//------------------------------// // Chapter 17 // Story: The Stars of Darkness // by D4ftP0ny //------------------------------// It had been a thousand years since Luna had seen any kind of combat, and as she listened to the chaos around her, she knew that she would never get used to it. The sounds were horrible; screams of soldiers as they fell wounded echoed across the valley and mixed with shouts from squad leaders rallying their troops in a cacophony that filled Luna’s head, making it difficult to think. Bursts of magic exploded randomly around her; small compared to what she knew Dark Star could manage, but more than enough to seriously wound a pony if they were caught in one. A fire spell exploded off of a small magic shield put up by a nearby unicorn, sending a wave of fire outwards that licked the grass around their hooves, causing it to burst into flames almost instantaneously. Luna raised her head, and just below where her helmet obscured her vision she could see a squadron of gold-armored pegasi swoop low over the battlefield, the whoosh of their wings driving all sound away for a brief moment before they sped away to intercept a small group of pegasi rising from the south, these clad in the black armor of Dark Star. Luna watched in disbelief as they closed in on the Royal Guards, who outnumbered them easily three-to-one… but that didn’t stop the smaller group. In seconds they had met with the Royal Guards and both squadrons broke into disarray as shouts echoed in the air, followed by the sounds of armor being smashed against and hooves striking out at one another. The Princess knew that certain pegasi of the Guard were specially trained and could make their wings cut deeper than any blade, but she knew they would not be using those techniques today unless their lives depended on it… whether Dark Star had somehow imbued his soldiers with those same techniques was still a mystery, and one that she prayed was impossible. The blue alicorn turned her attention back to the ground and twirled her spear as a small group of ponies charged her, their spears held aggressively as their hooves pounded against the turf. Her sea-green eyes narrowed beneath her helm, and in a flash every ounce of combat training she had ever received flooded into her mind; how to correctly block a spear strike, how to counter a side-swipe with the shaft, how to counterattack efficiently using your own spear point and shaft… She brought her spear around before her, held low and defensively as the group of ten ponies approached her… And just as a dozen groups before them, they broke around her before they were even within range of her spear like wind around a mountain peak. “To the Moon with you ALL!” she shouted, waving her spear uselessly after them as they charged recklessly into a battalion behind her. With a vexed sigh her horn ignited with magic; a dark blue aura surrounded her helmet as she ripped it from her head and threw it to the ground, then it surrounded her chainmail hood as she pulled it back, releasing her mane from its prison and allowing it to flow freely into the air. She jabbed the butt of her spear into the ground and turned her eyes to the hill where Dark Star still stood, surveying the battle. She could feel his eyes on her constantly, and knew without a doubt that this was his doing. It makes sense, of course; why would he risk his own mindless soldiers hurting the Princess that he wants to “save” so desperately? Every time Luna had tried to engage another pony in combat, it had been like they couldn’t even see her… but if he could make them avoid her… Her eyes widened. Then he can have his soldiers focus on Celestia. Panic gripped her heart as she frantically cast her eyes around the battlefield, trying desperately to locate her sister; finally she glanced high up into the sky, and found the pony she was looking for… but it appeared that she wasn’t having quite the problem that Luna thought she was. High above her, shining like the first star in the evening was Celestia, her sword drawn as she tried vainly to engage the few Pegasus troops that Dark Star had sent in against them. As Luna watched she flew directly into the path of one of the Pegasus soldiers, too close for him to change course; he slammed into her physically, but he fluttered back without hesitation, looked confused for a split second and then charged around her as if she wasn’t there at all. Celestia appeared to be growing as frustrated as Luna, because her horn flared to life and surrounded the offending Pegasus with an aura of magic; immediately the soldier lost consciousness and slumped within Celestia’s magical grip. Luna couldn’t help but smile slightly as her older sister descended quickly, keeping the soldier firmly held with her magic until she reached the ground where she placed him gently off to one side before turning to face Luna. It was a nifty trick, that one; she had put him into a very deep sleep, from which he would not awake for at least a whole day. It was a perfect way to subdue Dark Star’s soldiers, but it was unfortunately a spell that had to be done one pony at a time, and it was simply too time-consuming of a method to employ to any great effect. “This is ridiculous,” she huffed, removing her helm and chainmail as Luna had. “I have been having the same problems,” Luna said, glancing around them; the tide of battle still rose and fell about them, but