Chara sat on a hillside overlooking Ponyville. It was early, very early. The night was nearly over but the sun was about to come up. Chara was sitting there, watching and breathing softly, when he heard the footsteps behind him.
"I thought someone else was here." The voice. Chara turned to see but already knew who it was, the light purple unicorn smiling softly. Starlight Glimmer was similar to Chara in many ways given their backgrounds and what they did int he past, and now in this moment they were alone together. She sat beside him and he leaned on her.
"You know why I am here?" He asked her. Starlight smiled.
"I have a hunch. You're thinking about the past, wishing it could be different. Your thinking of the present, where we got second chances we don't deserve. And.. .your thinking of the future, where we will see what kind of path we have for us."
Chara nodded. "I don't know how or why the Anomaly ressurected me. I think he wanted me to kill everyone.... then save everyone... then....." He sighed. "And I would have done it. Even now after so much good in my life I still wonder if I am going to turn again, hurt others. If someone will get bored with me and make me a weapon again." he turned to Starlight, tears in his eyes. "I'm so scared..."
Starlight hugged him close and nuzzled. "There there. I know. I know." She looked at him. "I wanted to take away everyone's cutie marks, and when that failed I wanted to hurt everyone everywhere. I wanted to destroy the Mane Six and change history. I almost destroyed the world myself."
Chara nodded, the two silent as they hugged. They released after a bit, the two looking out where the sun would rise. Starlight smiled.
"Twilight told me a story once. She said long ago, there was a filly who wanted her way ll the time, and when she did not get it, she tried to destroy everything that opposed her. She wanted to be worshiped. She wanted to be loved more than anything, to be treasured above ALL else. But then, she was defeated and destroyed. You would think everyone would be happy about that.
"But... they were not. They wanted her back, they wanted to see her again, to love her and show her they did still care. They wantred her to see that they had not forgotten her. And one day, she returned, fidning a mix of those scared of what she had done... yet daring to still love her al the same.
"And among those was a sister who regretted ever sealing her away."
Chara blinked. "Luna?" He whispered.
"Yes. You see... the way Twilight told me, we all have dark things in our lives. Things we regret and things we want to change. But in all of us...ALL of us, there is good still. Everyone has it in them. Even me, I found out!"
Chara smile,d clutching his locket. "And even me."
"It doesn't matter what we did in the past. Everyone can be forgiven of their sins if they want to be. If they truly want to change and do good." She placed a hoof around his shoulders, sighing some. "Even in the deepest and darkest place, light will follow the darkness, if you but trust in the SOUL."
Chara smiled, crying. He leaned on Starlight as the sun began to rise, eliminating the beauty of the night and giving the beauty of the day in its place. He had it confirmed so many times, but he needed reminded every now and then.
He was not a demon anymore. He never was. He had done terrible things, but they had forgiven him. Starlight was the same, corrupted by her own sadness and jealousy, but now someone good because they gave her a chance in spite of all the bad things she did.
Chara hugged Starlight, and she huigged back, two lost souls who had been given new light. Two lostin the darkness now led to the dawn.
"Come on." Chara said as he stood up. "Pinkie Pie invited everyone to a pancake breakfast, and I don't think we should miss it."
Starlight nodded. "Let's take our time though... The sunrise is so...heartwarming."
Chara and Starlight desended down the hill, heading to the path that would lead back to Ponyville, and to their families and friends. The past was the past, but they had learned from it and were forgiven for the darker parts of it. They had hope now, hope that they would be better from now on.
Deep inside them, their SOULs shone, like little rainbows. It lasted for only a moment, but the joy and hope that moment had was felt for the rest of their lives.
May all who are lost find similar hope, and similar forgiveness. May the world someday know the true meaning of the SOUL.
Time will heal.
And Love will save.
"THE END." Discord said, closing the book, smiling as he wiped a tear from his eye. "I just...get so emotional about stories like this."
"I think deep down we're all a sucker for a happy ending." Carter confessed softly with a smile as he sat alongside Discord in the hammock at his home, as a soft wind blew through their hair and the sunrise bathed over them in tender light.