Celestia's flagship, the Phoenix, was by far the largest vessel in all of Mystica. Able to house and transport approximately 85% of Mystica's population (at least upon its completion, going by Mystica’s current population numbers it was a bit less than that), when used in conjunction with the rest of the fleet Celestia could save her people if disaster struck and like her pet Philomena, they can raise from the ashes. However, the Phoenix was also a warship, and despite its size and lack of maneuverability, it could take on fleets of opposing fliers and skyboats. Yet the last time the Phoenix saw combat was during the Demon Scourge approximately 50 years ago, and it didn't fight in Mystica, but rather was used to aid several of the surrounding nations, at home a band of three paladins, all cousins to each other and members of the Apple clan destroyed the small foothold set up by the succubus Hydia . For the most part the Phoenix was used as a symbol of Mystica's might, and to show the power of its demigoddess princess (to be more accurate empress) and often only saw use to transport Celestia to the city that was hosting the main Summer Sun Celebration every year it was not hosted in Chantalot and to the host city of the Mystica Games, held every six years when it was not hosted in Chantalot.
Under normal circumstances, Celestia would be accompanied by her personal retinue of the Earth-Sky-Magic United Coalition, better known as the ESM, Royal Guard branch, but she had ordered them and the crew of the Phoenix, included in that is the skyboat's airborne contingent, to let her go alone. Pretty much everyone obeyed, one frequently does not question a demigoddess' command. However, one soldier, assigned as part of the Phoenix's airborne was not budging from his post. Celestia was the last to arrive on the scene and even from exiting the palace proper to the royal docks she heard the commander of the Phoenix's airborne reprimanding the soldier with the harsh language used only by drill sergeants. As she walked towards the Phoenix she saw Shining Armor and a woman just younger than him but, old enough to have been a sitter for younger women around Twilight's age. The woman had hair that was tri-colored light yellow, dark pink and royal purple. Her eyes were light purple. And like Celestia, she has metallic wings from her back, but while Celestia’s were like half suns, the younger woman's were half-heart with crystals. The main mark of her magical specialty was a large crystal heart that was mostly the front torso of her dress. She was Celestia’s adopted niece Mi Amore Cadenza, or rather that what Celestia’s court called her, she preferred to go by the name the Earthborn couple that found her and raised her when she just a baby Skyborn, Cadance.
“Oh, Aunt Celestia, there seems to be a problem.” the woman said noticing Celestia after greeting Celestia with a bow.
“Rise Mi Amore Cadenza, we are family. So, Corporal Flash Sentry is living up to half his name.” Celestia said as she looks from Mi Amore Cadenza to the old man on the gangway and a younger man most likely 22 on the deck of the Phoenix.
“For the love of... Sentry if you don't stand down I'll have you court marshaled!” the older man shouted at the younger man.
“Your Highness if I...” Shining Armor started but stopped as Celestia held up her right hand. She knew what Shining Armor did, he did this every year since his promotion. Ask one man to remain on board the Phoenix at all times. When he was first assigned to the Royal Guard, he always remained on board the Phoenix during his tour. It was this dedication to his task that was the reason why Celestia herself promoted him to his current position, that and his unique shielding spell. While this had not been a problem before, it can be rather annoying, like now. Mi Amore Cadenza stepped to the side, this yearly song-and-dance, twice every sixth year, ended the same way, Celestia would humor Shining Armor until Shining Armor left the docks and then she would dismiss the guard that volunteered. However, to Mi Amore Cadenza, it was actually entertaining. Shining Armor has been getting better at his end of the game, but he was up against a demigoddess that has done this for at least 900 years longer than he has been alive, however, if Mi Amore Cadenza was honest, Shining Armor’s first attempt would have worked on her (Mi Amore Cadenza) and she would have him as her personal guard… it was part of the reason she proposed to him.
“Shining Armor, I understand your actions, but...” Celestia started.
“Corporal Flash Sentry volunteered all on his own. This year I haven't asked for volunteers, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and I were planning to go because there is someone in my family I still have to tell about our engagement.” Shining said cutting Princess Celestia short.
“What? You mean you didn't ask for a volunteer this year?” Celestia asked taken aback. Mi Amore Cadenza was also surprised. Shining Armor didn't ask for a volunteer.
“Yes, I didn't ask for a volunteer to stay on board this year. There is no point if I was planning to be there. Corporal Sentry and the captain of the Phoenix's airborne were like this when we arrived. Cast a domain of truth spell and I will say the same thing.”
“Captain Armor, Twilight will be informed at the right time, and I need you both here. As for Corporal Sentry, you should have a been here sooner. I will take care of this.” Celestia said and walked past the two. Celestia knew that Shining Armor's actual rank in was Marshal of the ESM and second only to her in Mystica's military, but she loved to toy with him. As she walked up the gangway the young soldier on the deck saluted her. The older soldier turned. The surprised look on the captain told Celestia she that he was expecting Shining Armor.
“Your Highness,” the captain stammered as he went to attention. After Celestia nodded her head. “This soldier is committing mutiny. He…”
Celestia rose her hand and the captain fell silent. “Captain, I will take care of this. This is simply a mishap in communication. Also, if I recall, you’re due for some leave. Take the week off, Captain. Everything will be sorted before you get back.” Celestia said. The captain bowed his head and accepted the hint. As he walked down the gangway to the docks, Celestia turned her attention to Flash Sentry. “Corporal Sentry, I commend you for your loyalty and dedication, but please stand down,” Celestia said.
“With all due respect, your grace. I am sworn to protect you with my life. I must stay on board.” Flash said in reply, Celestia gave a little smile inward because she remembered a fresh from basic training Shining Armor saying almost the exact same thing when she first found him on the deck of the ship and requested him to disembark from the ship.
“You must have had a long day, and you'll have an early morning too.” Celestia then started to hum a tune as she brought her right hand onto the soldier’s shoulder and leaned into the soldier so that her mouth within an inch of his ear and she sang. “Rest now in moonlight's embrace. Bear up my lullaby, winds of the earth.
