When everypony and human arrived at the throne room, there was nopony there, Cadence then remembered her aunt Celestia was resting, Applejack told her they left her in her room, She immediately told everypony to wait in the room and ran to find her, it was almost time to lower the sun and raise the moon anyway, once she was gone, silent took over on the room, trying to break the ice, Twilight asked to Steel:
“Sooooo, Bri. . .I mean Steel, you lived in Minus for many years, tell me, how is it? Is it nice?”
“. . . .well, yeah it’s nice, even with the dangerous monsters in the forest and some bad guys and thiefs, yes, it’s a nice place to live”
(Gulp) “Dangerous creatures in the forest? Bad guys?”
“Yeah, Manticores, Chimeras, Timberwolves, you name it and for bad guys well. . . let’s just say I met some dudes I really don’t want to meet again”
“I see. . . and what about your scars?. . .If we can know”
“These. . .Well, you can’t live as a hunter without getting some souvenirs hehehehe”
“Hunter?”
“Yes a Hunter, my master trained me since I was a kid, we made a living by hunting, fishing and selling the meat we didn’t eat”
After hearing that, Everypony’s eyes widened and took a step back, then Rainbow Dash aproached to Steel.
“Wait wait wait, so you are telling us YOU ARE CARNIVORUS?”
“No, I’m omnivore, I can eat meat, vegetables and fruit and before you start to panic, No! I don’t eat pony, minotaur, zebra, dragon or any sentinent creature meat. . . well, except for chimeras but they are technically not inteligent”
Everypony calmed down after hearing that, Fluttershy still seemed a little uneasy but she couldn’t judge Steel, many of her animals friends were carnivorous and omnivores, it’s just part of their nature but she noted to talk to him to pinkie promise to leave her animal friends out of his menú in case he’d visit Ponyville.
For 20 minutes, Steel answered many questions about himself and his life in the past 8 years, he didn’t have to hide anything, after all, there was nothing to be ashamed for, his friends and “family” were great creatures, Twilight then, looking Bright was more confortable around them, took the chance:
“sooooo, Steel, can you please tell me about the Axe you used againts Chrysallis? You know, the one that shots lightning beams”
“hmmmmm, sorry Twilight, but I think I still don’t know you enough to be trusted that information”
Twilight felt hurt but she also understood, Bright had just return and was meeting her again, it was obvious he would not share that kind of informatio, at least not yet, Everypony noticed Twilight expresión, by that moment it was obvious Twilight knew Steel from before, Rarity then asked:
“Twilight, I wanted to ask you this a little while ago but. . . is there any chance you know Mr Steel from before?”
(Sigh) “To answer your question. . .Yes Rarity, I met Steel many years ago, when I was a filly, you could say he. . was my very first friend outside family and . . . (Blushed)
After hearing Twilight, everypony gasped but Rarity noticed Twilight deep blush – “My my, this is interesting” she thought.
“But if that’s true. . .how come yah never told us about him?” Applejack asked, her voice sounded a little hurt.
“Listen girls, I’m sorry if I hide his existence from you but please, try to understand, me, my family and other ponies made an oath to never say a word about him, it was too painfull, most of all for Princess Celestia and Cadence, for years we lived thinking he. . .he was dead”
“Painful? Dead? For Princess Celestia and Cadence? What you mean darling, what was he for Princess Celestia” Rarity asked.
“I’m sorry girls but that’s not my story to tell, as Cadence said, I promise all the questions will be answered but not by me, it’s not my place, please just wait a little longer”
Everypony noded, they wanted to know the whole story but trusted Twilight, before they could ask some more questions to the human, Cadence, slaming the doors, entered the room, she was levitating the Elements of harmony with her magic and she looked really worried.
“Twilight! we have troubles!”
“What is it Cadence?”
“No time to explain, we need you and the rest of the Elements, now!”
“Ok!”
Everypony started to follow Cadence, Steel as well but Cadence stopped him.
“Bri. . .Steel, please can you wait here in the Throne room?”
“Why?”
“Please trust me, right now. . . If she sees you, I don’t know what would happen”
“. . . ok, I’ll trust you in this one” Steel said, If the ponies didn’t want him to participate in whatever they would do. . .he was fine by him.
