Thunder and lightning boomed over the small village of Ponyville as the return of Nightmare Moon and the eternal night that came with it. "Evil Laughter!" Nightmare Moon did standing on top of the balcony.
"Seize her, only she knows where the Princess is!" The mayor of Ponyville said ordering the royal guards to do their job.
"Back away you foals!" Nightmare Moon yelled at the two Pegasus guards shooting a bolt of lightning at them forcing them to retreat. Knowing that she fore stayed her welcome she dematerialized into the same blue smoke she appeared in and flew out of the open door of the gazebo into the darkness of the night.
"Come back here." Rainbow Dash said following the blue smoke out the door into the night after Applejack let go of her tail. "Nighttime... forever. Where's she going?" Rainbow said to herself and looked down to see Twilight running out of the gazebo with Spike on her back.
The story shifts to Twilight's room in her library. "We got to stop Nightmare..." Spike sleepily tried to say before falling back to sleep in his small basket by Twilight's bed.
"You've been up all night Spike, you are a baby dragon after all." Twilight said to the sleeping dragon putting a blue blanket over him. Twilight left her room returning to the main floor of her library looking for a book on the Elements of Harmony.
"Elements, elements, elements, ugh! How can I stop Nightmare Moon without the Elements of Harmony?" Twilight said to herself looking through as many books as she could as fast as she could.
"And just what are the Elements of Harmony? And how did you know about Nightmare Moon, huh are you a spy?" Rainbow Dash all but demand Twilight to answer. Pressing her face right up against Twilight's driving her backwards.
"Simmer down, Sally. She ain't no spy... but she sure knows what's going on. Don't you Twilight." Applejack said to Rainbow trying to calm her down.
"I read all about the prediction of Nightmare Moon. Some mysterious objects known as the Elements of Harmony are the only things that can stop her, but I don't know what they are, or where to find them. I don't even know what they do." Twilight said to the five ponies currently in her library.
"Elements of Harmony a Reference Guide." Pinkie said looking at book on one of Twilight's shelves.
"How did you find that?" Twilight said to Pinkie knocking her away from the shelf.
"It was under E!" Pinkie said in her bubbly persona, or ponisona whatever, that only she could pull off. Twilight picked up the book using her magic and flipped to the page that told about the six elements specifically.
"There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known. Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty, and Loyalty." Twilight said talking about the five known elements as the ponies that represented them stood in order behind Twilight.
"The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said that the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters." Twilight said as the blue smoke of Nightmare Moon listened outside her window only to fly off searching for the elements with her newly gained information.
"It is located in what is now..." Twilight began to finish the book only for the scene to switch to the forest on the outskirts of the town and the five other ponies saying. "The Everfree Forest!?"
The six ponies stared into the blackness inside the forest for a few moments until Pinkie broke the silence in her over the top manner. "Wee, let's go!"
"Not so fast. Look I appreciate the offer, but I'd really rather do this on my own." Twilight said not wanting in danger five ponies' lives.
"No can do sugar cube, we sure ain't letting any friend of ours go into that creepy place, anyone. We're sticking to you like caramel on a candy apple." Applejack said as Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy followed her into the forest.
"Expressly if there are candy apples in there. What they're good." Pinkie said following the other four into the forest. Twilight sighed to herself and against her wishes followed the five ponies she had just met into the forest which no pony whoever went into ever came out of.
The setting shifts to the six ponies wandering through the pitch black forest looking for the castle of the two sisters which lay deep inside the forest. "So none of you have been in here before?" Twilight asked the five other ponies as she led the group through the forest.
"Oh heavens no. Just look at it, it's just dreadful." Rarity said back to Twilight in a slightly panicked manner. 'And it ain't folks say that it don't work the same way as Equestria." Applejack added as the smoke version of Nightmare Moon split into six pieces and dug itself into the rocks of the cliff side the six ponies were walking on.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Twilight said back the slight tint of panic in her voice.
"No pony knows." Rainbow Dash said in a tone of voice made deliberately to scare the other ponies.
