Guilt of a Phantom

by Powerdrainer

Lunar Eclipse

What is it that makes us alive?

Is it a heart beating in our chest? 

Blood flowing through our veins? 

To eat, drink, and sleep? 

Feeling the sun's warmth, or the wind's chill on our skin? 

Or perhaps we are alive merely through the fact of being born?

If so, then what about those who exist without a heart? Those who don't bleed? Those who go without hunger or thirst, and who do not tire? Those whose skin is merely an illusion, intangible to all things?

What about those born from death?

Are you alive if you've never had a heartbeat?

Are you alive if you've never had a single drop of blood coursing through your veins?

Are you alive, even without the need to eat, drink, or sleep?

Are you alive even if the wind blows through you, and the sun burns your form?

Are you alive when the moment of your creation was the result of a failed possessing?

'Am I Alive?'

Shadow fought against the ever-increasing darkness of Nightmare Moon, trying to regain control, to regain Danny's mind. The self-proposed question went unanswered as he fought for his shared existence. 

Nightmare Moon laughed triumphantly as she fended off his attack. Her powers were growing; with them, her control over Danny grew as well. At the rate she was going, it wouldn't be long before she would gain full control over Danny's mind, and in turn, his shade: her true target. 

Danny's emotions of hatred and anger were spiking due to his confrontation with Sombra, along with his actions afterwards, had become the source of her growing strength. She was a parasite, latching onto any negative form of energy and using it to increase her own strength, then to influence the mind of whoever fell victim to her diabolical clutches. For a while, Shadow had managed to keep some measure of control over the corruption. However, ever since Danny interacted with the shield, that had changed. 

The first time was absolute torture. A cleansing field burned him from the core, yet he managed to pull through, if only because the energy seemed more focused on Nightmare Moon. Unfortunately, he and Nightmare were one and the same. Two minds, one body. 

True, Nightmare Moon was also affected by the shield's energy. However, she was able to use this in her favor, as she was aided unintentionally by Danny as he interacted with the shield once more. Also, as Shadow repeated the event in his mind, the only conclusion he could draw was that the energy went for Nightmare Moon through him, weakening itself and him in the process. Now, as a result, he and Nightmare Moon were more separated than they had ever been before. One might even say they were, for once, truly separate entities. 

Of course this also meant Shadow's control over the dark mare, as flimsy as it was, was all but lost, and now he was fighting a battle on two fronts. First and foremost, he was directly fighting Nightmare Moon in a battle for control and Danny's mind. Secondly, he was trying to break through Nightmare Moon's influence already in effect, and reach out to Danny, trying to snap him out of the downward spiraling emotional state he was in, which was being worsened by the dark mare.

Shadow glowered at Nightmare Moon as he prepared another attack, teeth showing.

'Alive or not. I'll fight for the right to exist.' With that final thought, he charged at the queen of darkness, intent on dethroning her. 

He stood among the rest, mindless, bowing for their ruler when the sound of glass shattering, followed by the howling wind rushing inside reached him. He blinked as energy washed through his mind, a darkness blotting it out, and he, along with all others around him turned to the new being in the room. White spiky hair. Glowing eyes, one green, one blue. A black jumpsuit with a white symbol displayed on the being's chest, with a wavering icy blue aura around his entire form. 

"LET THEM GO!" The unknown entity roared.

He blinked again.

Sombra laughed darkly in answer, his eyes glowing heavily; the glow mirrored by those around him.

He could feel his body move outside his command; noticing he and those around him moved towards the unknown being. Yet, the strange individual didn't even bat an eye at their advances. Instead, he roared his defiance at Sombra and stomped his strange hoof on the floor, cracking it as a massive burst of energy washed over them all.

His head slammed against the ground. 

'Hey, what's your problem?'

'My problem? How about the fact that you teleported me along with you, forcing me to leave my squad while they deal with the crystal ponies?'

He groaned as he blinked, focusing his empty eyes.

'Hey buddy, keep talking, and we're going to have a problem.'

'We already have a problem, but I haven't seen you do anything to stop this situation!'

He pushed himself upright, noticing that his king, as well as the weird creature, were gone.

'-but right now, you are only getting in the way. Instead of being teleported away, I could help my fellow guards trying to contain the situation. Hopefully we could even break Sombra's hold over the Prince.' The glow in his eyes flickered, '-that is something that I and the rest of my squad were trained to deal with.'

The red in his eyes grew dimmer and dimmer, and he blinked as he slowly looked around.

'Where am I?... Who am I?'

'My my. You certainly are strong willed.' 

His eyes widened as memories came flooding back.

"Fascinating…" Pete mumbled as he and several of his colleagues were busy scanning one of the many glowing crystals found in the cavern; several electrodes were attached all over the crystal's structure, the data feed transmitted to their tablets. 

"And what about this?" one of them asked, tilting her tablet to show the readout to the rest of the group.

"What frequency are you at?" Pete asked.

"One hundred and twenty three point nine Fenton-J's," she answered, and Pete adjusted his tablet.

"Fenton-J's?" Dani repeated, confused, although she had a good idea where that particular classification came from.

"It's a specialized scale for measuring any spectral energy, anti or otherwise, created by Jack Fenton," Pete mumbled back, not looking up from his screen.

"Why is she even here?" one of the scientists whispered behind her hand to another, yet loud enough for Dani to hear. "She doesn't know anything."

Turning to the one who spoke, Dani showed a falsely-sweet smile. "I'm here for reasons far more important that you could possibly understand," she said with a surprisingly light tone of voice; coupled with her obviously fake smile, it didn't make any of them feel comfortable. Quite the opposite, as Dani slowly walked over to the woman, they could feel their hairs stand on end. "Least of all keeping an eye on you people. Someone needs to make sure all this tech is used correctly, and everything is delivered on time, when it should, where it should. And when 'anything' does go missing, you can count on it I'll be right on top of it." She paused for effect. 

"Also," she said, her voice lowering just a fraction as she used a single finger to push down the woman's tablet, still smiling. "Just because I don't know what you guys are talking about, doesn't mean I'm ignorant." She let go of the tablet, and moved away. But when she passed the overly nervous woman, she gave voice to the last of her thoughts.

"Besides that, I know things you could never know. I have seen things you could never comprehend. I may be many things, but ignorant isn't one of them."

She then turned to look at everyone around her, all eyes on her while a tense quiet had settled down over everyone.

"Now, back to work!" Dani snapped, and like a bubble bursting, everyone hurried back to the task at hand, all staring intently at either the crystals, or their tablets.

That's more like it," Dani murmured, before returning to looking over Pete's shoulder at the information displayed on his Tablet. "Now, explain to me what it is what I'm looking at. Is this rock really an anti-ghost element?"

"Yes, Ma- Ahem. Yes, Dani," Pete replied with a frightened voice, quickly correcting himself before Dani would call him out over calling her ma'am yet again. "It certainly looks like it." He then tilted his tablet to allow Dani a better view.

"Here you can see the data we've collected so far from these crystals. And here-" he opened a file, "-you can see the unique signature we've observed while studying the few rocks of Ectoranium we could find."

Looking at the data, Dani had to agree that the two energy signatures were almost identical.

"So this find is quite exciting for us," Pete went on. "Ectoranium is a very rare element, not often found on Earth. It is theorized that more of this anti-ghost element exists out in space. Maybe in an asteroid, but this is all just speculation. However, to find such a large abundance of crystals with similar properties… We still need to run several tests, but the opportunities these crystals present us with are enormous."

"Yeah," Dani replied with fake enthusiasm. "... And you're sure these rocks can help power our equipment?"

"The way things are looking now… There isn't a doubt in my mind."

"Great," Dani replied with a fake smile. 'Just great.'

"Have you heard the news?" Midnight Blossom asked her team in general, all four of them venturing deeper into the crystal mine, scanners in hoof.

"What news, exactly?" Flash Lightning asked, looking up from his scanner for a moment.

"About these rocks possibly being an anti-ghost element," she clarified, using a wing to point at some of the crystals growing around them.

"Yeah, we did," Vigilant Shield spoke up, stopping before one of the larger crystals growing near them and losing herself for a moment in the faint glow emitted by the gleaming mineral. "Kinda funny, actually. If they're right."

"How so?" Charming Prism asked.

"Them being an anti-ghost element, I mean, heh, we already have the Elements of Harmony. And now, growing right underneath our hooves, there is an element that targets ghosts. It's kinda funny when you think about it."

"Yeah…" Flash Lightning murmured. "Less funny when you consider these things were also around during Baltimare."

"..." Vigilant Shield could only suck in a breath, before sighing out loudly, giving a weak nod of acknowledgment. "Didn't think of that," she said, remembering his history. "Sorry."

"Don't. You're right, in a way. If these things are anti-ghost elements, then it does have an ironic sense of humor with it," he replied without much emotion. "But, right now, we can't be sure. They are still running tests back there," -he gave a single nod to the general area the scientists were working- "And it's why we are down here." -he looked back at his scanner- "So let's just scan these rocks, and see if they can be used to, maybe, prevent another Baltimare from ever happening."

"Sounds like a plan," Midnight Blossom shouted back, standing further ahead, looking at something the others couldn't see just yet. "And I think this would be a good place to start!" And she vanished around the corner, joined moments later by the rest of her team as they were wondering what she'd found. They could only stare in silence at the sight that awaited them.

Standing before them, growing in the center of a large cavern at a slight tilt, surrounded by other, relatively smaller crystals, was the largest crystal they had ever seen. Easily ten meters tall, three meters wide, and glowing brightly with contained energy.

"Holy mother of Celestia's cousin three times removed," Vigilant Shield breathed out. "That has to be the biggest one I've ever seen!"

No more thought was needed, they all knew what had to be done.

"That's what she said," and Charming Prism was the one to say it.

It had been less than a day since Celestia had met with Twilight and Danny, yet everything that had happened between now and then still weighed heavily on her mind. The fact she had to send Danny back to Ponyville to be used as bait to catch one, or more ghosts was something she couldn't forgive herself for. Not to mention the dangerous situation she put Twilight and her friends in.

Although she was confident in the mares’ abilities, the worry of what they might find in the Empire only added to the turmoil of emotions she felt. Though one couldn't say it from just looking at her. Centuries of experience had shaped her poker face into one of the best, and outwards she seemed calm and collected as she stood outside on her chamber's balcony. Yet a tired, dreary sigh slipped past her carefully crafted mask as she first looked towards Ponyville, then into the distance to where the Crystal Empire was located.

And then there was yet another new, unexpected, and unwanted development. She glanced back into her room, at her reading desk and the scroll lying on top of it.

'Danny Manson has not arrived back in Ponyville, and his current whereabouts are, as of right now, unknown.' She repeated in her mind, the contents of Rolling Stone's report worrying.

It was obvious to her what had happened; where Danny had gone to. 

It was something she had noticed the first time she met him, and again when he and Twilight came to visit. A spark. A spark of kindness. A will to help others, even though he tried to hide it, for reasons she didn't yet understand. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that Danny had joined Twilight and her friends on their journey towards the Empire, which troubled her greatly. 

"If he is there, not only is his life at serious risk, but we've also lost our lure to draw out this ghost," she sighed out, turning back to Ponyville. "I just hope everything will work out for the better." Her gaze then shifted to her sister's chamber, knowing Luna to be asleep for at least several hours more. 

A deeply troubled frown found its way onto her face as she recalled her sister's erratic behaviour of the last day; losing focus, and being lost in thought. The previous night even, when she raised the moon, Celestia could clearly see the wobble in the moon's journey upwards, which made her address her worries to Luna. 

Luna had dismissed any worries, claiming it to be nothing more than mere lack of sleep. But Celestia knew something else was at play. Something Luna wasn't telling her, and it hurt her to know her sister was keeping things to herself while it was obvious she needed somepony to talk to. 

Spreading her wings, she jumped down her balcony; gliding over to her sister's chamber, landing on its balcony while she gently opened the double doors with her magic. 

'You have always watched over the slumbering minds of our little ponies. Yet nopony ever seems to ask who watches over yours when you allow sleep to carry you away,' she thought with a gentle, sisterly smile as she stepped into the darkened room; the only light coming in through the open doors, which she quickly closed with her magic.

Quietly, Celestia made her way into the room towards the slumbering form of her younger sister; coming to a sudden stop as she could hear labored, fevered breath coming, and seeing the wildly thrashing form of luna, partially constricted by the blanket.

Mad, menacing growls rose up from the darkness.

"Luna!" Celestia called out in alarm, rushing to her sister's bedside. 

Her claws were covered in blood, flowing from the wounds of those fallen before her.

Grabbing Luna with both hooves, she tried to calm her down while calling out for her to wake up. Yet despite her efforts, Luna was unresponsive; eyes moving rapidly behind their lids, legs and wings kicking out, while a cold sweat covered her form.

Anger consumed her mind; a red haze obscured her vision. Everything went dark, while the roars of pain and anger around her intensified.

"LUNA!" Celestia shouted, horn bursting into life as she quickly pressed it against Luna's forehead.

"Brother. Don't go down this path, you know where it leads to."

"I know, but no longer care," Luna replied angrily, unsheathing her claws. "This night, any night. Every one of my nights, blood is spilled, and I will no longer stand by idly."

"Brother-"

"No! No more talk." She barked, walking away with murder in her eyes. "Tonight, the moon will glow red with their blood."

"FENRIS!"

Luna came to a stop, eyes narrowed into slits.

"Fenris is no more…" she slowly turned around, looking at the two beings standing behind her with cold eyes. "My name is-"

"LUNA!" 

With a cry, Luna woke up; crying with heavy breath in her sister's hold who held her comfortably, worry and concern clearly visible on her face 

For several long minutes, nothing was said between them; only the sounds of Luna sobs breaking the otherwise silent room. 

Eventually, after she'd calmed down, Celestia slowly let go of her sister; looking at her with worry.

"Luna," she spoke softly. "What happened?"

Images of fangs, claws, and blood filled her mind. Accompanied by a feeling she knew all too well. A sense of drowning in misery and hopelessness which she had first experienced when her corruption took over. Yet the things she’d seen, the beings she'd talked to. None of them were familiar to her.

"... Just a dream," Luna gasped, looking away from her sister as she tried to understand what she had seen. "A horrible dream…. A nightmare." She muttered quietly to herself; the familiar sensation slowly ebbing away, but still clearly noticeable to her.

And then there was something else. A presence she was only barely aware of, with the only feature clear to her being the glowing orange eyes, looking at her from the shadows.

"Luna, this was more than just a dream." Celestia replied, worried. "I know you wouldn't let a dream get the better over yourself, unless you allow it to. Please, tell me. What did you see?"

Luna took several deep, calming breaths, forcing her racing heart to slow down as she recalled what she had seen; realizing with worry that what had played out before her mind's eye began to fade from memory. 

Looking at her sister, she gave a single nod, and started to tell her everything she had seen… and what she could remember.

"There is only one king of shadows here, and that one is me!" Danny roared, intent on challenging Sombra.

His hands glowed with burning fury; a dark green energy mirroring the glow of his eyes, before he unleashed the building power in a single destructive burst. 

Sombra acted quickly, distorting his form to allow the dark power to pass harmlessly through him. Yet he realized the difference between the attacks Danny shot at him at the beginning of their fight, and the change the half-mortal showed now. The resulting devastation of his single attack only proving this point, as with a mighty detonation, the energy impacted into the wall behind him; shattering the crystal into countless lethal projectiles, peppering both him and Danny.

The shards never hurt them, however. Their intangibility keeping them from sustaining any harm from the sharp pieces of broken crystal. Yet, as they stood there, facing one another with the damage Danny caused raining down on them, a strange sense of apprehension came over Sombra. It was a split second moment, noticing the shift in his adversary's behaviour, no longer seeming to care about collateral damage as all was shoved aside with narrow minded focus on his prey.

His eyes shifted down to Danny's shadow once more, seeing the shade going through more and more changes as Danny's anger grew more focused and volatile.

He chuckled, lowly at first, but growing stronger until he was all but roaring; grinning madly as his red and green eyes glared at the human.

"What's so funny?!" Danny barked, hands glowing once more as he readied another attack. His voice getting more and more warped.

"I'm curious," Sombra said, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Just how much more of a push do you need?" And the red in his eyes intensified, calling forth one of his slaves from back in the chamber they came from.

Danny's eyes flashed towards the pony coming up behind him, tensing up as another spike of anger shot through him upon the sight of a young filly dragging herself through the shard covered hallway; lacking the energy to even wince from pain as many of the crystal splinters stabbed her in her hooves, already damaged after years of neglect, and bloody drag marks were left behind with each step.

"SOMBRA!" Danny growled through his teeth, his shadow's transformation into Nightmare Moon nearing its completion; while down at his feet, dark smoke started to rise up, sticking to his body as it slowly started to consume him.

A wavering, almost unstable aura surrounded Danny, hands balled into glowing fists, as more and more of the pitch black smoke like shadow consumed his body. Then, with a roar of unchecked anger, the building energy broke free, filling the entire hallway with toxic green light. 