there was a definite pocket around the two alicorns where no pony from Dark Star’s army would venture voluntarily, a bubble of safety for the two Princesses that they did not want. Celestia sighed angrily. “I understand why they are not attacking you, Luna… but why not me?” “A question I asked myself, as well,” Luna conceded. “And truth be told, I do not know. After all, you are the one he wants dead.” Celestia nodded, and the two sisters looked up to where Dark Star stood above the battle on his hill, directing his troops silently with but a wave of his horn and a flare of magic from the amulet of hate. It would only make sense for Dark Star to try and swarm Celestia with his army; force her to either fight off her subjects or die at their hooves. Gruesome and effective… but Dark Star was having his soldiers completely avoid both sisters. Suddenly, Dark Star turned his eyes on her, and even across the huge distance that separated them Luna could feel their eyes meet, and in that instant she understood. “He wants to fight you himself,” she said softly. “What?” Celestia asked incredulously. “What kind of plan is that?” Luna nodded. “Think about it, Tia; he’s waited for a thousand years to face the alicorn whom he truly believes stole his love from him. He would not want the opportunity to bring you to your knees himself slip by because some mindless soldier got in a lucky stab.” Her eyes found Celestia again, and she felt a strange kind of pride swell up in her chest. “He may be overtaken by Hate, but he’s still Brightsteel deep inside; if he’s going to fight somepony, he’ll want to do it himself.” Somehow, that single thought pierced the battle around her and stuck solidly in her mind. He’s still Brightsteel, deep inside. Could it really be true? She brought her eyes back to the dark figure standing above the battle, and in her heart felt a horrible mixture of distrust, disbelief and hope. The stallion you fell in love with might still be in there somewhere. “Then why not just challenge me to a duel, and be done with this foalishness?” Celestia said, hefting her sword. “I would gladly fight him alone rather than risk the lives of my soldiers.” “Fear,” Luna said simply, turning back to Celestia. “He’s a strategist; he knows that we are a peaceful land now, and that war is a terrifying prospect to most ponies, so he has brought that fear upon us.” She sighed sharply. “I have no doubt that once he defeats you, sister, he will spin this entire battle to make it your fault. What better way to win the love of the ponies of Equestria than to tell them you saved their homes from a terrible, horrifying tyrant?” You stupid, stupid unicorn, she thought angrily. I never would have thought you were capable of such duplicity. “That is… a horrible and brilliant plan,” Celestia said grudgingly as she cast her eye around the battlefield, and Luna took the opportunity to survey it herself. The front line of the Royal Guard was beginning to fall back and regroup amid shouted orders; Dark Star’s minions had simply turned from their battles and raced to the center of the field silently, needing no exchange of words to be told exactly what to do. Luna watched the enemy gather, and estimated that almost one hundred of their number had been disabled and rendered unable to fight… but a glance at their own troops made her brow furrow. Many were wounded, and they all looked angry and frustrated, and the Princess couldn’t blame them in the least. Celestia’s words brought her back to the situation at hand. “But what if he fails?” the white alicorn said. “If he loses this battle, the chances of him being able to regroup after this are… well, impossible.” Luna shook her head sadly. “My dear sister… if he loses, he truly believes that you will kill him, and that he will not get a second chance.” The white alicorn looked at her for a moment before lowering her sword tip to the ground. “But you know that I, above all others, abhor bloodshed,” she said. She turned her eyes to the dark figure on the hilltop. “Do you think that I will kill him?” she whispered. “No,” Luna said firmly. “I do not.” Her dark blue magic enveloped her spear, plucking it from the ground and placing it across her back between her wings. “I know you well enough to say that for a certainty.” Celestia sighed and offered her a slight smile even as her wings drooped. “And you’re right, of course… I can’t bring myself to end the life of any pony, even one as dangerous as Dark Star… and it is there that he has me at a serious disadvantage.” She shook her head, her multihued mane bobbing slightly. “Luna… this war cannot go on.” She met Luna’s gaze, her violet eyes resolved. “I would rather die at Dark Star’s hooves than put my subjects through another war. If I must die to end this conflict, I will gladly give myself to Dark Star.” Luna stared into her sister’s eyes, and a wave of frigid certainty washed over her, prickling her skin and stabbing deeply into her heart. “No, Celestia,” she said, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to control it. “I will not let you sacrifice yourself for this. I brought this down on us… and if it comes to it… I…” She swallowed; a tear trickled down her cheek and deep in her heart, she realized that this battle had indeed come to exactly where she’d feared it would: a horrifying choice. Save your sister? Or save the stallion who holds your heart? The answer was on her