Dusk sat in bed with his back to the headboard looking up at the moon. He just couldn't stop thinking about the Prophecy of Nightmare Moon. Was he worrying over nothing? It certainly wouldn't have been the first time. Spike had told him, his parents had told him, even Celestia herself had tried to reassure him that everything was under control.
Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about everlasting night "Just try and get through it, Dusk," he told himself. "You've gotten through anxieties like this before," he sighed. "Where's my OCD medication?" Dusk began looking though the suit case when Spike opened the door.
"Shi-hic-Shiny! My brotha from a notha motha!" Spike stammered as he tumbled his way through the room. "Why are you doing up here? *Hic* Its rude to the, ah, the other people..."
"Spike," Dusk said in an exasperated tone, "how much sugar did you have?"
"I had..." Spike giggled and spread his hands wide "thiiiiis much." *Hic*
"Spike, go lay down, you need to rest. Also your drunk."
Spike made his way over to the smaller bed that was prepared for him. "I think a nice nap is justa regaluma snalgo and a *hic* ten dollars? That's ridiculous..." and with that, he past out on the mattress.
Dusk rolled his eyes and made his way down stairs. The other party goers had left but Pinkie Pie was still there, energetic as ever. "Hiya Dusky! Are you ready for a super exiting fantasterific Summer Sun Celebration?"
"As I'll ever be I suppose," he conceded, "considering its going to end with ether Nightmare Moon's return or me being wrong, ether way its the end of the world."
"Awww, whats got you so down in grumpy town?" she asked with a look of innocent curiousness on her face.
"Pinkie, in the last twenty four hours I've met a farmer with the strength of twenty men, a seraphim who can procrastinate and get away with it, a djinn who practically stripped me, another seraphim who can talk to animals and a terran girl with enough energy to power a small city. Is everyone in this town crazy?" Dusk was breathing heavily when he finished his little rant.
"Wow, who was the energetic one? She sounds fun!" Pinkie said.
Dusk threw up his hands in frustration. "Heey," Pinkie said, "Turn that frown upside down. I know! How would you like to be my date to the Summer Sun Celebration!"
Dusk thought for a moment, "I guess, I don't think Spike is going to wake up for a while." He grabbed his overcoat when a thought occurred to him, "um... just so we're on the same page, when you say 'date' you don't mean like an actual date do you?"
At that Pinkie giggled, "Of course not you silly, we only met a few hours ago and I need at least a whole day before I agree to a real date."
"But... how is that any... you know what? Never mind, lets go."
"Yay!"
***
Dusk and Pinkie stood in the crowd inside town hall. The room was packed with people all eager to meet the princess. Dusk took a small comfort in the fact that everything seemed to be going smoothly. Outside the sky had remained nice and clear and Fluttershy's birds were performing a pleasant chorus. Soon, the mayor would introduce Celestia, who would give a nice speech, then they would all join her outside where she would put on a show raising the sun.
"I'm so excited I could almost burst!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"Calm down will you? It's starting."
The podium in the front was approached by an elderly terran woman who Dusk recognized to be the mayor. "Ladies and Gentlemen," She started "Thank you all for coming. As you all know, Ponyville was chosen to have the honor of hosting the Summer Sun Celebration!" She paused to allow the crowd to cheer. "Thank you, thank you. When I was told we-"
The mayor's speech continued but Dusk's wasn't listing. Perhaps it was his sensitivity to magic, or his OCD driven paranoia, but something was off. The flow of ambient magic was shifting, like air being displaced by something massive. Other magically sensitive beings would have felt it as well, but just like with displaced air, they wouldn't give it a second thought. Only an analytical mind that searched for cause and effect relations like Dusk's would conclude that such a shift meant some powerful magic had just been used.
Inhale, count to four, exhale. Dusk tried to calm himself.
"-And so, I present to you, the Bringer of the Sun, Guardian of the Realm and Protector of Harmony, Princess Celestia!" The mayor announced proudly, as the curtains opened. The crowd let out a shocked gasp, for standing there was not Celestia but another figure. A tall foreboding woman with skin as black as night and nephilim wings of grey smoke.
"Oh raspberries..." Dusk whimpered.
There was a stunned silence, as the gathered crowd was unsure what to make of this new development, save for Pinkie who didn't seem perturbed in the slightest. "Love the new look, Princess, very goth."
"Oh, my dear sweet subjects. Tis been too long since We've laid eyes upon thine sniveling sun-loving faces," Nightmare finished the last part with a sneer. "We see Celestia's reign has made thy as week and pathetic as ever."
"Hey emo freak," came the voice of Rainbow Dash, who had flown up to face her, "I don't know who you think you are, but no one comes into MY town, and disses us like that. Now how about you tell us where our princess is and then run on back to the costume shop before I get angry!"
Dusk panicked, even though Nightmare looked more amused than angry he could see the subtle gestures she was making with her fingers and recognized them as the prelude to a powerful attack. He had to do something.
"Oh my, thou art bold indeed. Subjects, look now to thine peer," Nightmare's face then formed into a scowl, "and witness what happens to those who defy me!" In a motion almost to quick to follow, she pointed her index finger at Rainbow's heart and fired a small beam of black and purple magic. It would have been fatal if no for a small sphere of lavender magic striking her hand just milliseconds before, throwing off her aim. The beam hit Dash in the shoulder causing her to cry out in pain as it pierced all the way through and out the other end, grazing her wing and knocking a few feathers off.
Rainbow fell to the floor, clutching her wound. Applejack and Pinkie ran over to their fallen friend to check on her, while everyone else stood on in shock. Nightmare, slowly lowering her hand, looked out into the crowd. Standing in a clearing, his own arm still outstretched was Dusk, a look of determination on his face. "Ah, thou must be Dusk Shine."
"Yes, and I know exactly who you are as well, Nightmare Moon!" the crowd gasped at his deceleration.
Nightmare grinned wickedly as she slowly walked towards Dusk, the crowd giving her a wide berth as she did. "Then thou must also know why We are here."
"To bring about darkness eternal, but that's not going to happen," Dusk raised his hands, using his fingers to shape the magic into a spell. "Starswirl's Lesser Missile Storm!" behind him the air rippled as five lances of energy formed and shot through the air to their target. Nightmare conjured a black translucent shield which they crashed into in succession, leaving her untouched. While she was distracted, however, he formed a binding ring above her head. The ring descended around Nightmare's arms and constricted tightly, "got you!"
Nightmare didn't say anything and merely jerked her arms outward, breaking the bond. "Thou art week, Dusk Shine, but fear not. We Shant kill thee. Thou will make a most amusing play thing." She took to the air with people cowering below her. "Remember this night, people of Equestria, tonight is the night of Our ascent! The Age of the Sun is over. Long live the Eternal Night!" A roar of magical lightning accompanied the end of her speech.
As she laughed, people screamed. The crowed of people rushed out of the hall and into the streets, running for their homes. Dusk was swept up with them and soon found himself outside. "I can't fight her like this," he said to himself. "I need to get back to the library, there has to be something in one of those books that can help me find her weakness."
As he ran off, Rainbow Dash, who was still nursing her shoulder, hobbled out of the town hall, "you sure yer alright, sugarcube?" Applejack asked.
"I said I'm fine!" Rainbow replied, harsher than she meant to, her frustration evident.
Fluttershy and Pinkie were along side Dash as well. Pinkie bore a frown but it was more a frown of concern than anything. Fluttershy on the other hand was completely terrified. Behind them, Rarity ran up to the group and motioned for AJ's attention, "I sent Applebloom and Sweetie Belle home. The other children are with their respective parents. Now I don't know about you girls but I do believe it's time to run home and hide?"
"Hold on," Rainbow said, "Isn't that that new guy over there? Dusk Shine?" She pointed to the running djinn who was moving against the flow of fleeing people. "Where is he going?"
"Don't know, reckon hes got a plan?" AJ asked.
"I bet he's up to something," Dash took to the air, wincing at the pain in her shoulder, "and I'm going to find out what!" With that, she took off in his direction.
"Consarn it, Rainbow," AJ sighed, "come on girls, we better follow her. Maybe this Dusk feller knows how to stop this."
***
Dusk scrambled about the library, pulling book after book off the shelf and discarding it after a few glances. "Elements, Elements..." he repeated to himself. "Damn it, the index said there was a book here on the Elements of Harmony, where is it?!"