"You know why..." Rainbow now on the ground slowing walking toward Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy like she was a large cat stalking it's prey.
"Rainbow quit it." Applejack said to Rainbow trying to make her stop with no success. "Because everypony that has never come in as never come out." Rainbow Dash said ignoring Applejack on pinning the three other ponies up against the cliff's face. In perfect dramatic timing, Nightmare Moon forced the cliff to give way and the four non-Pegasus ponies started falling down the cliff.
"Fluttershy quick." Rainbow said to the yellow Pegasus as their friends started plummeting down the cliff side.
"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness." Fluttershy said to herself as she followed Rainbow Dash. Rainbow and Fluttershy helped save Pinkie and Rarity. Applejack used her teeth to save herself by grabbing onto a root stopping her momentum. Twilight, however kept sliding down the cliff barely be able to stop herself on the edge of another cliff which dropped down easily a hundred feet.
"Hold on, I'm a-comin'." Applejack said letting go of the root and slide down to Twilight to try and help her. Applejack grabbed onto Twilight's hoofs trying to stop her from falling off the cliff.
"Applejack what do I do?" Twilight up to Applejack knowing that she might die at that exact moment.
"Let go." Applejack said looking up to see Rainbow and Fluttershy getting into position to catch Twilight if she fell.
"Are you crazy!?" Twilight said up to Applejack confused that she would even suggest her to let go.
"No, I ain't, I promise you'll be safe." Applejack to Twilight trying to reassure her that will be in fact alright.
"That's not true." Twilight said back to Applejack making a respond back showing her Element of Harmony.
"Now, listen here. What I'm telling you is the honest truth. Let go and you'll be safe." Twilight's eyes dilated to the size of oranges and she let go falling off the cliff screaming. She fell for a few feet and was quickly caught by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.
"Phew." Twilight said to herself relieved that she hadn't been turned into a pancake. The three ponies then quickly lost altitude as Fluttershy wasn't used to in her words.
"Sorry girls, I'm not used to holding anything heavier than a bunny or two. The three ponies than safely hovered back down the ground as Twilight watched Applejack jumped down the cliff landing on small sections of rock that protruded outward. The smoke form of Nightmare Moon switching strategies flew into the forest and attacked a manticore, a large lion with the tail of a scorpion, and the wings of a bat making it roar into the darkness.
The six ponies continued on their journey until their path was blocked by the same Manticore that Nightmare Moon had attacked earlier."And once Pinkie and Rarity were safe! Whoa! I, Fluttershy loop-the-looped around and wham caught you just in the nick of time." Rainbow Dash said slightly gloating about saving Twilight's life.
"I know I was there, and I' very grateful, but we got..." Twilight began to say to Rainbow before the Manticore blocked the path of the six ponies. "A Manticore!" Twilight shouted, naming the beast that was blocking their path. The Manticore reared up on its hind legs and roared at the six ponies. "We got to get passed him." Twilight said slightly stating the obvious.
The Manticore than charged at Rarity its lion paw barely missing her. Rarity responded with a kink to the beast face and said. "Take that you ruffian." The Manticore than roared at Rarity the wind created by the roar messing up Rarity's mane. "My hair!" Rarity cried out before retreating backwards.
"Wait." Fluttershy whispered trying to get her friends to listen, sadly to no prevail.
The Manticore began to charge again only to stop as Applejack jumped on its back and rode the beast as if it was a bull in a rodeo. The Manticore bucked off Applejack only a few seconds later and Applejack said to the hovering Rainbow Dash. "All yours partner."
"I'm on it." Rainbow Dash before she few around the beast surrounding it in a tornado of rainbow colors. The Manticore quickly disposed of Rainbow by using its scorpion tail to bat her away.
The five ponies; Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack then began to charge at the Manticore. The five were quickly stopped by Fluttershy yelling, well the loudest she could.
