Twilight now stood in an empty throne room shrouded in darkness. The only thing she could hear was faint, sinister laughter. She walked forward slowly as she crossed her arms, shivering in fear with every step. She stood frozen in her tracks as she heard a voice grow louder and louder.
“Oh, girls! It’s about time you showed up! And here I thought you didn't get my invitation,” smiled a sinister creature. It had the head of a pony and body parts of all other things. The creature laughed at the alicorns standing before him. “Oh come on! Smile! I didn't destroy Equestria, now have I?”
That voice. That is the voice that was talking to me in my dreams!
“After all what we done for you Discord, this is how you repay us?” the white coated alicorn snarled. “How could you?”
Discord, Twilight presumed what the creature was called, bursted out again in his laughter. “You two are so surprised it's… it's beautiful!” he cackled, his body disassembling and writhing in laughter. “To trust the God of Chaos to not bring chaos!”
“You will pay for including our subjects in your madness,” declared Luna, her expression glaring him down.
The alabaster alicorn stomped her hoof as she stepped forward. “We've come here to reclaim Equestria and defeat you,” she announced sternly.
His expression turned sinister, a triumphant smirk etching itself over him. “But you have it all wrong.” The creature laughed standing up in mock defeat. “I've ensured that no pony can undo what I've done, and what I plan.”
The statement visibly shook the two. “What have you done, Discord?!” she shouted.
“I’m surprised you didn't see this coming, oh wise, dear, Celestia,” mocked Discord as he began to laugh and smirked at the two. “Oh, what a silly princess you are. Trying to contain all sorts of chaos and disharmony.”
Twilight gasped as she looked at the white coated alicorn. That was her teacher and former mentor, Princess Celestia? How was such a thing possible? She was an alicorn like Princess Luna was?
She paused for a moment and soon looked to the amalgamation of body parts that made up the laughing beast. The God of Chaos… Discord… chaos shrouding the minds of her friends.
So that was this thing that kept on talking to me in my dreams? Then, did I meet this creature before? Then why was he talking to me like he knew me from somewhere.
“If I were you, I would wipe that grin off your face,” Celestia sneered with amusement.
Discord smirked as he raised an eyebrow to the Princess of the Sun. He then went back to his sinister laughter. “And why is that?”
“We have a trick of our own. One you won't be pleased to see,” smirked Princess Luna.
Discord laughed again in response. “And what is that?”
Behind Celestia and Luna came forward a group of six other ponies. Around their necks were necklaces with the same symbols that the Tree of Harmony had. The necklaces began to glow, and so did her eyes as a bright light began to form from the group.
“With the Elements of Harmony, we shall be able to stop all the disharmony that you’ve caused in Equestria,” Luna proclaimed.
“Your reign of chaos is over, Discord,” shouted Celestia. “I hope you enjoy your new prison.”
“You shall pay for the harm that you’ve caused!” shouted Luna.
Discord could only laugh back in response. “As long as chaos and disharmony exists I shall still be.”
“With the Elements of Harmony, we shall make that an impossible thing for you to achieve,” Luna said with a confident grin on her face.
Discord gave the princess a sinister smirk in response. “Trust me, Princess Luna. Chaos and disharmony always find a way.”
“It does,” Celestia admitted as she still glared at Discord. “But we’ll make sure to make that as hard as possible.”
“As long as my sister and I are here, we will make sure that never happens,” Luna said with a nod.
“So bold of you to state. What happens if one you disappear?” laughed Discord as he noticed the sly smile on Princess Luna was soon no more. “Then what happens next?”
“What are you saying?” Luna questioned as she glared towards the creature. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t listen to him, Luna,” said Celestia as she was trying to clam her sister down. “He's toying with us.”
“I’ll have my revenge, ladiiiiiies,” sang Discord as he put one hand to his chest and the other up in the air as he was blasted by the rainbow of light.
The spectrum of color soon faded, and Discord was now turned into a stone statue. Where a throne once was sat a boulder, and slowly the corrupted magic began to dissipate. They looked out across the lands, cotton candy clouds transforming into storm clouds. Animals and trees all returned to their normal state as Discord’s reign came to an end. There was a whole nation of ponies in disarray, now without a ruler and without order.
“What do we do now?” Luna questioned, glancing to the Elements.
Celestia looked to the six ponies, all waiting for her command. “We must rule together, and make sure something like Discord never returns again.”
Luna looked out to the landscape as rain washed across the plains beneath the mountain. “There are terrors out there, sister,” she said softly. “Many ponies to rescue.”
“As long as we rule together, Equestria will be safe,” Celestia assured her.
Her younger sister sighed and nodded. “I hope you're right.”
Celestia gave her sister a warm nuzzle and a smile. “You have nothing to worry about, Luna. As long as we have each other, nothing can go wrong.”
Luna gave her sister smile back and replied with a much for cheerful tone. “Alright, sister. I trust you,” she sighed.
“It's time we repair Discord’s damage,” Celestia said.
***
Twilight was now standing in a different throne room, completely absent of light. As she made her way towards the laughter that could be heard, shivers began to race through her spine. She crept slowly as she heard voices begin to shout.
“Luna is no longer. Only the Nightmare remains, sister,” a voice declared. "All of you shall see what the night can bring."
“You are no sister of mine!” shouted another. It sounded like Celestia.
“Now all of Equestria shall know the power of the night. The power of darkness without light!”
“Luna, please, you don’t have to do this. I know deep down, you are still there, please stop this madness from happening.”
“Your sister was too weak. The only thing you have to fear now is I. Nightmare Moon!”