"And just what exactly are the 'Elements of Harmony', huh?" Dusk spun around to find the rainbow headed seraphim girl looking down at him with suspicion. "And another thing," she said as she landed and moved closer to Dusk, "how did you know who Nightmare was and what her plans were? Are you a spy or something?"
Dusk was completely unsure how to respond to the accusation but thankfully he didn't have to. AJ, having just arrived, grabbed the tail of Rainbow's shirt and pulled her back. "Come on now, Dash, He ain't no spy. Heck, he saved yer life back there."
"Humph, I could have dodged that..."
"Anyway, we were wonderin' if you could tell us what's goin' on and if we could help."
"Oh, right. Well," Dusk resumed his search while explaining. "Before I came here I was researching the history between Celestia and Nightmare Moon. I found out that the old story of The Mare in the Moon was based on that event and the prophecy in the story lead me to believe that Nightmare would return on this day, being the millennial anniversary," Dusk grabbed his copy of Predictions and Prophecies, showing the girls the passage in question. "Since it was right about her return, it can be concluded that its also about the way she was defeated, The Elements of Harmony. There's a book in here somewhere but I cant find it!"
"The Elements of Harmony, A Reference Guide," Pinkie read aloud.
Dusk darted over to the pink terran, "wha? How did? Where was it?"
"Under 'E'," Pinkie said nonchalantly.
Dusk blinked, then shook his head. "Never mind, let me see that," Dusk took the book and read it aloud so that the others could hear. "The Elements of Harmony are ancient and mighty gems of unknown origin and immeasurable power. First discovered by Princesses Celestia and Luna, their power was used only twice in recorded history. First to seal Discord, the Spirit of Chaos and the second time to banish Nightmare Moon!" Dusk looked up at the girls who were all watching him closely. "This is it! This is what I've been searching for."
"Well go on," Rarity said. "Where do we find these 'Elements of Harmony'?"
"There are five elements in total," Dusk continued, "that which shows mercy to those who would harm it is said to be 'Kindness'. That which finds joy in even the darkest hour is said to be 'Laughter'. That which gives in exchange for nothing is said to be 'Generosity'. That which does not obscure or distort the truth for personal gain is said to be 'Honesty'. And finally, that which stands by it's allies at the cost of personal victory is said to be 'Loyalty.' These five elements, in the hands of those hold their virtues close to their heart, bring the power of Harmony to bear against those who would seek to sew chaos."
The five girls looked at one-another and back to Dusk but didn't say anything as he continued, "some scholars, including Princess Celestia herself, have theorized the existence of a sixth element but so far, no such element has ever been found."
"That's all good," Rainbow said, "But where do we find them?"
"According to this book, they used to be stored in the Castle of the Royal Sisters, there's no record of them having ever been moved. So that's where we need to look," Dusk said as he closed the book.
"An where in tarnation is that?" AJ asked.
"About five and a half miles into the Everfree Forest," a new voice spoke up, causing Dusk and the girls to look towards the door where a young man in a dark trench coat was standing, his arms crossed.
"K-Kevin?!" Dusk said, "what in the world are you doing here?"
"You know this guy?" Rainbow asked as Fluttershy hid behind her, out of site of the new comer.
"Sort of, he works for Celestia."
"We'll have to skip introductions, Dusk, I need to get you out of here."
"I'm not going anywhere!" Dusk said adamantly. "I need to get this information to Celestia so she can-"
"Celestia is gone, Dusk."
There was a collective gasp, everyone looked desperate to know more yet too shocked to inquire. Dusk was the first to break the stupor, "w-what do you mean 'gone'?"
"Nightmare turned her to stone," at that, Rarity fainted in a dramatic fashion, the other girls just continued listening in horror, "she might be able to be saved if we defeat Nightmare but to do that we need to gather our forces. Once we get to the safe house we-"
Dusk cut him off, "no, if Celestia was defeated then we have to get the Elements ourselves."
"Dusk, don't be ridiculous, we cant go running off looking for a weapon that might not even exist."
"They DO exist, this book confirms it and now we know where they are. We have to go after them while we have the chance."
Kevin hesitated for a brief moment, "assuming your right, the Everfree is dangerous. We still need to gather our strength, assemble a team to go and retrieve them."
"There's no time, even if you ignore the fact that people everywhere will be suffering at Nightmare's hands in the mean time, there's every possibility that she knows where they are as well. I'm going, you can come with me and help or you can stay, but don't try and stop me, because the only way your going to do that is by fighting me and we both know that will draw Nightmare's attention."
Dusk stared Kevin dead in the eye, the five girls, including Rarity who had recovered herself, just stood watching. Finally, Kevin slumped his shoulders in resignation, "fine, but I WILL be going with you. Just in case."
"Well alright, lets get a move on," Applejack said. The other four issued their agreements, except for Fluttershy, but she didn't say no ether.
"What no, girls, I appreciate the offer, but this is our responsibility," Dusk said, surprised at their enthusiasm.
"No can do, sugarcube. We sure ain't lettin' any friend of ours go into that creepy place alone. We're stickin' to you like caramel on a candy apple. Besides, you need people who know the forest. We may not go in there often, but we know a few of the trails."
"Well, but I... fine," Dusk sighed. Kevin grinned at him.
"Sucks when they use logic against you doesn't it."
***
The group of seven trekked though the dark forest of evergreens. From the outside it looked like any other forest, but once inside, Dusk could feel the ambient magic saturate the air. All around plants grew wild and untamed, in the trees, eyes could be seen watching them from the darkness. Everyone in the group seemed on edge except for Pinkie and oddly enough, Fluttershy who looked at the animals with fascination in her eyes.
"So, whats the story with this place?" Dusk asked
"Nobody knows," Rainbow said, grinning, "you know why?"
"Rainbow..." AJ said warningly.
"Because everyone who's ever come in, has never come out," Rainbow continued in a creepy voice.
"The Everfree used to be the capital of Equestria," Kevin said. "After Nightmare Moon killed Celestia's sister, she couldn't bare the sadness of living here, so she moved the capital to present day Canterlot."
"But wouldn't the castle and this whole area be a historical landmark then? Why is it so over grown, and unkempt?"
"You've heard of the Druids right?" Dusk nodded. "Well, they always believed that mortals using magic to control plants, animals and the weather was against nature. When Princess Celestia moved the capital, they formed a plan to take advantage of her grief induced apathy. Pooling all their magic into a single source, they cast a powerful spell over the whole region, causing a magic forest to appear overnight. These enchanted trees were unlike anything that had ever been seen, they acted as a ward against any form of mortal magic that would alter or otherwise control nature. They then made their home in the heart of the forest and declared that it would remain 'Ever Free'."
The group continued on for a time, Applejack stepped on a vine and jumped back as it wiggled under her foot and retreated into the brush. "This forest, I tell ya, it ain't natural."
"Isn't," Dusk corrected, "and weren't you listening? It's all natural."
Applejack sighed and moved to walk next to Dusk. "Sugar cube, can I be honest with ya?" she asked not waiting for an answer, "the way you keep correcting me and pointing things out? It makes you seem like kind of a know-it-all."
Dusk was taken aback by this, "but, I'm just trying to share my knowledge with others, whats wrong with that?"
"Ain't nothing wrong with sharing what you know, but there's a time and a place for it. When you correct my grammar, it makes me feel like you think I'm too stupid to talk right."
"I don't think you're stupid at all!" Dusk tried to defend. "I was just, trying to inform you so you'd know."
AJ then smiled and, in a perfect Canterlot accent said, "I am well aware that 'ain't', a conjunction of 'am not' isn't recognized as a word by the Oxenford Dictionary, however, my family and I are disinclined to appropriate formal diction into our vocabulary."
Dusk's mouth hung open as he stared at AJ, who put a hand on his chin and lifted it closed. "Means we don't like them fancy big city words."
"I...see. Well, AJ, I'm sorry I made you feel that way. Thanks for being honest and telling me," Dusk looked at the ground. "most people just let me go on making a jerk of myself and then resenting me behind my back."
"Aww, shucks, partner. You ain't gotta worry about that with me," AJ put her arm around Dusk's shoulder and gave him a friendly shake. "I'm a 'tell it like it is' gal, if you're doing something that's bothering me, I'll be the first to let ya know."
Dusk was about to reply when they were interrupted by a bellowing roar.
"What was that?" Kevin asked, his wrist-blades shooting from the skin above his hands.