Sombra roared as the light cut through his form, slamming into the far wall. 

Danny looked at him with cold eyes, focused solemly on the shade before him. Then a scream cut through the blinding haze which consumed his mind, and he turned around to see the filly lying on the floor behind him; hit by the same force of energy, with multiple crystal shards sticking into her body.

His eyes widened in horrified realization, only for Darkness to consume him as his shadow grew to cover him completely. A menacing laugh reverberating through his mind.

Darkness surrounded Danny as he looked around, unable to see anything, save for his own body which seemed to glow in the suffocating dark; a glow, which he noticed, was dimming rapidly.

"What… Where am I? What’s happening?"

His voice echoed all around him, quickly swallowed by the nothingness he found himself in. Silence filled the area for several seconds, but then a low, dark, menacing chuckle replaced it, which quickly grew into diabolical laughter.

"Who’s there!?" Danny shouted, turning around in the spot to find the source of the laughing, but finding none; realizing the laughter came from every direction at once.

"Fool," a dark, feminine voice finally answered, a figure slowly fading into view.

Danny watched in confusion as the figure became came into view, before shock took over as he finally got a clear look at the dark, armored, bat winged mare smiling evilly at him, showing her sharp fangs.

"What the!" Danny shouted, taking a step back, but noticing the distance between him and the demon like mare didn't change. "Who are you? And what do you want from me!?" He said, eyes hardening. "Is this another trick from Sombra; some weird hallucinatory mind control?"

The mare laughed condescendingly, looking at Danny like one would an ant. 

"Sombra. He's merely a nuisance which you no longer need to worry about. A mere pawn to be used. And he so wonderfully played you, speeding up my plan."

"Plan, what plan?" Danny asked, wearily. Securing his stance, he shot the dark mare a most venomous look.

"As for who I am," she continued, ignoring Danny. "Not that it matters much for you, seeing how you have merely moments left." -she slowly circled around Danny with a wicked gleam in her eyes- "But you are instrumental in my return, so I suppose I can grant you this much."

Coming to a stop before Danny, she folded out her wings, eyes glowing a dark toxic green. "I am Nightmare Moon, Queen of the night, and rightful ruler of this world." A soulless smile then grew on her features, and Danny could feel a chill go down his spine. "And, in extent, your world as well. And in showing my gratitude for opening up your world for my rule as well, I will also answer your second question." She told him, and her horn flashed a dark green, causing Danny to tense up even more. 

"What do I want from you?" She repeated Danny's question, taking a moment as if she were actually thinking about it. Then her eyes focused on the half mortal once more. "What I want to gain through you is revenge on those who opposed me. Who locked me away, stripped me of my powers, and believed me defeated for good. I was only weakened, but unable to do anything. But that is where you came in, Danny Manson. Or is it Phantom? Or Fenton, perhaps?" Danny's eyes widened as she called out his names, and a wicked grin found its way on Nightmare Moon's face. Which soon fell, replaced by an angry glare.

"For centuries I was trapped, locked away within the very symbol of my rule. Yet I preserved, and broke free. Only to be defeated at the hooves of mere foals," she spat. "They destroyed me, leaving only the faintest traces of my former self. And it would have remained as such, if it wasn't for you." She turned her head to the side as she pulled something towards them. "Or, more specifically. If it wasn't for him." And Shadow, struggling weakly in his bonds, was pulled into view.

"Shadow!" Danny shouted, shocked.

"Master, I'm sorry." Shadow weakly replied, flinching every now and then as if he was being struck. Which, seeing the murderous glint in Nightmare Moon's eyes as well as her glowing horn, might very well be the case.

"What are you doing to him!?" Danny roared, jumping towards Shadow, but coming to an abrupt stop as the glow of Nightmare Moon's horn also came to surround him.

"I'm merely returning the same hospitality he showed me," she spat coldly, levitating the two closer together, but still far enough apart to keep them from physically interacting with one another; studying the human and shade for a moment.

"Tsk. So much potential, wasted on beings the likes of you," she muttered, watching the two struggle futilely in her hold. "It's a good thing you won't be having your precious powers for much longer."

"WHAT!?" Danny shouted, struggling all the harder, much to Nightmare Moon's twisted amusement. 

"Oh, surely you've noticed by now. The way you're trying to break free, but not having the strength to do so. How you feel yourself losing strength faster and faster…." She slowly pulled Danny closer to her. "Before you showed up, I was reduced to nothing more than a mere shadow of my former self. Then your shadow gave me everything I could possibly need to resurrect myself, even better than before. You want to know what he did; what it was he gave me?" She spoke softly, pleased, caressing Danny's cheek with a hoof. "He gave me you." A shocked gasp escaped Danny while he tried to move his head away from Nightmare Moon's touch.

Pulling her hoof away, her voice turned harsh once more. "Of course I would never be interested in an ape like you. Your powers, however," -she said eagerly, licking her lips- "and your shade. Such powers, wasted on one as dull as you." she turned around sharply.

"It took me longer than I originally planned, with more setbacks than I would have liked to endure. But if being locked up in the moon has taught me anything, it is to be patient. And now, after you allowed Sombra to anger you so much, I finally have what I want… Or, almost," she stated as she looked back at Danny and Shadow.

"Your light is already fading. Lost in anger and corruption." she aimed at Danny. "It's only a matter of time before the last remnants of your being are within my grasp, and I will take full control over your powers; and with it, your shadow as well." she declared triumphantly.

"And when I have discarded your drained, lifeless husk, I will strike down those mares who opposed me. Leaving Twilight Sparkle for last, just so she can see and know what will happen to those who defy me."

Danny's eyes widened before clenching them shut in angry defiance while gritting his teeth, his struggling to break free increasing to the point where the aura surrounding him started to flicker. 

Shocked and surprised, Nightmare Moon increased her spectral hold over the mental image of Danny, looking at him with widened eyes.

"It seems I underestimated you, human. There is more power still lying dormant within you… No matter," she stated. "Despite how much power you still have left, it is only a matter of time before it is mine."

"You -ugh- are not, ghn, getting away with this!" Danny groaned through clenched teeth.

"Fool," Nightmare Moon laughed. "Did you honestly think I would reveal myself to you if I believed there to be a chance for me to fail. No, no matter how much you resist me, there is nothing you can do to stop me." She laughed again, much more wickedly this time, as she walked away from the two, fading from view.

"But feel free to fight me with as much anger as you want. After all, the more you struggle, the faster I can consume what's left of you." And her laughter reverberated through the darkness long after she'd vanished from sight. Leaving Danny and Shadow locked in her bonds, with Danny's light slowly fading more and more.

'This. Is. A. Disaster!'

The words repeated through her mind over and over again. Although, at first things didn't seem so bad. First there was the awkward and tense moment when they were led inside. So far, so good. As far as one could call such a situation good.

Then there was the even worse moment where the other occupant of the house became aware who exactly had walked in. Again, the mixture of various emotions playing out on his face were more than expected. Although alarm bells did begin to ring at the sight of the overly large smile.

Then they were asked to sit down. The question the only thing breaking the awkward silence, save for some questionable sounds of excitement coming from her father. 

Then her mother left to get some drinks, leaving Jazz and Soarin alone with Jack, his eyes shifting between his daughter and Soarin, a deep frown having replaced the previous smile. Jazz wasn't sure which worried her more.

Seconds ticked by at an agonizingly slow pace, with the three of them sitting in awkward silence; Soarin and Jazz looking at everything, save each other or Jack. Then Maddie came back with a tray of coffee, placing it on the living room table with a soft 'clack', before sitting down next to her husband, smiling kindly.

"So, Jazz," Maddie spoke up, breaking the silence once again. "Care to introduce us to your friend?"

Jazz released a slight squeak of panic, looking as if she was a deer caught in a car's headlights. An awkward stammer followed soon after as she tried to calm down the raging storm of conflict her mind was currently dealing with.

"Jazz…" Maddie called out to her daughter with a knowing smile. 

With a slight gasp, Jazz snapped back to attention; looking flustered at her parents as she stammered her reply, blushing fiercely.

"Right, uh… Mom, Dad. This, eh, this is Soarin. He's a pegasus, as you can see, because he has wings…." She mentally face palmed. "Well… I mean…"

"Deep breaths," Maddie told her daughter, chuckling in mind over how flustered her daughter was. And seeing the pony shifting uncomfortably on the spot next to her, she was certain the same held true for him.

"Hold on!" Jack cut in, eyes shifting slowly between his daughter and Soarin. "I see what's going on here."

"You do?!" Jazz said loudly, shocked while Soarin eeped.

"You do?" Maddie asked, surprised, and with a hint of skepticism. 

"Yes. It's quite obvious." Jack answered seriously, looking at Jazz. "The nervousness. The flustered looks. Unable to look directly at me or Maddie… Jasmine, your pony friend is interested in ghost hunting, and wanted to meet his idols! Meaning Maddie and I!"

"Ghwah?" Soarin gawked in dumb confusion, while Jazz just stared blankly at her father. Maddie had a hand placed firmly against her head while muttering a soft "Oh dear," shaking her head as she did. 

"Why, you could have just said so immediately," Jack continued, oblivious to their surprise. Then his eyes widened as a thought took shape. "Just wait right here, I'll go get my things." And he rushed for the basement before anyone could say anything, resulting in another awkward silence.

"...So…. That would be my father." Jazz said without much thought, simply staring at the now empty seat when a sudden clatter of objects, and some muttering could be heard coming from downstairs. 

"And I am Madeline," Maddie introduced herself with an apologetic smile. "Please do forgive my husband. He can be a bit dense from time to time, but he means well."

"Uhh.. hehe… Maddie," Jack's sheepish looking face popped up from behind the door. "Remember the ecto cage I said I would, ahum, clean some time back?"

"Yes?" She answered, raising a single eyebrow.

"Well, I didn't. And it might have escape-"

A wet roar came from behind Jack, cutting him off when, all of a sudden, a slimy, green glowing tentacle coiled around him, dragging him back down.

Soarin sat rigidly, seemingly frozen in his seat, looking with wide, fearful eyes at the slowly closing door, while Jazz and Maddie sighed; the former sitting with elbows placed on her lap, and resting her head in her hands. Maddie, sighing out once more, excused herself for a moment and grabbed a blaster, concealed behind a family portrait, before rushing down to save her husband.

Silence.

"... What just happened?" Soarin said with a strained voice.

Another sigh escaped Jazz. "Just a normal day in the Fenton household," she replied, punctuated by green flashes and the sound of a blaster being fired.

'Why, it’s almost as if you can't trust anyone these days.'

With a groan, Strong Will slammed sideways against the nearest wall of one of the hallways he had stumbled into, panting heavily from exertion, struggling to remember. Images of a damaged city flooding his mind, with him standing over a ghost… no, another pony, wasn't it?

'Brother, it's me!'

'Like I would fall for the same trick twice!' 

"GHAA!" He yelled, slamming his head against the wall, remembering that he held the other pony in his hooves.

'Oh, no. BROTHER! No no no no no. What have I done!?'

His helmet fell to the floor with a loud clang. Images of him sitting in some weird room; with furniture much larger than a pony would need. And sitting across from him was a strange, furless creature with a notepad.

'... There is no need to rush. You can say whatever you want, if you feel like it. Just take a deep, calming breath, and just tell me the first thing that comes to mind.'

He hit himself with a hoof to focus, and a trickle of blood seeped out of his nose. Images of a hospital filling his mind.

'Hey, brother. How are you doing?'

He widened his stance while breathing heavily, gritting his teeth. Memories flooded his conscious mind, speeding through the years; his thoughts leading him to a memory of himself standing before a tall, regal pony with snow white fur whose name eluded him at the moment.

'Your highness! Forgive me for asking, but what would you need me for?'

'There has been a.. development, and we have need of you. I am aware of what has happened to you, but your skills may prove invaluable for what's to come.'

He grunted in strain as he pulled himself to the nearest window. Recalling staring out of it before.

'A ghost!? No, it can't be. The human can't be right.' He recalled himself saying with a tremor in his voice. '...They are all controlled. All of them! Just like… back then.'

'Why, it is almost as if you can't trust anyone these days.'

More recent memories returned to him as those words rang through his mind.

'Hey, what's your problem?'

'My problem? How about the fact that you teleported me along with you, forcing me to leave my squad while they deal with the crystal ponies.'

'Wait, why did I say that?' He wondered.

'Hey buddy, keep talking, and we're going to have a problem.'

'We already have a problem! But I haven't seen you do anything to stop this situation.'

'Why, it is almost as if you can't trust anyone these days.'

'I couldn't trust them?' He shook his head, looking up and saw his reflection in the crystal glass. 'No, I couldn't trust myself.'

His reflection stared back at him, the red in his eyes flickering. Movement caught his attention, and he looked down into the city below to see a group of mares slowly make their way towards the palace. 

'Why, it is almost as if you can't trust anyone these days.'

The words repeated over and over through his mind, and the more they did, the more he began to rebel against them. 

Seeing the group move closer still, solid determination steeled his eyes. He knew what he had to do; where his duty, and loyalty lay. 

He already failed those around him once. He would not allow it to happen again.

Snow crunched underneath their hooves as they quietly made their way to the crystal palace, sneaking from shadow to shadow as they avoided the few patrol groups consisting of the very guards who had joined Cadance and Shining Armor when they first arrived at the Empire. 

Now though, they served a new master, signified by their blank eyes.

"He isn't with them either," Cadance noted solemnly as they watched yet another patrol move past their hiding place; her voice low as to not draw any attention to their position.

"Don't ya worry none, Princess." Applejack said reassuringly. "We'll save yer husband, an' all tha others as well."

Cadance smiled appreciatively, before returning her attention to the now empty street. "Looks like they're gone for now. Let's hurry and get to the palace before they’re back."

"I guess we should consider ourselves lucky that that… thing, whatever it is, has distracted everypony." Rarity chimed in, talking about the strange blue glowing projectile they saw slamming through one of the palace's windows several minutes before. Although, none of them could shake the strange sensation that much, much, more time had passed between the strange sighting and now.

Ignoring it in favor of making progress, the group of ponies, and one dragon quietly moved closer and closer to the palace; noticing multiple ponies on guard around the main entrance. Most of them were the citizens of the Empire, their coats faded and dull, lifeless eyes, and their posture indicating neither one of them had much energy left to stand, let alone to fight. But Cadance knew Sombra's dark hold would push those poor souls even further past their breaking point, and any action from their side, whether it was offensive or defensive, would be more harmful to the unwilling guards than to themselves.  

"Oh.. Oh my," Fluttershy said quietly, seeing the poor condition these ponies were in. "They look absolutely terrible. How can a pony be so horrible as to do something like that to others?" She asked, an uncharacteristic amount of anger in her voice.

"Don't worry, dear." Rarity told her friend. "We'll stop that brute, and help these poor souls." This earned her a small smile from the yellow pegasus, yet the faintest of frowns showed on Fluttershy's face as she looked at the weakened ponies.

"Then we better get going!" Rainbow Dash shot, hovering slightly above the ground, eager to kick some royal flank. She made ready to fly at the group of guards, but a magical hold on her tail pulled her down.

"Hey, Twilight! What gives?"

"Rainbow Dash, you can't just attack those ponies like that."

"Wow, who said I was?" she shot back, "All I wanted was knock them out a bit. You know, so we could sneak inside."

"An' what part of knockin' out a group of guards out in tha open do ya see as sneakin'?" Applejack cut in.

"Oh… Right." Rainbow Dash replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "So, how are we going to get inside then?"

Before anyone could reply, a new pony joined the group of stationary guards. A pony who they knew all too well. Their last encounter still leaving a bitter taste in their mouths, as they saw Strong Will, with his eyes just as hollow as the others, march out through the open gates, looking at the ponies surrounding him.

"Huh, trained professional my flank." Rainbow Dash spat as they all watched the infuriating pony say something to the other mindless slaves, pointing a hoof away from their position. 

Then, to their shock, all ponies guarding the entrance left; moving towards where Strong Will had pointed, leaving only Strong Will himself guarding their path.

"What in tarnation?" Applejack breathed out, speaking everypony's thoughts.

A gasp coming from everyone followed as Strong Will turned to look directly at their hiding spot with the faintest of red glows shining in his eyes. The glow flickered for a moment, and he gave a crisp salute, before the glow reasserted itself, and he marched back inside.

"Wow, what the hay just happened?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"History repeating itself." Cadance answered cryptically, looking at the now clear entrance with wide eyes. "Now I see why aunt Celestia insisted for him to join our guards.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked her sister-in- law, to which Cadance responded with a shake of the head.

"There is no time for that right now. We must use this opportunity Strong Will has created for us while we can." Scanning the surrounding area to make sure they weren't watched, she and the rest of their group hurried to the entrance in the most direct line they could; rushing inside the palace, and quickly, but quietly closing the doors behind them and sealing them with magic.

"That will at least keep those still outside from entering through here." Twilight noted as the glow around her horn dimmed. "Now where do we go?" She asked, and everyone turned to look at Rainbow Dash.

"What?" She said, looking back at her friends.