"Wait!" Fluttershy then walked up to the Manticore which raised its right foreleg ready to attack only to be calmed down by the calm voice of Fluttershy saying. "Shh, it's okay." The Manticore seeing Fluttershy as a friend opened its other paw to show a large thorn sticking into it. "Oh, you poor, poor little baby. Now, this meant hurt for just a second." Fluttershy said seeing the thorn and began to pull it out.
The Manticore roared as Fluttershy pulled out the thorn than quickly began to lick the yellow Pegasus its red tongue going all over Fluttershy's mane. "Oh, you're just a little old baby kitty, aren't you? Yes, you are." Fluttershy said as her five friends walked passed the Manticore.
"How did you know about the thorn?" Twilight asked Fluttershy.
"I didn't, but sometimes we all just have to show a little kindness." Fluttershy said back showing her element that she would come to process later. The thorn then transformed back into the blue smoke of Nightmare Moon and continued to follow the six ponies deeper into the Everfree Forest.
The six ponies continued to walk through the forest on their way to find the Castle of the Two Sisters the place that was said to hold the six elements. "My eyes need a rest from all this icky muck." Rarity said for to herself as the six ponies continued on their journey through the forest. As she said her words the moon dropped below the treetops and the entire forest was blanketed with darkness. "Well, I didn't mean that literally." Rarity mumbled to herself as the darkness set a cross the forest.
"The ancient ruin could be right in front of our faces and we couldn't even know it." Twilight said as the blue smoke of Nightmare Moon slipped passed them. The smoke of Nightmare Moon enchanted the many red trees of the forest to making them have scary faces on their trunks.
"Oh wait I think I stepped in something." Applejack said only for Fluttershy to scream. "It's just mud." Applejack said back walking into a red tree which now a face of a mouth had filled with teeth.
The trees of faces seemed to surround the six ponies and they all screamed into the darkness. Well all of them exact Pinkie. Who was instead laughing at one of the trees.
"Pinkie what are you doing run!" Twilight said over to the pink pony.
"Oh, girls don't you see. When I was a little filly and the sun was going down." Pinkie began to start singing.
"Please tell me she's not." Twilight said not wanting Pinkie to sing. "
"The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown." Pinkie continued to sing.
"She is." Rarity said confirming what Twilight had previously said.
"I'd hide under my pillow from what I thought I saw. But Granny Pie said that wasn't the way to deal with fears at all." Pinkie continued to sing hopping around the forest her chipper attitude lighting up the forest.
"Then what is?" Rainbow asked Pinkie.
"She said 'Pinkie you gotta stand up tall. Learn to face your fears you'll see that they can't hurt you just laugh and make them disappear." Pinkie sang and laughed at a nearby tree removing its scaring face and leaving a normal tree. The rest of the ponies than laughed the trees until they were all turned back to normal and the six ponies collapsed on the ground laughing. Pinkie showing the element that she would soon gain laughter.
The six ponies then continued on their way, Pinkie hopping around rather than walking. The six ponies stopped as they reached a large raging river.
"How are we going to cross this?" Pinkie said looking at the raging river. The six ponies than heard a large purple sea serpent weeping further down the stream.
"What a world, what a word." The large creature said to himself.
"Excuse me, sir, why are you crying?" Twilight asked the snake-like creature.
"Well, I don't know I was just sitting here minding my own business. When this tacky little cloud of purple smoke just whisked passed me, and tore half of my beloved mustache clean off. And now I look simply horrid." The creature said showing the six ponies his newly cut orange mustache. The serpent then dived into the raging river splashing the ponies with water.
"Oh give me a break." Rainbow said to herself not assumed by the serpent's problem.
"That's what all the-fuss is about?" Applejack said expressing the same feelings as Rainbow.
"Oh, course it is. How can you be so insensitive?" Rarity said showing her pity and understanding for the creature.
"Oh, just look at him. Just such luminescent scales." Rarity said directing the serpent admiring his scales.
"I know." The serpent said agreeing with her. "And your expertly coifed mane." Rarity continued admiring the orange mane of the serpent matching his mustache.