Cadence smiled and noded, she then with the rest of the Elements proceded to go to wherever Cadence was heading, when they arrived to their destination, everypony was shocked, it was Princess Celestia’s room and not only that, there were some guards outside, casting a soundproof spell on the door, whatever was happening inside, they didn’t want anypony in Canterlot to hear it, when they entered the room, they didn’t believe what they were watching, there were at least a dozen of unicorn guards, they were using their magic to contain Princess Celestia but she looked so diferent, she was wearing some kind gold armor, her mane was on fire and her eyes, even though they were the same color. . .they looked like dragon’s eyes, there was no doubt, it was like a Shining versión of NightMare moon.
“LET ME GOOOOOOOOO! I HAVE TO SEE HIM! I NEED TO SEE HIM! I WONT LOSE HIM AGAIN! I NEED MY SON, I NEEEEED MY SOOOOOOON!”
- - - - -- - - - - - - -
(20 MINUTES AGO)
Celestia was having an amazing dream, she was in the royal gardens, sharing a nice picnic with her son, they enjoyed each other company, playing together and flying with her son on her barrel, it was a perfect day, once on the ground, Bright hugged her tightly.
“I love you mommy, do you love me mommy?”
“Of course I love you my sunshine”
“Will you always be with me?”
“Of Course I will”
“Will you always protect me?”
“With my life “
At that moment Celestia noticed the blue sky was starting to turn grey.
“Then. . . why you let them take me away from you?”
“What?”
“Why you let them to. . . hurt me. . .to kill me?”
“Kill you? . .no, I didn’t”
Celestia was trying to break the hug to see her son to the eyes to tell him he was wrong but she couldn’t, he was so strong.
“YOU LET ME TO DIE!”
“But, you are not dead, you, you came back to me, we can be a family again!. . .right?”
“No, we can’t, I don’t trust you anymore, that’s why I chose to forget you! I needed you, I needed you for these eight year, where were you? you told me you would always protect me and that very same night you let those mean ponies to take me away from you”
“No, you are wrong, I, I didn’t, I’d never. . . I thought you were”
“Dead? You thought I was dead? Just by looking at some bloody pendant and a little search?”
“I WAS DEVASTATED, I DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THE SITUATION, THE PAIN WAS TOO MUCH!”
“Well. . .at least you were right in one thing”
Bright broke the hug and looked at Celestia, face to face, If It wouldn’t had been a dream, Celestia’d had fainted at that moment, Bright’s face was covered in cuts and blood, his clothes were all dirty and torned.
“I died that day, I mean, Bright Sunny died”
The little bloody kid then backed off and started to run away from her, Celestia tried to run catch him but she wasn’t getting any near from him, in her desperation, she screamed:
“WAIT! THIS DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY, YOU ARE BACK! WE CAN BE TOGETHER AGAIN! YOU ARE MY SON! I’M YOUR MOTHER! I LOVE YOU. . . I NEED YOU”
The kid turned around and screamed.
“Guess what? I DON’T NEED YOU, I DIDN’T NEED YOU FOR THESE 8 YEARS! YOU ARE DEAD TO ME! YOU ARE LOSING ME AGAIN AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!”
Bright kept running until he was out of sight, Celestia’s eyes then lost all shine, he was gone!, just like 8 years ago, she failed him and she knew it, she then colapsed there and started to cry, she remained like that for minutes until a dark figure appeared in front of her and spoke:
“You want him to stay with you?”
Celestia raised her head, she saw the dark figure, it looked like her, she wasn’t a fool, she knew what it was, the very same thing that separated her from her sister years ago, she lowered her head and said:
“Go away! You only brings drisgraces”
“hahahaha, Silly Celestia, I’m not here to bring troubles, I want to help you”
“How do you exactly think you can help me?”
“If your son doesn’t want to stay with you, forcé him! Forcé him to stay and love you again, forcé him to stay by your side forever”
“N. . .No! I can’t do that, I’m his mother. . . not a Captor”
“Is that so? then you will lose him again, he will leave. . .hating you”
“Hating. . .me?”