"Ain't ya been talkin' 'bout how this was like them Darin' Do books ya've been readin'?" Applejack reminded her. "So where would ya start lookin' fer tha Crystal Heart?"

"Oh, right. Totally knew that." Rainbow Dash replied awkwardly. "Hehe… Right, right…" She closed her eyes for a moment as she recalled all the different adventures her fictional idol had experienced, trying to apply this questionable knowledge on the situation they were in.

"Okay. If I was Sombra, which I totally aren't, I would hide the Crystal Heart someplace close by. Someplace hidden in plain sight, but invisible for those who don't know it is there. And to add insult to injury, I would leave it in such a place where it could be hiding almost directly in front of us."

"So, where would you hide it?" Cadance asked the blue mare.

Rainbow Dash was silent for almost a minute, which, knowing the pegasus’ reputation of acting before thinking, did put the ponies slightly on edge as she really thought this through.

Looking around, eyes scanning the gleaming walls of the palace, Rainbow's gaze then settled back on Cadance. 

"Right underneath your nose," she finally answered. "The throne room. It was Sombra's seat of power, and where you were while you continuously held up that shield."

"But that can't be right," Rarity chimed in. "Didn't Princess Cadance say the guards searched the castle, as well as the city for any magical artifacts?"

"Well, yeah. But did they really look for anything other than Sombra when they cleared the castle? Besides, Cadance and Shining Armor were in the throne room the entire time. So they might not even have bothered."

That… actually makes sense," Twilight responded, flabbergasted as Rainbow Dash pointed out several valid points. Looking at her sister, she saw Cadance shared the same look of surprised realisation, mixed with a look of shame for not realizing it herself. 

"Well, let's go then. We've got no time to waste," Pinkie Pie shouted, quickly moving towards their destination with a determined frown; her mane sagging ever so slightly. 

The others followed suit, but did keep just the tiniest amount of distance between themselves and the frowning pink mare.

Mad, victorious laughter filled the hallway occupied by two shadows. Sombra, looking at the newly formed shade with interest. And Nightmare Moon, now finally in control, and her corruptive darkness having fully surrounded Danny, whom she could still feel struggle weakly from deep within.

She still hadn't claimed full control, but neither Danny nor Shadow were able to stop her now. With a large, chilling smile, she looked at her shadowy limbs; still shaped like a human, but slowly changing more and more into her regal, godly form. 

Her wings had already fully taken shape. Large batlike wings stretching out from behind her back, with her horn not far behind with its growth. She laughed once more, reveling in the feeling of power being drained from Danny, and siphoning it into herself. 

With twisted glee, her eyes sprung open; full, dark green glowing orbs glaring towards Sombra. A fanged smile grew on her dark complexion.

"Ah, so finally I meet the one responsible for pushing that mortal fool past the tipping point." Nightmare Moon spoke.

"Interesting," Sombra's rumbling voice came from within the swirls of darkness, his form solidifying as he regarded the other shade. "That box fool didn't speak of this."

"Nor should he have. The magnificence of my being is far too great for such a bumbling fool to grasp." Nightmare Moon mused, recalling the being spoken of through Danny's memories; ignoring the fact that the Box Ghost couldn't have known about her in the first place.

"Why do I have the feeling I am no longer facing a fool blinded by petty heroics?"

"It would seem you possess at least some semblance of a brain," Nightmare Moon said condescending. "Although I should have expected as much. Luna's memories of you are still with me even now," she spat the name of her former host.

"Luna?" Sombra repeated, surprised. 

"Ah, yes. You wouldn't know, given your cowardly retreat." She glared down at the other shade. "Only the strong and brave should be in power, whereas the weak and cowardly should submit, or be stomped down." Sombra replied with a  growl that ended with a hiss. "Regardless, your role in my hastened return warrants you to at least know the name of who is about to destroy you."

In a blur of motion and glowing eyes, Sombra launched several tendrils of darkness at Nightmare Moon. Intent on showing her who would destroy who. It was a mere a display of power instead of destructive intent, and Nightmare Moon knew it. With the faintest of flickers from her horn, and a mere step backwards, she avoided all of Sombra's attacks, while using her spectral abilities to slam him into the far wall.

"Are you done playing?" She asked, her tone of voice of one who looked down to see what they stepped into.

Slowly, she stepped forward to Sombra, a hollow clip-clopping on the floor as her feet began their transformation into hooves.

"Now, as I said before: Before I destroy you, you will be granted the knowledge of my name." A tendril of darkness shot from her rapidly growing mane, coiling around Sombra's neck, choking him.

"I'm death incarnate. Anger and hate are the source that first shaped me. Jealousy refined my form, and the night carried my mark. Death has no hold over me, and has twisted to serve my every need. I'm the shadow over all conscious thoughts, and the true Goddess of the night. I'm the dark side of the moon. I am Nightmare Moon. And my night will last FOREVER!"

Sombra, struggling to release Nightmare Moon's crushing hold over him, and caring little about what she said, raised both his forehooves at her face, and blasted her point-blank. 

With a yell of anger, Nightmare Moon was flung backwards, pulling Sombra with her before her hold over him slipped, and the both of them fell to the floor; Sombra immediately turned into a billowing cloud of pitch black smoke.

"You insolent fool!" Nightmare Moon roared, raising herself. "You will pay for this."

"You, and what army?" Sombra sneered, before a malicious grin split the cloud, and a glow of red came from where his eyes should be. 

Immediately, the multitude of hooves clopping and dragging over the crystal floor came from all around them, and most of the ponies under Sombra's control came to fill the hallway; the filly lying injured not some distance away was the first to drag herself to Nightmare Moon. Wrapping her legs around one of Nightmare Moon's, and with what little strength she could manage, she proceeded to bite her with all she had left. 

"GAAAH!" Danny roared as a sudden stab of pain shot through his lower left leg. Eyes clenched shut as he knew what Nightmare Moon was doing, struggling in his bonds.

'I won't let you do it! I won't let you win!'

Nightmare Moon looked down on the filly with cold eyes, not having felt a thing as her shadow formed body was completely intangible, and the filly's action served to only hurt the human trapped within.

Even so, this transgression would not go unpunished, and she kicked away the young filly before raising a hand aglow with burning energy. 

A twisted gleam shone in her eyes, and she fired a beam of searing energy at the downed, injured filly; grinning wickedly, before shock took its place as the beam of green glowing destruction missed its target. 

"What is the meaning of this!?" She yelled as she stared at her wildly shaking hand, before it balled into a fist, and slammed her squarely into the face.

"Impossible!" She roared as her eyes burned in anger. Sombra watched her struggle with a curious grin. 

"I am the goddess of the night. Slayer of the Kadzait. Ruler of this world. I control you. YOU DO NOT CONTROL ME!" She roared as she unleashed a massive wave of energy all around her, blowing Sombra's mind controlled force off their hooves, while blasting the dark king through the already damaged far wall, flinging him outside.

With a roar that quickly turned into a screech, she launched herself after Sombra. Feeling, deep down, Danny's struggle intensifying.

'First I deal with this pest, than I will deal with you. Permanently.' 

"Okay, this is weird!" Rainbow Dash said loudly, her voice echoing slightly. "Where the hay is everypony?"

With deliberate slowness, the group had made their way to the throne room, careful to avoid as many of Sombra's forces as they could. Yet no matter which hallway they took, which room they crossed, or which corner they peered past, there wasn't a single soul in sight. And now, after more than half an hour of sneaking, crawling, and lowered voices to avoid detection, they found themselves in the throne room with mixed feelings over their taken actions.

"Why the hay did we go through all that trouble if there isn't anypony here!?" Rainbow Dash complained, frowning and crossing her arms as she hovered slightly above the floor.

"Quit yer jabberin', Rainbow. Just be glad we ain't run inta no trouble. Celestia knows we can do without right now," Applejack said sternly, readjusting her stetson as she looked around the empty room.

"I agree with Applejack," Rarity chimed in. "I do so dread the thought of having to fight one of those poor souls. Or Celestia forbid, Sombra." She shuddered at the thought.

"Indeed. We should take this chance to find any clue to the whereabouts of the Crystal Heart, then find out where everypony went when we have the means to save them." Twilight pointed out, walking over to the throne.

"Well, I still don't like it," Rainbow Dash harrumphed. "In fact, I'm calling it now. It's a trap!"

"There is a good chance you're right, Rainbow Dash," Cadance agreed. "Which is all the more reason for us to hurry."

Sighing out, Rainbow Dash dropped to the floor. "I guess you're right. Alright, let's find this heart thingy and kick Sombra's flank."

"Any idea where to start?" Spike asked her, sitting on Cadance's throne as he diligently inspected the cushioning for any clues.

"I- don't know, really. I'd think he would hide the Heart somewhere in the palace, close by and such."

"Why, yes. We agreed on as much already." Rarity replied as she scrutinized the curtains decorating the windows, moving towards the one window that lay in pieces on the floor. "But so far, the only thing out of place here is this," and she and the rest looked at the large hole in the glass.

"Oh my. Do you think that whatever did this scared away all the ponies?" Fluttershy asked timidly, peeking past her mane with one eye.

"Maybe?" Applejack replied.

"Hmmm…" A sad and worried sigh pulled their attention to Pinkie Pie, watching her slowly move some of the pieces around with a hoof while her mane seemed to lose more and more of her bouncy state.

"Uhh… you alright, sugarcube?"

"Not really," Pinkie Pie answered with a slightly sad voice. "This… this just feels wrong. Really wrong." She looked at the hole in the glass. "As if somepony missed their own birthday party several times."

"Wow, that sounds horrible." Spike commented with a shudder. "Is your Pinkie sense telling you this?"

"No… Just a feeling."

Put even more on edge by Pinkie's foreboding feeling, the group resumed their investigation of the throne room in the hopes of finding any clue that would help them.

For the next several minutes, they searched the throne room from top to bottom, leaving nothing unturned. From the throne's cushions to the curtains decorating the windows. Rainbow Dash searched the ceiling for any hidden mechanism only a pony capable of flight might be able to use, which with Sombra's abilities seemed likely enough to be a plausible idea. But after finding nothing at all, they began to question whether or not Sombra even hid the Heart in the throne room.

"Ah don't know, everypony. Ah'm startin' ta think there's nothin' here ta find," Applejack spoke up as she scratched her head.

"Well, I wouldn't say nothing, dear," Rarity replied. "I do so like these curtains. They really work with the crystals natural color scheme."

"And these cushions are really soft," Spike added as he bounced up and down on the throne's cushion.

"Girls, I don't think tha-" Twilight argued when she fell silent, eyes narrowing a bit as realization began to dawn. "Curtains… Cushions…" Her eyes widened when all the pieces connected. "Of course, how could we not have seen this before!" And her gaze locked on the gleaming, light purple crystals of the throne it self, remembering what Princess Celestia had told her back in Canterlot.

"What is it!?" Cadance almost shouted, all eyes on Twilight. "Did you find it?"

"The Heart is hidden in King Sombra's castle," Twilight proclaimed as she walked towards the throne.

"Eehh, yeah," said Rainbow Dash, "That's why we're here."

"No, you don't understand." The purple mare countered. "This isn't Sombra's castle."

"But… Isn't this where he lived when he was in power?" Spike asked, confused.

"It is, but it didn't look like this." Twilight answered, waving a hoof around the room. 

"Then what did it look like?" Rainbow Dash asked, dropping to the ground.

"Just you watch." Twilight replied as she looked at the crystal throne with determination. "And stand back."

All the mares and drake moved away from Twilight as she secured her stance; horn bursting into life with a foul, dark purple aura and obvious strain on the mare.

Cadance gasped out as she realized what her younger sister-in-law was doing, and watched in fright as a beam of dark magic struck the largest of the crystal decorating her seat of power.

"Twilight, wha-" she began, only to fall silent at the sight of the sudden and drastic transformation occurring.  

The crystal's reaction to the darkness was immediate, and a menacing shadow quickly spread from it; growing larger and larger as it obscured, and seemed to suck away the light anywhere it touched. The moment the shadow reached the center of the room, a swirling, bubbling mass of dark magic ate away the floor as the shadow's growth continued, revealing a long, narrow staircase leading deep down into the ground. 

"Wow!" Spike said, his tone caught somewhere between fear and awe, as he and everypony else slowly edged closer to the gaping hole in the floor, looking down into the abyss. 

"That sure is a long way down," Applejack murmured before kicking one of the glass shards lying nearby into the inky blackness; all of them listening for the distinct sound of the glass hitting the bottom, which never came. "A looong way down."

"Well, I suppose we better start walking." Twilight suggested, moving for the stairs, when a sudden blast of magic at her hooves caused her to fall down instead.

"WHAT THE HAY!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she shot in to keep her friend from falling.

A shocked gasped escaped from Cadance as they saw the one responsible for the attack. Standing in the entrance of the throne room was Shining Armor, crystal covered horn glowing with an unnatural aura. 

"Shining?..." Cadance croaked out in disbelief, staring at her husband's red glowing eyes as his horn's glow intensified, readying another spell.

"LOOK OUT!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she shoved the princess out of the way, narrowly avoiding getting hit herself.  

"BBBFF, snap out of it!" Twilight yelled, tears in her eyes. Shining answered by advancing towards them, horn charging yet again.

"It's no use. Those crystals have him under complete control!" Fluttershy squeaked, trembling behind Rarity.

"Cadance, Twilight. Go down, find the Heart." Pinkie Pie said without humor as she pulled her party cannon out of Cadance's tail; her mane completely deflated. "We'll keep this party pooper busy." And she fired a mixture of streamers and confetti in Shining Armor's face, temporarily blinding him. 

"But-" Cadance started to protest.

"No buts, Princess," Applejack cut her off. "Pinkie's right. Yer tha best shot we've got at findin' tha Crystal Heart an' usin' it. Now go!" She commanded, pointing a hoof down, while Rainbow Dash shoved the princess down the first steps; soon followed by Twilight.

"And don't worry, dear. We'll keep from hurting him too much," Rarity reassured them as she took a defensive stance before the stairs, joined by her friends, with Spike shielding her with his body.

"Just hurry up, will ya!?" Rainbow Dash shouted after them as Cadance and Twilight hurried down the stairs, not risking to look back in fear of rushing back to help their friends.

"... Well, at least they're on their way," Applejack noted solemnly after a moment, glaring at the controlled pony before her. "Now ta deal with this rodeo."

"Huh, at least it is only him," Rainbow Dash said boldly, flexing her wings. Then the clip-clopping of dozens of hooves reached them, quickly growing louder and louder, and within moments more and more of the guards who joined the royal couple towards the Empire joined Shining, leaving the mares and dragon vastly outnumbered.

"Ya just had ta open yer big mouth," Applejack groaned accusingly.

"Well… I did call it," Rainbow Dash shot back. "It's a trap."

"Ladies, if you are so inclined to fight, then may I suggest you aim it at the problem we're now facing instead of each other," Rarity said with a scolding tone, eyes flicking towards her friends for the briefest of moments.

""Right,"" both Applejack and Rainbow Dash nodded, lowering their stance as their eyes narrowed, scanning their adversaries with a competitive glare.

"First to knock out a hundred?" Rainbow Dash challenged.

"There ain't even that many po—" Applejack shot back, only for more mind controlled ponies to march in. "... Yer on!"

"Wow, that's big!" Dani said with worried awe, keeping her distance from the crystal as she and the rest of the researchers stood around the large spire found by Charming Prism's team, feeling a bit woozy.

"Indeed," Pete nodded, frowning a bit as he looked at his tablet. "But size hardly matters if it doesn't perform. 

"What do you mean?" Dani asked, curious.

"Hmm…" Pete hummed a bit as he tapped on his tablet a few times. "I mean that, despite this thing's size, I'm hardly picking up any Fenton-J's coming from it." He then turned to one of his colleagues. "How're your readings?"

"They are no different than yours, it would seem."

"Hmmm…"

"So, does that mean this rock is useless?" Midnight Blossom asked, slightly disappointed her find was proving to be a dud.

"I can't say for certain," Pete replied. "We need to make more scans first."

"Yeah… You do that," Dani told him. "I'll be going back to see if everything is running smoothly with the rest of the team."

Already lost in the data displayed on the tablet, neither one of the scientists gave a word in reply, save from a single, faint nod from Pete, Dani quickly moved back the way she came. Stopping halfway, she leaned herself against the tunnel wall, breathing heavily and sickly as she tried to regain her composure.

'Not performing, my ass. I could feel that thing's energy even in my human form.' She pushed herself off from the wall, wobbling slightly before resuming her retreat at a slow pace. 'I hope they really don't find anything. But knowing them, it won't be long before they find out just how powerful that damned rock is.'

She stopped on the spot, looking down at her left hand, balling it into a fist.

'There is no other choice. For my sake, as well as Danny's, that crystal needs to be destroyed.' 

Her hand dropped down to her side, her mind made up. 

'Tonight, when everyone is asleep.' she decided, and resumed walking back to the rest of the scientists busy constructing the spectral containment cell.

