"Wha- what?! you- you're..." stuttered Twilight.
"What? I told you!" I said.
"I thought I was imagining it..." groaned Twilight.
"Seize her! Only she knows where the Princess is!" shouted the mayor.
"Stand back, you foals!" shouted Nightmare and blasted the guards with lightening.
On her way out she made sure to hit me in the balls, although it didn't hurt because I don't technically have balls.
"Come back here! Nighttime? Forever? Where're they going?" asked Rainbow as I ran with Twilight who was twitching.
We got to the Golden Oaks library and Twilight put Spike to bed.
"Uh... We gotta stop Nightmare!..." he mumbled before falling asleep.
"You've been up all night, Spike. You are a baby dragon after all." said Twilight.
"So... Nightmare Moon, just when I thought I saw it all." I chuckled.
"Well, at least I'm not crazy..." said Twilight.
"Yep, let's get to looking." I said.
"You should sleep to." said Twilight.
"I'll sleep when I'm dead." I answered.
"Elements, elements, elements... Ugh! How can I stop Nightmare Moon without the Elements of Harmony?" asked Twilight.
"Me." I replied darkly as I climbed a ladder.
"What do you mean?" asked Twilight.
"Nothing... hey look! 50 Shades Of Pinkie P- eww... RD comin' in 3'o clock." I said and climbed back down.
"And just what are the Elements of Harmony? And how did you know about Nightmare Moon, huh? Are you spies?" asked RD but AJ pulled her back.
"Simmer down, Sally. They ain't no spies. But they sure know what's going on. Don't you, guys?" asked AJ.
"She does." I pointed to Twilight.
"I read all about the prediction of Nightmare Moon. Some mysterious objects called the Elements of Harmony are the only things that can stop her, but I don't know what they are, where to find them; I don't even know what they do!" exclaimed Twilight.
" 'The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide.'!" exclaimed Pinkie.
"How did you find that?!" asked Twilight.
"It was under "E"!" sang Pinkie.
"Oh. There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said, the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters. It is located in what is now-"
"The Everfree Forest!" exclaimed everypony.
"It's a forest..." I said.
"He's right! Whee! Let's go!" exclaimed Pinkie.
"Not so fast. Look, I appreciate the offer, but I'd really rather do this on my own." said Twilight.
"No, I need something to stretch the old biomass!" I chuckled.
"No can do, sugarcube. We sure ain't lettin' any friend of ours go into that creepy place alone. We're stickin' to you like caramel on a candy apple." said AJ.
"Especially if there's candy apples in there. What? Those things are good." said Pinkie, that one is a mystery...
Twilight sighed.
"I know, I sometimes like to do things on my own." I said and we walked after them.
As we walked I went ahead and felt eyes on me.
"I have a nice ass don't I?" I chuckled.
"No, it;s ju- what are you?" asked Rainbow, earning a stare from everypony else.
"A Runner, Pariah, that's all I'll say for now." I said and walked next to them.
"So you're an alien?" asked PInkie and popped up in front of me.
"Yes, I came from the sky, but I didn't live up there." I said.
"So, none of you have been in here before?" asked Twilight.
"Ugh, Heavens no! Just look at it - it's dreadful." said Rarity.
"You should've seen my cell..." I mumbled.
"And it ain't natural. Folks say it don't work the same as Equestria." said AJ.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Twilight.
"Nopony knows. You know why?" said RD, scaring the others.
"Rainbow, quit it." said AJ.
" 'cause everypony who's ever come in has never come out!" she said and made them jump, and the cliff collapsed beneath us.
I went sprawling down and managed to get a footing, but I was impaled on a branch.
"BAAAAAALLLLLLLSSSSSSS!" I yelled.
"Fluttershy! Quick!" said RD and her and Fluttershy went to catch the others.
"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness." she said, Rarity and Pinkie were saved and AJ landed but Twilight was hanging on as I tried to pry myself off the branch.
"Hold on! I'm a-comin'!" said AJ to Twilight.
"Applejack! What do I do?" asked Twilight.
"Let go." she said deadpan.
"Are you crazy?" asked Twilight.
"No I ain't. I promise you'll be safe." said AJ.
"That's not true!" protested Twilight.
"Now listen here. What I'm sayin' to you is the honest truth. Let go, and you'll be safe." she said.
Twilight let go and screamed before RD and Fluttershy caught her but Fluttershy slipped a little.
"Sorry girls. I'm not used to holding anything more than a bunny or two." she said, AJ hopped down.
"What about-" AJ cut off as they saw the branch was vacant with nary a drop of blood on it.