lips almost before she could think. Luna took a sharp breath and turned away from her sister, hoping that she would not see her tears. “If I must… I will kill Dark Star. I started this… and it is my task to end it, one way or another.” I’m so sorry, my love… ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The morning had begun simply enough; Rarity had apparently gotten out of bed surprisingly early and began to cook breakfast for them even before Morningstar woke. The white unicorn sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes with a hoof. Well… I suppose that’s not really a surprise, considering how late I was up… She’d managed to sneak into the house in the wee hours of the morning and get back to her room without waking Rarity, but even after she had returned it had taken her an eternity to fall asleep. Thoughts of her family, of the ponies here in Ponyville, of Wild Star and Falling Star, of Dark Star, of Luna… they had all piled into her head and refused to leave her be until finally the exhaustion of crying as she had and the lateness of the hour dragged her down into a deep, dreamless sleep. Now the smell of freshly brewed tea and the scent of lightly toasted bread wafted up to greet her as she forced her hooves out of bed and onto the floor. She clopped softly to her vanity and cast a glance at her reflection… and something was different. So many times before she had seen herself, even in this same mirror, and yet this morning, something was not the same. She squinted. Well, my mane is a wreck, she thought, but that wasn’t it… there was something else. Her horn lit up, and her brush lifted into the air; with slow, smooth strokes she began to brush out her mane as she stared into her own dark blue eyes. She couldn’t place what was different… but something was. Morningstar sighed and winced as the brush hit a particularly difficult snag; with a delicate thread of magic she took hold of the knot in her mane and untangled it, strand by strand, and the next pull of the brush went right through, smooth as silk. The unicorn stared at herself as she brushed… and finally she realized that what it was. Her brush stopped mid-stroke and her eyes widened as she took herself in; her long, shining mane, her perfectly straight horn, her large, dark eyes like deep pools of water at midnight, her smooth features and carefully kept coat… She was… pretty. Morningstar blinked at the absurdity of the thought. Of COURSE she was pretty; she hadn’t been as isolated as that at the Canterlot Academy of Magic. She’d had her fair share of admirers in her time, all of whom had told her how beautiful she was; even Wild Star had told her all those silly clichés before she’d put him in his place. But now, looking at herself in the mirror… No. It wasn’t that she was pretty. She… felt pretty. She felt beautiful today, for no real reason… and it was a feeling that she couldn’t remember having. Ever. Even her colt admirers hadn’t made her feel this way about herself; if anything, they’d only ever made her feel worse, because after she rebuffed them they simply wandered away to the next filly, spouting the same gibberish to her about how beautiful she was. The unicorn sniffled slightly and set her brush down on the vanity; she gently reached up with her hoof and touched first her mane, which she took so much care to maintain, and then her own cheek, dabbing at the tear that had made its way down it. “Today of all days, you start to feel good about yourself…” she chided her reflection softly. “And what brought that on, hmmm?” But she knew the answer even before she was finished asking the question. The same thing that made Wild Star feel more than anger, and Falling Star see through his fear, she thought. You’ve always felt worthless, Morninglight… your father made you feel it from the moment your brother was born, but you never showed it. You kept it bottled up inside you… and it turned into jealousy, because you always wanted something that you could never have: acceptance, and unconditional love. From downstairs she heard Rarity’s voice call up to her. “Morning Mist! Breakfast is ready whenever you are, darling!” Just the sound of Rarity’s voice, trying her very best to be chipper despite the turmoil in her heart, threatened to throw Morningstar back into her shell; but with a wince she managed an answer. “All right, Rarity, I’ll be right down!” She waited a few moments to see if the other unicorn might be coming up the stairs to get her, but she heard shuffling in the kitchen below, so she knew she would have her privacy for the moment. And how can you feel anything but wretched with yourself for what you’ve done to that unicorn? She asked herself. You’ve taken her away from her friends, and for what? Now she’ll be alone forever, even after you leave; her friends will never forgive her for abandoning them in favor of you. But she looked up at the mirror and into her own eyes… and for a split second she was back in the library with Twilight Sparkle, looking into her soft lavender eyes, seeing the kindness and understanding that lay there. No, she thought. No, Rarity won’t be alone. Twilight Sparkle won’t let her be alone. She knew in her heart that she was right… and that made her smile brighter than she had in a thousand years, despite knowing that they all had a lot more to go through before this ordeal was all done. She looked at herself in the mirror, and