“Yes! he will hate you because you didn’t do what’s necesary to make him stay, he will hate your lack of comitment!”
At that moment, both alicorns were surounded by hundreds of blody Brights, all of them screaming:
“I HATE YOU”
“WHY YOU DIDN’T STAY BY MY SIDE”
I’M NO LONGER YOU SON”
“I’M LEAVING AGAIN”
“YOU ARE DEAD TO ME!”
“DIE! DIE! DIE!”
Celestia tried to cover her ears to stop listening to the kids with no success, no longer being able to contain she screamed with all her strenght.
“No! I will not let that to happen! He will be with me forever! Even if he doesn’t want to! Even if I have to imprison him in a dungeon! HAHAHAHAHAHA, yes, yes, In time, he will love me again! Right? Right????”
“That’s my girl”
(End of dream)
Cadence was entering the room, humming and smiling, she had hope if Bright looked at her mother, that could help him to remember a little.
“Hello Aunti. . .” – she then saw the bed was on fire and inside the fire there was her aunt but she was. . .diferent, she looked like. ..
“Oh no!”
“Cadence my dear, I’m so glad you are here, tell me, you managed to find my beautiful son?”
“. . . yes?”
“Splendid! Tell me, where is he? I think we have so much to catch up”
“Aunt. . .I don’t think it would be. . .a good idea if he sees you like that, remember he is not that fond to ponies? at least not yet, I’m pretty sure that form. . will definetely push him away”
“hahahahaha, even if that’s the case, that will not be a problem, I have not intention in letting him leave Equestria anyway, he will be with us forever, with you, with me, with Twilight, everything will be as before! Even if I have to forcé him to”
“Force him? What. . .are you talking about?”
“Cadence, he was taking away from us because I was a fool, I took my eyes away from him and you saw what happened, this time I will not make the same mistake, he will always by my side and when not (giggle) well, let’s just say we have a nice royal dungeon to build”
(gulp) “Dungeon? Auntie. . .you are not thinking crearly, please. . .let’s calm down and talk about this”
“Oh nonononono, there is nothing to talk about, I have already decided it, now tell me. . .WHERE IS MY SON?”
“Guards!” Cadence screamed.
At that moment, Many guards entered the room.
“Cadence! What’s the meani. .”
Celestia couldn’t finish talking for she was restricted in Cadence’s aura.
“Guards. . .help me restricting her, the Nightmare took over her, she is becoming another nightmare moon!. . .HELP NOW!”
The guards, after hearing the name Nightmare moon, panicked and helped with their magic to restrict her. They had their doubt but even them could feel the darkness present in their lovely ruler.
“AHG, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING. . .THIS IS TREASON! LET ME GO! I JUST WANT TO SEE MY SON AND MAKE SURE HE DOESN’T LEAVE ME AGAIN!”
Cadence and the guards were doing their best to stop her, very soon more unicorns came to help, Shinning armor included. Cadence explained quickly what was going on and that they found Bright.
“I see, ok Cadence! Go and get The Elements of Harmony, we can handle this and please. . . don’t bring Bright, the last thing we need is him to see his mother. . . like this”
Cadence noded and left the work to her fiance and the guards.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After seeing their Princess in that state and screaming like crazy, the mane 6 didn’t know what to say, some seconds later, Twilight managed to speak:
“Wha. .. What is going on?”
Cadence sharing some tears said:
“You know as well as me that Aunt Celestia never forgave herself for what happened to St. . .Bright, and today she found out her son is alive but doesn’t remember her, If I have to guess, she is so afraid of losing him again and her fears let the dark energy to take over her, obviously her defeat againts Chrysalis and the lack of rest didn’t help. . . I, I always thought it would be imposible for this to happen to her but. . . I guess even she has a limit of how much her heart can bare”
Twilight’s heart broke, seeing her mentor like this was too much.
“It was like when the dark forcé took over Princess Luna?”
Cadence noded – “Ok Twilight, as you did with Aunt Luna, please use the Elements of Harmony and free Celestia from the Dark Force”
The mane 6 noded and started to canalize their Elements, after some seconds they shot the rainbow beam directly to Celestia.
“NO! DON’T DO THIS, I NEED MY SON. . I WILL NOT BE DENIED!”