"Woah," Rainbow said, looking at Kevin with awe, "those are. So. Awesome! You're just like that guy from those comic books! Or no, no, more like that guy from that one game with the sunglasses and the robot arms!"
"Quiet! What made that noise?" the group instinctively huddled together with their backs to one another, all looking for the source of the roar. They didn't have to look long, from the trees sprang a great beast, easily twice the height of their tallest member. It appeared at first glance to be a lion, but it was far too big. It also had great bat-like wings and a tail that would not have been out of place on a scorpion.
"A manticore!" Dusk shouted. The beast looked at them but did not move to strike. Kevin lunged to the side, hoping to out maneuver the beast. He couldn't drop into his true form, it would take to long to explain things to Dusk and the girls, and there was no guaranty they would fully trust him without Celestia to collaborate his claims and he couldn't afford to lose their trust yet. In his terran form, however, he was slower, less stealthy and unable to use magic but he was not completely helpless.
He brought his blades to bear on the manticore who parried with its tail. Kevin tried to use his second blade but it was blocked as the beast used its massive paw to strike him in the chest and send him flying. In that moment, Fluttershy thought she noticed something odd about it.
"Wait," she tried to say, but it was too quiet.
"Well, alright, lets wrangle this overgrown bull!" AJ hollered as she pulled the lasso from her belt and tossed it around the manticore's tail. "YEE-HAW! Git along, little dogie. Whoa!" The beast lifted its tail, taking the rope and AJ with it. Fortunately she let go a moment before it flung the rope completely and she fell to the ground rather than fly off into the forest. "Ugh," she said, rubbing her scraped arm. "All yours, Rainbow."
"I'm on it!" Rainbow yelled as she charged forward, fists raised.
"Wait!" Fluttershy said again, to no avail.
Rainbow's reckless plan, to the surprise of no one except perhaps Rainbow herself, failed spectacularly as she was swatted aside like a fly. Rolling on the ground, she was stopped by Kevin who helped her to her feet as Dusk, AJ, Pinkie and Rarity joined them. "Ok, guys," Dusk said, "I'm going to cast Iva's Invisible Armor, it'll protect us from his claws and that tail. Lets charge him all at once!" Dusk began the sequence for the spell as the rest of the group shouted their affirmation. A blue aura surrounded the group, forming itself to their bodies and then vanishing. "Alright, lets do this! CHARGE!"
"WAIT!!!" Fluttershy screamed, still in a voice that was too soft to hear among the roaring and hollering, but this time she had placed herself between the group and the manticore. Dusk and the others barely stopped in time to avoid plowing over Fluttershy completely.
"Fluttershy, what are you doing?" Rainbow asked.
"I think this is a misunderstanding, look," she pointed to the beast's right paw.
"I don't see anything," Rainbow said.
"No wait, shes right," AJ interrupted, "he ain't puttin any weight on that paw. I've been round animals long enough to know that means somthing's hurting em."
As she said that, the manticore shifted and the rest of the group saw that, indeed, it was avoiding putting any weight on the paw when ever possible. "Oh no! We didn't do that did we?" Pinkie asked with genuine distress.
"Pinkie, that was the point, we were trying to hurt it." Kevin deadpanned.
"No, no, Pinkie. I saw it like that when it first hit Mr. Kevin and I think I know whats wrong." Fluttershy hovered over to the great beast, undeterred by the protests of her friends. When she landed next to it, the size difference became even more apparent. She was barely as tall as the great beast's knee.
The manticore eyed Fluttershy with suspicion, letting out low growls of warning as she slowly extended her hand to its nose. "Shhh. Its ok, I wont hurt you," she said in almost a whisper.
"She wont hurt him?" Kevin said but was hushed by Dusk who was now watching with great interest. He had almost forgotten about the young seraphim's dryadic inherited abilities. His analytical mind was recording every detail of her actions as she worked to sooth the manticore.
Fluttershy grabbed its paw and lifted it with such ease that it was almost certain that the creature was lifting it under her guidance. She turned the paw over to reveal a large wooden stick jammed into it's flesh surrounded by bits of dried blood. "Oh, you poor, poor little thing!"
"Little?" Rainbow quipped
"Now, this might hurt for a moment, but I have to get this nasty thorn out or you wont heal properly." Fluttershy's voice was so gentle that one would have thought the manticore her child. She grabbed the stick with both hands and pulled as hard as she could, she even flapped her wings for extra force. The stick budged then slid out causing Fluttershy to fall on her rump in front of the monster.
The manticore let out a great roar of pain and looked down at the timid girl who had caused it. It looked ready to pounce. Dusk's eyes went wide as he and the others all started running towards their friend in an effort to protect her, but they stopped when the heard... laughter?
The manticore was now purring and nuzzling Fluttershy, every now and then giving her a lick which, with its large tongue, covered Fluttershy entirely with its saliva. "Aw you're just a little ol' baby kitty, aren't you? Yes you are, yes you are." The manticore placed Fluttershy on the ground and then proceeded to fly away to parts unknown.
As the group approached Fluttershy, Rarity cast a spell to remove the manticore's spittle from Fluttershy's clothes and hair. Amidst the various compliments and back patting she received from her friends, Dusk looked down at the stick then back to Fluttershy. "I don't understand, why did you put your life at risk when it would have been safer to tell us about the injury so we could finish it off?"
Fluttershy just smiled, "because we didn't have to. Some times a little kindness goes a long way."
Dusk couldn't respond to that, he just pondered the implications as they continued deeper into the forest.
***
After about ten minutes, the group found themselves before a river that, due to the unpredictable nature of the Everfree Forest's weather, had flooded. Rainbow Dash rejoined the group after having gone to look for a possible way to cross.
"It's no good," she said, "the only bridge I could see for several miles is completely underwater."
"Well," Dusk said as he thought, "can you or Fluttershy carry us across?"
"Fluttershy isn't strong enough. I could carry you guys one at a time, but it might take a while. Carrying people takes a lot out of ya, especially if they aren't seraphims themselves."
"Well we better get star- do you hear that?"
They listened, and sure enough, in the distance, a soft sobbing could be heard. When the they went to investigate further upstream, there they found, on the bank of the river, a great serpent as tall as a building. His face was dragon like and currently burred in his claw like hands as he let out bellowing sobs.
"Oh cruel world!" he said rolling his Rs dramatically.
"Is that a river serpent?" Kevin asked.
"It looks like it, they're suppose to be quite friendly and playful. I wonder what happened to him." Dusk approached the crying mess of a river serpent and yelled to get his attention. "Excuse me, sir? Why are you crying?"
"Why? Why!" the serpent said and sniffled "Just look at me!" he lowered his hands and on his muzzle was one half of a very flamboyant mustache. "I was just sitting here, minding my own business, when this nasty little cragodile swims up to me and just bites half my beloved mustache clean off, without so much as a how do you do. And now... *sniff* I'm hideous!" The wails continued even louder this time.
The reactions were mixed to say the least. Dusk rubbed his temples while Kevin pinched his nose. Applejack and Rainbow Dash whispered 'say what now?' and 'Are you kidding me?' respectively. Rarity, however, looked on with incredulity.
"Oh where are my manners," the serpent sniffed, "I'm Steven Magnet, pleasure to meet you."
"Dusk Shine, and the pleasure's all mine. Say, Mr. Magnet, I'm sorry about your... mustache, but is there any way you could help us cross this river? Its really important that we-"
"Dusk. Shine!" Rarity interrupted, "how can you even think of leaving this poor fellow in his time of need?! Oh, just look at him. Such lovely luminescent scales," she said as she lightly brushed her hand across the serpent's scales.
"I know," sniffed Steven.
"And your expertly coiffed hair."
"I know, I know!"
"And that fabulous manicure! All ruined without your beautiful mustache!"
"Oh it's true, I'm disgusting, don't look at me!" Steven howled.
"My dear Steven, don't you worry one bit. For I shall NOT let such a crime against fabulosity go uncorrected!" Rarity declared. With that, she grabbed her own hair and formed it into a long pony tail. Then, to the shock of everyone, she cast a severing cantrip, cutting it off at the base. After that, she levitated the hair up towards Steven's muzzle and, with a few hand gestures, magically attached it to the point where his mustache had been cut. With a final wave of her hand, the hair was styled and died to match the blonde color of the other half. When she finished, she magicked up a mirror to allow Steven to see, to his great delight, that his mustache looked the same as if it had always been.