without hesitation she took the black, lacy ribbon from her nightstand with her magic and gathered her mane back into a ponytail behind her head, high enough that it would bob merrily when she walked. She tied the ribbon smartly into a bow and, with one final glance to ensure it hung properly, walked to her saddlebags that lay at the head of her bed, just on the other side of the small headboard. Her magic lit up again, and she rummaged around in it briefly; from within she pulled the amulet of Jealousy. She shivered as she looked into its cold green depths. Her reflection in the foremost facet stared back at her, a phantom of what she had been, what she could be again if she let the amulet control her; a jealous, angry mare with no hope for the future beyond acquiring that which she did not have. With a sigh, she set the amulet on her bed, for the first time since her mission began opting to not wear it around Rarity. Then she turned her magic back to the bag, and after a few more moments of searching, withdrew a small black cloth bag, barely bigger than the amulet itself; with a nod to herself she tucked the bag up behind her ear before leaving the room. Breakfast was on the table when she entered the room; nothing as heavy as the first morning, just a stack of fresh toast, three different kinds of preserves and a fresh pot of tea that smelled enticingly of berries settled next to a small plate of cheese, delicately sliced into small, nibble-sized wedges. She looked over to where Rarity stood at the counter; the other unicorn hadn’t noticed her enter, and she could just barely make out that Rarity was whispering to herself. “It’s… it’s not like you told Twilight that, Rarity,” she breathed. “It… it was just a dream, after all… th-there’s no way Twilight could know, especially if you just had it last night…” She slammed a plate down onto the counter with her magic, and it surprised Morningstar that it didn’t shatter from the force. “Ooh, Rarity, you stupid, stupid mare… why did you have to say that to Rainbow Dash?! She’s undoubtedly told all of your friends… or ex-friends, by now!” Morningstar heard her breath sharply and sniffle, and she backed silently out of the room before Rarity could notice her. Her heart dropped into her hooves; Rarity was in worse shape than she could have imagined. Morningstar bit her lip. She truly believes her friends will want to have nothing to do with her because of what she said… and it’s because of what she feels in her heart. Morningstar knew all too well what Rarity was feeling right then; she’d felt it herself, more times than she could count. It was guilt; a guilt that only jealousy could bring, guilt brought on by knowing that you had betrayed those who called you friend for something, anything, and it didn’t matter what: whether it was for a possession or a pony, that betrayal always tasted the same for the betrayer… and it was as bitter as it was addicting. One small supposed victory at a time let the jealousy seem to pay off… until it didn’t. Morningstar swallowed her own guilt, guilt of a very different kind, and clopped her hooves loudly in the hallway before entering the kitchen. “I’m sorry I took so long,” she apologized, keeping her eyes on the table while Rarity hastily swiped at her eyes with her hoof. “Not at all, darling!” Rarity insisted, turning from the counter; she gave Morningstar a gentle smile, one that brought self-loathing bile to Morningstar’s throat. You brought this on her, a voice said as Rarity levitated the last plate to the table, one containing fresh apples that she had painstakingly cut into delicate slices similar in size and shape to the cheese. You followed these orders without question and hurt this mare in the process. I certainly hope you’re proud of yourself, Morningstar. It was the same voice; it always was. The voice of doubt, of guilt, of fear and anger; the voice that had kept her from trying to amend her ways for too long… and now a voice she was done listening to. I’m not proud of what I did, she told the voice, but I’m proud of what I’m going to do. Morningstar waited for Rarity to seat herself before sitting as well; she glanced at the wall clock and winced. “Rarity… is that clock correct?” “Oh yes, I always make sure it’s accurate; can’t be late for appointments, you know.” Rarity poured them both a cup of tea, setting the pot back down before the reason behind Morningstar’s question struck her. Her eyes widened slightly and she chuckled. “Oh! Oh, yes, darling, it’s almost noon.” She gestured to the clock, where both hands were very close to touching at the 12. “I… I am so sorry that I slept in so late, Rarity,” Morningstar said, lowering her head in shame. “I don’t know what came over me last night… I guess I didn’t sleep very well.” “No indeed,” Rarity said, taking a gentle sip of her tea. “In fact, I know I heard you walk down the hall at least once; did you have a restless night?” That’s one way to put it… “I did, I’m afraid. Dreams… too many bad dreams,” she said lamely. Rarity’s eyes suddenly became haunted, and she turned away from Morningstar quickly, hiding behind the voluminous curl of her mane. “Dreams, is it… well… I can sympathize darling… my dreams weren’t exactly agréable, either.” Her mane bobbed as she sniffed delicately, but after only a moment she regained her composure and turned back to Morningstar, and as her bright azure eyes lit on