"Me?" I asked from behind and they turned.
"How? that branch went through you!" exclaimed RD.
"Biomass regeneration." I said simply, I heard a roar, which the girls ignored and we kept moving.
"And once Pinkie and Rarity were saved, whoosh... Me and Fluttershy loop-de-loop around and WHAM! Caught you right in the nick of time." said RD.
"Yes, I know! fuck! what is it with mortals and saying what we already know!?" I exclaimed.
"Calm down pardner, she was only tootin' her horn." said AJ.
I sighed.
"Sorry..." I said.
"A Manticore!" exclaimed Twilight.
"Finally... action." I said and cracked my 'knuckles'
"We've gotta get past him!" said Twilight.
"Sure." I replied, Rarity bucked him in the face.
"Take that, you ruffian!" she said, before the Manticore roared in her face and messed her mane up.
"My hair!" she exclaimed and ran back to us, I'd let the ponies weaken him up.
"Wait." said Fluttershy.
"YEE-HAW! Git along, little dogie." aid Aj and rode him like a rodeo.
"Wait."
"Whoa! All yours, partner." said AJ to RD as she was thrown off.
"I'm on it." replied RD.
"Wait!" said Fluttershy.
RD circled him quickly but was swatted away.
"Rainbow!" exclaimed Twilight as she landed at my feet and I raised an eyebrow.
I could imagine this playing.
We all charged but before I could bring my blade out Fluttershy yelled.
"WAIT!"
She approached it and it roared.
"Shhh... It's okay. Oh, you poor, poor little baby." she said.
"Little?" asked Rainbow.
"Now this might hurt for just a second." she said and yanked a thorn from him
It roared and grabbed her
"Fluttershy!" yelled everypony, but I knew it didn't mean her harm.
"Aw you're just a little ol' baby kitty, aren't you? Yes you are, yes you are." she said as it licked her.
"How did you know about the thorn?" asked Twilight as we walked.
"I didn't. Sometimes we all just need to be shown a little kindness." she said, but I disagreed, there was blood on it's claw.
I stayed back for a second, and I lifted it's paw and saw the blood.
"You bitch..." I said, it looked confused, but by the time it realised I meant it harm, it was swarmed by tendrils, I saw it's memories, it sliced the pony and left him for dead, I also gained a poisoned Whipfist, I caught up to the others.
"No. My eyes need a rest from all this icky muck." said Rarity.
And plunged into darkness.
"Well, I didn't mean that literally..." she said.
"Be careful what you wish for." I said.
"That ancient ruin could be right in front of our faces and we wouldn't even know it."
"Do you mean we would bump into it? or we would walk past it?" I asked.
"I didn't see you there, my apologies." said Rarity as everypony bumped into everypony, I could see in the dark perfectly thanks to sight improvement from the Manticore.
"Right here... guh..." said Rainbow.
"Oh wait, I think I stepped in somethin'." said Applejack and raised her hoof.
Fluttershy screamed.
"It's just mud." said AJ and turned to run into a tree with a face.
"Aah!" he exclaimed.
All the girls screamed... but me and Pinkie glanced at each other and burst out laughing.
"Huh?" asked everypony.
"Pinkie, wood you cut it out? What did the tree do when the bank closed?
It started its own branch. Why did the pine tree get in trouble? Because it was being knotty. What did the trees wear to Mother Nature’s pool party? Swimming trunks! What did Betula pendula say to her super-annoying sister? Leaf me alone, birch!" I laughed.
Pinkie started making funny noises and faces.
"Pinkie, Pariah! what are you doing?! Run!" shouted Twilight.
"Oh girls, don't you see?" asked Pinkie and music started.
"When I was a little filly and the sun was going down..."
"Tell me she's not..." said Twilight.
"The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown..." she sang.
"She is." replied Rarity.
"Oh sweet Celestia..." I facepalmed.
"I'd hide under my pillow, from what I thought I saw but Granny Pie said that wasn't the way to deal with fears at all"
"Then what is?" asked RD.
"A chair, the chair is the way forward!" I exclaimed.
"She said, "Pinkie, you gotta stand up tall learn to face your fears you'll see that they can't hurt you just laugh to make them disappear."
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" me and Pinkie kept laughing, the singing annoyed me but I was still feeling mortal...
Suddenly a tree turned normal because of our laughter.