"Oh-hohohoho! My mustache. How wonderful. Oh bless you darling!"
"Think nothing of it dear."
"Oh, Rarity, your beautiful hair..." Fluttershy said sympathetically.
"Yes well, it'll grow back. Besides, short hair is in this season."
"That was awfully generous of you, Rarity," Dusk complemented. "I... I think I kinda owe you an apology."
"Why, whatever for?"
"Well, see, when we first met, I assumed you would be, well..." Dusk struggled to find the right words.
"Petty? Shallow?" Rarity offered.
"Y-yea. It's just, every other girl I've met who puts as much emphasis on looks and glamour as you tends to think that they're owed the world, and I thought you'd be the same. But I was wrong, twice now I've seen you give up something without asking for anything in return, and to top it off, you're here with us, putting your life at risk, to stop Nightmare Moon. So I'm sorry I was wrong." Dusk looked up at Rarity with his hand behind his head.
"Apology accepted, Darling. Everyone makes assumptions and I suppose I can see why you might think that. But I enjoy fashion and beauty for their own sake, not to make people adore me. Although," she smirked, "it's a nice bonus when it does happen."
"Guys, I hate to break up this moment, but we still have to cross the river." Kevin pointed out.
"Oh, Allow me. It's the least I can do," Steven said as he laid down in the water, extending his body so that his back formed a makeshift bridge. The grateful group said their farewells and crossed over with out issue. "Farewell little friends, do come back and see me some time!"
***
As the group moved out of site of the river, they could see, in the distance, an old castle amid a clearing of trees. As impressive as is must have been once, it was clear now that it had fallen siege to the one force no castle, however mighty, could withstand; time. A single tower still bore its roof while the others were dilapidated and caved in. The ramparts were riddled with breaches and covered in moss.
"There it is!" Dusk shouted "that's where we'll find the Elements of Harmony!" He charged ahead heedlessly, and nearly off a cliff that he didn't see for the fog that was bellowing up from it's depths. "Whoa!" He stopped himself just on the edge of the cliff, struggling to balance himself when Rainbow caught up and pulled him back.
"Dude, charging ahead is my shtick, you're suppose to be the smart one." Rainbow admonished.
"Right, right," Dusk looked around, "Look! There's a rope bridge, but its cut down from the other end." He and the others walked over to the wooden posts where one end of the ropes where tied. The bridge itself looked it good condition, save for the fact that it lead down into the canyon rather than across as it was supposed to.
"Well now what do we do?" Pinkie asked. Rainbow just cleared her throat as she raised her wings, "oh, right."
"Be right back guys," Rainbow dived into the canyon head first, spreading her wings to slow her decent. Grabbing the loose end of the bridge, she carried it up to the opposite end and tied off the first rope. She didn't notice but the fog had gotten thicker and thicker.
"Rainbow, can you hear us?" Dusk called, "The fog is getting thick, we cant see you."
"Yea, I hear ya. Give me some slack, the rope is too short. Guys? Guys!?" she called out, but it wasn't Dusk or any of her friends who answered her.
"Rainbow..." came a voice as soft as a whisper, "Rainbow Dash..." It echoed in an eerie stereo and seemed to come from all directions at once.
"Who's there!?" Rainbow turned on her heal, looking for the origin of the voice. "I'm not afraid! I know karate!"
"Thou has no cause to fear me, young seraphim." The voice was clearer now but maintained it's disorienting echo. "Indeed, We have come to praise thy skills. For thou art the greatest flyer in the land are you not?"
Rainbow relaxed a little bit at that, her pride taking over as she relished in the fact that Nightmare Moon, a creature of legend, was complimenting her abilities. "Yea, it's true," she said, "have you come to surrender to my awesomeness?"
Nightmare's eyes would have twitched had she had them at that moment, but she pushed her pride down for the sake of her mission. This girl would suffer soon enough. "We are here to extend an offer, Rainbow Dash of Ponyville, a woman of your skill could have great power and respect in Our new world."
"If you think I'm going to just abandon my friends-"
"Thine friends care not for thee. Thou art but a pawn in Dusk Shine's misguided quest. He is leading you and thine fellows to destruction. He knows not the power of what he seeks, it will consume him and you as well."
"We could offer you so much more," suddenly, the fog began to swirl and morph until a vision appeared before Rainbow. She saw herself standing at the head of a massive army and she. Looked. AWESOME! Her vision self wore a set of armor right out of a fantasy game, shining a silver and purple hue with eagle wings adorning the shoulder pads and kneecaps. Her sword was every bit as awesome with the hilt shaped like a dragon's maw and the blade protruding from the mouth. In front of her were several figures she easily recognized as her personal heroes, the Wonderbolt Elites, Spitfire, Soarin, and Fleetfoot. Behind them were other famous Wonderbolts, and they were all saluting her!
Rainbow could only gawk at the image. It was everything she ever dreamed, to be respected, to be admired, to be a legend. "And you will be a legend, Sky Child, thou need only to reach out an take what thy desires," Nightmare said.
A million and one thoughts battled their way through Rainbow's head. Everything she ever wanted, all she had to do was switch sides. Who cared who was ruling the land, it wasn't as though she ever paid any attention to politics anyhow. Sure Nightmare may be a tyrant but if she were a general wouldn't she be able to do whatever she wanted as long as she stayed out of Nightmare's way? And If it were really that bad, she could use her position to help from the inside, that's how these things worked right?
Just as Rainbow was starting to reach for the image, a new series of thoughts began to appear in her mind. Thoughts of Fluttershy, her childhood friend and what would happen to her. Thoughts of the people in Ponyville and elsewhere being enslaved while she reaped the benefits of their suffering. Rainbow took another good look at the image, was that really what she wanted? The look on her vision self's face was one of stern, unyielding authority, the kind she hated. Sure they respected her, but it wasn't earned, it was forced through fear.
A final memory entered her head, that of her last confrontation with Nightmare Moon and how, if not for the efforts of that egg head, Dusk, she'd be dead right now. That sealed the deal.
"Sorry, Nightmare, but I'm gonna pass."
"What?!" the image vanished as Nightmare Moon took on her corporeal form in front of Rainbow. "Do not test Our patience, Sky Child!"
"I said, 'No', what are you? Stupid and deaf?" Rainbow crossed her arms, starring Nightmare right in the face.
Nightmare scowled at the girl, "In the end thou shall all serve, if not as Our general then as Our slave." She transformed once again into formless smoke and shot towards the ruined castle. As she did, the fog began to clear and Rainbow could once again hear her friends frantic calls from the other side of the canyon.
"Rainbow! Are you alright? What happened over there?" Dusk called out.
"I'm fine! Lemme just tie off the bridge here... There we go, you guys can come on over now!"
The group ran across the bridge and surrounded Rainbow, concern evident on their faces. "Rainbow Dash! What happened? We lost you in the fog and we couldn't hear you," Rarity asked.
"Nightmare Moon happened."
"What!?" they all said at once.
"She tried to get me to join with some BS offer of power and glory but I saw through her tricks right from the start," Rainbow said as she beamed with pride.
"Nightmare was here?" Kevin asked, "then she knows what we're up to," he looked over to Dusk with his arms crossed.
"Yes, but it also means we're on the right track! The Elements have to be there otherwise she wouldn't be trying to stop us!"
"Um, about that," Rainbow scratched her head as she looked at Dusk, "are you, like, sure that these Element things will even work when we find them? I mean, Nightmare Moon didn't seem worried as much as amused that we were going after them."
"O-of course they'll work! I mean, the book said they did..." Dusk trailed off as doubt began to eat at his mind. What am I doing out here? I'm putting five innocent, well meaning girls in mortal danger on a mission that I still have no guaranty will succeed. Doubt was replaced by anxiety, his obsessive compulsive driven fear began to spiral out of control. I've lead them all to death, the world was doomed, all because of my need to be right. Dusk began to hyperventilate as rational fears gave way to irrational ones. Was this part of the plan? Did I mean for this to happen? Am I working for Nightmare Moon? The kind of fears that a normal person wouldn't give a second thought were made real by his obsessive compulsive disorder.
Just as Dusk feared he was about to fall into a full blown panic attack, he felt a pair of arms close around him. He opened his eyes to see Pinkie Pie giving him a hug with a big smile on her face. "Hey now," she said, "don't be afraid, auntie Pinkie's hear to help you laugh those mean old feelings away."