her, they widened. “Why darling… you’re wearing your mane differently today,” she said, her expression lifting; it was clear that to have something, anything else to talk about would be a blessing for Rarity. Morningstar nodded and touched her ponytail with a hoof, teasing the end of her multi-hued hair. “Yes… I used the ribbon you gave me. I decided that I needed to try something different.” Rarity beamed at her. “Well, let me be the first to tell you that you look absolutely gorgeous,” she said. “Your facial structure truly does lend to having your mane up as opposed to down, and you’re… just beautiful.” Suddenly, Rarity’s eyes filled with tears and she turned away again, but she couldn’t hide the sob that escaped her lips. “Rarity, please,” Morningstar said, reaching her hoof out to touch the other unicorn gently on the arm. “Why are you crying?” A small smile quirked her lips. “I know I’m not beautiful enough to randomly cause another beautiful unicorn to burst into tears… so what’s wrong?” Rarity hiccupped once and took several deep breaths before she could speak again, and when she did it was only the barest of whispers. “You… remind me very much… of my friend… Fluttershy…” But as soon as she said her friend’s name, the tears returned, and Morningstar could see her struggle to maintain her composure. With a smile, Morningstar used her magic to remove the small bag from behind her ear; and in that moment, Morningstar did something that she had not done once in her entire life. She gave a gift. She set the small bag in front of Rarity, who blinked her long lashes to try and clear the tears from her eyes. “D-darling… what is..?” she said, wiping a hoof across her face. “Please Rarity… let me speak,” Morningstar said quietly. She could feel her ears begin to ring as her heart raced; this was not something that she had done before, and she wasn’t sure if the rising giddiness in her chest was a good thing or a bad thing. “I… don’t have much. I know that you said you would never charge me for staying with you-,” “And I meant every word of that, Morning Mist,” Rarity said, but Morningstar plowed on. “-But this isn’t payment for anything… in fact, I fear it’s not worth anything at all to anypony but me.” Rarity blinked at her, and the gentle blue aura of her magic enveloped the small bag. She unthreaded the string holding it closed and gently withdrew the contents; what she held was a small, round silver pendant with no chain. It was plain on the back, but on the front was inscribed an intricate emblem; a triangle that overlapped a circle, each side of the triangle etched with miniscule magical runes. Over the top and bottom of the circle ran two lengths of decorative scrollwork that read “Canterlot Academy of Magic”. The silver was tarnished in places, and it bore several dents in the sides from where things had impacted it over the years. Rarity’s eyes widened as she recognized what she was holding, but before she could say anything, Morningstar spoke. “After I graduated the Academy, I never took it off,” she said softly. “It was like… as long as I wore it, nopony could stop me, you know?” She smiled and shook her head. “The cord that held it… fell apart a long time ago, and I never got a chance to replace it.” “This is… you…” Rarity looked flabbergasted. “This is a graduation pendant,” she said. “Yes, it is.” “A pendant that represents years of study, hard work and dedication!” “Yes, it does,” Morningstar agreed. “And, if I’m not mistaken,” Rarity said, flipping the pendant over to examine the back. Her eyes searched quickly, and after a moment she turned it over to show Morningstar, her eyes an unreadable mix of emotions. “THIS symbol,” she pointed to a small rune on the back, so small it was almost invisible, “Means that not only did you graduate, you were the top of your class.” Morningstar nodded, her eyes never leaving Rarity’s. “Yes, it does,” she said again, and she couldn’t keep a smile from coming to her lips as Rarity continued to stare at her. “But… but darling… this must mean so much to you…” Morningstar looked at the small pendant and nodded minutely. “Yes, it does, Rarity… for so long it represented everything important in my life.” She lifted a hoof and pushed the magically floating pendant towards Rarity; she felt the other pony’s magic resist her, but only barely. She smiled a little more as the pendant touched Rarity’s chest. “But I want you to have it.” Rarity made several sounds reminiscent of a half-drowned pony being dragged from a river, but eventually she said, “N-no, I couldn’t take this from you…” “You’re not taking it, Rarity… I… I truly want you to have it,” Morningstar said softly. “Please… take it… and remember that...” She took a shaky breath. “Take it with the knowledge that sometimes, what you think you want the most in this world can suddenly-,” “Rarity?!” The voice echoed from outside, and with a sudden prickle at the base of her neck, Morningstar realized that it was Twilight Sparkle’s voice. “Rarity! We need you to come out right now, please!!” A hoof began to knock politely but insistently on the Boutique’s front door. Rarity blinked in the direction of the door, and Morningstar watched joy, then fear, then suspicion and finally acceptance wash over Rarity’s features. “I suppose… I’d best answer that.” Even without hearing the rest of what Twilight Sparkle had to say, somehow, Morningstar knew that the game was