Celestia then using all her Nightmare power, teleported away from the beam, everypony was surprised, where was their ruler? They thought.
“HAHAHAHAHA you really thought your little Elements would match the love I feel for my son?”
Everypony looked up and saw “Nigthmare Sun” flying above them, before anypony could do something, she casted a shinning light to blind everypony, leaving them defenseless for some minutes.
“Now If you excuse me, I have a son to find” Nightmare Sun said and flew directly to the throne room where she thought he should be waiting for her.
- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -
Steel was in the middle of the throne room, sit with his legs curved and meditating, he didn’t know what to do, if what Cadence told him was true then how was he going to manage this situation, what was he going to say to his “Mother” when Zahari helped him to see her in his dreams, he couldn’t help to think she was so beautifull, that floating colored mane, the white shinning fur, those amazing magenta eyes, the motherly voice he liked so much.
“Damn! What to say to a mother you haven’t seen in 8 years. . . worst a mother you don’t even remember very well” He thought.
His thoughts were immediately interrupted when he felt something, it wasn’t a killing intent but still. . .it wasn’t anything good either, he stood up immediately and following his instincts, he hide behind a castle’s column. He waited for some second until. . .
“WHERE ARE YOU BRIGHT? MOMMY IS HERE!”
Steel looked agape of how literally the giant doors exploded and revealed another alicorn, she started to scan all the place, it was obvious she was looking for something but what was it? Steel thought.
“Bright Sweetie, please come out, there is nothing to be afraid for, Mommy is here now, I know I haven’t been there for you these 8 years but I really really want to amend that, please come out, let us be a happy family once again”
Steel was speechless, it seemed that alicorn was looking for him, well, she was calling for someone called Bright. . . he remembered hearing it in his dreams. . .maybe that was his Equestrian name, but. . . who was she, certanly it appeared she knew about him, she was even talking like if she was his. . .He then noticed something, not counting some details. . .she looked like his supposed. . . no! that can’t be!
After some minutes of calling for him and looking around the room, Nightmare Sun started to get impatient, her mane then started to burn again and she screamed:
“BRIGHT! COME OUT NOW! YOUR MOMMY DEMANDS IT!
(No response)
“FINE! THEN I WILL START TO WRECK THIS PLACE AND FORCE YOU OUT, I KNOW YOU ARE HERE! I CAN FEEL IT!, ARE YOU READY?”
Steel gulped and prepared for it.
Nightmare sun shot a beam to the throne, destroying in entirely, not sign of his son, she then started to destroy every courtain, forniture or place her son could be hidding, after a minute the throne room was not even a shadow of what it was, Steel was glad he choose a column to hide, there was not way this pony would be stupid enough to destroy those too, all the place would fall on them.
Nightmare Sun was desperate by this moment, she was sure her son was in that room, she didn’t know how but she was sure but there was no other place to hide. . .except.
“YOU ARE HIDING BEHIND A COLUMN AREN’T YOU BRIGHT?”
“Damn!” he screamed in his mind.
She then started to charge her horn.
“COME OUT NOW OR ALL THIS PLACE WILL FALL, DON’T YOU THINK I WILL NOT DO IT, I’LL DO ANYTHING TO FIND YOU! EVEN IF I HAVE TO SAVE YOU FROM BEING CRUSHED”
Ok, now Steel was sure, this pony was CRAZY!!!”
“AUNT CELESTIA! PLEASE! STOP SPEAKING NONSENSE!”
Steel and Nightmare Sun looked who screamed, it was Cadence alongside Twilight and her friends, behind them, there were dozens of guards, all of them looked shocked to see what her ruler had become.
“What you want Cadence? Don’t you see I’m very busy right now?”
“Please aunt, you are not thinking clearly, listen to yourself, are you really planing to destroy this place and risk Bright’s life?”
“But he doesn’t want to show up, what other choice do I have to find him?” Nightmare Sun said figthing her tears.
Cadence noticed her sad expresión, maybe her aunt had little control over the nightmare.