"I-I appreciate it, Pinkie, but it's not that simple. I have a condition that makes me... well it's hard to explain."
"Well, I know something that never fails to put a smile on someone's face. It's a song my Granny Pie taught me about not being afraid."
Dusk's breathing had slowed but the feeling of dread still lingered as it was wont to do. "I doubt a song can-" but he didn't get a chance to finish. Pinkie broke out into a joyous melody, dancing and spinning as she went.
"When I was itty-bitty and the sun was going down!" she sang as the others just watched in disbelief. "The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown."
The song proved every bit as ridiculous as the girl singing it, using every synonym possible for ghost and giggle. As it reached it's crescendo, Pinkie's infectious voice pierced the hearts of all present, removing any fear or doubt they may have had, if only for the moment. When she finished, she looked at Dusk expectantly, who couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the whole thing. The others joined in as well.
"Thank you, Pinkie, I needed that," said Dusk, "and thank you, all of you. You followed me in here when all I had was a hunch. If... if we make it out of this, maybe we could, be friends?"
"Of course!"
"Yea, you're alright. You know, for an egghead."
"Why that would be simply delightful."
"Shoot, like I said back on the farm, yer practically family."
"As long as it's ok with you..."
"I wouldn't mind hanging out," interrupted Kevin, "but we really should get moving. Who knows when Nightmare might get tired of toying with us."
"Right!" said Dusk, "Come on, guys, lets finish this!"
***
After about half an hour's walk, the group found themselves in the main room of the ruined castle. On the floor was a faded red rug that lead to two great thrones that were broken in various places. Tapestries adorned the walls but they were so dust covered that one could barely make out the design.
"Ugh, this place is in dire need of a good dusting," said Rarity, "I'm going to have to wash my hair at least a dozen times when I get home."
"So, where to now?" asked Rainbow.
Kevin looked up from examining one of the crumbled statues, "a weapon like the Elements of Harmony would have been kept in a secure location. A specialized vault if I were to guess."
"Well, we'd better start looking" said AJ, "should we split up?"
Dusk was about to answer when he looked over to a corridor behind the thrones with stairs leading up. All of a sudden, he had the most bizarre since of deja vu. He couldn't explain it, but it felt like he'd been here before, like he'd seen that very same passage way. Every detail, right down to the chunk of stone missing from the third step, it was as clear in his mind as if he'd been there just yesterday.
Dusk rubbed his forehead. Rainbow noticed, "You alright Dusk?"
"Y-yea. I think... I think we need to go this way," he pointed towards the stairs.
"What makes you say that?" asked Kevin.
"I... don't know," he confessed, "maybe I saw a picture somewhere but I swear I remember those stairs. I think the Elements are up there."
"Eh, good enough for me," said Rainbow as she flew to and up the stair case. The rest of the group followed behind her.
At the top of the stairs was a set of large doors. There was an image on the doors of what looked like a tree of some sort, with five branches fanning out from the center. The tree's trunk had a three carvings, two of which Dusk recognized immediately, the first being one he saw every day, the shining sun cutie mark of Princess Celestia. The second was one he'd only ever seen in history books, a crescent moon belonging to Celestia's lost sister, Princess Luna. The final carving was missing a large chunk from its bottom so its true shape couldn't be determined, but whatever it had been, it seemed to have at least five points, each one pointing to a specific branch. The entire image was split in two by a seam where the doors would open.
"How in the world are we gonna get past this?" asked Pinkie.
"Relax, I got this," Rainbow said as she walked up to the doors. She made a show of rolling up her sleeves and placed both hands on the door, pushing with all her might. "Hughhh," she grunted but nothing happened. She then placed her uninjured shoulder to the door and pushed even harder, her feet moved in place but the door itself didn't budge. "Huurrrgnnnnnah, yea that door ain't moving."
"Lemme try," AJ walked up to the doors and began examining them, running her hands on the surface and tapping the stone with her knuckles.
"Ha! Go ahead, AJ, but if I couldn't do it then you definitely can't... do..." Rainbow trailed off as AJ kicked the door in a precise spot, forcing it open. Rainbow hovered in her spot, her mouth agape. "Wha, but... how?"
"Just gotta know where to kick it," Aj winked at Rainbow.
She and the others crossed the threshold while Dash continued to stair, unbelieving, "yea well, I loosened it for you."
In the center of the massive room was a large orrey, but instead of planets there were five gemstones of varying colors. Dusk approached the orrey while Kevin and the girls stood watching. Reaching out, he placed a hand on the sun that formed the center piece. Once again, he was struck with an overwhelming sense of deja vu. He'd seen this exact same device before, only instead of gems, there were stone tablets.
Dusk quickly pulled his hand back. He was about to speak when a voice called out. "...Elements of Harmony, we've found them." He recognized the voice, but from where he couldn't say. It echoed and yet sounded as though it were coming from right next to him.
"Did you guys hear that?" he asked.
"Hear what?" asked Pinkie.
Dusk heard another voice, this time it sounded like Pinkie was counting something, except he was looking right at her and she wasn't saying a thing. Another disembodied voice, this time Rainbow's, could clearly be heard asking about a "sixth".
"You guys really cant hear that?" Dusk wasn't sure if he should mention that what he was hearing were voices just yet.
They all admitted to not hearing anything. Dusk turned back to the orrey, as he did, the first unknown voice spoke again. "When the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed." Is it a clue? he thought to himself, only one way to find out. Using his magic, Dusk carefully removed the multicolored gems from their placement and arranged them in a circle on the floor.
"So, how do these work?" asked Rainbow as she picked up the red gem. There didn't seem to be anything special about it.
"I have an idea," said dusk, "everyone stand back, I'm going to cast 'Identify Magic' but I don't know how they'll react."
Rainbow returned the red gem to the circle and joined the others while Dusk began the sequence for his spell. Identify Magic was a simple two motion spell that would make various magical effects on an object or person visible, but it was also easy to counter. If the enchanter of said object wanted the specifics of their spell to remain hidden, it was a simple matter to place a trap in the form of an enchantment that would remain dormant until it was visible. Dusk was aware of this and had prepared for pretty much anything. Anything except a simple recall spell.
"Dusk!" the girls all shouted in unison as both he and the Elements disappeared from the room.
"Where did he go?" asked Rarity.
Applejack caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye. From a window, she could see the one tower that still had it's roof and a soft glow coming from its window. "Guys, look! I think he's over there."
"Come on then, we have to get over to him," said Kevin as he and the girls made their way back to the stairs.
***
"Ugh, well that happened," Dusk rubbed his head and climbed to his feet. Behind him, he herd an mocking, bone chilling laugh. "Oh raspberries," Dusk turned and there, in all her terrifying glory, was Nightmare Moon.
"Welcome, Dusk Shine of Canterlot, We've been expecting thee" Nightmare gracefully strode towards Dusk, Umbra in hand. "We even brought along a special guest to bear witness to this occasion..." she gestured over her shoulder and there, to Dusk's horror, was the stone form of Princess Celestia.
"Y-you witch! I won't let you get away with this!"
Nightmare laughed, "Oh Dusk, that was cliche even in Our time," Nightmare continued towards Dusk.
"Not another step!" Dusk levitated the five gems into a circle that rotated in front of him. "I have the Elements of Harmony! I'll use them to seal you back in the moon where you belong!"
"Tis most amusing that thou think We fear the Elements. Indeed We could have destroyed them at any time. We held them in Our hands as We cast the recall spell on them that brought thee hither, but nay, We wanted thou to be present, to see with thine own eyes the hopelessness of thy quest."
Dusk ignored her taunts as he focused his magic. He began to feel the Elements power, they seemed to instruct him on their usage. If he started to channel his energy in the wrong way, he would feel a small sensation, almost instinctual, as to which was the proper way. Was that the origin of the voices? A mystery for another time, right now I have evil to beat.
The mandala of gems spun faster and faster, Dusk was lifted off the ground as energy poured into him. It was euphoric. Without knowing how he knew, he realized that the spell was fully charged. He concentrated the power into a ball of pure energy and released it all directly at Nightmare Moon. The attack struck her directly.
Dusk floated back down to the floor, the gems still orbiting around him. He looked at where Nightmare had been standing and, for a brief moment, thought he'd won. That thought was dashed a moment later as the smoke cleared, revealing Nightmare still standing, her smoke-like wings embracing her body. She emerged from behind her wings with a wicked, condescending smile, "Twas a valiant effort, Dusk Shine of Canterlot, but a futile one."