'I just hope it works.' she added in a thought of doubt, looking at the many glowing crystals growing in the cavern. 'Or if it will be enough.'

"So, uhh, Soarin. What brings you here?" Jack asked sheepishly after he had retaken his seat, rubbing the back of his head while Maddie tended to a few minor injuries with a disappointing frown. "Is it an autograph, or a look at the basement where it all be- Ghya!" He yelled out as Maddie put just a bit too much pressure on a cut.

"Maybe you should let them do the talking, dear."

"Right," Jack replied sheepishly, "right."

"So, Jazz. You were trying to tell us something, before your father ran off." Maddie aimed at her daughter who, until just a moment ago, looked at her father with a worried, and somewhat irritated frown. Now though, she was right back where she started, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"Umm, okay. So… Mom, dad. There’s something you need to know…. Well, mom already knows, so that just leaves you, dad… Ehhh. What I am trying to say is… well, uhh. You see. Soarin and I, we're, err…" She stammered, unable to figure out how to say it to her father. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, and in their situation it was leaning strongly towards the latter, Soarin beat her to the punch.

"I'm dating your daughter!" He blurted out before he even knew what he was saying, quickly slamming a hoof over his muzzle when he did, and looking at the now tensed up form of the 'broad' father as he looked back at him with a nerve wracking glare void of any emotions.

Silence.

"I see." Jack said, void of any emotions. "Madeline, could you please stop for a moment," he said to his wife as he stood up. "I need to get my... things."

"Jack, dear. I'm not sure that’s a good idea." Maddie replied, nervously, trying to keep him from leaving.

"Maddie," he answered as he lifted her hand off of his shoulder, "we've had this conversation before." And he left without another word.

"That's why I am trying to stop you!" She shouted after him, alarmed, before rushing after Jack to keep him from doing something very, very stupid.

"Oh, please no!" Jazz cried, on the edge of having a breakdown as she rested her head in her hands similar to how she sat a moment before. "A normal family, is that so much to ask for?"

"Ehh…. Should I leave?" Soarin asked, unsure, worried, conflicted over just how to feel about what had transpired up until now.

"Knowing what is to come, I'm sure you're already too late."

"JACK, NO!" Maddie yelled, and Soarin's head snapped up at the door the two strange parents had just left through.

With an ominous creak, it swung back open, revealing the intimidating form of Jack Fenton, looking at the quadrupled with a disconcerting smile.

"So, Soarin," Jack begun, sending a chill down Soarin's spine. "You know, as a kid I always wanted a pony—" he pulled something out from behind him "—and seeing you are now part of this family, you think that maybe, ehh…" he chuckled sheepishly as he held up a somewhat worn out saddle. "You could take me for a ride?"

Silence.

Deafening silence.

A tomb like silence that was shattered by a loud: "WHAT!?" as Soarin reared back, toppling over his seat as he looked at Jack, offended.

"Uhh… Did I say something wrong?" Jack mumbled, while Maddie stood behind him trying her hardest to push her hand through her face.

"YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT!?"

"You have no idea," Jazz mumbled in answer to her father, ashamed, trying to mimic her brother by going intangible and sink through the floor, or go invisible. Whatever came first.

"So, any idea where this chunk of land could have gone to?"

Tucker sighed out, tiredly rubbing his eyes before giving a sideways glance at Valerie.

"No, none at all. Obviously it didn't come to Earth. With today's tech and satellite coverage, something as big as that suddenly showing up would have made the news by now."

"True." Valerie agreed, leaning against the wall of Tucker's work chamber. 

"And then there is this sudden appearance of plant life in the Ghost Zone," Tucker sighed out. "Really, if it wasn't for this land, or more importantly, those crystals growing on it, these plants would be my number one priority."

"How so? They're just plants. Shouldn't those pieces of armor you took from Skulker be more important?"

"No," Tucker countered, looking at the arms and legs lying on a workbench; a computer running diagnostics on them. "Don't get me wrong. The upgrades made to this tech could be invaluable to us, but life sprouting up like this in the Ghost Zone is far more important. We need to know what could cause such a change. What changed, here or in the Zone, for this to happen?"

"Who said something changed back here, or in there?" Valerie queried.

"What do you mean?" Tucker asked, intrigued.

"Didn't you say so yourself? There are more worlds out there besides our own. What if something happened over in Equestria?"

Tucker's eyes widened at the realization, turning his chair around fully to look at the woman standing behind him. 

"Why didn't I think about that myself?" He asked out loud.

"Maybe you've been up too long?" Valerie mused, shrugging. "I mean, after everything that has happened since yesterday; Skulker abducting Jazz's pony friend, or the mess you've made in the Fenton's place, and all the other crap we've had to deal with. Really, when was the last time since all of this that you actually got some rest?"

Tucker leaned back in his chair, sighing out in defeat; a hand brushing through his hair.

"You've got me there," he muttered. "But it's not like I can just stop everything like that, knowing Vlad is still aiming for some payback. After all, he did take Jazz. Luckily Soarin was able to free her,  but still."

"True," Valerie agreed. "But the world isn't going to end just because you took a nap. Besides, with everything that has now been set in motion, we need you at your best. And this—" she gestured the whole of him "—this is not your best."

Tucker gave a short laugh, "Can't argue with that," and released a long yawn. "Still, there are some things I need to do before I call it a day. One of which would be this." he then stood up and moved to the pieces of armor they 'borrowed' from Skulker, looking at them with great interest before looking at the display mounted on the wall above, scanning the data gathered from it. A loud snort came from him a second later.

"And still he's using my old PDA," he grunted, shaking his head as he picked up the arm to which his old, outdated piece of tech was connected to. "Really, with all the other advancements he made… That's just sad, even though it is a lucky break for us."

"How so?" Valerie asked, curious, looking over his shoulder.

"It means that this tech is still fully compatible with our own, so backwards engineering this for our own use should be no problem at all."

A large grin grew on Valerie's features as she picked up the other arm, flicking out the remaining half of the wrist blade used against her not too long ago.

"How fortunate, indeed." She looked at her reflection in the polished metal. "Any ideas on how to use it?" She asked, knowing full well it wasn't really a question to begin with.

"Oh, I think I know of a few things." Tucker replied, grinning himself.

"Perfect." Valerie purred, pulling back the blade with a satisfying 'snikt'.

"Bwahahahahahah!"

"Ugh… what happened?"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. This is just- pfwhahaha."

"What is going on?"

"Why, it certainly looks like you could use a hand or two."

"Bhahahahahahaha."

"Seriously, you need to step up your game."

"Pff… Stop it, stop it, gahahahaha… You're killing me."

"You're already dead."

"Enough!" Skulker roared, his armor's vision rebooting, and he saw Spectra and Ember standing beside him; looking down on him. "What is all that laughing about?" he groaned, pushing himself up. Or he would have, if he still had any arms.

"What the!?" he murmured, looking at his sides to see his limbs missing.

"Pfhhh…" Technus squeaked out in a soundless laugh, clutching his sides.

"Where are my arms!" Skulker yelled, using his levitation to push him back on his feet, and to fall face first back in the dirt.

Technus, at this point, was leaning against a large rock, tightly clutching his sides while tears stained his eyes.

"WHERE. ARE. MY. FEET!?" Skulker grunted, voice muffled by the dirt. Technus finally fell to the ground.

"We were hoping you could tell us, dear" Ember told her boyfriend, crouching down next to him. Skulker merely grunted in reply.

"Oh, don't give me that," Ember stood back up, feigning offense. "It is hardly my fault the greatest ghost hunter was out performed, and disarmed  the way you are."

"I DIDN'T LOSE!" Skulker growled.

"Yes, you did." Spectra chided. "Badly."

Skulker grunted in irritation. "Just help me up, will ya."

"What, making us ladies do the heavy lifting? Did you lose your dignity along with your arms and legs as well?"

"I. Hate. You!" Skulker cursed.

"The feeling is mutual." Spectra replied cooly, filing her nails. "Besides, you were able to pull yourself up just fine a moment ago."

"That was before I knew I didn't have any legs to stand on!" Skulker shot back.

"So, now that you do know, you are unable to?" Penelope asked cynically. "You idiot. This isn't some cartoon where gravity only works when you look down. Now stop your whining. You're a ghost, for Purgatory's sake. So get up and tell us what happened. Some of us do have better things to do."

Grumbling quite a few obscenities, Skulker levitated himself off of the ground, glaring at the youth sucking shade with murder in his artificial eyes, which didn't seem to impress her at all.

"You’re done now, right?" She asked offhandedly, checking her nails.

"No thanks to you."

"You're welcome." Penelope replied as she started working on her other hand, leaving Skulker with the currently impossible desire to strangle her.

"Calm down, man." Ember said, turning his dismembered form around so he no longer looked at Spectra, rolling her eyes. "Now, what happened?"

"I'll tell you!" Technus interrupted, reaching up with an arm and pointing up a finger as he still lay on the ground. "The greatest act of comedy ever witnessed." A new laughing fit quickly made sure he wasn't able to say much more.

"Funny," Ember said flatly, but was unable to keep the grin forming on her face. "Now, again. What happened? Last we know, you were chasing after that damned Specter and the sister of that ghost brat… That’s something we should look into as well," she muttered softly.

"What happened?" Skulker repeated with a grunt, thinking back with a frown. "I fought Specter, clashing weapons in a fight for survival—" he spoke with a feral grin, before it turned sour "—Our skills evenly matched."

"Hold on!" Penelope said, half shocked as she looked up at Skulker; frozen mid-motion with her nail filing. "Are you actually saying Specter, a mortal, is just as skilled as you?"

"... No." 

"You did!" Penelope said with a laugh. "Oh, how the great and mighty have fallen."

"Shut up." Skulker grumbled, eye twitching.

"No, please. Do continue." Technus countered as he pulled himself up, smiling toothily. 

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT!" Skulker roared, before the green blob he truly is dropped out of the torn armor; the heavy metal dropping to the ground with a solid 'thunk' "SCREW YOU GUYS, I'M GOING HOME!" And he flew off into the Ghost Zone.

"Hey, hold on!" Ember shouted after him, shooting a glare at the two remaining, laughing ghosts.

"Bwahahaha… Priceless." Technus wheezed, wiping away a tear.

"I agree. This was most enjoyable." Spectra concurred. Then her attention was drawn to a blinking light coming from within the damaged armor left behind. "Wait, what's that?"

"What, that?" Technus said, looking down himself. "Oh, that's just the… oh cra-"

"Pfghuu" Technus coughed up a thick cloud of smoke. "... Self destruct." Both blackened ghosts dropped to the ground in a heap, smoke rising from their crispy forms.

"— And so, in conclusion I want to, once again, apologize for the damages caused by my paw… ahum... employees. And let me assure you, there are not going to be any more incidents such as these… If they know what's good for them."

"Well, that went better than expected." Vlad Masters muttered as he looked at the news broadcast with slightly narrowed eyes.

"Indeed, Vladdy." Holo Maddie agreed, per her programming of course, as she too watched the small, wall mounted screen.

"No, no. No more further questions. That will be al—" with a frustrated groan, Vlad turned off the television, stood up, and looked out of the window of his temporary home.

Ever since the detection of the termites, and the following collapse of his mansion, Vlad had found himself in need of some new lodgings. 

Of course, he knew he could always go to his old college friend, Jack who wouldn't think twice to help his old friend. The only problem with this, Vlad reasoned with a shudder, that he would have to share the house with his old college friend.

On the flip side of things, Maddie would also be there, which made this idea actually worth considering if it wasn't for yet another minute nuisance.

The Phantom brats.

Surely, he knew, they would use the chance of him staying over at the Fenton's to their advantage, as, he also knew, Jack wouldn't let him out of his sight. He was truly a big, fat, stupid, fat, enormous, fat, dumb buffoon who would cling to him like a severely obese shadow, while always smiling his overly large, exuberant smile.

And he knew. He knew that they knew. And he knew that they knew that he knew. And he knew he could probably continue this pointless train of thought, but he also knew he had better things to do. Like keeping a watchful eye out over the ruins of his mansion, as he was certain one or more of those brats would seize the opportunity to infiltrate his hidden laboratory and gain access to the secrets he kept buried down there. 

And then there were also the demolition and construction crews, as they worked through what remained of his once glorious abode, salvaging what they could, while tearing down the rest before rebuilding his humble home, making it even more glorious than it was before. But this also meant he had to keep a close eye, and keep any of those working from discovering his lab. Or, failing that, keeping them from talking. One way, or the other. 

And thus, with little more choice than to oversee the entire process, he had generously bought the multi-story apartment across the street; giving the former occupants a deal they couldn't refuse. Mainly: Take the money I offer, far below the estimated value of your home, before the horrible, terrifying ghost gets to you.

Unsurprisingly, they all agreed without second thought.

And now, standing in his new, if only temporary home, he sighed out irritably as he watched construction teams moving back and forth towards the rubble of what was once his kitchen… Well, one of his kitchens that is. 

"Tell me, Maddie. Do you have at least some good news for me? Did the data from the few remaining drones reveal anything new, or were there any other noteworthy developments I should be made aware of?"

"Negative, dear. The few drones that remain active have not found anything new. They do continue to provide a stable data stream of scans made of the inhabitants found on the other side of the tears. No new information detailing subject Dani, subject Danny, or the newly discovered spectrally active pony either."

"Blast," he muttered, looking with an annoyed frown at the remains of his mansion.

'Why did I have to own so many antiques?' He asked himself.

"Remind me, exactly what was destroyed by those damned insects?" He asked holo Maddie.

"Everything that was made up of wood, dear. From the antique furniture, to the various bookcases and even some books. The stairs, too, were severely damaged to a point where it can only be described as miraculous that they didn't collapse whenever you traversed over them… Numerous support struts keeping up the roof have also been compromised, as well as the support pillars. Floorboards have also been damaged, and-"

"That will be enough," Vlad stopped her, sighing out. "At least things can't get any worse," he murmured in a monotone.

Sudden yelling and loud shouting brought his attention back to the window just in time to hear a loud cacophony followed by a large cloud of wood dust billowing out of the open or broken windows.

"New structural weakness detected, dear," holo Maddie said with a smile. Vlad screamed out in rage, the wall mounted TV blowing up in a burst of glowing red.

"— And so, in conclusion I want to, once again, apologize for the damages caused by my paw… ahum... employees. And let me assure you, there are not going to be any more incidents such as these… If they know what's good for them."

With a 'zap' the TV shut down, the three individuals sitting around it now staring at their own reflection.

"Oh man, we're so screwed." Chris moaned, afraid.

"Yeah. Even with this final chance Mister Vlad has given us, the people hate us now." Emily said, sounding depressed.

"Have you even heard what they call us now?" Franky sighed wearily. "The Masters of Disasters."

All three sighed out in defeat.

"Seriously. With an image like that, is there even much of a job for us to do?" Emily asked, slowly sinking down on the couch she was sitting on. "Not like they will hire us now… or pay us if we show up."

""Yeah…"" Franky and Chris muttered their agreements. 

"They might even start to favor Specter," Franky added in an afterthought, groaning. 

"So we need the people to start liking us again." Chris spoke up as he sat down next to Emily; one arm lying over the backrest as he looked at the other two members of his family.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Emily asked. "We practically destroyed a portion of the city. That isn't something you will easily forget… or forgive."

"Well, Franky said he saw that ghost move to the shield," Chris pointed out, pointing a thumb over his shoulder at his oldest sibling. "If we can catch this ghost… that has to count for something, right?"

"Yeah… maybe." Franky muttered, frowning, looking down.

"Is something wrong?" Emily asked, concerned.

"Do you really not know?" He muttered. "I didn't say anything back with the boss, because it wouldn't have helped us…" He sighed out heavily. "We've all seen this ghost before, even if you can't remember... Maybe you were still too young, I dunno… But we've seen it before, back during the accident."

Both Chris and Emily tensed up as their older brother mentioned the catalyst for the darkest period of their lives. 

"I… I didn't even realize…" Emily said quietly, looking at her feet with wide, haunted eyes.

"I thought I was just imagining things." Chris muttered, placing a comforting arm around his sister.

"No, it was him," Franky stated coldly, eyes showing no emotion as he relived the horrible event that destroyed their lives through memories. "This was the ghost who was responsible for our parents' death."

"Oh, I hope they are okay up there," Twilight worried as she and Cadance hurried down the dark staircase.

"I'm sure they are," Cadance reassured, yet worry was evident in her voice.

"But they are fighting the guards and Shining!"

"We can't worry about that right now!" Cadance shot back faster and more biting than she intended, but knew it was meant just as much for herself as it was for Twilight. "If we stop and worry about what might be, then your friends' effort to slow them down would be wasted. Let's just hurry and find the Crystal Heart."

Looking over her shoulder at her sister-in-law, Twilight's eyes steeled as she gave a resolute nod; willing her legs to move faster through sheer determination. Cadance, however, could not share the same feeling. Not completely, as there was another urgent matter that needed attention.

"Twilight…" Cadance slowly stepped closer to the purple unicorn, "where in Equestria did you learn dark magic like this?" Worry was clearly evident in her voice.