up. The knocking was too insistent to be a social call; and she wouldn’t have called out to Rarity if she expected her to answer the door willingly. Her stomach twisted, and threatened to squeeze her poor empty stomach like a dirty rag. I can’t believe… it’s now. But as Rarity rose, Morningstar lunged forward from her chair… and hugged her. She pulled the other unicorn tight against her and gave her the biggest hug she could. “Please… remember that sometimes what you think matters most can suddenly mean nothing… and that what you thought meant nothing can suddenly mean the world.” She withdrew from Rarity, who stared at her in confusion. And before she could stop herself, Morningstar sighed shakily. “And please… forgive me.” With a toss of her ponytail, Morningstar darted back into the hallway and up the stairs to her room, where the amulet lay. She would need the amulet of Jealousy very soon just to stay alive, and she knew it. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ “Rarity!!!” Twilight was now completely desperate; normally Rarity answered the door quickly, or at least opened it with her magic, but today there was nothing. Fear raced through Twilight’s heart as she pounded on the door yet again, and behind her Rainbow Dash paced. “What’s wrong, Twi?” she asked ominously. “Why isn’t she answering…?” Twilight felt her chest squeeze; if Rainbow was noticing that something was wrong… She growled in vexation. “I don’t know, Rainbow, OK?! I don’t know! RARITY!! Open this door or I’m coming in!” Again there was no response, and the purple unicorn had had enough. Twilight turned around and applied her back hooves to the door near the knob; she wasn’t as strong as her friends on the farm, but she could mimic the technique perfectly, and her desperation-fueled strength was enough. The wood of the door shattered around the latch, sending the door swinging wildly open and barely missing a very confused looking Rarity on the other side. The white unicorn blinked at her in shock. “Twilight Sparkle! What HAVE you done to my door?!” But Twilight wasn’t in the mood to discuss Rarity’s door; she wasn’t in the mood for mysteries or anything else for that matter. She took a few steps into the building and locked eyes with Rarity, who had just opened her mouth to speak; the look on Twilight’s face stopped her dead. “T-Twilight… what’s the matter, darling..?” As Twilight watched, Rarity glanced around her, and her face fell. “Rain…bow…” The unicorn’s eyes began to fill with tears and she shrank away from Twilight. “Oh dear Celestia… you’re here to…” “To save you,” Twilight answered simply. “Rarity, I need you to come with us. Now.” Rarity blinked. “Save me…? Twilight, what in Equestria are you-,” “From Morning Mist, Rarity. She’s not who she says she is; she’s been lying to you this whole time. She’s not your friend, Rarity, and she’s only here to…” Twilight was cut off as she watched Rarity’s expression change from disbelief to anger. “Don’t you talk about her that way!” Rarity snapped; she took a step towards Twilight aggressively, surprising the purple unicorn enough that she backed into Rainbow Dash. “Morning Mist is absolutely divine, and she has been nothing but kind to me since she came here!” Rainbow Dash stepped around Twilight, her magenta eyes firm. “Rarity,” she said, her voice calm; the sheer unexpected tone of voice brought Rarity’s tirade to a halt as her eyes shifted to the Pegasus. “I know this is going to be hard for you to accept, but listen to me. Morning Mist is really Morningstar, one of the generals that the Princess warned us about.” She took a step towards Rarity, who simply stared at her, mouth agape. As Twilight watched, Rainbow gave Rarity a soft smile and took another step towards her. “We need to get you out of here, away from her.” “And the Princesses need us,” Twilight chimed in. “Dark Star has launched an attack on Canterlot, and Princess Celestia needs us to be ready with the Elements of Harmony.” “So come on, let’s go,” Rainbow Dash finished, gesturing towards the door with her head. “Our friends’ll be here in a few; after they get here, we’ll figure out where to go from here.” Twilight watched Rarity closely as emotions roiled across her face; everything from fear to anger and back again, her sapphire blue eyes dancing between Rainbow and Twilight like a hunted animal unsure which predator would strike first. “I…” She closed her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath… and when she looked back at them, her eyes were full of anger. “I don’t believe you!” she shouted. Without another word she turned and tried to run, but to Twilight’s surprise, Rainbow Dash had planned ahead; she’d positioned herself close enough that when Rarity turned to run, her elaborately curled tail had flipped right into Rainbow’s waiting teeth. The white unicorn gasped in indignation. “RAINBOW DASH, how DARE you bite a lady’s tail!” She stopped trying to run and rounded on her friends, her horn lighting up with magic. But Twilight was a step ahead of her; Rarity’s horn, glowing the blue of her own magic, was immediately encased in a deep purple aura, and this time Rarity actually squeaked in outrage. “TWILIGHT SPARKLE!! I am appalled that you would do that!! YOU, of all unicorns!!” “I’m sorry Rarity,” Twilight said, “but this is for your own good. Let’s go, Rainbow.” With a nod, the cyan Pegasus gave Rarity’s tail a firm tug and