"Oh I know, I know." The serpent continued to say as Rarity piled on.
"Your fabulous manicure All ruined without your beautiful mustache. I simply cannot let such a crime against fabulosity go uncorrected." Rarity said and we went and pulled one of the scales out of the serpents hide and used its sharp edge to cut off a small section of her purple tail, and she used it to fix the serpent's mustache. Grateful the serpent calmed down the river and allowed the ponies to use his back as a bridge to across the river. This small act of kindness showed Rarity's element, the Element of Generosity.
The six ponies continued on their path through the forest coming into view of the ruin of the old castle. "There it is! The ruin that holds the Elements of Harmony. We made it!" Twilight said seeing the castle and bolted toward it the other ponies not far behind. "We're almost there..." Twilight said back to the others only to almost fall off another cliff which bridge had been destroyed.
"What's with you and fall off cliffs today?" Rainbow said catching and pulling Twilight back by her tail.
"sigh... Now, what?" Pinkie said looking across the fog covered ravine.
"Duh." Rainbow Dash said flipping her wings and flew into the clouds picking up the fallen section of the bridge and dragging it across. She put the rope to the bridge down on the other side of the ravine ready to fix the bridge.
"Rainbow." Rainbow Dash heard an echoing voice as the smoke of Nightmare Moon slipped passed her.
"Who's there?" Rainbow said dropping the rope looking around for the voice. "I ain't scared of you. Show yourself." Rainbow Dash said rearing up on her hind legs ready to fight.
"We have been eagerly awaiting your arrival of the best flier in Equestria." The voice said from the fog that blanketed the area.
"Who?" Rainbow said into the fog confused. "Why you of course." The same voice said back. "Really? I mean, oh yeah me. Hey, uh you wouldn't mind telling the Wonderbolts that would you. Because I've been trying to get into that ground for-like-ever." Rainbow said into the fog slightly fangirling about her role models.
"Now Rainbow Dash we want you to join us, the Shadowbolts." The voice said and three Pegasus wearing black and purple flying suits ran out of the fog showing themselves to Rainbow Dash. "We're the greatest air team in the Everfree Forest, and soon we will be the greatest in all of Equestria. But first, we need a captain." The lead female Pegasus said to Rainbow Dash in the same voice as Nightmare Moon.
"The most manifest... swiftest... bravest flyer in all the land. We need you." The Pegasus pilled on using Rainbow's wanting to join the Wonderbolts and competitive drive against her.
"Sign me up, just let me tie this bridge real quick then we have a deal." Rainbow said to the Shadowbolts.
"No, it's them or us." The mane Pegasus said testing Rainbow Dash's loyalty to her friends.
"Rainbow what's taking so long? Oh, no Rainbow." Twilight said from across the ravine, seeing the three Pegasus talking to her. The mane Pegasus yellow eyes then glowed and the fog grew completely covering the other ponies and blocking out any other words coming from them.
"Well?" The Shadowbolt said hoping that Rainbow would abandon her friends.
"You..." Rainbow said and the Pegasus light up with excitement only for it to be destroyed a second later by Rainbow saying.
"Thank you for the offer, I mean. But I've afraid I have to say no." Rainbow said retying the bridge and flying back to her friends. The three Shadowbolts then split back into the blue smoke of Nightmare Moon and retreated back into the forest failing for the fifth time to stop the six ponies.
"Good job, Rainbow." Twilight said up to Rainbow as the ponies walked across the fixed bridge.
"See I never leave my friends hanging." Rainbow said to Twilight as she flew across the ravine showing her element, the Element of Loyalty.
The six ponies walked through the ruins until they came to a room with a large stature with five rocks on a turntable around a large dome.
"Come on Twilight isn't this what you been waiting for?" Applejack asked Twilight as the six ponies look at the Elements of Harmony.
"The Elements of Harmony, we found them." Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew up to the stature and picked up the five elements placing them on the ground."
"One, two, three, four. Uh, there's only five." Pinkie said as the two Pegasus put the elements on the ground.