"Princess Celestia," Twilight answered chipperly. "She demonstrated this spell once when she informed me about the Crystal Empire, and Sombra.

"What?!" Cadance gasped, shocked. "You managed to reproduce a spell of dark magic just after having seen it used once!?"

"Well… yes." Twilight answered, hesitating only a bit.

Cadance bit her lip as she considered the ramifications of such a feat. She knew Twilight would never use such magic for anything nefarious, but even so, dark magic is not something to take lightly. Especially coming from one who can perform such magic after having merely seen it.

She bit her lower lip as she focused her gaze past the purple scholar, and down the many flights of stairs. Then she sighed out. "We'll talk about this later. For now, we have a Heart to find, and precious little time to waste. Let's hurry!"

Twilight nodded in understanding, and turned her attention back down; willing her legs to move even faster. Too fast, she realized a heartbeat too late as she tripped over her own legs.

She released a loud shout of surprise and shock, tumbling forwards with uncontrolled flailing of her legs. With numerous shouts, yells, and far more painful bounces than she would have liked, Twilight soon found herself reaching the end of the stairs and with it, the cold, unforgiving floor. 

Her eyes widened for a moment, before she clenched them shut in intense concentration, her horn bursting to life. The magical aura from her horn quickly spread to encompass her entire body and, just before she would crash to the dark crystal floor with force, her momentum halted as she gently levitated just above the crystal surface.

"TWILIGHT, ARE YOU-" Cadance shouted in alarm, rushing down the stairs only to fall silent as she saw her little sister held afloat by her own power; bobbing ever so slightly as she lowered herself to her hooves. 

"Yes, Cadance. I'm alright." Twilight answered the unfinished question, giving the pink pony a warm, reassuring smile. A smile which was soon replaced by a look of mild surprise as she spotted a closed door in the small room she now found herself in, and with a glowing horn she grabbed hold on the door's latch in order to open it.

With a 'poof' of magic the door vanished, and Twilight and Cadance looked around in surprise, finding the door now placed on the other side of the room.

Frowning, Twilight tried again only to be met with the same result. 

Twilight's frown deepened as she tried again and again, soon chasing after the door as it slid across the wall, and even up the stairs, clearly mocking the now irritated unicorn.

"STOP MOVING!" Twilight shouted, irritated, her horn glowing with dark magic.

With a grunt of frustration, she fired a beam of dark magic at the door, halting it in its tracks. With a fluid, but slow motion, the door swung open, blinding both ponies with a glaring light found on the other side.

Surprised, Twilight looked at the glow coming from within. Then a smile found its way onto her features, and she turned to Cadance. "Cadance, I think it's here," she said hopefully.

"I really don't like you using dark magic like that," she countered with a resigned sigh, "but I do think you're right." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her eyes snapped open, and gone were any hints of doubt and hesitance. "Let's go!" She stated, and together the two stepped through the door.

They stepped through the door, and walked into the very room they were just in a moment ago; the door slamming shut behind them.

"What in the world?" Twilight exclaimed, looking around in confusion.

"This can't be right!" Cadance agreed, sharing the same look of confusion.

"How did we walk into the very room we just left?" Twilight said aloud, turning to glare at the infuriating door. However, she realized with rapidly widening eyes, the door had vanished completely.

Groaning out in frustration and stamping a hoof on the floor, Twilight glared up at the stairway they had come down from. "I should have known. It's just a dead end Sombra must have set up to keep those seeking the Heart from finding it."

"I fear you're right," Cadance sighed out, looking up as well. "... If this is the case, we should return with haste and help your friends."

Nodding, Twilight all but flew up the stairs. "Yes, but I'm not leaving it at this. We'll find that Heart, and make Sombra pay for his crimes."

With only a nod in agreement, Cadance swiftly followed after Twilight, the both of them climbing the stairs faster than they went down. Before long, they came up in the throne room, fearing the worst when nothing but silence greeted them. 

"What… Where is everypony?" Twilight asked, looking around.

"I don't understand," Cadance said. "There isn't even any sign of a fight."

With an audible creak, the doors of the throne room opened, revealing five mares, a dragon, and human.

With a large smile, Twilight rushed towards them. "Girls, Spike, Danny." She said, sounding just a bit happier when she called Danny. "What happened here? Where are all the other ponies? And Danny, where have you been?"

"Oh, you know. Just hanging around, meeting all kinds of interesting ponies," Danny answered with an unsettling smile.

"An' tha guards left," Applejack replied matter-of-factly.

"They left?" Cadance queried, disbelieving.

"Oh yeah," Rainbow Dash confirmed. "Right after we pledged our loyalty to King Sombra, the rightful ruler of this world." and the eyes of her, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Spike, and Danny glowed a dark red; a menacing, victorious laugh reverberating from behind Twilight and Cadance.

"No!" Twilight shouted, shocked as she took a step back from her friends.

"Sombra," Cadance gasped as she turned to look at the shadowy monster.

The sound of hooves clopping on the floor drew their attention to the multitude of ponies now surrounding them, with Shining Armor at the forefront. 

"You have lost!" Sombra exclaimed. "Both this land, and your right to live!" And with a flicker of red in his eyes, the surrounding force started to advance.

"No, don't do this. SNAP OUT OF IT!" Twilight shouted at her friends and brother, crying.

"DON'T DO THIS!" Cadance yelled, horn glowing. "Shining, you're stronger than this. Please!?" She pleaded, but for no use. 

With a hollow cry, Shining Armor, soon followed by the rest of the mind-controlled force, lunged at them.

"NO!" Cadance shouted, the magic building in her horn bursting out to cover Twilight and herself in a light blue shield. The two of them had their eyes closed as they heard the first form collide with the shield, tears streaming out as they were unable to witness the madness around them. However, after a short while, Cadance became aware of something. Or the lack thereof. Her magic didn't feel drained, no spike in force needed to keep the shield up, almost as if there wasn't anything there to shield them from.

Cracking open an eye, she peered out through the shield. Her eyes shot open as she gasped out in surprise, causing Twilight to look as well. She shared the same reaction Cadance had.

The floor they stood on had changed. From the gleaming, warm crystal that made up the throne room, they were now standing on the somber, light sucking crystal they encountered everywhere in the chamber below. Yet it was only a small portion, reaching only to the edges of the shield where it distorted and changed from dark and somber into light and warm crystal. 

Looking past the protective barrier, things were stranger still. Surrounding them were still the many ponies under Sombra's control. Lying just in front of the shield, however, were the bisected bodies of those who had lunged themselves at the shield. 

Twilight and Cadance felt sick to the stomach as they saw the remains of Shining Armor, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Spike, Danny, and several of the other ponies' hind bodies, the front part having just vanished. Then, with a startling gasp from Twilight, who, despite her best efforts, couldn't look away, noticed a dark smoke rising up from the bodies where they were severed.

'Shadow! Light! The two don't mix!' she remembered Danny's words. 'I'm guessing the magical nature of the light Cadance spreads is allowing it to diffuse his shade form.'

Gasping, she turned to Cadance. 

"Cadance, increase your shield. Make it bigger."

"What?" Cadance asked, confused and sickened, not daring to look at what remained of her husband and friends.

"The shield, make it bigger!" Twilight repeated urgently.

"Wha…?"

"Just do it, now!" Twilight ordered. "Trust me."

Cadance looked at the determined mare, seeing the confident look in her eyes. Nodding weakly, Cadance's horn glowed brighter and brighter as she increased the flow of magic into the shield, making it expand outwards.

The walls of the shield raced over the floor, leaving nothing untouched as it grew and grew. Soon it had devoured the remains lying directly near it. The bodies were quickly consumed by the light, leaving nothing but weak puffs of shadowy smoke before these were consumed as well. 

Cadance gasped out as she saw what was happening, dawning realization taking root in her mind as she connected the pieces Twilight had already put together.

The walls of the shield soon reached the surrounding ponies, having them meet a similar fate as their bodies were washed by the love and light Cadance's shield radiated. And before long, all that remained were them, Sombra, and an increasingly darkening room.

With a roar of defiance, Sombra hurled himself at the shield, only for him to disperse into a cloud of smoke, easily washed away by Cadance's magic.

A blinding flash of light caused both mares to shriek out and cover their eyes. 

A moment passed, and when they dared to look again, they found themselves back in the dark chamber down the stairs.

"What… What just happened?" Cadance asked, before she figured it out herself and turned to look at Twilight who stared at the closed door with teary eyes.

"It was a trap. A diversion. An illusion meant to stop us from seeing the truth." Twilight answered, shuddering at the thought of what she had just witnessed. "We're just lucky your magical light and love was able to burn through it… Who knows what would have happened if it didn't?"

Cadance was quick to pull Twilight into a hug. "Don't think of that," she told her. "Besides, if it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have found a way out of it to begin with."

"I guess we helped each other, huh?" Twilight chuckled lightly.

"That we did," Cadance answered proudly. "Now we must help the rest as well."

"Right. I will not let that nightmare we saw become a reality." Twilight stated, and she fired a swirling beam of magic based on the friendship between her friends into the dark crystal above the door.

The magic filled the crystal, before overflowing and following the contours of the door all the way down, slicing through the darkness put in place by Sombra, and opening a path into an area unseen and unknown.

With an eager trot, Twilight entered the new room, looking around expectantly. The room itself was massive. So massive, in fact, no walls could be seen, save for the massive blue and white crystal the door was embedded into, which seemed to reach all the way into the clouds. The rest of the room, if it could be called one, seeing the apparent lack of walls or even a ceiling for that matter, was also a bluish white and Twilight looked around with amazement... until her eyes locked on the one thing she didn't feel like interacting with again.

"What is in there? What did you find?" Cadance asked as she stepped inside as well, seeing the stunned and annoyed expression of Twilight.

"Uhh… Stairs." Twilight answered as she looked all the way up. "Lots and lots of stairs."

With a sigh, Twilight started the long walk up, already feeling the ache in her hooves from the previous two times. Both when she went down the flight of stairs in the throne room, and when she went back up in Sombra's illusion. She came to an abrupt stop however, when she heard the light chuckling of Cadance next to her, and she saw her former foalsitter flying next to her. 

"Maybe I can help you out once more." She said, smiling, using her magic to pick up Twilight and placing her on her back. "Just like old times, huh?"

Smiling, Twilight held onto Cadance's neck. "Just like old times."

"Now, hold on!" Cadance warned Twilight, and shot up, flying higher and higher until they reached the top of the seemingly endless stairs in a fraction of the time should they have walked.

Stepping on the last part of the stairs, the two mares entered through the opening leading out to the top of the castle's tallest spire. Sighing out in relief, Twilight turned to look down the way they had just come. 

"You know, in situations like this wings are really useful."

"I know." Cadance answered, smiling when a sudden strong gust of wind blew in, whipping their manes around wildly.
 
Turning around to shield themselves from the wind, their eyes locked onto the object hanging suspended in the center of the spire's platform; lazily spinning around.

"It's the Crystal Heart!" Cadance gasped out, slowly approaching the powerful artifact. "It was here the entire time?"

"Hiding in plain sight," Twilight breathed out. "Just like Rainbow Dash said."

Stepping closer, Cadance tried to reach out to the Heart when a massive explosion, accompanied by a blinding green flash, rocked the spire, making the two of them stumble on the spot.

"What in the hay was that!?" Twilight shouted, running to one of the many open windows decorating the walls and looked down to the city below.

"What is that!?" Twilight gasped out, joined by Cadance as she, too, looked down at the swirling mass of shadows clashing against each other.

Green bursts and beams of destructive energy sliced the air, causing destruction all around, while multiple ponies, looking like ants from their vantage point, were running around in the chaos.

"Cadance…" Twilight said tensely. "Get the Heart!"

With a roar, Sombra slammed into the side of the palace with enough force to crack the crystal, his shadow-like form blowing apart from the impact before reforming into a massive billowing cloud. 

Rising up from the damaged portion of the castle, Sombra glared with murder in his eyes at the other shade before launching himself at Nightmare Moon, several bursts of toxic green beams shooting from his horn. 

Nightmare Moon, now fully transformed into her equine self, easily flew out of the path of the oncoming attacks with a mere flap of her bat wings. Fangs bared, she herself fired several beams of burning energy at the shadow king, slicing cleanly through him as his form shifted and turned to allow the beams of searing energy to pass harmlessly through him.

"You fool. You will not escape my might!" She roared. "Before this day is over, there will be only one ruler of shadows remaining. And that will be me!"

Sombra merely sneered as he fired several tendrils of darkness at his adversary, slicing the air with multiple tendrils as he tried to overwhelm Nightmare Moon with sheer numbers.

"Fool! Do you think an attack like that would have any chance of success?" Nightmare hissed as she weaved through the air, avoiding his attacks. 

"Just as much chance as it has of you falling for my trap!" Sombra chuckled darkly, and Nightmare Moon's eyes widened as several tendrils shot at her from below and behind. 

In an acrobatic feat that would leave many gawking, she twisted and turned to avoid the unexpected barrage of razor sharp shadows. She managed to dodge most of them, save a couple which managed to pierce her in her right hind leg and lower abdomen. 

She cried with a voice not her own, blood seeping out of the cuts in her shadowy body before her dark magic closed up the holes. Her eyes burned angrily as she faced Sombra, horn glowing with unearthly power. Sombra merely chuckled at her pain.

"And there it is, your weakness. The fool who first opposed me, the source of your very being." A massive grin split the cloud that is Sombra. "I may not know what is going on between you two, but I do know that you have need of him—" more tendrils rose up all around Sombra "—At least, for now."

With a cry of anger, Nightmare Moon fired a barrage of spectral energy at Sombra, but in her enraged state, her shots were wild and sloppy, peppering the surrounding area and adding to the plight of the controlled ponies below. 

Sombra, now with the upper hand, quickly glided behind her and speared several more tendrils at the shade. Nightmare Moon, who foolishly acted in a blind fit of rage, realized a moment too late what he had done. She had only just enough time to turn her head to see multiple tendrils bore down on her, stabbing her in her chest and abdomen, feeling them penetrate into Danny's body contained within.

"NO!" Nightmare Moon roared, feeling Danny's life force ebb away.

A hollow chuckle answered her.

"Hehehe… So much power, and for what, Moony?" Shadow asked her, hanging limply in his bonds with only his head held up to look at the corruption. "The power of the dead, all yours. Yet you depend on the life of the one you seek to end yourself."

"SILENCE, KNAVE!" Nightmare Moon bellowed, eyes burning.

"Or, what?" Shadow taunted. "You'll kill me as well?" he looked over at the pailing form of Danny. "Hehehe… So much power, but without the experience to use it. And now, because of your incompetence, we'll all die."

"NO!" Nightmare Moon roared defiantly. "I have not come all this way, suffered through all those indignities just for it to end like this. I AM NIGHTMARE MOON, THE-"

"Pincushion of shadows." Shadow finished tauntingly. "You're all bark, but very little bite. Why is that, hmm? Did you really grow this weak after being locked away for so long? Or is it something else, something you're unwilling to admit even to yourself?"

"You dare talk to me like this?" Nightmare Moon hissed.

"I think I have already demonstrated that very fact, yes." Shadow answered matter-of-factly. "And you still haven't answered my question."

"Why should I waste my time answering you?"

"You're already doing so regardless. But you're also avoiding a direct answer. Why is that, Moony? Are you afraid of the truth?"

"I fear nothing! Least of all you, or any of your pointless questions."

"Is that so, huh? Then answer me this. Why did you attack Sombra? After you took over, you could just as well have left and consumed the last remainders of Danny's power. Instead, you chose to finish what he started."

"I did no such thing!" Nightmare hissed.

"Hehehe… Is that so?" Shadow grinned knowingly. Then he looked around at the blank, mental construct they were in. "Or perhaps you really don't realize?" He mussed.

"What are you talking about?" She demanded.

"You hold Danny's memories. You tell me. Tell me what Frostbite told Danny after he went to him for help after I became a part of his being?"

Silence. 

"Your silence tells me everything I need to know." Shadow said after only a moment of silence, staring deeply into Nightmare Moon's eyes. "I am a part created out from a failed possession, and merged with a sliver of my master's mind. My very personality is based on it. And then there is you. A fragment of a once feared entity, pulled in by my power and lack of understanding. There was barely anything of you left, and what parts did remain rebuilt itself with whatever it could find."

"LIES!" Nightmare Moon roared as she stepped back from Shadow.

"You can deny it all you want, it won't change the fact that you regained your core being from the same fragment I was born from." He laughed sadly. "Two minds, one body. If only I had realized this sooner."

"I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS… THIS MOCKERY!" 

"Yet you remain here, listening, while OUR host is dying. Why? Is it maybe because, deep down, you know you alone are powerless to save him, and in extent, yourself?"

"I do not need any help. I am a queen. A goddess-"

"You were," Shadow cut her off. "Now you're merely a shadow of your former self, powerless to save even yourself. You know this, deep down. You even remade your form, using wings not your own to mend your damaged self-image. You, Nightmare Moon, are a mere shadow. An eclipse of who you once were. Nothing more. Nothing less. And, just like Danny,  you are powerless when alone. Together, however, we may have a chance of saving our host, and put a halt on Sombra."