hauled her out of the building backwards, Rarity kicking out at her as she was dragged. Twilight glanced around the inside of the Boutique one last time before darting after Rainbow, who had dragged Rarity a safe distance away. Rarity was now completely speechless and had devolved into making angry grunts and squeaks a she tried vainly to free herself from both Rainbow’s teeth and Twilight’s magic. Twilight smiled slightly. She might get away from Rainbow, but she’s nowhere near strong enough to break this Sealing spell. “Rarity,” she said with a sigh. “I guess there’s really only one way you’re going to believe me, isn’t there.” She turned back to the Boutique and raised her voice. “Morningstar!! Morningstar, I know you can hear me! Come out now! Don’t make this harder than it has to be!” Rarity stopped struggling and turned to Twilight in horror. “Twilight… why would you yell such a thing?! Now everypony is going to think she’s some sort… of…” Her words trickled to a halt as a shape appeared in the doorway of the Boutique, and as it stepped out into the sunlight, she made a strangled sound. Into the bright noontime sun stepped Morningstar, her mane pulled back in a ponytail, her coat shining like a field of fresh-fallen snow… and an amulet hanging around her neck, a bright green gem on a silver chain. “I’m here, Twilight Sparkle,” she answered quietly. “No need to shout.” Twilight glanced at Rarity, and her heart broke. She watched Rarity’s knees start to shake violently enough to drop her to the ground, and tears began to stream down her cheeks as she stared at Morningstar. Twilight released her magical hold on Rarity’s horn and was thankful to see that she wasn’t trying to use magic anyway; she nodded to Rainbow Dash, who released Rarity’s tail. “Morning Mist…” Rarity whispered harshly. “Why… why are you letting Twilight call you-,” “Because that’s my name, Rarity,” she interrupted… but Twilight didn’t pride in her eyes. Instead, as she watched Morningstar talk, she saw… disgust? Despair? Or perhaps a mixture of both. “My name is Morningstar.” Rarity sobbed. “So… so everything you told me… about… about you, about us, about… EVERYTHING WAS A LIE?!?!” Morningstar flinched as if she’d been struck, but her answer came immediately. “No, Rarity. It wasn’t.” Twilight opened her mouth to demand some answers, but she was cut off as two pegasi flew down to Morningstar. Well, one flew; the other more or less crash-landed next to her. The two other generals, Falling Star and Wild Star, arrived on the scene; Falling Star landed normally, but Wild Star was barely in control of his landing as he flopped onto the ground firmly, bouncing at least once and rolling several times before coming to rest a few feet behind Morningstar, near the door of the Boutique. “Wild!” Morningstar exclaimed, turning to see what had happened; but her hooves stayed rooted to the spot, never turning her back on Twilight. Morningstar’s eyes went to the dark blue Pegasus. “What happened?!” Falling Star sighed. “He got kicked through the wall of a barn,” he said simply, and Twilight blinked. Through a wall..?! That sounds like something only Big Mac could manage… Morningstar apparently shared her disbelief, but before she could speak Falling Star cut her off. “Look, there’s no time for arguing, OK? He’s hurt, and he needs you. I’m no field medic, I can’t even tell what’s wrong with him, let alone fix him; you’re the only one here who can do that, Morningstar.” On the ground, Wild Star wheezed in short, rapid breaths. “I…can’t b-b-breathe, M-Morningstar…” The white unicorn turned her head back, and looked directly at Twilight; their eyes met, and what Twilight saw there wasn’t anger, or jealousy, or rage or even a mild distaste. What she saw was a plea… a plea for understanding, and… forgiveness. And then Morningstar turned away from her foes and darted back to her comrade, dropping to her knees next to him. Twilight took a step forward, her ears strained to hear the conversation passing between the generals. “Did he really get kicked through a wall?” Morningstar asked. Her horn lit up bright pink with magic, and a gentle aura surrounded Wild Star’s entire body. The unicorn closed her eyes. “Sounds like you boys made quite a stir out there.” “Applejack’s brother, the big red stallion,” Falling Star said. “Let’s just say he wasn’t too happy about what we tried to do to his sister.” Again, Twilight heard no pride in his voice; no satisfaction at a job well done, no laughter at their foe’s expense. Instead, she heard distaste and regret, as if it was the last thing in the world he wanted to talk about. “So he kicked you through a wall, Wild?” The gray Pegasus nodded, but he winced and inhaled sharply as he did so. “Y-y-yeah…” Morningstar shuddered, and her magic went dark as she turned to Falling Star and began to speak, but she lowered her voice enough that Twilight couldn’t hear. In frustration, Twilight’s magic sparked to life, and she used a simple spell to enhance her hearing ever so slightly. “…a fractured shoulder, at least four broken ribs, and internal bleeding,” Morningstar finished, looking grim. “Whoever did this packed some serious power.” “T-tell me… how l-long… I have,” Wild Star whispered, his breathing labored and sharp. Morningstar shook her head, and Twilight saw a tear appear at the corner of her eye. “An hour at most, Wild Star… unless I can heal you up, you won’t