Through cloud, and through sky, and through space.
Carry the peace and the coolness of night” as she finished singing 'Night' Flash Sentry fell backward sound asleep. Celestia then stopped and turned back to the others present, Shining Armor, Mi Amore Cadenza, and the captain. “He'll be fine. He just needs a good long rest.” Shining Armor and the captain walked up to the retrieve the slumbering Flash Sentry and carry him away. Leaving just Celestia and Mi Amore Cadenza.
“Are you sure you have to do this alone? You know Shining Armor and I can help.”
“This is something I must do alone.”
“Alright, but did you have to cast a sleeping spell on Flash Sentry?”
Celestia nodded her head. “I must leave. We'll see each other soon. I'll give Twilight your regards, Cadance.” Celestia then kissed Mi Amore Cadenza/Cadance, like how a mother kisses her child saying farewell. Celestia then used her magic to have the Phoenix disembark. Cadance looked on, unsure of her adopted aunt's plans.
“Why does she play her cards so close to the chest?” Cadance asked herself as the large vessel slowly and majestically rose into the air and set sail towards Magiville as the sunset into twilight. While normally it would only take at most an hour to travel to Magiville on the Phoenix, Celestia always traveled during the night before the Summer Sun Celebration and traveled so that the Phoenix would arrive at its destination just before dawn to guide the sun.
As the Phoenix reached the halfway point of its journey Celestia stopped the ship. She looked at the moon and the face on it. She waited until the moon was at it's highest point and at that moment she started to sing as the moon was utterly bathed in the light of the four 'stars'. “Fate has been cruel and order unkind
How could I've sent you away?
The blame was my own; the punishment, yours
The harmony is silent today.” Celestia bowed her head in grief over the past as she took a breath. When she looked up Nightmare Moon stood on the deck a fair distance in front of her. The moon was devoid of the face that had so long marked it.
“We have heard that song every single dawn and dusk.” Nightmare Moon said as she readied her bladed staff and ran towards Celestia. “Stop singing that damnable ballad!”
“But into the stillness, I'll bring you a song
And I will your company keep
Till your tired eyes and my lullabies
Have carried you softly to sleep.” Celestia sang and the entire boat as bathed in light as Nightmare Moon was restrained by what looks like ropes made of light. Nightmare struggled and raged against her bindings, but to no avail.
“Once did a princess who shone like the sun
Look out on her dominion and sigh
She smiled and said, 'Surely, there is no other
So lovely and so well beloved as I'" Celestia continued to sing. To the distance there was another sky-boat, it was nowhere near as big as the Phoenix but with the right spell all but the Phoenix’s crew would believe this thing was the flagship. On board was the small army that the Tantabus' gathered, 100 Doppelgangers under Hydia's command, 100 fauns/satyr lead by Grogar and 100 werewolves lead by Catrina with Rep as her enforcer, and the dozen Nightborn that make up the Order of Shadows.
“So great was her reign and so brilliant her glory
That long was the shadow she cast
Which fell dark upon the young sister she loved
And grew only darker as days and nights passed.” Celestia continued to sing either oblivious to the Night Song or waiting for it and those to try something and fail or everything was going according to her plans.
“Lullay for the moon princess, goodnight sister mine
And rest now in moonlight's embrace
Bear up my lullaby, winds of the earth
Through cloud, and through sky, and through space
Carry the peace and the coolness of night
And carry my sorrow in kind
Luna, you're loved so much more than you know
Forgive me for being so blind.” As Celestia sang, Tantabus attempted to teleport via shadows to aid Nightmare Moon, but with the Phoenix being effectively it's own sun there was no shadow for him to travel to. He turned to the other leaders, the look on his face telling them to try something.
“Soon did that princess take notice that others
Did not give her sister her due
And neither had she loved her as she deserved
She watched as her sister's unhappiness grew.” As Celestia sang, Hydia was up first, but she was replied by the Holy power within the light. Catrina was next, she whipped Rep, but the poor creature was not able to near it, it was so warm and inviting it burnt the unfortunate soul.
“But such is the way of the limelight, it sweetly
Takes hold of the mind of its host
And that foolish princess did nothing to stop
The destruction of one who had needed her most.” As Celestia sang this verse, Grogar attempted to cast a spell. However, the spell was deflected back and hit the Night Song, to be more accurate a fair number of the Doppelgangers, Satyrs, and Fauns, killing them (the spell was designed to kill a demigoddess).
“Lullay moon princess, goodnight sister mine
And rest now in moonlight's embrace
Bear up my lullaby, winds of the earth
Through cloud, and through sky, and through space.” as Celestia continued to sing, Nightshade was the last up. Putting on her goggles, she readied her bow and leaped from the Night Song and unlike the other four, she was unaffected by Celestia's magic. She pulled back the energy string of her bow all the way to her ear as an energy arrow manifested itself and grow in size and morphed it's tip to be one to meant to kill.
“Carry the peace and the coolness of night
And carry my sorrow in kind
Luna, you're loved so much more than you know
May troubles be far from your mind
And forgive me for being....” Celestia did not finish the verse as she felt a bolt of energy pass right through her stomach from behind. She looked back and saw... Nightshade in a new flight suit and her old bow hovering off the stern. The light that had engulfed the ship vanished as did the restraints on Nightmare Moon. Celestia remained standing in defiance of her injury, even as a demigoddess, such a wound would have brought anyone to their knees.
“NO!” Nightmare Moon shouted as she closed the distance and ran Celestia through with her bladed staff. Celestia's stance did not change. All she did was give Nightmare Moon a smile. “We have bested you. You have lost. How is it that you still stand?”
“So blind...” Celestia sang before Nightmare Moon grabbed her by her throat. Celestia did not squirm or fight as Nightmare Moon lifted her up and began to choke Celestia. The only change to Celestia's face was the bluing of it that normally happens when one is suffocated. She was... at peace.