"... What do you suggest?" Nightmare Moon asked, voice subdued, refusing to meet Shadow's eyes as she glared at her hooves.

"Two minds, one body." He answered. "We're two parts of the same being, yet separated all the same. Set me free, and I will fight against Sombra using the knowledge and experience bestowed on me by my master."

"While I do what? Wait for you to stab me in the back and take control once more."

"No. I will fight, but our form is still that of your own image, with Danny held within… I will fight Sombra, while you use our shared power to keep Danny from bleeding out. With luck, medical help can be given to him in time."

"Bah," Nightmare Moon spat "Forced to save the life of that miserable mortal. How far I have fallen… Fine, I'll do it. If only to save my own life." And she released the bonds holding Shadow.

"Two minds, one body." He repeated, "Your life is my life, and Danny's life as well."

Nightmare Moon Gritted her teeth, while Shadow quickly retook control.

"Fate had us meet as foes, but this fight will make us one."

Nightmare Moon's eyes snapped open, no longer glowing green but orange as Shadow had taken over. A wavering aura of pale light surrounded their form, and through intangibility Shadow was able to free Danny's body, and in extent himself and Nightmare Moon from the tendrils impaling Danny's body.

He could feel Nightmare Moon immediately go to work to keep Danny from losing even more blood than he already had; filling in his wounds with solidified shadows. 

"What is the meaning of this?" Sombra glowered, noticing the change in eye color.

"A change of tactics," Shadow answered with his own voice, surprising Sombra greatly.

'Nightmare?' he queried mentally.

'I kept the ape from bleeding out immediately, but it won't hold for long. Whatever it is you're planning, do it quickly!'

Nodding, Shadow rose up in the air, glaring down at Sombra as he channeled massive amounts of spectral energy into their shared horn.

"Tell me, Sombra." Shadow spoke. "What is it that makes us alive?"

"What!?" Sombra shot back.

"What is it that makes us alive?" Shadow repeated. "Is it a heart beating in our chest? Blood flowing through our veins? To eat, drink, and sleep? Feeling the sun's warmth, or the wind's chill on our skin? Or are we alive merely through the fact of being born?"

"Stop wasting my time with this pointless rambling!" Sombra growled, energy glowing from within his cloudlike form.

'What do you think you're doing!?' Nightmare shouted.

"You know, for the longest of times I have been asking myself these questions, but only now did I figure it out—" the glow around their horn intensified "—I live. Not because of something as silly as a heartbeat, or blood. No, I live through others, just as others live through me." 

Roaring in anger, Sombra fired a beam of sizzling energy at Shadow, which he easily avoided. 

"Three minds, two bodies. We are one. WE ARE ALIVE! And we'll fight to protect each other." And with a shout of righteous fury, Shadow unleashed the building energy with a massive flash of green.

Cadance and Twilight flew down the stairs, literally in this case, with Twilight holding on to Cadance's neck, while the Princess herself was holding the Crystal Heart tightly in her forelegs; pressing it tightly to her chest.

In record time, the two reached the base of the crystal spire, and in a moment’s notice, they shot through the still open door and up the twisting stairs leading back to the throne room. 

The sound of fighting reached them even before they arrived back up in the throne room, yet the brash, taunting, and even challenging shouts they heard revealed to Twilight and Cadance that their friends were holding their own against an overwhelming force, and even put up a good fight. The two of them finally reached the end of the stairs, flew up into the throne room, and right into the thick of the fight.

"Yeah, bring it!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "Hey, AJ. Got another one for you!"

"Ah'll be with ya in a jiffy!" Applejack called back after she pulled the rope taut, having hogtied another of many ponies lying bound on the ground.

An explosion shook Cadance and Twilight's attention to the pink pony in the room. Wearing a camouflaged, human style army helmet over her still flat mane, with matching face paint as she was wielding her trusted party cannon. 

Confetti and streamers blasted in the face of several ponies, who, after the clutter was cleared, were lying on the ground, their legs tied together by animal balloons.

"Oh, my… Could you please, ehh, not try to hurt my friends?" Fluttershy asked meekly of an advancing group led by Shining Armor. "Please?" She asked, squeaking, only for the ponies to advance towards her and Rarity; their intent clear.

Eyes steeling and wings flaring out, Fluttershy took a bold step forwards before standing her ground; shooting the full effect of her Stare right at the ponies, halting them in their tracks.

"Rarity!" She called her friend without averting her gaze; voice loud and confident. "Use your spell… If you want, please?"

Turning around, Rarity gave a faint gasp as she saw the group that had approached, before giving a determined nod. With a burst of her horn, multiple crystals, broken from the walls and floor, began circling around and above the ponies as Rarity's magic bounced between each and every shard, creating a magical cage locking them in place and allowing Fluttershy to relax.

"I've got some more for you, Apple- Oh, Cadance, Twilight. You're back!" Rarity chimed, sounding only slightly winded.

"We are," Twilight replied as she stepped forwards. "And we found the Heart."

"Then what are you waiting for!?" Rainbow Dash shouted as she wrestled down a lone guard. "Use it!"

Nodding, and solid determination shining in her eyes, Cadance's horn burst into life, her magical aura surrounding the Heart. 

Her magic poured into the Crystal Heart, the magical artifact glowing brighter and brighter in response as it rotated faster and faster on the spot. A pulsing aura of love and light radiated out of the crystal, growing bigger and bigger until the aura collapsed back into the Heart. 

For a moment it seemed that Cadance's attempt at reviving the Heart had failed. Then an explosion of light burst forth from the beating Heart, washing everyone in the throne room with its cleansing light.

The crystal ponies, guards, Shining Armor, Cadance, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and even Spike, were pushed back several steps from the force as those affected by Sombra's dark touch were freed from his grasp. 

The magic seeped into their very beings and down to their hearts where it reacted with the magic inside of them. Reacting, harmonizing, cleansing, making them shine as radiantly as the Crystal Heart itself. And in turn, their magic of friendship, light and love within them amplified the Crystal Heart's power to even greater heights.

An explosion of light blew out of the castle, before it reached out all across the Empire.

With a roar of anger Sombra lunged at Shadow, who simply glided out of his way with a mere flap of his wings causing Sombra to shoot past him, leaving his back exposed.

Eyes narrowing slightly, Shadow fired a beam of ectoplasm at the dark king. Sombra roared out in anger and pain as the bright beam sliced through his form, diffusing his shade form for a split second. It was all the time Shadow needed. 

With a mighty flap of the large bat wings, he dived down on the mad king, striking him with his front hooves; aglow with the power of the dead, and unleashing a massive knockout blow to Sombra in a blinding flash of green, forcing him back into his solidified self.

Sombra crashed into the ground, digging his own small crater as he did so while Shadow looked down on him with expressionless eyes. 

'He's down, Finish him off!' Nightmare Moon told him, an obvious edge of disgust present in her voice over the fact she had to team up with her other half.

"No," Shadow answered her aloud. 

'ARE YOU STUPID!?'

"Sombra has already been beaten," Shadow answered. "His anger makes him act more and more reckless and uncontrolled—" He dropped to the ground near the edge of the small crater, projecting a green glowing dome around the fallen king before he could escape. "—And striking him down now would serve us no purpose. The more energy and time we waste on fighting him, the less likely it is for Danny to get the help he needs."

'And instead, what!? You keep him locked up in that bubble of yours, waiting for him to break out?' Nightmare Moon hissed angrily.

"He must answer for his crimes, by the laws of his own kind. And we are neither his judge, jury, or executioner."

'You're even stupider than I thought you to be!' Nightmare Moon seethed angrily, her presence lashing out to retake control. 'I was a fool to think you could actually stop Sombra.'

"I did!" Shadow countered as he struggled against Nightmare Moon's increasing mental assault, resulting in a lapse of concentration in which the shield flickered, allowing Sombra to seep out as a thick smoke and firing multiple bolts of glowing green towards them. 

Acting in reflex, Shadow shot back up in the air; head shaking wildly as his control began to slip and Nightmare Moon asserted more and more of her control over their shared form. 

"You're a fool in thinking we could work together!" Nightmare Moon exclaimed. "I only allowed you to take control to distract both Sombra and yourself, while I focused on keeping this wretched ape alive long enough for me to drain the last of his powers into myself and breaking this shade free from th-" A searing bolt of energy shut her up as it struck her in the chest.

'And in doing so, you allowed Sombra to break free and hit you while you were too busy monologuing.' She could sense Shadow's eye roll in the back of her mind. 'You, Sombra. You villains are all the same. Too self absorbed to see the bigger picture.'

"What are you rambling about this time!?" Nightmare Moon growled, shaking her head in the hopes it would shake Shadow around.

"We aren't the only ones fighting Sombra!"

A blinding explosion of light erupted out of the castle, freezing both Nightmare Moon and Sombra on the spot as they stared at the rapidly approaching wall of light with widening eyes. 

'All we had to do was wait. Nothing more, nothing less.' Shadow said condescendingly. 

"NO!" Sombra roared as he recognized the energy for what it was, and turned tail to flee the searing light of the Heart.

Seeing this, and realizing her own predicament, Nightmare Moon did the same. Both of them hurried to the edge of the city in hopes of escaping their fate, but the two shades were no match for the light of friendship, love, and unity as they both were consumed.

Sombra was torn apart by the positive wave of energy, shouting a last defiant "NOOOO!" as his horn blew off his head, flung away by the power of the Heart, before he ceased to be completely.

As for Nightmare Moon and Shadow. The shadow covering Danny was stripped away as Nightmare Moon shouted her anger and defeat to the skies, which also removed the solidified darkness keeping Danny's wounds closed. 

The limp, unconscious human fell to the ground as the energy gripped at his body, entering his wounds. The magic invaded his every cell, reaching down deeper and deeper as it reacted to the energy of the dead. And, were Danny conscious, he would have screamed out as an all too familiar feeling of being torn apart overcame him. But the power of the Heart could sense the purity of his heart, and knew he was not to be hurt.

The magic went deeper and deeper, reaching deep within him. A frozen crystal of ice found in the center of his chest. Its purity matching that of the Crystal Heart itself, and it pulsed in response to the invading force.

The crystal pulsed, grew, expanded out more and more; freezing every cell of his being as his body became colder and paler. A thin layer of ice settled over his skin, before it turned translucent all together, revealing his skeleton encompassed by a body of ice. Ice that glowed with many different colors. 

There was the glowing green of his ectoplasm flowing freely throughout the entirety of his body, while a pulse of pure white and blue came from where his heart should be. Right next to it was the bright ice blue glow from the active ice crystal as its full powers were brought forth, while at the same time, colliding and clashing at where his brain would be, two orbs of glowing orange and dark green were being forced together; mixing and shifting, with the dark green desperately trying to break free. Yet the cleansing light of the Heart had no remorse for the corruption that was Nightmare Moon, and soon the glow of orange consumed the last of its other half back into itself. 

The wave of light passed by Danny as it continued to cleanse the land of Sombra's darkness, leaving behind the frozen form of Danny as he fell to the ground. Unable to stop his fall. 

The glow of orange in his brain pulsed and vanished, and the faint speck of darkness Danny cast on the ground bubbled and shot up in the air. Its form shifted and flexed as two brightly glowing orange orbs with dark green irises burned in the shade's head. An elongated horn jutted out of its forehead, while large bat wings folded out of from the back. 

"Got you!" The shade said with Nightmare Moon's voice as it caught Danny in its hooves, yet the tone of malice was no longer there. Instead, a relieved smile etched the dark face of the shade as it gently lowered itself and Danny to the ground.

Once down, the equine shade gently lay Danny on the ground near the crystal Danny had encountered earlier; no longer glowing with the dark energy placed upon it by Sombra, but a smooth, clean white instead.

"Two corruptions have been cleansed today. What this means for me however, I am uncertain." The shade turned to look at the castle in the distance. "So many questions… First and foremost, who am I now?"

'You, Nightmare Moon, are a mere shadow. An eclipse of who you once were.' The words of one of its former halfs echoed through its mind.

"Hmm…" The shade hummed as it looked down on Danny, seeing his body thawing and returning to normal; his wounds miraculously healed. "... Eclipse."

The shade sat down next to Danny as, with a weak groan, he slowly came to.

"And secondly, what happened to you?" the shade asked, receiving no reply, nor expecting one.

"It has happened." Clockwork spoke up, watching the events in the viewing portal with serious eyes. 

"But what happened, exactly?" Sam asked, confused, watching the form of Nightmare Moon sitting next to Danny, in the full light of the sun, with large eyes.

"A gamble. A very risky one. But it paid off incredibly."

"Can we, for once, pretend I don’t know what’s going on?" Sam snarked. 

"The ponies found their magical artifact. An object of incredible power. One which burns away any form of darkness and corruption. And Nightmare Moon, like Sombra, is as such."

"But you also said these ponies' magic is the opposite force of our spectral abilities, and that interaction between the two is devastating at best… and much worse at the worst. Yet Sombra, Nightmare Moon, and Danny are all ghosts… in some way, or the other. But only Sombra seemed to be destroyed. What’s going on with that?" Sam asked loudly with wild hand gestures.

"A fair question," Clockwork mused.

"And are you going to answer it?" Sam asked pessimistically. 

Clockwork smirked, giving the young ghost a sideways glance. "Normally, no. But I think today the rules can be bent a bit. We do have cause for some celebration." 

Sam tapped a foot impatiently on the floor, making Clockwork chuckle.

"The reason Danny was spared is simple. Despite the Heart's immense power, it was still weakened, and spread thin. Not to mention it does not harm those who live in the light, so to speak. And, of course, there was Nightmare Moon who, quite ironically, was the reason for Danny's survival."

"Huh?"

"This cleansing wave. It focused on Nightmare Moon's corruption, weakening its negative effects on us ghosts enough to keep Danny's ghost half from succumbing to it entirely. Although it wasn't entirely without consequence."

"Yeah, I noticed," Sam muttered as she looked at Danny's half frozen body; sections of ice fused seamlessly with flesh.

"There was a lot of darkness inside Danny. Darkness that the Crystal Heart targeted and destroyed. And in its destruction, Shadow took hold over Nightmare Moon, reabsorbing this half of himself. But in doing so, Shadow ceased to be as two conflicting personalities became one. As for Danny's sudden cold spell—" Clockwork chuckled over his own joke, while Sam groaned and rolled her eyes "—Despite Danny's ghostly nature, he is still pure of heart. And as such the Crystal Heart saved him. But it reacted to his ghost powers all the same. His ice powers being the most severe. Or should I say the crystal core of ice at the center of his being."

"You mean the power of the Crystal Heart turned Danny into an ice crystal!?" she shouted the last part in disbelief.

"In a way, yes. But this is not unexpected, as the power was already there. Danny just never unlocked it himself as he abandoned everything after your demise."

"Wait… So everything that has happened since I entered his dreams and helped him fight against Nightmare Moon was all just to have Danny turn into an icicle?!"

"Sam, you're letting your emotions get in the way again. You're forgetting about Shadow and Nightmare Moon, or Danny's friends who will go look for him soon."

Sam backed down, frowning as she looked at Danny in the viewing portal. 

"... And now what? Are his powers going to develop further, or is this behind the scene manipulation finally over?"

"Well, Sam." Clockwork mused. "I guess only time will tell."

"Hmph… Jerk." Sam crossed her arms over her chest, frowning at the ghost of time.

"I heard that," Clockwork said flatly.

"Wasn't trying to hide it." Sam replied with just as much emotion. "But I'm still not buying it completely, l" she added as she shot Clockwork a defiant glare. "You said that magical and spectral energy are polar opposites. So, even considering Nightmare Moon, or that the Crystal Heart was weakened, or even that Danny was 'living in this light'. Why did it not destroy Danny? There has to be something more."

"There is." Clockwork answered plainly.

"Which is?" Sam pushed on.

"Something for you to figure out yourself."

"Figures," she sighed out exasperatedly. "Can you at the very least give me a hint."

"Yes, two words. Harmonic resonance."

"Ugh… What happened?" Danny slurred, placing a hand on his forehead, while using the other to push himself into a sitting position.

"You fell." An unknown voice answered, and Danny's struggling mind was slow to respond as he turned to the source of the voice. "After having a corruptive force take over, being stabbed multiple times, almost bleeding to death, before finally being hit by a magical wave of energy."

"Whu…?" Danny mumbled as he saw a dark form sitting beside him, following the two front legs up to the large bat-winged pony with a horn sticking out of its head.

"Wha…" He uttered dumbly, before his mind finally shifted into second gear and he finally remembered what was happening.

"Wait! Where is Sombra? And what happened with Shadow?" He quickly inspected his own body, seeing no darkness clinging to him. "... What’s going on!?" Danny demanded. Then his brain shifted into third gear, and he finally realized the pony next to him was rather dark… and shadowy.

"Wait… Shadow?"

"Not anymore, I'm afraid." The shade answered. "The shadow I once was is no more. He ceased to be when that wave of energy cleansed the darkness of Nightmare Moon."