So, giggle at the ghostly guffaw at the grossly crack up at the creepy whoop it up with the weepy chortle at the kooky snortle at the spooky and tell that big dumb scary face to take a hike and leave you alone and if he thinks he can scare you then he's got another thing coming and the very idea of such a thing just makes you wanna... hahahaha... heh... Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuugh!" exclaimed Pinkie, all the girls fell about the place, I leaned against the tree with a chuckle... mortal life was precious... seeing the girls having such a good time... it made me feel again properly.
We kept walking and I was smiling again, deep in thought.
"Did I make you smile?" asked Pinkie.
"No Pinkie, you all made me smile." I said, receiving smiles in return.
"How are we gonna cross this?" asked PInkie as we came upon choppy waters.
"I could jump it... but where does that leave you girls?" I said.
"Huh?" asked Pinkie.
"What a world, what a world." sobbed a... sea serpent? a fucking sea serpent!?
"Excuse me, sir. Why are you crying?" asked Twilight.
"Well, I don't know. I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when this tacky little cloud of purple smoke just whisked past me and tore half of my beloved mustache clean off, and now I look simply horrid." he said.
"Gayyyyyy..." I said.
"Oh, give me a break." said RD.
"That's what all the fuss is about?" asked AJ.
"Of course! I wouldn't be caught dead without my wonderful warfstache!" came a familiar voice from the trees...
"Wilford! my old friend!" I exclaimed and wrapped him in a hug.
"Hello Pariah old friend old buddy pal! how are you!?" he asked.
"Fine buddy! how about you? still a reporter?" I asked.
"But of course! in fact I just finished an interview with Phone Guy, Golden Freddy almost got me, but Warfstache don't take shit from no one! Warfstache is on the lookout for the Slender-man right now, have you seen him?" he asked with a space in between Slender and Man.
"No sorry." I said
"Oh well, I must leave!" he said and ran back into the forest, shouting for Slenderman.
"Who was that?" asked Twilight.
"An old friend..." I said.
"Will he be back?" asked Rainbow.
"Warfstache will always be there... especially to punch evil in the face." I said.
"Why, Warfstache is right. How can you be so insensitive? Oh, just look at him. Such lovely luminescent scales."
"I know." he said.
"And your expertly coiffed mane."
"Oh, I know, I know." he cried.
"Your fabulous manicure."
"It's so true!" he gasped.
"Your strong... sharp scales..." I said with hunger.
"Yes!" he said
"All ruined without your beautiful mustache." concluded Rarity.
"It's true, I'm hideous!" he exclaimed.
"I simply cannot let such a crime against fabulosity go uncorrected." she finished and took a scale off of him.
"What did you do that for?" he asked.
"Rarity, what are you-" started Twilight before Rarity cut her tail off and magicked it on to his face.
"Oh-hohohoho! My mustache. How wonderful." he exclaimed.
"You look smashing." complimented Rarity.
"Oh, Rarity, your beautiful tail..." said Twilight.
"Oh. It's fine, my dear. Short tails are in this season. Besides, it'll grow back." said Rarity with hope.
"So would the mustache." whispered RD to AJ and me and we chuckled.
"We can cross now. Let's go. Ah!" exclaimed Twilight as a bunch of scales rose beneath us to help.
"Allow me." said the serpent.
"I need one of your scales and... a little flesh please..." I asked.
"Why?" asked the serpent.
"I might be able to give myself some protection, I'll only take a little." I said truthfully.
"Ok." he said and a tendril shot out of my back and dug into his flesh for a second and took a little flesh and a scale, which would allow me to create some armor from the DNA.
"That stung a little." said the serpent, I thanked him and I caught up with them.
"There it is, the ruin that holds The Elements of Harmony. We made it!" said Twilight and ran ahead.
"Twilight, wait for us!" said AJ.
"We're almost there. Whoa!" she said but before she fell I extended a tendril and grabbed her back and pulled her up.
Everypony turned to me.
"What? I have some abilities of my own..." I mumbled.
"What's with you and falling off cliffs today?" asked Rainbow.
"Now what?" sighed Pinkie.
"Duh." said Rainbow and flared her wings.
"Oh yeah." chirped Pinkie.
"Rainbow..." came a voice from the other end.
"Who's there?" asked Rainbow.
"Rainbow..." repeated a voice.
"I ain't scared of you! Show yourself!" exclaimed RD.
"We've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the best flyer in Equestria." said the ethereal voice.
"Who?" asked Rainbow.
"Why, you, of course." said the voice.
"Really?! I mean... Oh yeah, me. Hey, uh, you wouldn't mind telling the Wonderbolts that, would ya? 'cause I've been trying to get into that group for like, ever." said RD.