Nightmare Moon roared in wrath as she with one hand broke Celestia's neck. However, Celestia's expression did not change in the slightest at any point. Nightmare Moon then threw Celestia's body aside as she left the deck of the Phoenix. She hovered with Nightshade above the skyboat and flew towards her own ship. “Blast that damnable boat out of the sky.” Nightmare Moon ordered as she landed. “We want it to be nothing but splinters.” Nightmare Moon walked passed her army. “And will someone fetch that damnable bitch’s crown.” The cannons installed on the Night Song opened fired. Riddling the Phoenix, but the cannonballs did more than puncture the hull, they detonated inside the ship. After the Night Song broadsided the Phoenix thrice, the larger... or rather the remains of the once proud skyboat fell from the sky scattering the Starplains like a small forest.
As dawn drew near, Twilight Sparkle exited the Golden Oak Library with a reluctant Spike on her shoulders trying to stay awake, still sucking on the gem Pinkie Pie gave him. “Why are you still sucking on that? In fact, you have been sucking on that all night. I thought you would have actually eaten it by now.” Twilight pointed out. Spike said nothing but continued to suck on the gem like a pacifier. As she walked to the town square she saw everything was in order. She noted that the skies were clear as Rainbow Dash lead the Magiville Weather Branch for a final sweep Check. The tables were all up and the food was laid out as the Apple Clan, headed by Applejack, did one last once-over. Check. All fifty birds Fluttershy recruited to sing were perched on the branches of a tree in the town square, Fluttershy was making them check their pitch the key. Check. Finally was...
“NO! NO! NO! You color blind imbecile. I said pink, this is salmon. Just before the arrival of the princess... oh THIS IS THE WORST POSSIBLE THING!” Rarity shouted at some poor unfortunate soul that thought he could help her out. Likely the sap may have thought he had a...
Check. Twilight, did not want to think about it. She had noted all four of the things on the list, but she also saw that just out said of the square there were banners not related to the Summer Sun Celebration, some were more akin to the twilight and... the moon. There was one that was up that said “Welcome to Magiville, Twilight Sparkle!”, it was clearly twilight themed and then there was one that read 'Welcome Back...' the writing was unfinished, but it was one of the moon-themed banners. “It's Pinkie Pie don't question it. It's Pinkie Pie don't question it. It's Pinkie Pie don't question it.” Twilight whispered to herself.
She looked over to the east and saw the silhouette of the Phoenix. She turned and saw everyone turned to the east, as the Phoenix majestically sailed towards Magiville, slowing to a halt above the town square. A silhouetted figure, disguised by the darkness, stood at the prow of the ship, wings of metal floating at her back, and her hair flowing through the air like water. It was undoubtedly Celestia. Fluttershy’s birds began to sing the opening notes of the anthem, and the crowd bowed to Celestia.
“I guess I might have been wrong about Nightmare Moon,” Twilight whispered to herself, bowing lower than any other member of the crowd. The crowd straightened as one, looking at Celestia eagerly, waiting for her to usher in the sunrise. Celestia raised her double-headed spear, wreathed in dark light. Twilight’s pupils narrowed to pinpricks... something wrong, Celestia wields a staff, not a...The eastern horizon lost its red and orange hues, turning back to midnight blue as the sun retreated, and the moon rose to take its place.
The flawless, faceless moon.
The Nightmare will return from the Moon
“No...” was all Twilight whispered as she frozen
and everlasting night
The argent light reflecting off the full moon illuminated the Phoenix and 'Celestia'. The vessel was not the Phoenix. It was only four-fifths the size and while the Phoenix was decorated and such to match the sun, this one was more in line with a solar eclipse, on the side the name of the vessel was written Eclipse. On the deck of the vessel, 'Celestia' was revealed, her hair was dark blue, her skin matching the darkness of a 'new moon'. She wore steel armor blue in color ready for battle, the helm framing her sharp and cold face.
will be her boon.
“Subjects of Mystica!” the false Celestia projected loudly as if she had to make sure the entire town could hear her and had only her voice to rely on. “Salutations on this day of the moon!” Everyone remained frozen, mostly they did not know what to do and or what they could do.
Save one, “Who in Tartarus are you?!” Everyone turned to see Rainbow Dash flying up and hovering just off the side of the Eclipse. The woman did not respond save to look at Rainbow Dash as if she was considering cutting off Rainbow's head or just removing her tongue or if this peon was worth the time. After a minute, “Well!? Are you going to talk or do I have to beat the answer out of you?”
The woman, Nightmare Moon, was considering either to ROTFLOL at this fool's misplaced bravado or to remove this borderline treacherous girl from her clearly underused brain. “Is this how all you plebeians greet royals in this day and age, with threats that are impossible to back? Or has your father been so humiliated by your mother's prostitution and/or has that wretch been too busy flaunting her conquests to teach you any manners?”
“Congrats, that was the worst yo momma joke to date. Where is our princess? Where is Celestia?” Nightmare Moon only pulled out a golden tiara. Rainbow Dash froze having recognized the crown, even her wings stopped moving as she fell to the ground. She was caught in her descent by a couple other of the residing Skyborns. “No... she can...” Rainbow tried to speak.
“Your beloved Celestia is dead!” Nightmare Moon said thunderously as she let the tiara drop to the ground. It landed in the grass right at Twilight's feet with silence, it seemed even the earth and plants knew when it was appropriate to hold their silence.
It was, without a doubt, Celestia's tiara. The tiara she wore at all times. A dull feeling began to swell up from her stomach at the implications, filling every inch of her body with anger. Twilight's staff appeared in her hands, and she swung it with a roar, releasing a blast of magic straight upwards at Nightmare Moon. Nightmare Moon's eyes flickered downwards, and she vanished in a burst of violet light, narrowly avoiding Twilight's attack. With a flash, she appeared in front of Twilight, who gasped when she realized there was a very sharp-looking spear being pressed against her throat. The crowd wisely scattered at Nightmare Moon's sudden reappearance.