make it.” “Then get to it,” Falling Star said with a nod. “That’s why we brought him here; we know you can heal him.” “Well, yes, I can, but…” She cast a glance back at Twilight, who did her best to pretend like she couldn’t hear every word. “If they get impatient… what happens then?” To Twilight’s surprise, Falling Star lifted a hoof and placed it gently on Morningstar’s shoulder. “I’ll take care of that,” he said. “You heal Wild Star. I’ll make sure nopony disturbs you. How long do you need?” The white unicorn sighed. “Um… at least ten minutes, maybe more. This is going to be delicate; the broken bones nicked some of his vital organs, so it’s going to take a little longer than just healing a cut or scrape. And even then, he won’t be able to move for ten more minutes or so.” Falling Star simply nodded. “You’ll have it.” The two ponies shared a nod before Falling Star stepped around Morningstar and took a few steps towards Twilight and her friends, placing himself between them. Twilight dropped her hearing enhancement spell as he spoke. “I’m sorry to do this to you,” he said, “But Morningstar needs some time alone. If you must fight, then fight me.” He flared his large wings wide. “I assure you, however, that if you do not attack, I will not fight.” “Don’t believe a word he says, Twilight!” a voice shouted from behind her. Twilight turned to see Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy come rushing up. “Applejack… did Big Macintosh kick that pony through a wall?!” She asked, pointing to the prone form of Wild Star. Morningstar’s horn had lit up again, and his entire body was glowing brightly. Applejack nodded fiercely. “He sure did,” she said, her green eyes bright with anger. “An’ I wish he’da had the chance t’ clean his clock one more time b’fore they got away!” Twilight stared at her friend, not believing the words coming out of her mouth. THAT didn’t sound like Applejack. She glanced at Rarity, who had dissolved from her tears into simply sitting on the ground, watching the generals speak to each other. With a sigh, Twilight lifted the remaining two Elements of Harmony from her saddlebags and sent them to their bearers; Applejack arched an eyebrow at Twilight as she secured it around her neck, but Rarity didn’t even seem to notice as the small golden necklace slid into place. The change was immediate; the anger faded from Applejack’s eyes and was replaced by a sudden realization for what had happened, and Rarity sat up straight, her face a mask of determination. Twilight turned back to Applejack, who immediately looked ashamed of herself. “Um, listen Twi… uh… about what I said jus’ then…” “Don’t worry about it,” Twilight said, turning back to the generals. “Now that we’re all here, we just have to wait.” Unbidden, an image of Princess Celestia rose in Twilight’s mind, and she felt her throat tighten. Please, be careful Princess… ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ They’re all together, now. Dark Star’s eyes flared wide, and he smiled broadly out at the battlefield below him. His small army had pressed Celestia’s forces back over halfway towards the gates that guarded the long, winding road up to the capital city; his main goal had been to take those gates and force Celestia’s army up into the city itself, where they would be even MORE restricted with their fighting… but the amulet of Hate had flared brightly, and in his mind he could see his three comrades standing together. The amulets of Fear, Anger and Jealousy all spoke to him as one. WE STAND READY. “As do I,” he said aloud. His golden eyes searched the battle below and found Celestia easily enough; she glowed so brightly in the sunlight that it was a difficult task to force his soldiers to ignore her. That glow of hers was magical in its own right, and could cut through simple spells all on its own, forcing him to keep a constant eye on his soldiers and make sure that the hatred controlling them wove around her and her sister. His eyes found Luna next, her mane flowing in the light breeze as she and Celestia tried their best to rally the troops; they took to the air and began leading the other Pegasi guarding the gates in air attacks, swooping low over the army with hooves lowered, hoping to knock unwary soldiers unconscious. Spears reached their points up, seeking flesh and blood, but each Princess brought her magic to bear on the situation and began breaking spearpoints like they were twigs. Dark Star couldn’t help but chuckle. “Oh Princesses… so distracted…” His horn glowed briefly; next to him the air shimmered, and an illusory copy of himself appeared, complete with cloak and amulet. He smiled at it, and it smiled back. “Mind the troops while I’m gone,” he said cheerily, and his illusory doppelganger nodded. His hatred surged as he took a few steps back from the ridgeline; he was about to begin the finale, the ending movement that would bring this thousand-year opus to a close. The amulet hummed with energy, sending electricity sizzling through his blood… but somewhere deep in his heart, a voice protested. A voice that told him this wasn’t what he wanted, that this had all gone too far… But the Amulet crushed it, silencing the voice with a symphony of power and temptation. The Amulet was in control, now, and its will would be done. He threw the cloak from his body, revealing his shining black armor, and with a burst of light, he vanished from Canterlot.