Nightmare jumped in the air and buffeted her wings, creating a shock wave of air. Dusk, who was too stunned to react, received the full force of the wave and flew backwards into the wall. As he fell forward, he was certain he had broken a few bones. He struggled to his feet just in time to see Nightmare standing over the Elements of Harmony. She raised an open hand and the gems floated up to her as they had for Dusk.
"Insolent child, didst thou truly believe you could defeat Us? We are ancient. Thou never had a chance," Nightmare clenched her fist, when she did, the Elements of Harmony shattered and with them, Dusk's hope.
***
Applejack, Fluttershy, Kevin, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Rarity had just entered the throne of the ruined castle and were looking for a way to the tower where they hoped Dusk and the Elements were. They hadn't failed to notice the sounds of fighting and evil laughter.
"We have to hurry, Dusk wont last long on his-" Kevin was interrupted by the sound of screeching metal. The group all came to a halt as they searched for the source. Fluttershy's eyes landed on a suit of armor holding a large claymore.
It was rare that her curiosity overrode her timidness but in this case, she couldn't help but want to examine the image of a bunny on the armors coat of arms. She approached slowly, tilting her head. When she got within arms reach, however, the armor suddenly turned to look at her.
Fluttershy yelped and stumbled backwards as the armor began to walk towards her bearing its sword. Four more identical suits of armor stepped off their pedestals and joined the first in marching to the group. Fluttershy scrambled to her feet while the rest of her friends formed a protective line in front of her.
"Revenants," said Kevin, "they must have been drawn here by Nightmare Moon."
"How do we beat them?" Rainbow asked.
"Find the anchor, it looks like a little glowing dot. Break it and they'll be exercised from the armor," Kevin extended his wrist blades, "I'll take care of the one on the far left," he said and charged. Applejack and Rainbow Dash leaped on the the second and third ones, leaving the last two for Pinkie and Rarity.
Kevin crossed is blades to block as the revenant brought its massive sword down. Then, using his enemy's own force, allowed himself to be pushed down and between the revenant's legs. He rolled and jumped to his feet quickly and struck the armored legs, toppling it to the ground. Before he could impale the hollow suite of armor, however, it detached its arms and shot them towards his throat, forcing him to block.
The arms returned to the armor, formed into a fist and detached again, shooting towards Kevin, then retracting back to the armor, repeating again and again like a pair of pistons. Kevin parried each one but soon found himself against a wall. Blast it, I need to get off the defensive, he thought, revenants rely on body heat to see so smoke screens wont work, if I could just transform for a moment... An idea formed itself, a smoke screen wouldn't hide him from the revenant but it would hide him from the girls.
Moving quickly, he reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out one of his smoke pellets. He always carried at least one in case he needed to disappear without revealing his true nature. He tossed it on the ground and within seconds he was concealed by a cloud of smoke. As expected the revenant was completely unfazed but he could no longer see the girls, which meant they could no longer see him. In a flash of green fire Kevin the man disappeared and in his place stood K'Vann the changeling.
The attacks from the revenant stopped, K'Vann's cold as death changeling body was completely invisible to its infrared sight. As the revenant cautiously searched, K'Vann made use of his pale blue changeling eyes that allowed him to see emotion. There, in the breastplate of the armor, shining like a beacon, was the anchor. Illuminated by all the hatred, and bitterness felt by the revenant. He had two maybe three seconds before the smoke cleared, it was now or never. K'Vann darted to the side of the revenant and jammed his blade between the joint at the arm and breastplate, striking the anchor and shattering it. His very next act was to wrap himself in green flame, changing back into Kevin just as the smoke dissipated.
The armor stuttered, and then fell apart, a ghostly mist floated up from where the anchor had been and vanished into the air. Kevin took a moment to catch his breath before looking to join the others.
Rainbow was buzzing about her opponent, flying close enough to throw a punch then darting back out when it swung its sword. "C'mon, slow poke," she taunted, "can you actually hit me with that big sword of yours or you just compensating for something?" The revenant allowed its arm to detach with each swing, extending its reach, but it wasn't enough.
Rainbow flew above it and with a downward kick, struck the helm of the armor, wedging it into the suit. The revenant fell over and Rainbow landed with a confident smirk. "You just got 'Rainbowned'," she said. With her back turned, however, she didn't notice the revenant stand back up and raise its sword over here.
"Rainbow! Look out!" she heard Fluttershy yell. Rainbow turned to see the armor with the smashed in helm about to cleave her in half when she was suddenly tackled just before the sword came down with rock splitting force.
Rainbow shook her head and opened her eyes to see Kevin climbing off her then offering her a hand. "Dude, you saved me."
"I wouldn't have had to if you weren't so cocky," he admonished, "this isn't a game or one of your silly competitions, these things will KILL us if we let them."
"I-I know that!" Rainbow retorted, although her tone betrayed the fact that it might not have completely hit home just yet.
"Whatever, just distract it so I can get at the anchor," Kevin deployed his wrist blades jumped back into the fray.
I'll show him Rainbow thought as she looked around for something to use. There, on the wall was a display case with a shield and a pair of swords. She had no idea how to sword fight but any idiot could use a shield to block right? Grabbing the shield off the wall, she turned back to the revenant that Kevin was currently fighting. She picked up a piece of rubble from the ground and bounced it in her hand. "Hey, can o' loser, heads up!" she yelled as she threw the object.
The projectile struck the revenant in the arm but did nothing other than draw it's attention to Rainbow. It moved on her, sword raised but this time, she was ready. She raised the shield between herself and her attacker as it struck, the impact sent numbing vibrations through Rainbow's arms.
While the revenant was distracted, Kevin repeated the attack he had with the first, sliding his blade through the joint and striking the anchor. The creature collapsed in a pile of armor. Dash took a moment to catch her breath as feeling slowly returned to her arms. She suddenly had a new respect for the knights of old who had to block with only one arm while attacking with a sword in the other.
Rarity and Applejack had been holding their own fairly well, with AJ using her lasso to bind the arms of her opponent while Rarity was firing various spells at hers.
AJ's revenant struggled and finally broke free of its bonds but not before she was able to jump on its back, wrapping her arms and legs around it's torso. "Yeehaw, now this is a rodeo!" The revenant twisted and flailed but to no avail as AJ used her weight to further confuse it's movements. As the revenant stumbled about, AJ took the opportunity to pull the helm off the armor and spot the glowing anchor inside, just under the left arm. She reached in with her right arm and used her thumb to press down on the anchor as hard as she could, it cracked under the pressure. The armor collapsed sending her rolling off on to the ground.
Rarity's attacker, although slowed by her barrage of spells, was slowly advancing on her. Rarity was no fighter and her stamina for magic was limited and starting to wear. The revenant closed in on her and grabbed her arm. "Ugh, unhand me you brute!" she slapped it across the cheek of the helm which, of course, did nothing. The animated armor raised its sword to finish the job. Thinking quickly, she reached into her pack and grabbed an aerosol can, the label read Hair Spray: Industrial Strength.
With one practiced motion, Rarity used her free hand to pop the cap off the aerosol can and spray a healthy dose all over the revenant's sword arm. The arm slowed and then froze. The revenant dropped Rarity as it attempted to free it's frozen arm with its free one. Rarity crouched as she landed and continued to spray the legs and other joints on the armor. The revenant struggled slowly but eventually stopped altogether, frozen as a statue.
"Humph, ruffian," Rarity scoffed, "making me waste my good hair spray." She straightened her hair with her hands before applying a tiny bit of the hair spray on herself, then replaced it in her pack.
Applejack had seen the whole thing and just shook her head. "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't have believed it." She walked up to the armor, removed the helm and broke the anchor as she had with the other.
The remaining revenant was attempting to beat Pinkie Pie in a game of Wack a Mole, with Pinkie playing the part of the mole. When it would swing it's sword, she would duck behind a pile of rubble, only to emerge seconds later behind a fallen pillar ten feet away, every time saying things like "Over here!" and "Can't catch me!" much to the revenant's confusion and frustration.
Behind Pinkie was Fluttershy, watching her friends fight all while feeling helpless and weak. "Oh, I'm so pathetic," she whimpered to herself, "I want to help but I'm just so scared." She watched as Pinkie popped up from her hiding spot to hit the revenant with a pie that she had got from... somewhere. Pinkie clutched her stomach and laughed at the sight. So distracted was she, that she didn't notice that her attacker wasn't as blinded by the pie as she had thought. Fluttershy's eyes widened, "Pinkie! Look out!"