“I’m sure he will come out if he sees his mother”
“What are you talking about? I am his mother”
“No, I mean, his real mother, the wise alicorn who raised him with love and care for 10 years, the one without the armor, the flaming mane and treathening eyes, I’m sure he will want to see that beautiful Pony”
Nightmare Sun eyes widened, she stopped charging her horn and said:
“You, you think so?”
“I know so, what you say? Will you let Twilight and her friends to turn you into your real self, the self your son loved and still loves so much?”
In tears, Nigthmare Sun noded, Cadence smiled and gave Twilight and the Elements the signal, The Elements noded and started to charge their magic again, every guard, Cadence, Spike and Shinning Armor looked how the magical rainbow beam started to aproach Princess Celestia, everything was going according to the plan but then. . .
“NO! I WONT LET YOU DO IT!” Nightmare Sun screamed and teleported once again and dodged the beam.
“I FINALLY MANAGED TO POSESS CELESTIA AND I WILL NOT HAND HER OVER!”
Everypony was shocked, Cadence most of all.
“Cadence, what happened?” Shinning Armor asked.
“Oh no! the Dark Energy managed to get the full control of her body, now we are not dealing with my aunt anymore, she is fully Nightmare Sun now!”
Everypony gasped, it couldn’t be, now if they wanted to help Celestia, they had to fight her and they didn’t want to do that, then without a warning, Nightmare Sun started to charge her horn again.
“NOW, TO MAKE SURE NO PONY WILL EVER OPOSE ME AGAIN, I WILL DESTROY ALL THIS CASTLE, ALL OF YOU WILL DIE HERE! HAHAHAHAHAHA”
After hearing that, every unicorn started to shot beams at her, using an amazing speed and agility, she dodged all of them, Rainbow Dash and other pegasi tried to fight her with their hooves but were defeated easily, none of them remembered that Celestia may be a Princess but she also was an skilled warrior and with Nightmare powers, she was even stronger.
Steel was watching the scene in front of him, that alicorn was really his “mother” the pony who suposely raised him when he was a kid, now she was fighting her own kind, he didn’t know what to think, he thought about in running away, there was a window up to him, maybe no one would notice him, he had the chance to leave that madness and return to Minus or maybe Zebrica, never speak of any of this again, find a nice Zebra, minotaur, gryphin or who knows? Maybe a pony and then have a happy life. . . but, he knew he couldn’t, for what he saw, that thing wasn’t his mother, his real mother was under that thing’s control and he. . .had to help her, in his heart he knew he owned her one , Onyx tought him to always repay his debts, resigned, he prepared himself to do something very stupid, he chuckled to himself, maybe she really was his mother, he was as crazy as her.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Nightmare Sun’s horn was fully charged and ready to make a huge explotion.
“HAHAHAHAHA GOOD BYE, EVERYPONY! HAVE A GOOD ETERNITY IN TARTA. . . AGHHHHH”
Nightmare Sun couldn’t finish her final monologue for she felt her whole body being electrified by thousands volts, her horn stopped glowing and she fell to the ground, the effect didn’t last for she quickly stood up and looked the responsable of that, when she saw him, she didn’t know how to react, in front of him, there was a strange biped creature, a creature she never saw before, she then started to have a headache.
“Bright?!” she said, using Celestia’s voice . . “Is it really you?. . .wow! you look. . .amazing!”
“What? stay out of it Celestia! I’m in control now, return to the bottom of my mind where you have to be!”
“No! I will not let you hurt him! You promised me to help me!”
“I lied! I only wanted your body, I wanted it since a thousand years ago! But I only could get Luna”
“You monster! first you took my sister, then you tricked me and now you want to take my son away again?. . . .I DON’T THINK SO!”
“Well too bad Princess, you can’t stop me now! Nopony can! HAHAHAHA.. . .what?”
Nightmare Sun then noticed the biped creature was in front of her, how he managed to get there so fast? Then without a warning, he hugged her.
“I don’t know who you are! But I know you are not the one who raised me when I lived here. . . mother. . .if you are in there? Fight! Fight it!
Nightmare Sun then started to feel how Celestia was trying to take over again, this creature was helping her to defeat her, he was more dangerous than she thought.
“YOU INSOLENT FOOL! I WILL NOT LET YOU INTERFIERE! DIEEEEE!”