“You have some nerve, even more than that Skyborn fool, daring to strike Us,” Nightmare Moon said, staring at Twilight with contempt. “Speak. What is your name?”
“My name is Twilight Sparkle, daughter of the royal astronomer Night Light and his wife Twilight Velvet, sister of the captain of the royal guards and marshal of the Earth-Sky-Magic Coalition, Shining Armor,” Twilight said, her voice wavering only slightly. “Arcane Mage, representative of the Royal Court, and apprentice to Princess Celestia.”
Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow at that. "Apprentice to the late Princess? Quite an honor for one so young, normally such a position is held by one a decade older." She said. "You must be of a higher pedigree than the riff-raff of this town. Surely you know who We are?"
"...Yes," Twilight said, taking a careful gulp that unfortunately drew a few drops of blood on the spear point pressed to her neck. "You're... Nightmare Moon."
Nightmare Moon blinked. She sighed and lowered her spear from Twilight's throat. "Clearly, Celestia's standards for apprentices have fallen since last We knew her. Star Swirl would turn in his grave to know his prized pupil was so ‘lax with teaching history," She remarked. "Let Us tell you– all of you – who We are." Nightmare Moon's body dissolved into a dark, star-filled mist, and floated through the crowd, whispering in her voice as it coiled around members of the crowd. “We are the Maiden of the Moon, the monarch so long eclipsed by the golden light of the sun,” The mist said, snaking around Applejack. The Paladin went for her sword and attacked the mist, but the mist only laughed at her efforts. “The ruler wrongfully robbed of her throne when she dared to ask for the recognition she so deserved,” The mist continued, passing through Fluttershy, who was obviously so terrified she couldn’t even move, some of her hair turning leaf green and some of her skin turning bark-like. “We are the shadow of the moon at night. We are the monster you use to frighten your children to behave,” The mist said, floating back up to the Eclipse, where it gathered back into human form. “You know Us as Nightmare Moon, but that is not Our name. We are…”
Smack.
Nightmare Moon blinked with her right eye after being hit by a surprise projectile from the crowd in her left eye. She removed the object from her face, and after making sure her vision in her left eye had recovered stared at the former projectile. “…Did one of you truly throw a pastry... at Us?” She asked in a state somewhere between ire and confusion.
“It is not a pastry!” A single female voice shouted from the front of the crowd. “It’s a muffin!” The owner was a golden-haired woman. But what stood out the most of her were her golden, atypically oriented eyes. At that moment all the residents of Magiville began to cast spells, throwing and firing projectiles at the usurper. After over a minute, the firing stopped and they all waited for the smoke to clear. Once it cleared Nightmare Moon stood unamused and unphased.
“Was that the best you truly had to offer? I’d offer a sarcastic retort if it were not as pitiful as I assessed this sorry excuse for a town was,” She asked bored, the comment she gave after seemed to be a mock to further agitate the crowd. There was a scream and the better part of the populace broke into a panic and started to run around screaming in fright. Several, mostly the Apple clan, frozen, not so much in terror, but more of 'what do I do' because they knew running around would do nothing currently. “Take Us to Our old home. Then pre...” Nightmare Moon started but was cut short as she stuck in the face by a spell.
“MURDERER!” Twilight roared with all her might.
“Shall I?” Tantabus asked as he readied to traverse the shadows and kill the girl then and there.
“No, she is no threat. An annoyance, but nothing more.” Nightmare Moon then pointed her right index finger at Twilight. Twilight started to levitate and choke. She kicked and squirmed and struggled. Nightmare Moon turned back to Tantabus. “Tantabus, do We sense a lack of faith? We find that disturbing.” Nightmare Moon commented. Nightmare Moon then flicked her finger and sent Twilight into the golden oak knocking the young woman out. No words were spoken as the Tantabus went straight to the helm and stirred the Eclipse towards the Everfree. However, Nightmare Moon could tell her most faithful servant had a desire for her. Not that it was not mutual, he was effectively still in his late thirties, but he still seemed as fit as he had been when she first put him in the position sometime before her altercation that resulted in her being banished to the moon.
After some time Twilight woke to see two glowing hands, the glow was akin to a golden delicious apple. Twilight looked up and saw Applejack's concerned face. Twilight tried to fight to get up. “Easy there, Sugarcube. Ya just got thrown quite a ways. Ya better off staying down.” Applejack said as she restrained Twilight. Twilight then saw Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were also there.
“I thought...”
“Paladin, Sugarcube, we have the ability of 'Lay on hands'. Now it's no cure wound spell but it's faster for me to use it then for Fluttershy to prepare cast the right cure wound spell.” Applejack explained.
“I have to...”
“What! Go guns blazing against a demigoddess that literally made you her bitch.” Rainbow Dash commented on what just happened and how badly Nightmare Moon powned Twilight with just a flick of her finger.
“Figuratively, darling. Twilight was not really transformed into a dog” Rarity comments, “Honestly how hard is it to use those words correctly?”
“AGH! You all know what I mean. But that's not the point. You also saw the whole of the town attack her and it did nothing to her.”
“I have to...”
“No, you must not. I am not considered the sharpest tool in the shed, but I know charging after her without a game plan will result in failure.” Pinkie Pie said.
“But... but... but...” Twilight stammered as the tears started to form. “She was...” Twilight then threw Applejack off and ran inside the library. She ran to the shelf marked ‘N’ “Nightingale, Night…” Twilight said listing off subjects in a desperate attempt to find something, anything that could help her fight Nightmare Moon. But nothing could stop her from just throwing each book in fury.
“Hey watch where you throw things, pal.” Twilight turned and saw the five mages she met the previous day. Rainbow Dash was hovering above but just behind everyone else.