"No, Rainbow Dash. We want you to join us, The Shadowbolts. We're the greatest aerial team in the Everfree Forest, and soon we will be the greatest in all Equestria, but first, we need a captain. The most magnificent-" started the Shadowbolt
"Yep."
"Swiftest-"
"Yes."
"Bravest flyer in all the land."
"Yes, it's all true." chuckled RD.
"We need... you." said the Shadowbolt.
"WOOHOO! Sign me up. Just let me tie this bridge real quick and then we have a deal." exclaimed RD.
"No! It's them or us." replied the leader.
"Rainbow, what's taking so long? Oh no. Rainbow! Don't listen to them." said Twilight as she noticed, the leader created a fog and I jumped the gap and went to deliver a flying kick to them.
"Well?" asked the leader.
"You... Thank you! For the offer, I mean, but I'm afraid I have to say no." she said.
Everypony else cheered, I made contact with the 3 Shadowbolts they dissipated into blue mist and I hit the rock and kicked off, backflipping to the grass.
"See? I'd never leave my friends hangin'." said RD.
"True that." I said and we entered the ruins.
"Whoa. Come on, Twilight. Isn't this what you've been waitin' for?" said AJ.
"The Elements of Harmony, we've found them. Careful, careful!" exclaimed Twilight as our two flyers brought the Elements down.
"One, two, three, four... There's only five!" exclaimed Twilight.
"Hmm..." I pondered.
"Where's the sixth?" asked RD.
"The book said: when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed." said Twilight.
"What in the hay is that supposed to mean?" asked AJ.
"I'm not sure, but I have an idea. Stand back. I don't know what will happen." said Twilight, I stayed and sat crosslegged.
"You're not doing this alone." I said to her and she nodded.
"Come on now, y'all. She needs to concentrate." said AJ.
"Aah!" exclaimed Twilight as we were teleported away
"Twilight! Pariah!" exclaimed everypony.
"The Elements!" exclaimed Twilight.
All five ponies talked over each other: "Twilight?" "What?" "Where did she go?" "What happened?" "What's going on?"
"Twilight, where are you?" asked AJ.
"Look!" said Rarity.
"Come on!" exclaimed AJ.
We both woke up next to each other.
"You ok Twi?" I asked.
"Yeah." she replied.
Nightmare Moon was there and laughed evilly.
"Hmph!" Twilight gasped and prepared to charge her
"You're kidding. You're kidding, right? I have a trick up my sleeve... pet!" exclaimed NM and suddenly I felt my body moving of it's own accord, I felt NM straining to hold me and I prepared to kill Twilight.
"Stop. her!" I exclaimed and Twilight shot at her with a spell and NM let go her hold of me, but she rushed forward and impaled me with her horn, I fell to the floor.
"Just one spark. Come on, come on." said Twilight and cried out as they sent her flying.
"No, no!" exclaimed NM.
"But... where's the sixth Element?!" gasped Twilight as I put my hand in the center of the puddle of biomass that Nightmare had impaled out of me and absorbed it back.
"You little foal! Thinking you could defeat me? Now you will never see your princess, or your sun! The night will last forever!" laughed NM.
All five ponies talked over each other again, to get to us: "Don't worry guys, we're here." "Don't worry, we'll be there."
"You think you can destroy The Elements of Harmony just like that? Well, you're wrong, because the spirits of The Elements of Harmony are right here." said Twilight as the others entered the room.
"What?" asked NM.
"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of... honesty!"
"It takes a lot to tell the honest truth no matter what, an admirable trait, but not one I envy." I admitted.
"Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of... kindness!"
"A trait I wish I had more of, to give something a second chance like she did, requires courage and compassion." I said.
"Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of... laughter!"
"A trait I share, as well as Mr. Warfstache, and I gladly do share it."
"Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift represents the spirit of... generosity!"
"To give a part of yourself for another... something I couldn't do, I admire that." I said.
"And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire represents the spirit of... loyalty!"
"Staying loyal when offered with something you've wanted for ages, it takes a strong resolve."
"The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us." said Twilight.
"And damn am I glad we're friends." I said.
"You still don't have the sixth Element! The spark didn't work!" exclaimed NM.
"But it did! A different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me when I realized that you all... are my friends! You see, Nightmare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the... the spark, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: the element of... magic!" said Twilight, suddenly memories of anothe rlife passed through my head... the rise of Nightmare Moon... incomplete... I needed them.
"Nooo! Nooo!" exclaimed Nightmare, suddenly the Elements bounced to me and I got my Claws ready...
I felt my form tear apart into something else...
"Moon help me..." said NM in fear.