"Who?" Danny asked, perplexed as he looked at the large mare. "Hold on, why does that name sound familiar, somehow…. Also, why are you suddenly a mare. Weren't you a guy before?"

The mare chuckled. "Gender doesn't mean much to me. As Shadow, I mirrored you. As I am now, I became something both more, and less. But I suppose I am a she now," she concluded, taking a moment to study herself. "As for your other questions," she continued. "Sombra was defeated by the same wave of energy that made me, and which healed your wounds."

"Wounds?" Danny asked, perplexed, and the shade lifted up his shirt with a hoof, and pointed at the multiple red marks covering his torso and abdomen.

"What happened?" Danny asked, worried, patting himself down to make sure nothing was wrong with him.

"Sombra… and Nightmare Moon." Danny stopped the inspection of his body to look up at the shade, confused. 

"That name again…" He muttered as he studied the shade sitting next to him a bit better, his eyes slowly widening as one particular memory resurfaced. "Wait, I remember her. That crazed, evil sounding pony who I saw… Where was it?"

The mare sighed out. "She appeared before you within your mind, finally revealing herself after having seized control and claimed your body." —she nervously tapped a hoof on the ground— "Before, when I was still Shadow, I encountered… an invasive energy which I believed to be a threat. In defense, I absorbed some of this energy to increase my abilities. However, this energy turned out to be a... parasite of sorts, and it fractured me into two beings. One was Shadow. The other, Nightmare Moon. From that day, Shadow had to fight Nightmare Moon. While at the same time, he grew stronger and smarter as Nightmare did, too."

"That… doesn’t make much sense," Danny muttered as he slowly pushed himself back to his feet.

"I'm sorry. The merger between the two of us did mix up a lot of memories, and I am still trying to put everything into place."

"I still don't understand, but alright." Danny sighed out, flexing his hands, and causing ice particles to fall to the ground. "What the?" He mumbled as he held up his hands.

"Your ice powers have increased as well," the mare told him as glistening flakes fell to the ground.

"They, what? Really, what the hell happened?"

"More than you seem to remember… Although, you were unconscious for most of it," the mare answered. "For now though, may I suggest you return to your friends. They must be worried, and I need time to sort my thoughts."

"Twil-" Danny turned to look at the castle. "Right, right. I still want answers, though." he told the mare.

"And I will try to give them," she replied, sinking back to the ground, flattening out.

"Just one more thing," Danny said, halting the mare's deflation, making her look like a half melted snow pony with only the head sticking out above the ground. "What should I call you now?"

"Call me… Eclipse." And she reverted back to a flat, humanoid image on the ground.

"Eclipse, huh," Danny muttered, scratching his head as he tried to figure out what had happened; seeing more flakes of ice fall down around him.

Sighing, he looked towards the castle once again.

"Might as well see how everyone else is doing," he said to himself, and started to move for the crystal palace; only to come to a sudden stop as his left foot kicked against something.

"What the?!" He uttered as he looked down, seeing a curved, black horn which faded into red towards the tip. 

Danny's eyes narrowed as he recognized who it belonged to.

"Wow, look at us!" Rainbow Dash shouted, hovering in the air as she looked herself over. "This is sooo cool. Weird, but cool." She said as she held a hoof up to her face and was able to see through the living crystal her body had become. "Is this going to stay like this?"

"No, it won't," Cadance answered, chuckling. Her body also crystallized. As were all the other ponies; the guards, crystal ponies, her husband, and friends. "The magic of the Crystal Heart did this as it interacted with your own magic, but only a true crystal pony will stay like this."

"You mean I'm going to change back!?" Rarity gasped, shocked, even a bit horrified. "My pristine crystal coat. My magnificently styled mane. All of it will vanish?" Cadance nodded. "This is the. Worst. Possible. Thing. Ever!" And she promptly, and dramatically 'fainted' with her foreleg shielding her eyes as she fell backwards on a red sofa that she pulled in from out of nowhere.

"Oh. Oh my." Fluttershy gasped as she moved to her friend's side. "Rarity, are you alright?"

"No, I'm not!" She wailed.

"Oh, fer pete's sake," Applejack rolled her eyes. "It ain't like it's tha end of tha world."

Rarity gasped, scandalized as she spun around on the sofa and leered at the farm pony. Applejack gave her a smug smirk in return, then addressed the rest of the group. 

"So, now what?" She asked.

"Now, we're going to make sure Sombra is defeated. For good. And we'll go look for Danny while we're at it. Who knows what has happened to him," Twilight stated, and she moved for the throne room's doors when Danny pushed them open.

"Danny!" Twilight said loudly, rearing back a bit in surprise. Then relief washed over her and she quickly closed the distance between herself and the human; tackling him in a low hug around his midsection.

"Ehh… What are you doing?" Danny asked awkwardly, and Twilight's eyes shot open.

Blushing fiercely, Twilight quickly backed off, feeling the eyes of her friends, Cadance, and big brother on her; with the latter also glaring at Danny, making him feel a cold chill he would normally relate to a nearby ghost.  
 
"Sooo, Danny," Twilight said awkwardly, trying to ignore the stares. "Where have you been?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out, actually," he answered truthfully. "Things got a bit crazy out there when Sombra broke in." 

He blinked several times as he looked at the mare, then his gaze shifted to the rest, while avoiding direct eye contact with Shining Armor.

"Soo... What's going on with the sparkling, translucent coats?"

"It is a reaction to the energy of the Crystal Heart," Cadance answered, smiling warmly.

"But why aren't you crystali- whatyamacallit," Rainbow Dash brashly cut in, flapping over to Danny.

"Crystallized." Twilight corrected, then turned to look at Danny. 

'Crystallized?' Danny wondered, then he recalled what Eclipse had told him. 'Your ice powers have increased as well.' He stood silently with widening, unfocused eyes as the possible meaning behind her words started to reveal themselves to him. 'Ice… crystal…'

"I guess it is because he doesn't have any magic of his own," Twilight finished, snapping Danny out of his thoughts.

"Huh, what?"

"I guess that makes sense," Rainbow Dash said, accepting this explanation. 

"But is he okie dokie?" A surprisingly soft voiced Pinkie Pie asked who, despite being crystallized, still had a flat mane, and had been silently observing Danny with a critical eye ever since he had walked in.

"Erm… Yeah, I guess," Danny replied hesitantly, remembering the red marks on his body, and being told how they got there.

"Pinkie, is something wrong?" Spike asked, pulling his attention away from all the delicious crystal lying around to do so.

Pinkie Pie walked over to Danny, frowning. "That feeling I had, of somepony missing their own birthday party…"

"Yeah…?" Rainbow Dash replied, dropping down to the floor and sharing a confused, and slightly nervous look with her friends. "What of it?"

Pinkie Pie didn't answer as she stopped just a couple of steps shy of Danny; neck craning up as she looked at him. Danny was fidgeting nervously on the spot as she seemed to stare unblinkingly at him.

"Uhh… should I be worried?" He asked, recalling Applejack's warning about Pinkie and a flat mane.

"It's gone!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, surprising everyone as her mane exploded back into its normal style. She then nearly tackled Danny as she pulled him into a spine crushing hug.

"Pinkie?" Twilight asked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I'd- ghh- like to know as well." Danny strained as he tried to pry the pink mare off of him, but failing miserably.

"That feeling of loss; of a void," she responded, not releasing her hold over Danny. "We lost Danny, and all I could feel was this… this… shadow hanging over him. Now he's back here, and that feeling is gone." She tightened the hug, and this time an audible creak came from Danny's back.

"So…You're back to normal now?" Rainbow Dash asked, confused.

"Does Pinkie Pie being herself count as normal?" Spike wondered aloud.

"Well, Pinkie bein' Pinkie is normal, even if Pinkie bein' Pinkie ain't…" Applejack replied, confusing herself for a moment, and she pressed a hoof against her chin as she pondered over what she had just said. "Ah guess not bein' normal is normal when we're talkin' 'bout Pinkie."

"But doesn't that mean she was being normal when she wasn't acting as herself?" Rainbow Dash shot back.

Applejack was about to reply, when Danny's strained voice cut in.

"Gh-help!" He wheezed.

With a purple glow enveloping Pinkie Pie's limbs, Twilight pried her off Danny; the latter dropping to a knee as he sucked in several deep gasps of air. 

With a clatter, the severed horn Danny carried in his back pocket fell to the ground; wobbling in place with everyone's eyes on it.

"Danny," Twilight spoke with a low voice. "What is that?" She asked, despite realizing exactly what it was she was looking at.

Arching his back to realign his spine, Danny groaned out, which soon turned in a sigh as he knelt down to grab the severed horn.

"I think we all know what this is," he answered seriously, standing back up; horn held tightly in his hand as he looked at it with serious eyes.

"Danny," Cadance said, worried, taking a step towards the human. "How did you get ahold of Sombra's… horn?"

"I found it," he answered truthfully. "Lying on the ground near the edge of the city." He gave a single nod with his head towards the general direction he was referring to. Tightening his grip ever so slightly as, severed as it may be, he could still feel a faint wave of energy coming from it. Something he subconsciously recognized, even if he couldn't quite place it.

"So, if you have Sombra's horn… then where is Sombra?" Rainbow Dash asked, staring at the severed limb with a morbid expression.

'Sombra, like Nightmare Moon, was cleansed by the power of the Heart,' Eclipse told Danny through their shared mind.

Blinking, and only slightly jumping up in surprise from her voice, Danny looked up from the horn and towards the ponies around him. 

"I guess this Crystal Heart thing stopped him?" He replied, unsure. "At the very least, he won't be able to use this anymore if he's still around… Not that that means much with a ghost." 

"Well, I'm not taking any chances. Horn or not, Sombra's far too dangerous, and we need to make sure he has been stopped," Shining Armor finally spoke up, glaring at Danny. Both over the horn he was holding, and out of suspicion about what just happened between him and his little sister.

"Guards!" He bellowed, snapping the guards present in the throne room to rapid attention. "Regroup with the rest of our forces and sweep the city. Make sure Sombra is not hiding in some dark hole, waiting for us to let down our guard and strike again."

"Sir!" The collection of guards saluted, and quickly left the throne room.

"I'll go too," he returned his attention to his wife. "It's the least I can do after everything that’s happened," he told her, holding up a hoof to silence her as Cadance tried to protest. "Don't worry. I won't be taking any chances this time. Nor will I go easy on Sombra, should he still be out there. Although I hope you are right," —he aimed at Danny— "and Sombra really was taken down by the power of the Heart."

Eclipse's voice echoed through his mind once more, and Danny looked at Shining with confidence in his eyes.

"He was. I'm sure of it."

Giving a single nod, Shining Armor left as well, joining the guards in their search.

"Soo…" Rainbow Dash spoke up after a moment. "What's going to happen to Sombra's horn?"

"It shall be destroyed," Cadance answered, looking at the cursed limb with cold eyes. "Ghost or not, Sombra used his power to hurt so many. If anything, we will destroy the symbol of his tyranny," She stepped forwards to Danny, horn aglow.

"Danny, please release Sombra's horn," she told him, the shimmering aura of her magic surrounding the curved instrument of darkness. Yet no sooner had the words left her mouth, or a sudden backlash knocked her backwards as a result of her magic interacting with the dark, spectral residual energy still contained within the horn, and her own energy and strength drained considerably after the events of the day.

"CADANCE!" Twilight shouted, rushing to her sister-in-law to keep her from falling over completely.

"I'm… I'm fine," she said, pained. 

"But, what happened?" Rarity asked, shocked. "Is Sombra still able to use his horn, even though it is severed?" Fluttershy squeaked loudly in fright as she dove for cover behind the fashionista's sofa.

"He is a ghost, right!?" Rainbow Dash glowered at the horn still in Danny's grasp. "So it wouldn't surprise me if he could."

Danny, however, began to piece together the actual truth. And he looked at the horn, then at Cadance with a troubled look.

'All those strange sensations I felt when interacting with magic. The tingling when in Twilight's hold. The shield… Are spectral and magical energies hostile opposites?' 

"Danny, is something wrong?" Twilight asked, seeing the look on his face.

"Eh… No. No, just worried," he replied, quickly clearing his thoughts and giving the purple mare a somewhat forced smile. He then turned to Cadance. "But seeing that this thing—" he moved the horn side to side a bit "—seems to react to being held by magic, maybe I should hold on to it, until it can be safely disposed of."

"What!? Danny, that is far too dangerous!" Cadance replied, shocked. "Who knows what that thing is capable of, even if it is severed from Sombra."

"True," he agreed. "But between the two of us, I'm the only one still holding it without any effect."

"Yeah, but why?" Rainbow Dash cut in, eyes narrowing as she looked at Danny suspiciously.

"Rainbow, dear. Haven't we gone down this road before?" Rarity said flatly. "I'm sure there is a good explanation as to why. But I doubt Danny is a spy, or some other ridiculous idea you might have."

"Ah agree," Applejack stepped up. "Besides, didn't Twilight just say Danny didn't turn ta crystal 'cause he ain't got no magic? Maybe that's why he can hold Sombra's horn without gettin' blasted."

"I guess that makes sense," Rainbow Dash muttered, scuffing a hoof against the floor.

"Well course it does," Applejack answered matter-of-factly. "It sure beats any hooey 'bout Danny bein' a secret agent. Or what, maybe even a ghost?"

Rainbow Dash snorted at that, looking at her friend with a flat stare.

"Yeah, right. Danny being a ghost. Give me a break." She rolled her eyes, while Danny mentally flinched.

"Right," Danny said quickly, steering away from the current topic. "With that all sorted out, any idea where I can put this thing?" —he held up the horn— "Cause I don't really feel like holding this thing the entire time. It kinda freaks me out. I mean, it is basically something akin to an arm or a leg, right?"

The group flinched at that mental picture, and Cadance quickly responded.

"Yes, there should be a secure room not too far from here. Now that Sombra might be gone, it should be safe enough to store his horn until such a time we can destroy it."

Danny nodded, and Cadance quickly led him to the mentioned room: a small chamber, decorated with a few paintings, furniture, and a rug with a table on top of it in the center.

"This seems to have been a small dining room," Cadance told the others. "There’s only one door, so it should be easy enough to keep an eye out for anyone trying to sneak in."

"Good enough for me," Danny said as he walked over to the table, and placed the horn in the center of it.

"Is it really going to be safe in there?" Rarity asked, looking at the severed limb warily. "I detest thinking about what might happen if Sombra reclaims it, even if it is his own… horn." she visibly shuddered.

"Then we better make sure he doesn't. Or anypony else for that matter," Twilight said firmly.

"Indeed," Cadance nodded, and the group exited the room. "I'll seal the room with my magic, and will be alerted should anyone try to break in." And with a burst of her horn, she did just that. "For now, this will have to do." And as the door closed behind them, none of them noticed the black stallion with an electric blue mane appearing out of thin air.

"So, does this mean that all of this is finally over?" Applejack asked as they walked back to the throne room.

"If Shining and the guards find confirmation Sombra has indeed been defeated, then yes," Cadance answered. "If not, than we must strike him down while he is still weakened."

"I wouldn't be too worried about it, though," Danny answered, and everyone turned to look at him. "The energy from this Heart, I'm sure it stopped Sombra."

"But how can you be sure?" Cadance asked. "Do you know something more? If so, please tell us."

"No, I don't know much more than what I already told you," he said with a half-lie, Eclipse's voice informing him about everything that had happened when he was lost to the corruptive hold of Nightmare Moon. "It's just a feeling."

"... I wish I could be as confident as you, but I can't take any chances with a matter as serious as this."

"Nor am I saying you should," Danny shot back with a faint grin. "Just that you shouldn't be worried." And he casually walked into the throne room, while the mares and dragon looked at him with surprise.

"You know," Rainbow Dash said after only a moment. "I kinda agree with him. Why worry? We have already kicked flank, so we can do it again if we have to."

"Well, if Danny thinks everything is okie dokie, then so do I," Pinkie Pie said, bouncing on the spot.

"He sure seems confident, yes," Rarity chimed in. "In fact, he seems like a whole different human than when we first arrived here."

"I suppose after everything that has happened today, and what we have done. I think we can afford the luxury of some relief," Cadance suggested.

"Good enough for me!" Rainbow Dash said loudly. "Now, where is the castle's kitchen, cause I'm starving." And she shot off before she could receive any directions, or disapproving remarks of certain 'refined' and 'cultured' ponies among her friends.

"Oh, wait for me!" Pinkie Pie shouted after her blue friend, and quickly followed after her with a bounce.

Twilight groaned as she shook her head; a hoof planted firmly against her forehead. "What are they thinking?" she muttered.

"Indeed," Cadance replied. "The kitchen is in the other direction." Twilight gave her sister-in-law a flat look, before sighing out and walking into the throne room.

"So, this is it?"

"Indeed it is."

"This!?"

"Yes. The missing horn of the ghost king. Although nowhere near as powerful, and even more weakened as a result of these time's events, it should still hold enough power for our goal."