“What do you all want?” Twilight shouted.
“We are here to stop you from doing something… stupid.” Rarity answered trying to be tactful, but knowing tact may not get the necessary results.
“What do you care?” Twilight asked irritated at everything, but in reality, this leasing out was a shield, she didn’t want to show her true emotions to these five strangers.
“Because we want to be your friends and that’s what friends do,” Fluttershy answered with a degree of confidence she does not often show.
“One of you forced me to eat with their giant-sized family, one of you almost killed me, one of you kidnapped me, one of you broke into my home to set up a party. If that’s what counts for friends in this...” Twilight’s voice was starting to shake.
“Oh for the love of Faust,” Applejack said as she closed the distance and pulled Twilight into a hug. “Let it out, Sugarcube.” Applejack then started to rub Twilight. Applejack then started to hum. (The tune of Applejack’s lullaby to Apple Bloom in ‘Bloom and Gloom’). Slowly Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash joined the embrace. Soon Twilight felt the warmth of five bodies being pressed against her, but for some reason that she couldn’t explain, she felt… more. Her entire body felt warm, inside and out. Her muscles began to relax, and she soon couldn’t see anything through the tears gathering in her eyes. She couldn’t remember a time in her life when she felt what she was feeling while she was being embraced by these five strangers, for a moment she thought it might be a feeling like she felt with her family but even that comparison didn’t seem...appropriate. She had only met them the day before, but here they were, trying to comfort her in her time of need. She couldn’t take it any longer. With a pitiable whimper, Twilight began to sob.
“I’m… so scared,” She admitted between tears. Applejack continued to stroke the back of her head.
“Shh. Don’t worry. We’re all scared,” She sang as if in a lullaby quietly. “It’s nothin’ t’ be ashamed of.”
Twilight… I am being… crushed… by Rarity... Spike grunted in Twilight’s mind. Don’t… save me… this is how I want to… There was a low grumble from somewhere between Twilight and Rarity, slowly increasing in volume. Twilight’s eyes shot open.
“Off,” She suddenly said, “Off! Everybody get off!”
“Oh come on and just enjoy it, Twilight! Hugs solve everything!” Pinkie Pie said. Twilight continued to struggle.
“That’s not what I meant!” She said, finally creating enough room for herself to grab Spike. The young dragon’s stomach was quivering, and Twilight broke out into a massive smile when she saw it.
“She’s alive!” She squealed, pointing Spike at the ceiling and squeezing his belly. Spike opened his mouth and let out a massive belch, accompanied by a burst of green flame. The hug around Twilight broke as the five jumped back at the sudden fire. When the burp ended, Twilight almost threw Spike away in her eagerness to grab the scroll that fell out of the fire. She quickly turned it over to look at the wax seal, and what she saw made her start laughing and hugging the scroll to herself. “She’s alive! She’s alive!”
“What on earth are you talking about? Who’s alive? Where did that scroll come from?” Rarity, the first to recover, asked.
“It’s a letter from the Princess! She cast a spell on Spike that would let us send letters back and forth instantaneously! And look!” Twilight said, shoving the scroll in Rarity’s face. “This is her seal! There’s no doubt about it! She’s still alive!”
Twilight tore the seal off of the scroll with more glee than a child on Hearth’s Warming Day, unrolling the scroll and reading its contents with a huge grin on her face.
As she read, her grin faded and morphed into an expression of sorrow and denial. The scroll fell from her shaking hands. “No. No, it’s not possible. She can’t…” Twilight uttered all traces of glee gone from her face. Rarity scooped up the scroll.
“May I…?” She asked, gesturing to the scroll. Twilight, curled up into a ball, nodded. Rarity looked at the scroll and began to read aloud.
“‘My most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle’,” She read, “‘If you are receiving this message, then I am dead, and Nightmare Moon has returned. I am not proud to say that…
…I have not been entirely truthful with you. Nothing I told you was false, Nightmare Moon, or rather the story you know, was meant to explain her appearance on the moon. What I told you or rather did not tell you were for your own protection. Yes, I knew that Nightmare Moon was going to return. I was responsible for banishing her, and it has always been my deepest regret. I had to cover up all traces that she was real, and allowed her to be turned into little more than a fairy tale. Banishing her was my choice alone, and I hoped that I would be able to correct it without any assistance. Unfortunately, since you are reading this, I must have been incorrect.
However, that was never my real plan. That was the plan I allowed her to see from her vantage point on the moon. My true plan involves you and the five mages you have met. What is important is that you, all of you, are still alive, Twilight. You are Mystica’s only hope to defeat Nightmare Moon. You must use the same magic I used to banish Nightmare Moon and end this.
…Please, apologize to Spike for me. This will hurt him in ways I cannot imagine.’ What does that mean?” Rarity wondered, lowering the scroll to look at Spike. Spike shrugged, then his stomach began to rumble.
“Ooh! I wanna do it! I wanna do it!” Pinkie Pie said, grabbing Spike off Twilight’s shoulder and squeezing him. Spike’s eyes bugged out of his head as he belched out a stream of fire ten times larger than the flames from earlier. The fire continued for almost ten seconds before petering out, leaving a large, ornate chest on the floor of the library. After all, that was done Pinkie gave a little giggle, probably because she wanted to figure out a way to give people gifts by just hugging them (a feat of magic she was still having trouble figuring out, but Spike made her think it could indeed be possible).
The… pain… Spike groaned. He burped out another burst of flame, depositing a second scroll. Just kill me now. Spike’s head fell forward, and he passed out. Fluttershy took Spike from Pinkie, cradling him like a baby.
“Oh, you poor thing,” She cooed softly like some would to a newborn. Rainbow Dash looked over the chest from Spike’s first belch.
“What’s in this thing? There aren’t even any hinges!” She noted, giving the chest a good kick. Rarity picked up the second scroll.