Pinkie looked up and was able to move just in time to save her own life, but not enough to avoid injury altogether. The sword swing caught her arm, causing her to yelp in pain. Fluttershy ran to Pinkie's side, "Oh my goodness, are you alright?" she asked as she pulled Pinkie's hand off her wound to look at it. The cut wasn't deep, but it would need to be cleaned and treated.
"Yea, I'm ok, it doesn't hurt too bad. Guess I got a little careless huh?" Pinkie said with a slight smile, but her words were distant to Fluttershy.
Rage, anger, Fluttershy knew what these words defined, but until now, she had never known what they meant. Gone was her fear, gone was her sense of compassion and dislike of violence. She stood and turned to face the revenant, "How dare you..." she spoke in an abnormally calm and steady voice. "How DARE YOU!" Her fists were clenched and her glare was so intense that the revenant actually halted it's advance.
"You think, just because you're an evil spirit, that you can go and hurt my friends!?!" as she spoke, she slowly advanced towards the revenant, stomping each step. "Your just a great. BIG. MEANIE!" With both hands, she shoved the revenant backwards, it stumbled and tripped over a ledge, causing it to fall through a glass window and down onto the rocks below. The impact shattered the armor and the anchor as well.
Fluttershy's breathing slowed as she began to calm. Putting her hands over her mouth, she turned to face her awe struck friends. "Oh my goodness, I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."
"Fluttershy, that was AWESOME!" Rainbow said, shaking her friend by the shoulder.
"C'mon y'all, we got ta get to Dusk," AJ said. She and the others made their way down the hall leading out of the throne room and hopefully to the tower where Dusk had teleported.
Kevin followed behind, thinking to himself, It's always the quiet ones...
***
"Argh!" Dusk whimpered as he was magically slammed into another wall. This time he didn't fall forward but was held against it by Nightmare Moon's invisible magic force. He grunted as the pressure slowly increased, becoming more and more painful as he was crushed. Nightmare laughed as she took pleasure in his pain.
"Thou can end this, Dusk Shine," she said in her mocking tone, "swear fealty to Us, and We shall do more than spare thy life. Thou has proven cunning and resourceful, We could use one of thine skills. You value knowledge? Thu shalt have it! Secrets from beyond history, forgotten by even Celestia. You value power? Thu shalt become the greatest mage that ever walked the Earth."
Despite the immense pressure on his body, Dusk managed to turn his head to face Nightmare. "g-go, ack... Go to hell!" he spat.
Nightmare scowled, "so be it, by Our power as queen, thy life is forfeit, Dusk Shine of Canterlot."
Nightmare pointed Umbra straight at Dusk, forming a dark ball of negative energy. Before she could release it, however, something struck her right in her side, sending her flying into a pile of rubble on the other side of the room. The pressure dissipated and Dusk fell to the ground. Looking up, he was shocked to see Rainbow Dash land were Nightmare was just standing.
"Aww yea, that one was for my shoulder, beyach!" she bent down to lift Dusk up onto her back, "guess we're even now, you ok, Egghead?"
"I've been better," he looked around to see the other girls and Kevin all running to him, "you guys shouldn't have come back."
"Shucks, partner," AJ said with a tip of her hat, "we're friends now, and you don't leave friends behind." She looked around the room, "what happened to the Elements?"
Dusk's smile fell, "They were-"
Dusk was interrupted as Nightmare exploded from the pile of rubble she was knocked into. "Miserable gnats! We shall make thee suffer a thousand, thousand times for this indignity!"
"Fluttershy, tend to Dusk," Kevin said, "everyone else, lets depose this 'queen'."
"Come at Us all at once, twill make no difference in the end."
Dusk sat up as he watched his new found friends rush headlong into what was surly their doom. "I don't understand," he looked to Fluttershy, "none of you have to be here, you could have run when you had the chance, why are you doing this all for me?"
"Well, it's like Applejack said, you're our friend, and friends look out for each other. Not just because it's right, but because we want to," Fluttershy thought for a moment, "I suppose friendship is magical in that way."
"Friendship is magic..." as Dusk said those words, something clicked in his head. Another memory/premonition, just like the last two times. Closing his eyes he could see a vision of six figures. Horses? Spirit animals perhaps, he could only see their silhouettes, but around their necks were amulets, clad in gold with shining gems set in the center. He recognized each gem, they were shaped like the cutie marks of his new friends. The figure in the center had no necklace but a crown, it too had a gem and one he was familiar with most of all. It was his own mark.
The vision ended and suddenly, he knew exactly what needed to be done. "I've got it," he turned to Fluttershy, "the gems weren't the Elements, they were just a manifestation, a focus for their power. The real Elements of Harmony have been with us the whole time!" Ignoring the pain in his body, and the protests from Fluttershy, Dusk made his way to where the fragments of the shattered gems lay.
He gathered the orange shards in a pile, "Applejack, who told me how she felt about my attitude even though it might have offended me, I name you 'Honesty'!"
Applejack had her rope around Nightmare's arm and was tugging with all her strength. Nightmare easily sliced the rope with Umbra causing AJ's pent up momentum to send her flying backwards. Undeterred, she returned to the fight, too distracted to noticed an orange gem in the shape of her cutie mark forming just above her breasts.
Dusk gathered the pink shards, "Fluttershy, who showed mercy to a manticore by tending it's wound when slaying it would have been wiser, I name you 'Kindness'!"
Unlike AJ, Fluttershy did notice the pink gem in the shape of her mark form on her chest. It felt oddly calming to her.
Dusk then turned to the purple shards, "Rarity, who gave her own hair, which she values greatly, to a mournful serpent and expected nothing in return, I name you 'Generosity'!"
"Alright you old hag!" Rarity shouted, "you want to be a queen with that style? Please, your hair and your outfit are practically ancient, and don't even get me stated on your complexion! Honestly, Darling, try some makeup next time."
Infuriated, Nightmare shifted her focus towards the young djinn woman who was now sporting a purple diamond shaped gem below her neck.
Only two piles left, Dusk gathered the red and blue shards and spoke as he had for the others. First to the red, "Rainbow Dash, who was offered the chance to fulfill her hearts desire at the cost of her friends, but remained faithful to those she cared about, I name you 'Loyalty'!"
As Nightmare charged Rarity, Rainbow came out of hiding and landed a punch right on her face, a red lightning bold shining on her chest. The punch sent her flying right towards...
"Pinkie Pie," Dusk spoke to the final, blue pile, "who remained optimistic even in our darkest moments, and pulled me from my own disrepair with her joy, I name you 'Laughter'!"
Pinkie was ready for Nightmare with a cream filled pie, slamming it right into her face. When the blue balloon formed on her chest, she giggled, "teehee, that tickles." Nightmare was beyond furious at this point.
"ENOUGH!" Nightmare extended her wings and came to a dead stop in the air, the force of her magic eliminating any remaining peaces of the pie she had been struck with. "This farce ends NOW!"
The girls and Kevin, who had been needling Nightmare from the shadows, were all blown back towards Dusk and Fluttershy. "No more games," she said as she conjured a massive ball of energy, "DIE, INSECTS!" Nightmare released her attack, it struck true, its explosive force consuming the group, surly disintegrating anything within.
But when the dust cleared, there, completely unharmed and protected by a glowing golden aura were the five girls, floating just of the ground with Dusk in the center. Kevin looked up at them with awe, blinded by the light of the aura.
"Impossible..." Nightmare, for the first time, looked genuinely unsure of herself, "the Elements were destroyed, h-how?!"
"The Elements of Harmony cannot be destroyed," Dusk said, "because the spirits of The Elements of Harmony are here, in the hearts of those who hold their virtues true." As Dusk spoke, a rainbow link connected each of the girls at their respective gems. "These five amazing girls have stood against everything you've thrown at them and more. And now, their spark will awaken the true power of the Elements of Harmony, by revealing the sixth element!"
"Y-you fool! There is no sixth element!"
"But there is! I found it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear them, to see them, how much I cared about them. The spark ignited inside me when I realized that all of them... are my friends! You see, Nightmare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the spark, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: the Element of... Magic!" The rainbow link connected with Dusk on his forehead and the a gem formed in the shape of a six pointed star.
