago that, in my world, the castle was built in this location because of something unique in all of Equestria – the Tree of Harmony.” She tapped her crown with a hoof and asked, “Where do you think this came from?”
“THAT USELESS THING?! WE COULD NEVER FIGURE IT OUT!”
“More like you never desperately needed it.” Twilight looked to her Celestia, the elder princess beginning to struggle with her efforts. “My friends and I weren’t the first to wield the Elements of Harmony, and we didn’t call them forth from the Tree. But those who did knew enough about them to enlighten us.”
“The Tree’s purpose is to create and enforce balance.” Pride suffusing her every word, Celestia continued, “And if the balance between two worlds is threatened, then why not use two sets of Elements to restore that balance?”
The corrupted Celestia laughed. “And you’re supposed to get to them how? The Tree is beneath the castle! It’s not like you can sneak away! And even if you could, who’s supposed to carry them?”
“There’s already a candidate.” Sombra approached with a proud grin of his own and declared, “One who is honest, kind, generous and loyal, who shares and inspires laughter, and who was born of magic itself.”
“Dark magic!” A grin crossed the possessed princess’ face. “I still have your mother inside of me, Sombra! The only thing that you’re a king to are the monsters!”
“I can use dark magic. That does not make me a monster. Nor does it make Sombra one.” She smiled and admitted, “I was infatuated with him from first sight, yes, but I fell in love with him because he reminded me that things can go right, with hard work and just the right conditions.”
“Well, even if he could carry them, then what is he doing here?!”
“Who said he was?” His green eyes flashed and turned violet. “He’s right where he needs to be.”
-
Far below them, the Tree of Harmony stood in its cave, undisturbed and dimly glowing after countless ages of vigil. The cave around it shook, the ground shifting beneath it as a hole opened in the ground and a grimy unicorn stallion in tarnished black armor emerged. “You think those mares and Princess Trixie know what they’re doing?”
“I trust them, Tunnel Rat.” Sombra stepped into the cave and cast his gaze upon the Tree. His guards, Prof. Doo and Sir Quill followed as he approached the artifact uneasily. “Myself, I’m not so sure of.”
“They said that in their world, Celestia and Luna called forth the Elements to defeat Discord.” Sir Quill’s gaze remained on the Tree as he reasoned, “We never needed them for that, so they stayed here, all but forgotten.”
“And they were later used to free Luna from the corruption of Nightmare Moon, once new bearers were found.” Sombra pursed his lips. “There’s a risk here, a terrible risk. They may react to me, even destroy me, as the Crystal Heart threatened to do in my youth.”
“I don’t think we have enough time to find better candidates.” Prof. Doo looked to her king and noted, “But the one we have is pretty good as-is.”
Sombra smiled hopefully and approached the tree, his horn lighting up with a golden aura of magic. “It recognized Celestia and Luna. It would no doubt recognize Twilight and her friends. I only hope that it recognizes me.” A beam shot from his horn and into the star-shaped indent in the tree’s trunk from which its branches emerged. “If only I knew how…”
He then felt something, the bright jewels at the end of each branch shining light upon him. His entourage staggered back from the blinding light as he was bathed in it. He expected it to hurt, but the light was painless, and he looked up as the trunk seemed to open, a sixth gem appearing within.
“Forgive the obvious, but this is no normal tree.” He could feel the Tree release its gems, and he took hold of the Elements in his magic, the six gems idly spinning around him. “So far so good, but now…” Beams of magic shot from the gems and into the king, Sombra’s eyes glowing a brilliant white as he was lifted off the ground. They orbited about him like satellites, softly spinning in their own unique paths. He smiled, a contented feeling washing over him. “Get a good seat, all of you. It’s time to set the world right again.”
-
Far above, an aura of magic formed around the false Sombra as his voice shifted to a more feminine one. “Come one, come all! For the first time in years, bear witness to the amazing, show-stopping talents of the great and powerful Trixie Lulamoon, Princess of Equestria!” The illusion was dispelled, and Trixie stood triumphant. “Ah, but she is only the opening act! Fillies and gentlecolts, the grand finale is upon us!”
“Whatever you’re trying, it won’t…!” The corrupted Celestia was pinned down further as both Lunas added their magic to the bonds containing her, pinning her further and easing the burden on her counterpart. “It won’t work!”
“That remains to be seen!” From the other side of the castle, rising out of the ravine that bordered it on one side, Sombra emerged and ascended into the sky, his world’s Elements bringing him aloft as he turned his attention to the captured alicorn. “With just one set, something like this couldn’t happen. With both together? We can bring about miracles.”
“Alright girls, now it’s our turn!” Streams of multicolored magic wove their way from the Element in Twilight’s crown to those carried by her friends, and they rose in a circle, taking up the opposite position from Sombra and his set. “Princesses, lift her up between us!”
With Trixie joining in, the pure Celestia and the two Lunas lifted the corrupted one up into the air, the latter alicorn struggling in their grasp as the magic went to work. One by one, each set of Elements shot streams of energy at their counterparts, meeting in the middle and focusing upon the possessed royal between them. “No! No!” Wisps of purple and red smoke seemed to ooze forth from the mare’s eyes as the magic went to work and she screamed, “NOOOOOO!”
Those who’d followed Sombra to the Tree arrived just in time to hear those screams, the amber pegasus guard among them smiling. “I’m glad I didn’t miss that!”
The Umbrum possession surged forth from the corrupted Celestia’s body, streaming out and exposing itself to the world around it. Its host was released, her garments returning as they were over a millennium past, and she softly floated down with the aid of her counterpart. Held by both sets of Elements, the Umbrum screamed, “Sombra! Release me! Release your mother!”