"You mean to tell me this thing can help us defeat him?" A black stallion asked as he stared at Sombra's horn with glowing green eyes.

"If everything works out, yes," the medallion around his neck pulsed as it answered.

"How?"

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," the medallion answered. "Or in this case, probably more of an unwilling ally."

"Uh-huh," the stallion hummed, unimpressed. "So… I just pick it up?"

"It should be weakened enough for you to do so."

"And if it isn't?"

"Then you won't be able to pick it up," the medallion answered, the tone of his voice hinting towards a more serious problem than him just being unable to grab hold of the horn. "... It will be fine, though. Don't worry."

"Says the one locked inside of a medallion, and leaving me to do all the work."

"You know all too well why I am in this situation; why we are in this situation."

"Yes, and whose fault is that, huh? After all, wasn't it you who was supposed to keep him locked away?"

Silence.

"That's what I thought," he grunted, then a deep sigh followed. "Alright, let's just get this over with," and with a burst of his own horn, Sombra's horn levitated up, and towards him.

"... Okay, so far so good," he said, putting the horn in the bag he carried, placing it next to a shard of red glowing crystal, covered by a piece of cloth.

"Good. Now, just wait a moment, and I'll create a doorway for us.

Nodding, the stallion turned to look at the closed door.

"It's weird, though. You know, seeing them like this?"

"You get used to it after a while," the medallion answered, the voice strained.

"I guess. But still. They're here, alive and well. Not like… back home."

With a burst of energy coming from the medallion, a swirling portal opened above the table.

"That's why we're doing this; gathering these objects and allies. To undo what has been done."

"But I can warn them, right here, right now. Tell them what is going to happen. I'm sure they'll believe me."

"And change the course of history? Although I'm sure they would, indeed, believe you, the risk is far too great. You know what is at stake, and we're the only two, besides him who know how things should be. If you change the past now, influence their lives in such a way, you might not even be here to stop this."

The stallion sighed in frustration. "I know. I know. You've told me before." He sighed again. "Let's just get this over with." And he jumped through the swirling portal, vanishing from sight as it closed behind him mere moments later.

Several hours had passed since Shining Armor and the guards had left in search of Sombra, and in that time Danny, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Spike, Rarity, and Cadance had made themselves comfortable in the throne room; snacking lightly on some of the baked goods Applejack and Pinkie Pie had made for the Crystal Fair.

"Pfis is weally gwood," Danny uttered with a full mouth, eating one of Applejack's apple fritters.

"Why thank ya kindly, Danny," the farm pony replied with a warm smile. 

"I must agree," Cadance said energetically after she swallowed her mouthful, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "This is simply amazing. Not even the royal chefs back in Canterlot can come close to this, and that is saying something."

"Aw, shucks," Applejack waved off the compliment as she looked away embarrassed. "It's nothin' special."

"Nothing Special?!" Pinkie Pie shouted, shocked. "Applejack, not even the Cakes or I can come close to this. We make the best cupcakes, pies, muffins, and even the MMM. But this—" she held up an apple pie "—we simply can't compete with this."

"Now yer just bein' silly!" Applejack replied modestly. "Ah'm sure ya-"

"Just take the compliment, dear," Rarity chimed in, cutting her off before taking another dainty bite of her apple related treat with a silver fork. Some agreeing murmuring came from the others. Mostly because they had their mouths full, and were unable to properly speak.

Then, much to their surprise, and with a small eep from Fluttershy, the double doors of the throne room opened, and in walked Shining Armor.

"Shining!" Cadance called out, hurrying to her husband and pulling him in a hug. "What did you find? Is Sombra still out there?"

Pulling away from Cadance, Shining sighed. "That's the thing. We didn't find anything. Not a trace of Sombra, save his horn, which Danny has."

Danny quietly swallowed his food as he listened intently at what was being told, frowning.

"So, Sombra might still be out there?!" Cadance asked, concerned.

"We must assume he is, until we can say for certain he truly has been defeated."

"You won't find him," Danny spoke up.

"Excuse me?" Shining Armor turned to look at him.

"You won't find him, if he's still out there that is."

"And why is that?" Shining Armor asked with a hint of irritation, which Danny took notice of. 

"Not to say you or your guards are bad at tracking down this guy, but Sombra is a ghost. If he survived the Heart's energy, which I doubt considering the nature of the magic behind it, he wouldn't stick around anywhere around here. It's just too bright."

"What do you mean?" Cadance asked, and Danny sighed, rubbing the top of his head.

"Sombra is a shade. One powerful enough to hold its form even in the light of day. That is, back when he was at full power. Now, though… We know he's weakened. Heck, we have the guy's horn. This can only mean that, if he survived, he is in no state to sustain his form in such a bright environment as this place. Not even outside the barrier, and in the snow covered lands beyond. The reflective nature of snow would make it all but impossible for a shade in such a state to sustain its form."

"And you know all this, how?" Shining Armor asked, clearly taken aback by Danny's explanation and extensive knowledge.

Danny just gave him a flat look. "Remember what I said about my school counselor?"

"But Ah thought ya said ya didn't know how she was stopped?" Applejack told him.

"Right, right." Danny rubbed his hands nervously. "I don't, but ghost attacks are rather common where I come from, and you do pick up on a thing or two. Enough to connect some of the pieces," he answered with a half lie. Then a heavy sigh followed as he brushed a hand through his hair. "In all honesty, I'm more worried about the fact Sombra was here, as a ghost."

"And why's that?" Twilight asked.

"If he's a ghost, then who else is? After all, if there's one…" He didn't finish, yet everyone there knew what he meant, and a shudder went down everypony and dragon's spine.

"Yeah…" Danny said finally, realizing that he couldn't escape from reality, no matter which world he was on. And with it came the need to prepare; to become stronger if, or when such times would come that he would need to protect those close to him.

"So, you mean that there could be ghosts anywhere?" Rarity asked, panicked. "Even in my own house?"

"Probably not," Danny told her. 

"But it is possible?" Rarity pressed the matter, looking absolutely terrified at the thought of a ghost 'living' in her house.

"Anything is possible," Danny replied, shrugging. "But I seriously doubt it. Cause, if there was, you would have noticed something by now, right?"

This seemed to put Rarity's mind somewhat at ease as she thought back. And the only haunting thing she could come up with right now, was the mess Sweetie Belle had made not too long ago.

"I guess I see what you mean," she finally replied, sighing as she shook her head. "How silly of me to think there would actually be a ghost in my boutique."

"Yeah, as if a ghost would be interested in a dress," Rainbow Dash joked.

"And what do you mean by that?" Rarity asked flatly, glaring at the blue pegasus. 

"Just what I said," Rainbow Dash answered nonchalantly, shrugging. "Why would a ghost even need a dress?"

"To go to the ball," Danny mumbled.

"What was that, Danny?" Applejack asked.

"Eh, never mind that. It's not important. Besides, haven't we gone way off topic here?"

"Danny's right," Twilight spoke up. "Instead of worrying about dresses, we should instead worry about the fact Sombra might still be out there. And, maybe, other ghosts as well."

"We should warn my aunts about this as soon as possible. If Danny is to be believed, and I have no reason to see why he shouldn't, then we must prepare for such events," Cadance replied, and Shining Armor tensed up for a moment, before relaxing his stance.

"Is something wrong, sweetheart?" Cadance asked her husband. 

"No, just thought of something. It can wait, though," he answered with a small smile. "For now, though, we must focus on restoring the Crystal Empire to its former glory. And there is a lot to restore."

"Is there any way we can help?" Twilight asked, backed by her friends.

"Oh no, Twilight. You and your friends have done enough already," Cadance turned her down. "Without the help of you and your friends, we would never have found the Crystal Heart. And it’s thanks to Danny that we learned about Sombra's true nature."

"Indeed," Shining Armor nodded. "If anything, the Crystal Empire owes you, greatly. And don't worry, Twily. Now that the power of the Crystal Heart is protecting the Empire once again, the crystal ponies themselves are restoring to their former selves as well. The guards and I have already encountered many of them out in the streets." 

It was at this point the many voices coming from outside became apparent to them, and everyone turned to look at the still broken window.

"And if I am right with my assumption, they all really want to meet their saviors," he finished with a winning grin. "Better not leave the crowd waiting."

Everyone looked at each other, taken aback. With the sole exception for Pinkie Pie.

"Soo… Just to get this right. There are a lot of ponies waiting out there?" She asked in a most serious tone, and Shining nodded. "Who are excited over being rescued?" Another nod. "And most importantly. They haven't had a party in over a THOUSAND years?!" Nod, nod. "THEN WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR!?" She yelled. "Everypony. Emergency party protocol, Honey Syrup!" And she pulled her party cannon out of her mane, pressed a concealed button under its base, and the weapon of party construction transformed into a full fledged, pink and blue single pony party tank.

"Let's roll!" She declared as she pulled her protective helmet (with two cans of soda attached to its sides, and a straw leading to her mouth,) on top of her head, and drove through the doors leading out of the throne room.

Silence.

More silence.

"An' jus' when ya think she cain't surprise ya anymore…" Applejack finally said, breaking the relative silence; the voices from outside only rising in volume, and the noticeable rumbling of Pinkie's party tank there to provide enough sound to keep any awkward silence from forming.

"I just want to know how she even got that thing through the door without breaking anything?" Danny asked, stupefied, yet more than familiar with seemingly small devices transforming into something gargantuan thanks to his parents’ affinity with making all kinds of strange, but often useful anti-ghost technology.

A massive explosion came from outside, followed by the loud, and overly excited voice of one energetic pink party pony.

"Everypony! Let's PAAARRRTTTYYYYYYY!!!"

"She's totally letting herself go, isn’t she?" Rainbow Dash asked, blinking dumbly; staring with large, unfocused eyes.

"Eeyup." Applejack confirmed.

"This will probably be her biggest party, ever?!" Rainbow Dash continued.

"One would say so, yes." Rarity confirmed.

"The largest Pinkie Pie party of our time?"

"It certainly seems like it," Fluttershy answered.

"Arguably the most intense party we will ever experience?"

"At least until she throws an even bigger party, yes." Twilight nodded.

"Then what the HAY are we still doing here!?" Rainbow Dash shouted, not waiting for an answer as she sped through the broken window, and dove down into the fray. 

The others all looked at one another, before something clicked, and everyone scrambled for the door. 

Yet, as they rushed through the many hallways in a mad dash, Danny remembered something he saw just moments before he lost himself in his anger. Something he found in one of the many empty homes, and he came to a screeching stop.

"Danny, is something wrong?" Twilight shouted after him as she noticed he was no longer with them; slowing down herself as well.

"Yeah, just thought of something important. You go ahead. I'll join you in a bit." And as the mare gave him a nod, albeit a bit hesitant, Danny turned the corner and transformed when he was sure Twilight wouldn't see.

A depressing silence had taken hold of the room. Not even the upbeat music rolling in all the way from the castle's courtyard could brighten the somber mood. 

Glowing green eyes were downcast, and hands were clenched into trembling fists.

Danny breathed in deeply, before slowly exhaling; looking at the lifeless form of the young pony he found several hours before. 

Dropping to a knee, he gingerly closed the foal's eyes, wondering where his parents were.

"No way they're at Pinkie's party," he muttered. "Coming for you would be the first thing any good parent would do, so where are they?" He asked, but knowing the answer, even if he didn't want to say it out loud.

He looked at the mess cluttering the home, and looked for something he really didn't want to find. 

His eyes settled on a filthy blanket, covering several objects given away by the many bumps and bulges in the fabric. A cold chill went down his spine and, reluctantly, trembling, he pulled away the fabric.

Danny clenched his eyes shut as he placed the threadbare fabric back over the bony remains; finally fully realizing the poor foal's fate, as well as his parents. 

"There was no one to look after you when everyone else woke up," Danny said somberly, looking down at the unfortunate child. "You were all alone."

Placing a hand on top of the pony's head, he sighed again. 

"You deserve a proper funeral. You, and your parents," he said as a promise.

With speed, Danny hurried towards the castle, transforming back to his human self in some alley, and then struggled to get through the crowd as he looked for Cadance and Shining Armor; finding them, alongside with Twilight and her friends near a massive podium.

'This really is going to ruin the mood,' he thought somberly.

"There is so much knowledge, experience, memories," Eclipse gasped, struggling to wrap her mind around the increasing influx of Nightmare Moon's memories. 

"Centuries, millennia," she said, awed. "You were older than the Princesses. You don't even belong on this world."

"Nor do you!" Nightmare Moon replied, and Eclipse's eyes widened as she turned to look at the dark mare behind her; a mirror's image, save for their eyes.

"What! How can this be? You were destroyed!"

"Oh, I was. I can assure you. But I am still a part of you, and so I will live on, if only through your memories. "

Eclipse frowned as she secured her stance, glaring at her former half. "Why are you here?" She demanded.

"Oh, I'm sure by now you have figured it out. My memories. My actions. My dream. The dream I created to drain the ape's power." Eclipse's eyes widened. "So, you did figure it out."

"That, in your failure, you planted a thought in Twilight's mind, and played Danny's to bring them together? Yes, I did."

"Hmmm…" Nightmare Moon hummed devilishly. "So, and what is it you're going to do about it?"

"What?" Eclipse asked, taken aback.

"What are you going to do about it?" Nightmare Moon repeated. "It was by my doing those two are growing closer and closer. Surely you can't allow this to continue, this false affection. This fake love?"

"The only reason you did this was to crush Twilight's heart by making her fall for Danny, and then have him reveal his ghost self. With you gone, this is no longer a threat to them."

"So, you'll allow them to remain?" Nightmare Moon chuckled maliciously. "You will allow this fake feeling to blossom into something more? Why, just because I am gone? Or is it to allow dear Twilight to fill the gaping hole left behind by Sam's death?" 

Eclipse didn't answer.

"So, who amongst us is truly evil? I never denied what I am. But you, you allow this to continue. And in doing so, you will deliver my final blow. My revenge."

"I would never!"

"Oh, but you will. Either you undo what I have done, and Danny will lose interest in Twilight. Leaving her with a growing affection, which Danny will never answer. Or you allow them to grow closer and closer, only for her heart to break when Danny's true self is revealed to the world. No matter the choice you make, at least I have gotten my vengeance on Twilight Sparkle," she spat the name. Then a wicked grin replaced her look of disgust.

"Have fun with that, my precious daughter. Make mommy proud." And Nightmare Moon faded away, her laughter the last to vanish while Eclipse stood frozen on the spot, conflicted.

"No!" she whispered. "No!" she stated more firmly. "Despite what you have done. Despite your influence in their lives. Their feelings are still their own. And when Danny is revealed, Twilight and the world will accept him for who he is!"

Silence was the only thing that answered her as doubt gnawed at her.

The train gently rocked sideways, the occupants in the carriage somberly silent. Their minds replaying the ceremony that was held for the unfortunate family, and the ensuing, thorough search of every home the guards hadn't inspected to make sure no other pony was left behind.

There wasn't.

Only this family was unfortunate enough to fade away completely under Sombra's tyrannical hold.

It was a somber, depressing end to a vibrant party in full swing. Something Danny didn't want to end, seeing that those alive and free had every reason to celebrate. But once he informed Cadance and Shining Armor, word spread quickly. And what had once been a party of the century, now was a funeral gathering; everypony paying their last respects to those departed.

Even now, it seemed. Even with Sombra gone, he still showed the extent of his madness, even through his legacy alone. 

Nothing was said as everyone just stared at nothing, while Danny subconsciously placed a comforting hand on Twilight's back as she sat next to him. 

His eyes hardened as he stared at his reflection in the window, wondering if he could have helped the foal if he hadn't wasted so much time fighting Sombra; if he had been stronger, instead of struggling.

He left his world to get away from it all. But here, on this once so innocent world, he had found darkness just as bad as back on Earth. Darkness that could take away everything he considered important, just as easily as it had done before.

'No!' he stated. 'I will not lose anyone like that again. Never again!' And with his mind made up, he leaned back in his seat. The gentle rocking of the train the only sound as it drove through the night.

He hovered in the viewing chamber, frowning. Glowing eyes observing the being of interest through the swirling green of the viewing portal. Seeing the once proud king reduced to a mere wisp of darkness, struggling to hold himself together; retreated into a dark and somber cave.

Clockwork sighed deeply, dragging a flat hand over the left side of his face; feeling his scar.

He watched as the flimsy wisp fell apart, still trying its hardest even now to keep from vanishing completely.

"I'm sorry," he spoke somberly, his hand lowering from his face. "I'm sorry for the fate forced upon you; for the fact I wasn't able to stop it. And I'm sorry that for your entire existence, you have been nothing more than a pawn. A pawn used to shape a life and destiny that even I wasn't aware of until recently." Clockwork sighed loudly once more.

"And I'm sorry, most of all, for the fact you have never been able to live your own life… All that you were, all that you did. They were the reflection of someone else. You, Sombra, have been nothing more than the shadow of Pariah Dark." He waved with his cane, and the viewing portal closed as he turned around, eyes closed. 

"It was a fate worse than death."