"I will not allow this! I am queen!" Nightmare pored all of her power into a beam of magical energy and fired it at Dusk.
Dusk harnessed the power for his own attack. The pool of energy was infinite, or at least infinite as far as mere mortals were concerned. He released his beam of white-gold energy which met Nightmare's beam, halting it in what appeared to be a stalemate. But where Nightmare Moon seemed to be struggling, Dusk was completely calm.
"Nightmare, I once asked Celestia why she was called princess when there was no higher authority than her. Do you know what she told me?" Dusk asked, "she told me, that she is princess, because in Equestria, Harmony is king..." With that, Dusk directed the Elements of Harmony to finish the fight at last, "Friendship Fire!"
A double helix of rainbows swirled from his hands, engulfing both his and Nightmare's previous beams. "Nooooooo!" Nightmare cried as the attack consumed her. The grey foggy wings blew away first, then the inky black skin cracked and peeled away, revealing a sky blue skin underneath, finally, her armor and Umbra evaporated. When the attack finished, Nightmare moon had vanished, and in her place was a young looking woman wearing a dirty and torn gown. The woman fell to her knees and then collapsed unconscious on the floor.
Dusk released the power of the Elements back to their respective gems. As he felt himself slip into unconsciousness, he received another vision. No figures this time, no voices or strange feelings, just a single five letter word in all capitals: AURYN.
***
""Ugh, my head. Anyone else feel like they just did three rounds with an ursa major and lost?" Rainbow sat up and rubbed her forehead. She looked around and saw that her friends were in a similar state, save for Rarity who was busy admiring her newly regrown hair in a compact mirror.
"Oh, Rarity, it's so lovely," Fluttershy said.
"I know, I'll never part with it again," Rarity replied while stroking it elegantly.
"No, I mean your necklace, it matches your cutie mark."
Rarity looked down to the purple diamond necklace she was wearing, "Oh my, your right!" she then looked up and noticed that Fluttershy had a similar necklace with a pink butterfly, "so does yours, Darling."
"Hey look at mine!" Pinkie said excitedly.
"Heh, pretty cool," Rainbow said as she looked at her own, "you know, for jewelry."
"Hey check out Dusk's!" Pinkie pointed at Dusk who had not a necklace but a crown, fit for a prince, with a six pointed magenta star as the center piece.
Dusk removed the crown to examine it, Applejack approached him as he did, "I got to admit, Dusk, I thought you were just spoutin' a lot of hooey, but I reckon we really did it didn't we?"
"Indeed you did," came a new voice. The group turned and there, walking down from the rubble in all her majestic glory was princess Celestia.
"Princess!" They all gasped and dropped to their knees in respect, except for Dusk, you marched towards her, looking somewhat angry.
"Dusk Shine, my wonderful, amazing student, you did it."
"Yea, after you lied to me and sent me away!"
"Dusk! This is the Princess," Rarity said through clenched teeth.
"She's also the one who told me Nightmare Moon was an old wives' tale and that the most important thing I needed to do was to make friends!" he sighed, "I'm sorry, Princess, I just don't get it." Dusk sat down on a fallen column and massaged his eyes.
"I told you that you needed to make friends, because, as you now know, the love between friends who will do anything for one another is one of the strongest magics there is." Celestia sat beside him, "Dusk, the day I met you, I knew you were destined for greatness. I knew that your talent, combined with the love of friends would be the key to destroying Nightmare Moon forever." Celestia's smile became a frown, "but I also knew that it would be a dangerous task, one that might even cost you your life. I had hoped I could subdue Nightmare on my own and then guide you and your friends on how the Elements worked so that, when the time came, you could safely purify Luna's spirit. I underestimated her, however and it nearly cost you all everything and for that, I beg your forgiveness."
The girls weren't quite sure how to respond to Princess Celestia, the highest and most respected authority in the land, humbling herself before them and asking forgiveness. Dusk, though a little stunned himself, had grown close to the Princess over the years and recovered more easily. "I... I guess I can understand that," then something occurred to him, "wait! What did you mean 'purify Luna's spirit'? I thought that Nightmare Moon killed her in battle a thousand years ago."
"In a way, my sister did lose a battle with Nightmare Moon. However, it was not a battle of weapons and magic, but a battle of will. For you see, Nightmare Moon is Luna, in body at least." The group gasped at that revelation but Celestia continued, "Luna grew envious of the attention and praise lavished upon me by our subjects. It didn't help that I, in youthful foolishness, dismissed her grievances as childishness. The Nightmare, a creature that feeds on negative feelings, growing more powerful as it does, was attracted to Luna like a beacon in darkness.
"Luna alone knows precisely how it happened, but ultimately it took control of her, poisoning her mind and twisting her into the monster you fought today," Celestia grew somber at the memory. "The Elements, when wielded by a single individual, are merely a power amplifier, their true strength can only be unlocked in the hands of a group bound by friendship. I was alone, however, so I was forced to use them to seal Nightmare, and thus my sister in the moon."
"And then you waited a thousand years alone, because of my selfishness." Everyone turned to see the formally unconscious woman being helped to her feet by Kevin. Her voice was unmistakably the same as nightmare's but it didn't echo or carry the same sinister tone. She avoided making eye contact with anyone, "I...I am grateful for freeing me from the darkness, I am prepared for any punishment you believe jus-" She never got to finish as she was interrupted by a bone crushing hug from Celestia.
"Luna, my sister, it has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. I will not send you away again just as soon as I have you back. Especially not when I know your actions were not your own." Luna could feel Celestia's tears on her cheeks causing her to start tearing up as well. "It's time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, will you accept my friendship?"
Luna finally broke down into tears, "yes! A thousand times yes! I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!"
"I've missed you, too."
Sniffling could be heard all around as the others, mostly Rarity and Pinkie crying tears of joy at the scene. "Hey! You know what this calls for?" Pinkie asked, "a PARTY!"
***
The party at Ponyville that day was one for the ages. Everyone was thrilled to see Princess Celestia had returned and raised the sun. Luna's return was, at her request, not announced as she felt it wasn't the proper time. Kevin also kept a low profile, whenever someone would come up to him to socialize he would merely make light small talk then move away.
Dusk and the girls, once their injuries were healed by Celestia, were the toast of the town, everyone praising their heroism and bravery. Rainbow was already on her fourteenth retelling of the story, each time growing more and more exaggerated. This particular retelling had her facing down an army of dragons while the others dangled in cages over a pit of lava. On the other end of the spectrum was Fluttershy, who was trying to make herself as small as possible.
Dusk sat at a picnic table with Spike, who wasn't sure if he should be mad or grateful that he had slept though such an amazing and terrifying ordeal. Sipping his fruit punch (which Pinkie assured him was actually fruit punch this time) Dusk looked on the festivities with slight melancholy.
"Why so glum, my student?" Celestia asked with a knowing smile, "are you not happy that your quest is complete and you can return to your studies in Canterlot?"
Dusk sighed, "this morning I would have been thrilled, but now," Dusk looked over at the five girls who had traveled with him, and in some ways, taught him more than he had ever learned from a book. "Now that I know what it's like to have friends, I have to leave..."
"LEAVE!?" Pinkie shouted getting everyone's attention, "Dusk, you cant leave! We just became friends!" The other girls all nodded in agreement.
Celestia smiled and turned to Spike, "Spike, take a note, please. 'I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the djinn Dusk Shine shall take on a new mission for Equestria. He must continue to study the magic of friendship. He must report to me his findings from his new home in Ponyville.'"
All the girls, and the rest of the assembled crowd cheered as Celestia finished her decree. "Oh thank you, Celestia! I'll study harder than ever before."
Rainbow gave Dusk a punch in the shoulder, "aww yea, welcome to the neighborhood."
Applejack put her arm around him, "I think yer gonna like it her, partner."
Rarity clasped her hands together, "how positively wonderful!"
Fluttershy let out a quiet but audible, "yay!"
And Pinkie... "Isn't this exciting? Are you excited cause I'm excited I've never been so excited, well, except for the time that I went 'gasp' but I mean really-"
***
On the other side of the town square, Kevin took advantage of the jubilation to remove himself from the crowd. He took one last look back at Dusk Shine and his new friends and then in a flash of green flames, took on the form of a seraphim for the flight to Canterlot. Good luck Dusk Shine, he thought, if Celestia is right about you, you're going to need it...