“Have patience, Rainbow Darling,” She said, also noticing Rainbow looking around for something to force the item open, clearing her throat to begin reading. “‘Within this chest are the greatest magical weapons in all of Mystica…
…Five of the Elements of Harmony. Honesty, Loyalty, Kindness, Laughter, and Generosity. They are the tools that I used to banish Nightmare Moon a thousand years ago, and the only thing that will give her pause. Twilight, you and the five mages you met yesterday – yes, five, I knew about Pinkie Pie, in fact, I was going to tell you about her before you left in a hurry, you really need to work on listening to everything others are telling you before… beside the point – must bear all of the Elements and defeat Nightmare Moon. I know you have viewed having friends as a waste of time in the past, but you must place your faith in them. They will help you on your mission, and it is through them that you will discover the final Element, the one that brings them together: the Element of Magic.
Regretfully, the Element of Magic was destroyed when I sealed away Nightmare Moon and the other Elements became dormant. The Elements will reveal themselves to you once one of the five has demonstrated a powerful example of the elements in no particular order. They will be awoken when they are given to their proper bearer, and the chest – I know, no hinges – will open when you finally understand the lesson I have been trying to teach you these past few years. Once that happens, the Element of Magic will finally be ready to return to the world.
Your destination is the Chambers of the Elements located in my old palace, in the Everfree Forest. Nightmare Moon is on her way there to find the Elements, but little does she know that I moved them and that I left behind one of my, - if I do so say so myself, without tooting my own horn-, more elaborate parting gifts. Aside from my death, my only regret is that I will not be able to see the look on her face when she realizes that I have pulled a fast one over her.
Anyway, my trap will give you a few hours. Travel directly south through the Everfree – the palace should not be hard to miss. Nightmare Moon will most likely be in the aforementioned Chamber of the Elements. Finding your way there through the palace should not be difficult for you, Twilight. As the old palace is the template for my current palace in Chantalot. Just follow the path you would take to get from the front gates to my private study and you’ll reach the Chamber of the Elements.
Leave immediately. Don’t stop for anything. I do not know what dangers you will face on the way, but I have the utmost faith in your abilities, Twilight and the abilities of Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie. I wish you all the best of luck.
Your teacher, who is proud to have called you her student,
Celestia
“…And that’s all she wrote,” Rarity said, setting the scroll aside. The six mages were silent, still trying to process the new information.
“Hold on. Let me get this straight,” Rainbow Dash, now sitting on top of the chest, said. “Princess Celestia is giving us a weapon that can defeat Nightmare Moon, but it’s missing a piece and she didn't tell us where to find it. Am I the only one noticing how stupid this plan is? I mean how do they even work?”
“‘The Elements of Harmony are a collection of six gems, recovered from the mysterious crystalline tree known as the Tree of Harmony. The elements can be used by even two children who have not discovered their talents. Ideally to be wielded by six demigods. Each element is born by one that demonstrates great feats of the elements. The more bearers there are the more powerful each individual element is and the entire collection is. The elements can only be used together and the absence of any one of them renders the entire set useless. They were first used to counter a great Discord’ Interesting they have the word ‘discord’ capitalized. Anyway ‘The Elements of Harmony’s were able to petrify an Er...Eris...Eris…’ I cannot read this.” Pinkie Pie said as she showed Applejack the word.
“‘Erisadies’, it literally means ‘child of Eris’. It’s a fancy word for ‘chaos spirit’, I think there’s a statue of one of them in the Chantalot gardens.” Applejack explained. As Pinkie read; Spike recovered from barfing up the trunk and went over to Twilight and rested on her shoulder.
“Thanks. ‘While not ideal, the Elements of Harmony can be used by most of the current bearers against another bearer, however, such a use of the elements may likely cause one of them to break. Most likely the element of Magic, as it is the linchpin element. If used by current bearers against each other, the bearer they are used against will be banished to either the sun or the moon. As for the all the bearers, they will all no longer be attuned to the elements as the harmony of the bearers will be lost. Thus new bearers would be needed for them to be used again’” Pinkie Pie read from a book.
“Wait, what book are you reading?” Twilight asked as everyone else turned to Pinkie Pie, who was sitting on one of the reading coaches in the actual library part of the Golden Oak Library.
“The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide. By someone called ‘Tia’.” Pinkie Pie informed as she looked at the cover of the book.
“Where did you find that? I spent the better part of last night looking for anything on how to combat Nightmare Moon.”
“It was under ‘E’.” Pinkie Pie sang with a little smirk on her face.
“Still doesn’t make this plan a good idea. We’re still short an element.” Rainbow Dash commented.
“If you have a better idea, we’re all ears,” Twilight said, standing up and wiping her eyes. “All right, since apparently, you five are integral to this plan, let’s get going. We don’t have any time to lose.”
“You feelin’ better?” Applejack asked. Twilight shook her head.
“Not at all. But I don’t have time to cry. Princess Celestia has given me a mission, and I intend to do it. I’m no use to Mystica if I can’t stop crying,” Twilight said. She clapped her hands together. “Now, first things first…” Her tome materialized in her hands, and she set a hand on the chest allegedly containing the Elements. It vanished, reappearing as an illustration in the tome. Rainbow Dash yelped and crashed to the ground, glaring at Twilight after her seat was removed. Twilight ignored her and clapped her tome shut, making it vanish.
“Now, what’s the fastest path through the Everfree?” Twilight asked.
“For us? Around it,” Applejack said bluntly. “Only Zecora knows the ways in and out of the Everfree, but she's not expected to come into town for her monthly restock for two more weeks.”
“There are also big, spooky monsters in there! Like Hydrates and Mandarins and Cockadoodledoos…” Pinkie Pie started listing off.