I jumped atop Nightmare and tore into her, carving her up, tendrils extended from my back and consumed the pieces...
I stopped when I saw another heat signature in there, I stopped and at on my haunches, wiped my face and fell off Nightmare backwards, passing out...
"Ugh, my head." said RD and got up
"Everypony okay?" asked AJ.
"No." I replied.
"Everything ok?" she asked.
"Si." I put my thumb up.
"Oh, thank goodness." Rarity in relief.
"Why Rarity, it's so lovely." said Fluttershy.
"I know! I'll never part with it again." said Rarity, referring to her tail.
"No. Your necklace. It looks just like your cutie mark." said Fluttershy.
"What? Ooh. So does yours." said Rarity.
"Look at mine! Look at mine!" said Pinkie.
"Aw yeah." RD hoofbumped the air.
"Woah!" exclaimed RD and looked at me.
I was literally an unidentifiable jumble of biomass, with two eyes and claws extended from my form, I switched back luckily.
"That felt... incredible..." I said, it felt as if I was feeding off the very earth
"Gee, Twilight! I thought you were just spoutin' a lot of hooey, but I reckon we really do represent the elements of friendship."
"Indeed you do." came a voice.
"Princess Celestia." gasped Twilight.
"Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student. I knew you could do it." said a vibrant white pony.
"But... you told me it was all an old pony tale."
"I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart. Now if only another will as well. Princess Luna!" exclaimed Celestia, I saw a blue pony, who I almost ripped apart, but she looked... pretty...
"It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister."
"Sister?" asked everypony.
"Will you accept my friendship?" asked Celestia and I turned to leave, this was a matter not of my concern.
"Whoa!" said Pinkie.
"I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!" said Luna.
"I've missed you, too." Celestia said and they cried.
"I couldn't have done it without you guys, and Pa- where is he?" asked Twilight.
"I saw him leave before." said RD.
Twilight ran out and saw me walking across the bridge.
"Wait! Pariah!" called Twilight, I saw her friends and the Princesses follow her out as I turned around.
"What?" I asked in genuine inquiry.
"I... I couldn't have done this without you..." said Twilight.
"You could have, not with as much badassery, but yes, you could've." I said.
"Forgive my intrusion, but what are you?" asked Celestia.
"I am Pariah, a Runner." I said and held my hand out, she raised an eyebrow and then smiled.
"A pleasure to meet you Mr-" I cut her off as we shook.
"There was and is no 'Mr. Pariah' it's just Pariah please." I said
"Very well." smiled Celestia.
"Anyway, I must go, there are some things I need to sort out." I said and continued walking, I stood at the edge of the cliff and took in a breath.
"Where will you go?" asked Twilight.
"Not far." I answered as I faced them, spread my arms and fell backwards.
Everypony tried to stop me but I had already fell.
I landed at the bottom of the gorge and sprinted to town my own way, jumping the branches, the trees, and gliding every now and then.
I landed at the entrance to the Everfree and saw the girls gawking at me.
"Hey, you know what this calls for?" asked Pinkie.
"Dare we ask?" I said.
"A party!" exclaimed Pinkie.
Suddenly we were in Ponyville enjoying some festivities, although I couldn't get into the swing of it, I enjoyed watching the ponies have a good time, I saw Celestia and Luna come in by carriage and I headed over to hear Celestia convering with Twilight.
"Why so glum, my faithful student? Are you not happy that your quest is complete and you can return to your studies in Canterlot?" asked Celestia.
"That's just it. Just when I learned how wonderful it is to have friends, I have to leave them." said Twilight, saddened.
"Spike, take a note, please. I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the unicorn Twilight Sparkle shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue to study the magic of friendship. She must report to me her findings from her new home in Ponyville, and she is to share her home with Pariah, who is now an official member of our kingdom." smiled Celestia.
Everypony cheered.
"Oh thank you, Princess Celestia! I'll study harder than ever before." said Twilight.
"Isn't this exciting? Are you excited cause I'm excited I've never been so excited, well, except for the time that I went [gasp!] but I mean really-" Pinkie cut off as I stuffed cake in her mouth.
"Shut your 'cake hole' Pinkie!" I exclaimed, she looked at me blankly for a second before we laughed again.
"Hey everypony! come and gawk at a Slendyman for the reasonable price of nothing!" came the spit filled voice of Warfstache.
"Hey bud!" I exclaimed and we hugged.
"Damn, Warfstache can't handle these emotions... no! Warfstache is a reporter! known for his emotionlessness!" he said.
"Lets get the Jaegerbombs." I said and he smiled.
"Yeah!" he exclaimed.