Nightmare Sun started to hit Steel in the back with her powerfull hooves.
“Bright!” Cadence and Twilight screamed and started to charge their horns.
“You stay out of it!” Nightmare Sun screamed and used her aura to hold everypony present.
Steel could feel how his bones and ribs were cracking, he was coughing blood, desperate for the pain, he took a desition.
“Forgive me. . . “mother”
He then summoned his axe and charged it completely, he then, gave Nightmare sun a electroshock of 10,000 volts, like the one he gave to the bugpony but contrary to the last one, he didn’t stop this time, he needed to make sure she stayed in that place, Nightmare Sun hished in pain and stopped her assult on him, she even lost focus to bind everypony.
Steel noticed this and smiled, he stared at Nightmare Sun to the eyes, they were full of hatred, he didn’t want to look at those eyes, he wanted to look those beautifull eyes full of love he saw in his dreams, he then started to remember all of them, how she hugged him when he was a baby, there were even new memories, he couldn’t explain how but they were there, how she remained by his side when he was sick, how she showed him moving. . .the sun and moon? How she told him to never leave her alone? And he answered he would never do that?”
Steel felt odd at that moment, he felt guilty? Somewhere in his heart. . .he knew he had broken an important promise to her, without noticed, some tears started to flow, it hurt even more now that he was hurting her, he wanted to end this the soon posible. He turned to everypony else and screamed.
“TWILIGHT NOW! DO WHATEVER YOU DO AND STOP HER”
“But. . .you will be trapped in the beam too!”
“Don’t worry about me, now! I can’t hold her for too much longer”
Twilight and her friends didn’t know what to do, what would the elements do to him? Turning him to stone? Evaporize him. . . Kill him?
“Damn! Twilight! c’mon! I really don’t have all day!. . . PLEASE! don’t worry, in case something happens to me, remember. . . Equestria needs her. . . not me. . . hehehehe I really can’t believe I may be throwing away my life for ponies, well. . .at least I have some of the answers I needed, now. . .DO IT!. . . please. . .save my mother”
By this moment, Twilight was crying, Bright called Celestia Mother? Maybe. . .she shaked off that thought for the moment, she didn’t have time for that, she noded to him and her friends who noded back, they once again started to charge the Elements and shot the rainbow beam, Nightmare Sun was horrified, this time she couldn’t teleported again, Steel was only chuckling. Both of them were surounded for the warm Rainbow, when the spell was over, everypony looked what happened, they saw their ruler was uncouncious but she was back to normal but that wasn’t all, she had a smile in her face for she was hugging her son who was hugging her back, everypony looked relieved that the Elements didn’t do anything to Bright, maybe because he wasn’t evil, who knows? The elements still had so many misteries to solve. Celestia in her sleep was whispering something.
“Welcome back. . . my sunshine”
Everypony smiled, some of the guards were even crying, their ruler was back to normal, all thanks to the Elements and that creature, Shinning Armor aproached to the sleeping duo, after looking at Bright for some seconds he said:
“He really is Bright, there is no doubt about it. . . wow, those scars. . .what he went trought?
Cadence answered.
“I really don’t know. . . but I’m planing to find out”
She then aproached to his cousin and aunt slowly, she levitated him away from her, even thought the scene was beautifull, she couldn’t let them like that, Steel still had amnesia and who knew what he would do if he woke up hugging a pony he didn’t remember, what pierced her heart was seeing Celestia narrowing her closed eyes and started to look for her son’s warm, she casted an spell to summon a large pillow for her to hug, thankfully it was enough for her to stop looking for her son.
Cadence then took Bright close to her and watched him sleep, he may be grown up, he may had some scars but he still was her sweet cousin, she started to cry and gave him a warm kiss in his cheek and remembered one of his Nick names she used to call him
“Welcome back. . .my. . . ”
She didn't have time to finish for the levitated human was caught in a crushing hug, given by no other than Pinkie Pie, everypony looked at her surprised.
“What? I told him he was going to be hugged by me before this day ended”
Everypony just rolled their eyes and Cadence proceded to take her cousin to his old room.
"Ahem. . .as I was saying, Welcom back, My treasure, welcome Back to your home"