“Um, Pinkie, you mean Hydras, Manticores, and Cockatrices,” Fluttershy corrected her. “And that’s not even a handful of the baker’s gross of species that make up the Everfree’s fauna. Even the flora is dangerous, and few Druids can influence them. It’s almost impossible to get into the forest because there are so many Whomping Willows around the edges, and if you get past them without being smashed into a quivering, unrecognizable pulp, you have to deal with leechvines, and if you get past them without having your body sucked completely dry and left to rot, you have to deal with mandrakes, and if you can get past them without waking them up, you have to deal with…” Rarity put a hand over Fluttershy’s mouth.
“The point we are trying to make, Darling, is that there’s almost no way to get into the forest. And for good reason,” Rarity said. “If we want to get to the old palace, we’d have to be able to fly, and unless you have a skyboat in that tome of yours…”
Applejack and Rainbow Dash both grinned. Twilight smirked.
“Oh,” Rarity said looking over the Charun after Twilight conjured it from her tome outside of the library. “You do have a skyboat in your Tome. Of course. It's not very big.”
“Shotgun! You all heard it! I call shotgun!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, backflipping into the Charun, which now floating in an open space next to the library, pulling out a party themed shotgun from one of her pockets. “Ooh, wait! I take it back!” She exclaimed as she pocketed the ‘party shotgun’. “Twilight, can I fly it? Please? Pleeaaasssse?” Pinkie begged her eyes matching Apple Bloom’s from yesterday, but with a big toothy grin as opposed to Apple Bloom’s sad quivering lip.
“No,” Twilight said without a moment’s hesitation.
“It’s hardly a first-class yacht, and a little scratched up, but I suppose it will have to do. Applejack, would you please give me a lift up?” Rarity asked.
“Why, certainly,” Applejack said as she grabbed and carried Rarity bride style and with a running start jumped into the boat. “And the fruit ain’t brushed.” Applejack joked as she then placed Rarity down and ruffled up the enchantress’ hair just to get a pouting face out of her. “You may want to replace those with your flats, Sugarcube, we don’t know how far we’ll have to travel on foot.” Applejack said pointing out Rarity’s frequent use of ‘form over functionality’. “Need a hand up, Twilight?” She asked Twilight, who accepted the hand, now the boat had four people and a ten-year-old dragon.
“Um, are we all going to be able to fit?” Fluttershy wondered, staring at the Charun uneasily. “I mean, it looks like it can only fit five people, so that means that… that one of us would have to stay behind. And, um, I volunteer.”
“Nice try, ‘Shy,” Rainbow Dash said, hovering a bit off the ground. “You and I can fly, remember? There’s enough room in the boat for you if I fly. Besides, I can always sit on the rails or perch on the mast.”
“But don’t you think you should be, um, saving your energy?” Fluttershy suggested.
“Shy, Get In The Boat!” Rainbow ordered empathizing each word, pointing at the boat sternly. Fluttershy sighed.
“I’m scared of flying,” She mumbled as she climbed into the boat, with help from Applejack. “Twilight, you’re a good pilot, right? Have you ever, um, crashed?”
“I’m a great pilot,” Twilight said.
“No, you’re not. You almost crashed into a mountain not far from town, got knocked out by a gaggle of geese, almost killed Bloomberg...” Pinkie listed.
“Pinkie! Ya ain’t helping Shy here,” Applejack scolded Pinkie.
“Okay... Twilight is a great pilot.” Pinkie Pie lied.
She still needs to put in some real practice piloting these things, Spike commented (knowing full well the only one that could hear him was Twilight, but he still wanted to maintain some semblance of talking to someone else, also knowing full well that the likelihood that any of these new mages knew his native tongue was very low… almost nonexistent), The last SIX times she piloted a skyboat we had near misses and almost-crashes galore, Twilight didn’t even try to hide her eye-roll at Spike’s exaggeration. If you need me I’ll be stashed in the pillows of the couch in the library, as much as some of the company is enjoyable, there’s not much I can do to help you, I would be more of a hindrance than a help currently. With that, he jumped off Twilight, then the boat, and dashed into the library through an open window. Which he shut from the inside.
“Okay…But have you ever crashed, Twilight?” Fluttershy repeated her question.
“Do you really want me to answer that question?” Twilight asked. Fluttershy thought about this for a moment, then shook her head.
“Good,” Twilight said, grabbing the tiller and feeding magic into it. The Charun’s sail swelled, and it took off, Rainbow Dash in pursuit.
“Uh, Twilight? The Everfree Forest is that way.”
“I know, Pinkie.”
“Then why were we flying…”
“I know, Pinkie.”
The Eclipse slowed to a halt above the ruined towers of the old palace, set in the middle of the only part of the Everfree Forest that wasn’t covered in trees. The animals of the Everfree knew not to come here and the plants and fungi knew not to grow there, in fact, the area was devoid of all forms of life. Nightmare Moon floated down from her ship, touching down in front of the crumbling walls around the palace. She stood in front of the heavy gates as if contemplating her next actions.
She threw the massive heavy doors open effortlessly, cowboys have a harder time opening saloon doors than Nightmare Moon had the doors of her and Celestia’s old castle. “Home, sweet home,” Nightmare Moon said, walking into the castle. “A pity this place has fallen into disrepair. We quite liked it.” She commented as she looked around.
Nightmare Moon followed the familiar path through the ruined castle. Through the crumbling courtyard settled between the castle walls and the castle itself, through the once-elegant front hall, and through the dark corridors until she finally reached the massive stone doors that led to the Chamber of the Elements. But something haunted her mind, a voice singing “The years now before us
Fearful and unknown
I never imagined
I'd face them on my own.” Nightmare Moon paused and disregarded it as she conceited.
Nightmare Moon brushed the doors, feeling the magic that had sealed the Chamber shut for hundreds of years. With only minimal effort, the magic came undone, and the doors swung open. Nightmare Moon smiled as she stepped into the Chamber. She heard that voice again, singing the next verse of the song “May these thousand winters
Swiftly pass, I pray
I love you; I miss you
All these miles away.” However, Nightmare Moon disregarded it again as she continued on her path.
