//------------------------------// // To hope... // Story: The Equestrian Omni-Knight // by Azure5555 //------------------------------// Nigh faint sounds of an almost familiar song echo through the basement walls, the shuffling of hooves growing fainter and fainter, and the door once again opening and closing. "Who is it this time?" I ask, now taking notice of how less repressed I sound. "Liam." Oh shit... "Angel!?" "So you do know, Spike told me everything. The girls are currently at the Summer Sun Celebration, which gives us more than enough time to talk." "That's all well and good then, but I have to ask. How'd you get here?" "It's complicated-" "Wolfram and Hart." "Okay, less complicated. We had just killed the ringleaders of Wolfram and Hart, we thought it would be the end." "But Wesley was dead, Gunn was dying and it was three against every demon in LA. Right?" I felt hesitation, and...a heartbeat? "How did you know? This is something I've kept to myself since getting here." "I think I know how the story ends. A blinding light engulfs everything in the alleyway and when it was over you woke up here." "Who the hell are you?" "I'm...huh. I've been reminding myself for so long I...can't seem to recall. My allies call me Azure." "Blue? Really?" "Yeah, you here long?" "I have to go get Spike, make sure Ponyville actually has a fighting chance." "You shouldn't be too worried, Twilight's got it handled." The stone floors echoed with soft steps, and the door opened and closed for the third time this day. 'I wonder what ol' Nightmare is up to...' The Nightmare (Nightmare Moon POV) 'Stupid ponies, stupid ancient forgotten hero, stupid stupid stupid!' 'And what is it that causes you such ire?' 'Stupid lunar princesses...' Nightmare Moon glided along the dirt path of the Everfree, her now constant struggle against her host body growing ever more difficult. It was in no part due to the symbiote leaving behind bits of her magic to lay traps against the ponies following her, but due in fact to her host now finding more and more will of her own. It took all the concentration she had just to keep from slipping. 'Pray tell our destination?' Asked Luna. 'My birthplace, and the gravesite of these putrid nuisances!' 'You would end their lives? But what of our plan?' 'To Tartaurus with the plan! I will rule Equestria as I should have!' 'Quiet, I see Twilight and her allies.' 'Perfect...' Nightmare Moon lay in wait, if the six succeeded, it would mean another 1000 years of imprisonment, but it would also mean boundless power. Thus, she waited as the scene before her played itself out. "There doesn't seem to be a single thing here! Ugh, not to mention that this place is utterly ghastly." Whined a ghostly white unicorn. "I'm with Rarity on this one, place jus' gives me the creeps." Said an orange Earth pony in reply. "It's not all bad- The pink mound of sugar induced madness began to pop out from several trap doors that littered the castle chamber. -WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! Again!" "At least one of us is having fun..." whimpered a butter yellow pegasus, only to be comforted by a rainbow maned pegasus next to her. "Don't worry girls, if I was a betting mare...aha!" The lavender unicorn, Twilight as Nightmare recalled, had found a hidden switch. Pressing it activated a mechanism within the ruined chamber, and with in seconds the floor opened to reveal five of the six Elements of Harmony. "Alright!! Great job team, now all we need is to figure out how they work and kick that sorry excuse for a princess right where the sun don't shine!" Cheered the rainbow pegasus. 'Ouch! That hurt me...' Said the symbiote. 'I am you.' Countered Luna. 'Hmph, not for long...' "Rainbow, I wish it were that simple, but there are still only five of the six Elements here. Without the final Element, the remaining five are useless." Stated Twilight. "So what yer saying is that we're pretty much sitting ducks unless we find the last Element somehow." Chimed the orange Earth pony. "Basically, but I have a- Without warning, a swift shadow seized the five stone artifacts. "A plan?!" Screams echoed throughout the chamber. Before the six mares, standing no taller than six-foot-six was the herald of eternal night. The Elements at her hooves. "Hmph, I was so hoping you would activate these...artifacts of endless power but it would seem far more beneficial to me to destroy any hopes you may yet have!!" And in a flash, the Elements where naught but fractured stone. "Ha! AHAHAHAHAHA!!! "HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!" HAHAha........Stop that." "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA.....hoo..oh sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt." Stated Twilight. "It's just that...*sigh* I know we should be intimidated by you...especially seeing as how where at such a large disadvantage- "Egghead what are you doing?" "Quiet Dash she's doing a thing!" Whispered Pinkie. -but you're overlooking something." "And what would that be?" Questioned Nightmare. With two quick flashes of magic, the fractured Elements had returned to the group. "Kindness, laughter, generosity, honesty, and loyalty. These are the traits required to hold the Elements. These...are the very same traits exhibited by the ponies gathered here. It doesn't matter if we can't activate these stones. What truly matters is that no matter what, the Essence of Harmony will always exist within those chosen by fate-" The five ponies gathered near Twilight begin to glow with blinding light, as her words inspire hope within them. "-Which is why we shall not falter to darkness such as yours!!" "Hmph, what a grand speech. Utterly pointless, but grand nonetheless. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be killing you......" Before the symbiote even had time to react, the six ponies gathered now resonated with power as the shattered Elements adorned them. "No..." 'How the mighty doth fall.' 'If I go down i'm taking your magic with me!' 'You wouldn't-' The light subsided...the day was won, and the shadow flees. 'There's always plan B'.