"Where's the sixth." Rainbow said expressly the same concern as Pinkie.
The book said that when the five are present a spark will cause the sixth element to be revealed." Twilight said explaining the situation, while not understanding what it truly meant.
"What in the hay is that supposed to mean." Applejack said confused.
"I'm not sure, but I have an idea... stand back. I don't know what will happen." Twilight said to the other five ponies using her magic on the rocks.
"Come on ya'll she needs to concentrate." Applejack said as the five ponies left the room so Twilight could do her magic.
Just as Twilight was doing her magic the blue smoke of Nightmare Moon slipped her and created a blue tornado surrounding the elements trying to steal them. Twilight jumped into the blue vortex and the blue, the elements, and Twilight all disappeared.
"Twilight, where are you?" Applejack said looking around for their lost friend.
"Look." Rarity said seeing another part of the castle.
"Come on!" Applejack said as the five ponies rushed out of the room heading for the part of the castle looking for their friend.
Twilight reappeared in a different part of the ruined castle to see Nightmare Moon standing on top of a platform with the five elements circling around her. Nightmare Moon laughed evilly as lightning and thunder boomed around her.
Twilight stomped her hooves on the ground ready to charge at Nightmare Moon.
"You're kidding, you're kidding right." Nightmare Moon sarcastically said as the purple unicorn charged at her, Twilight's horn glowing from her magic. Just the two could collide Twilight teleport passed Nightmare Moon and to the platform were the elements were located.
"Just one spark, come on, come on." Twilight said using her magic. Nightmare Moon then transformed back into her blue smoke form and dived at Twilight. There was a small spark which blew Twilight backwards, but the sixth element did not appear.
"But where's the sixth element." Twilight said as Nightmare Moon laughed evilly when the sixth element didn't appear. Nightmare Moon then reared up on her hind legs and stomped on the ground shattering all the elements as if they were made of glass.
"You little foal! Thinking you could defeat me. Now you will never see your princess or your precious sun. The night will last forever." Nightmare Moon said her voice booming inside the castle as her mane created a blue vortex that looked like the night sky.
Twilight's attention then shifted when she heard the sound of her five friends behind her and she finally understood what she must do.
"You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that. Well, you're wrong. Because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here!" Twilight shouted as her five friends regrouped behind her.
Then five different sharps from the left over elements floated into the sky next to Nightmare Moon, who stood there in shock.
"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the Spirit of Honesty." Twilight began her monologue as the leftover shards of the Element of Honesty formed around Applejack in an aura of orange magic.
"Fluttershy, who tamed the Manticore with her compassion, represents the Spirit of Kindness." Twilight continued as the remaining shards of the Element of Kindness surrounded Fluttershy in a similar manner as Applejack, in an aura of pink magic.
"Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the Spirit of Laughter." Twilight continued as the remaining shards surrounded Pinkie in an aura of blue magic.
"Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the Spirit of Generosity." Twilight continued as the shards from the Element of Generosity surrounded in an aura of purple magic.
"And Rainbow Dash who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire represents the Spirit of Loyalty." Twilight said as the shards from the Element of Loyalty surrounded Rainbow in an aura of red magic.
"The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us." Twilight said finishing her little monologue.
"You still don't have the sixth element. The spark didn't work." Luna, I mean Nightmare Moon said.
"But it did, a different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside of me when I realized that you all... are my friends." Twilight said accepting the gift and magic that comes with friendship and when she did the sixth final element appeared, the Element of Magic.
"You see Nightmare Moon when those elements are ignited by the... the spark that resides within the heart of us all it creates the sixth element. The Element of Magic." Then the Element of Magic glowed brightly, followed shortly by the other elements sharps combining together to create necklaces. The Element of Magic, however, transformed into a large crown thingy that rested on top of Twilight's head. The six elements then combined to create a massive beam of rainbow colors surrounding Nightmare Moon in the vortex.
After the magic settled the six ponies woke up exhausted from using the elements. "Everypony ok?" Applejack asked the others.