“How foolish, Celestia,” She laughed as she looked at the branching pedestal in the center of the room, and the five stone orbs it carried. “The most powerful weapons in our combined arsenal… and you left it here to rot.” She continued to chuckle as she lifted the five stones in her magical grip, orbiting them around her as she inspected them. “The only thing that can defeat Us,” She mused. She raised a hand above her head, grinning triumphantly. With a yell, she brought her hand down, making the five Elements smash into the stone floor and break into useless shards. Nightmare Moon began to laugh. “NOW, WE ARE INVINCIBLE!” She cackled. She didn’t notice the golden mist seeping out of the shards of stone until it was too late. Her laughter died away as the mist began to gather into a glowing human form.
“May all your dreams be sweet tonight
Safe upon your bed of moonlight
And know not of sadness, pain, or care
And when I dream, I'll fly away and meet you there
Sleep...” the image of Celestia sang as it vanished before it gave Celestia's 'gotcha' wink and smile.
“That magnificent bitch... We read her diary.” Nightmare Moon said as she just realized what happened; Celestia played her like a fiddle. The image converted into a golden mist and then surrounded Nightmare Moon, and from the mist, came an all too familiar laughter, the laugh of Celestia after she had just successfully prank their teacher, Star Swirl the Great. After the mist vanished Nightmare Moon knew she was unharmed but she was still affected by magic. “TANTABUS!”
Tantabus arrived in an instant, “My lady.” he greeted his princess, but soon shifted to concern as he caught her.
“You were right. It was a trap.” Nightmare Moon said as she clung to the Tantabus.
“Is there...” Tantabus asked as he conjured a bed for his mistress.
As she laid herself down “We are unhurt... she... set... a... sleep...spell... trap... She moved the, … but then she must have... The Apprentice!” Nightmare Moon concluded as she is lowered onto the bed.
“Your grace, I don't...”
“Celestia found... new bearers... and one that could … remake the … element of... Magic. Kill the Apprentice. Bring Us her... head.” and in less than a second, Nightmare Moon was in a deep slumber.
“I shall strive not to fail you.” He whispered. Although he would never say it, seeing his mistress in a calm sleep brought some joy to his heart. He may not have known everything she was trying to tell him, but one doesn't become the favored of a demigoddess without the ability to connect dots on their own. He rapidly and correctly concluded that the girl that claimed to be Celestia's apprentice was on her way with at least one other person, more likely two or five and they are the bearers of the underpowered Elements of Harmony. He also concluded that killing the girl would render any other attempt to stop his mistress fruitless. He tucked Nightmare Moon in and left the room, casting a locking spell. While he has already planned an all-out hunt for the girl, he expected Hydia, Catrina and Grogar would attempt something to put Nightmare Moon in their debt, a bargaining chip for his and the Order of Shadow's sudden but inevitable betrayal. Of course, he expected such attempts to fail, but if he can run out the clock on the sleep spell, maybe Nightmare Moon would be tolerant and merciful with the shortcoming… not likely but casting the lock spell is better than nothing.
The Tantabus arrived at the entryway to see that the army … not ready, but not in disarray... but something in between. “Change of plans, Her Highness has spent a great deal of energy in her return from the moon, and is resting.” he lied.
“Wait, but it has only been a few hours, how tired can she be?” Hydia asked.
“Clearly, you never recovered from being banished to a celestial body for a millennium by the Elements of Harmony or destroying the five remaining elements.” Tantabus countered continuing the lie, that silenced all protest. “However there is a loose end she demands to be tied up posthaste, the apprentice of Celestia. Her grace wants that girl’s head.”
“I'll take my surviving Doppelgangers and all the Undead and kill her.”
“Wait a minute, I spent the last hour bringing them to undeath!” Grogar countered.
“If it weren't for you, they all would be alive.” Catrina pointed out. This rapidly devolved into a three-way shouting fest/contest between the three mercenary commanders.
Before the Tantabus was able to take command, Nightshade shot a blast right in the middle of the three. “Oh just shut up and fuck already,” the Shadowbolt said and went back to her roost in one of the arches. She shut her eyes and started to take a nap.
The Tantabus shook his head, as Hydia lead most of the army back to the Eclipse. “What are you doing?” Tantabus asked.
“I’ll be back with the apprentice’s dead body. Don’t fret, you won’t need to sweat over this.” Hydia said as she headed to the skyboat. “So sorry that Her Majesty’s favorite servant will not be needed.” Hydia laughed as she prepared to sail towards Magiville. Tantabus just rolled his eyes. Tantabus thought it over, did he really want the ‘hired help’ unsupervised on his mistress’s flagship? No, he did not. Fortunately, there were some more expendable vessels in the castle’s ship repair chamber that seemed to be mostly untouched by the changes around them, one of those would do for any of them that wanted to use a ship. Using his shadow abilities he checked on the condition, and number, of vessels there.
“Before you damage Her Grace’s prized craft, why don’t you take one of the vessels in the hanger just to the left. They are smaller, faster, more maneuverable.” The Tantabus listed.
“Oh… good call.” Hydia said as she and the forces she selected disembarked from the Eclipse and acquired one of the lesser ships. Catrina and Grogar also headed to the old hanger. More or less to make sure Hydia did not get a better boat and to get one of their own for their own attempts. Of course, the three continued their, for lack of a better term, pissing contest. Even as Hydia set sail on the smaller bateau, the three were still at it. All the Tantabus could do was pinch the bridge of his nose as he had his fellow Shadows man the Eclipse for the time being.
A bird that looked as it was made fire, the phoenix Philomena, flew over the scattered and fragmented remains of her mistress' flagship. It took her awhile but she found what she was looking for. She shed a tear when she located and landed next to the lifeless body of Princess Celestia. Philomena then started to grow a bright orange to yellow and after a flash of light, she and the body of Princess Celestia were gone.