“My mother is Amore, Princess and sovereign of the Crystal Empire!” The king’s eyes narrowed as he declared, “She took me in, raised me, taught me right from wrong! You only created me! You did not give me shelter or companionship or love, only nightmares! And it is time for the nightmares to end!”
“NO! YOUR DESTINY!”
“I have chosen my own destiny!”
With one final scream, the Umbrum was engulfed in a flash of light as a wave of rainbow energy burst all around. The magic of the Elements faded, and Sombra, Twilight and their fellow bearers descended to the ground, a large red crystal between them.
As they did so, the native Luna rushed to her sister. “Celestia? Tia, are you alright?”
The mare shook her head and unsteadily got to her hooves, but smiled as she looked upon her sister. “It’s over, Luna.” Her horn glowed, and the twilight ended, the sun rising high into the sky above them. “The nightmare is over.” She looked to her counterpart and smiled gratefully. “Thank you. Please, forgive me for…”
A smile answered her, as her counterpart gently embraced her own sister. “None of this was your doing, Celestia. I’m more to blame for things getting so bad than you.”
“Perhaps, but you were in a better position to help.” The two native alicorn sisters, Trixie quickly following, bowed their heads. “Thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome, but now we face another problem.” As Sombra softly reached the ground, his world’s Elements still orbiting him, Celestia reported, “The walls between realities are rebuilding themselves, and the mirror leading here was destroyed. Luna, Spike, the bearers and I…”
“Celestia! My Celestia!” She turned as Twilight pointed to a glowing, sparking portal, her tail being pulled into it like hair into a vacuum cleaner. “I think this is the way home!”
“Good enough for me!” Rainbow Dash led the charge as she and her friends rushed to the portal. She stopped and turned about, offering a salute, “Great meeting all of you, even you guard guys! You’re awesome!”
Celestia and Luna made their way to the portal as well, the former looking back and giving a sad smile as she saw her lover smile back and wave her on. “Always, Sombra.”
Their visitors vanished through the portal, and it sealed itself shut behind them, the king tearing up as he answered, “Always.” He took a breath and noted, “Well everypony, we’ve work to do yet. The war is over, now comes the difficult part.”
“Reconstruction,” Sir Quill quipped. He looked to the amber guard commander and asked, “And chasing down that last rogue.” She removed her helmet to reveal a short-cut mane of crimson and yellow as he asked, “Think you’ll be up for it, Runnie?”
The mare laughed. “Of course. And I’ll be glad to have help. Maybe Chrysalis can spare Gossamer?”
Sombra smiled. “I can always ask her.” He looked to the red crystal, his Umbrum creator sealed within. “For now, we need to lock this away. Somewhere secret, somewhere safe. And then hope that it never breaks free again.”
-
Rarity sighed as she collected the gemstones that had been embedded in the mirror’s frame. “I don’t suppose I could make use of these?”
“You’d best not, Rarity.” Celestia watched as the rest of the debris was cleaned up, selecting one of the smaller mirror fragments for herself. “It’s probably just as well that the mirror is gone, after all the damage that’s been done.”
“Perhaps, but a lot of good came from Star Swirl making those mirrors.” Twilight offered a hopeful smile and noted, “It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, right?”
The ivory alicorn smiled and nodded. “Indeed. Twilight, well done. I am sorry that you and your friends had to see all of this, the damage I caused from my foolishness. I’m not without my flaws.”
“I already knew that.” Twilight beamed at her mentor and said, “If anything, it helps me feel better about mine. And it’s good to know that we can always fix our mistakes, with a little help from our friends.”
Celestia smiled and laughed as she nuzzled her protégé. “True enough.”
“So, what’re we gonna do with all ‘a this?” Applejack gestured to the floor, scattered debris and glass littering the carpet.
“I’ll keep this fragment as a memento. The rest will be destroyed, save for the gems.”
“They were an integral part of the magic behind the mirrors, so they’d better stay with me. I’m going to need them for my own research.” Celestia looked to Twilight in surprise, and she explained, “I’m not going to try and make a new one, but I would like to find out more about how they’re put together. If I’m lucky, I might be able to find a way to bring Sunset home before the thirty moons are up. Safely, of course. And that’s ignoring everything else Star Swirl researched.”
“Very well, but don’t spend all of your time on this, hmm?”
“Of course not. I’ve got plenty of time to make more complete copies of his notes and research. Besides, I might not be the only one working on the project.”
Celestia regarded her former student curiously as Luna approached. “Twilight, could you explain the meaning behind your statement?”
The lavender alicorn grinned. “I might have made a copy while I was over there. And left it where Trixie can find it.” She put the thought aside and noted, “Right now, however, I need to make up for my own past mistakes.”
Pinkie Pie gasped as she produced a welcome home cake. “Are you gonna go and reconnect with all the ponies you knew here in Canterlot before you came to Ponyville? Better start with Minuette – Lyra’s visiting with her today, and if you’re lucky, you might catch both of them together!”
“How…?” Twilight shook her head. “Never mind. Come on, Spike, let’s get going!”
Twilight trotted off, her dragon friend in tow, and Celestia smiled. “Well, time does make all things possible. Still…”
“Wait a second!” Heads turned and Twilight paused as Pinkie Pie realized aloud, “That one stallion! Sir Quill! We don’t know his counterpart!”
“Pinkie, he might not…” Realization dawned upon her, and the young mare realized, “Oh my gosh! I do know his counterpart!” She laughed. “I met him on my goodwill tour! Oh, he’d never believe this! Oh, I’ve got so much to do!”