"Oh, thank goodness." Rarity said her tail back to its former glory. "Why, Rarity it's so lovely." Fluttershy said to Rarity. "I know, I'll never part with it again." Rarity said snuggling with her tail.
"No, your necklace, it looks just like your cutie mark." Fluttershy said pointing out the similarities, only the element being purple, not blue.
"So does yours." Rarity said as the six ponies admired their newly acquired jewelry.
"I thought you were just spouting a lot of hooey. But I reckon that we really represent the Elements of Friendship." Applejack said to the whole group.
"Indeed, you do." The voice of Celestia said as she raised the sun over the mountains. Her form appearing out of the sun inside the ruined castle she once shared with her sister. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity all bowed their ruler as Twilight rejoiced over the return of her mentor.
"Twilight Sparkle my faithful student. I knew you could do it." Celestia said to her student.
"But you told me it was an old pony's tale." Twilight said up to her teacher confused.
"I told you that you needed to make some friends nothing more." Celestia said reassuring her faithful student of the true meaning of her words.
"I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return and I knew that it you who had the magic inside to defeat her. But you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart." Celestia said to all the ponies.
"Now if only another will as well." Celestia said over to the unconscious body of her newly reformed sister. Luna quickly regained consciousness and look up to her see her older sister towering over her, her flowing mane shining like the colors of the sky.
"It has been a thousand years seen I have seen you like this." Celestia said down to her sister, Luna's flowing mane disappearing as her magic was drained from her when she transformed back form Nightmare Moon.
"Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together little sister." Celestia said to her little sister sitting down to her level. "Sister!" The six ponies said from this revelation.
"Will you accept my friendship?" Celestia said to her weakened sibling standing back up.
"I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister." Luna said running up into a hug with her sister.
"I've missed you too." Celestia said the two royal sisters reconciling. The touching moment was immediately turned to comedy as Pinkie began over-the-top sobbing stopping the instant she began speaking.
"Hey! You know what this calls for?" Pinkie said as the scene switched to Ponyville.
"A Party!" Pinkie said as all of the ponies of Ponyville had a celebration for the return of the Princess of the Night. Luna even received a veil from one of the longer ponies.
"Why so glum my faithful student? Are you not happy that your quest is completed, and you can return to your studies in Canterlot?" Celestia said to Twilight both asking and making a statement at the same time.
"That's just it. Just as I learn the how wonderful it is to have friends. I have to leave them." Twilight said her opinion on friendship far different than it was twenty-four hours earlier.
"Spike, take a note please." Celestia said to Spike as he pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down all of Celestia's words.
"I, Princess Celestia hereby decree that the unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue to study the magic of friendship. She must report back to me her findings from her new home in Ponyville." Celestia said giving Twilight the assignment that would make more than just a regular purple unicorn. "Oh, thank you, Princess Celestia. I'll study harder than ever before." Twilight as the entire town cheered from the news, for some reason. "Isn't this exciting? Are you excited? Because I'm never been so excited, expect for the time I went gasp." Pinkie taking the fourth wall and shooting it with a tank.
The scene switched to Canterlot as the many citizens woke up to the news of Princess Luna's return. "Did you hear about the return of Princess Luna?" A blue unicorn by the name of Minuette said to her friends.
"I didn't even know that we had another princess." A yellow unicorn by the name of Lemon Hearts said back.
"Did you all feel that earthquake last night?" A yellowish-gray unicorn that bore an eerie similarity to Twilight said.
"There was an earthquake?" Minuette said to the other unicorn.
"There was no earthquake. You must be imaging things Moon Dancer." Lemon Hearts said to Moon Dancer as two other unicorns left with the.
"I'm not imaging things. I couldn't have imaged my equipment showing that seismic activity last night." Moondancer said to herself as she returned to her home, only to leave it a few hours later when she went to the library. She would continue to study the small earthquakes that would soon come to plague all of Canterlot as the enormous dragon that lay beneath it began to awake of its fifteen hundred year slumber.