“You are a parasite!” Celestia bellowed, her voice sending wind through the halls . As Twilight heard her voice shouting, she stopped in fear. She soon trembled again as she heard Celestia's booming voice shouting again.
“I will free her if it's the last thing I do!”
The voice laughed in response. “Then you'll die trying,” the voice replied in an eerily calm tone.
“I will never let you plunge Equestria into eternal darkness.”
“We shall see, then.”
“You have to deal with me me in the meantime. Nightmare Moon.”
Twilight was now facing where the voices were coming from. The same white coated alicorn from before stood in front of a midnight black coated one.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Luna,” said Celestia softly as tears began to stream down her face. “But I must to keep Equestria safe. Just like I said. The I must do what is needed.”
Nightmare Moon laughed. “You think you can keep Equestria safe from me?”
“Yes,” shouted Celestia, ignoring the tears that were streaming down her face. “I do.”
Nightmare Moon laughed at Celesita's response. "We shall see who is the most powerful then."
Princess Celestia glared at the foul creature that possessed her sister. “I wouldn’t be laughing if I were you.”
The Nightmare’s laughter ceased immediately, and she gazed upon the elder alicorn. Her horn glowed blindingly, gems floating out from behind her. The Elements of Harmony surrounded her, their magic awakening from its slumber as Celestia funneled the love she held for her sister into it.
“Those won't save her and you know it!” Nightmare screeched, feeling the power of the ancient artifacts. The power the gems had caused the foul creature to wince in pain. Still, she shouted on the top of her lungs, “You'll never see your sister again!”
Celestia gritted her teeth as she kept charging the gems, which were now spinning around her. “I know,” she said, barely holding her voice together. "I'm not doing this to safe my sister. I'm doing this to keep Equestria safe from danger."
Magical chains tied Nightmare’s wings together, another blob covering her horn. “Stop! You can't do this!” the evil mare protested as she tried her best to break free of the chains. She shouted again glaring at the Princess of the Sun. “Your sister's presence is all that keeps it tied to you!”
Her words did nothing but fuel the fire in Celestia's heart. The gems shined their own colors, converging on the Princess of the sun. "Begone, Nightmare Moon! I shall free Equestria from your evil magic!"
“YOU WON’T SEE HER AGAIN!” Nightmare shrieked, fighting the magical bonds as the chains got tighter and tighter.
Celestia opened her eyes, light cascading out in a heavenly manner. “I know.”
The whisper echoed in her head as a rainbow beam fired out from her horn, encircling the helpless alicorn as it worked to seal her away. She cried out in pain, her voice mingling between the two personas. Celestia wanted to believe her sister was still there. That she was actually hurting her younger sibling. But she knew what had to be done… no matter the cost.
“I love you, Luna. No matter what, you’re still my sister and I love you.”
There was an explosion of light, and Celestia felt the magic gems power down. Each crystal hardened into stone, then fell to the ground loudly. She panted softly as she collapsed, looking to where her target once stood. Now, there was nothing. Celestia looked to the moon outside, watching as an image arranged itself on the surface. She saw up on the moon, the faint outline of her sitter face. Celestia looked down on the ground, tears slowly streaming down her face as she sobbed.
“I had to, Luna… please… please, forgive me,” she whispered, sobbing quietly. “We promised to protect Equestria. I'm so sorry.”
***
Twilight was awoken by the loud sound of a bell. She quickly shot up from the desk that her head was now resting on. She looked around her surroundings and noticed that she was sitting in a classroom. To be more precise, this was her math class. She sat back in her seat with a shocked expression upon her face.
Sweet Celestia, how did I get here? I was just in my house, now I’m in school?
“Jeez,” Rainbow chuckled as she looked up from her Daring Doo book, “Enjoy that nap of yours, Sleeping Beauty?”
Twilight shook her head as she rose from her seat. She then looked at her friend and said in a panicked tone, “Did I miss anything?”
Rainbow shrugged as she too rose from her seat as well. “Nope. The teacher didn't show up.”
How can teachers just disappear like that? What is happening here?
“Twilight?” Rainbow said as she shook the girl from her thoughts. Rainbow then raised her eyebrow. “You okay there?”
Twilight only nodded in response. “Yeah… I’m fine.” She began to examine Rainbow’s shirt. A white cloud with a rainbow colored lightning bolt.
"Wait, something about that design looks very familiar...."
Loyalty
Her eyes widened in response as she remembered the design on Rainbow’s shirt. It was the exact same as the on one of the branches from the Tree of Harmony. As they walked through the hallway and towards the cafeteria, a thought had crossed her mind.
Well then. I should test her loyalty.
“Rainbow, we’re friends right?” Twilight asked in a nervous tone.
Rainbow rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. “What kind of question is that?”
“Just answer me.”
“Okay,” sighed Rainbow as she rolled her eyes. “Yes, we’re friends. Why are you asking?”
“Because I need to tell you something.”
“Okay,” Rainbow said as she stopped walking. She looked at Twilight and put her hands on her hips. “What's going on?”
“Well, as you noticed recently I’ve been acting a bit strange.”
“Really?” mocked Rainbow as she laughed softly. She then smirked as she added, “I would’ve never guessed.”
“I’m being serious!” Twilight insisted. She then sighed as she resumed her talking. “I just want to make sure that you’re able to keep a secret.”
“That’s what you're worried about?” Rainbow only laughed as she smiled in response. “Oh, come on, Twilight, you can trust me.”
“Are you sure?”
Rainbow nodded. “Yes. Just tell me what’s on your mind.”
Twilight took a big breath as she began to explain to Rainbow. “Okay then. I’ve been having strange dreams lately.”
Rainbow’s smile was now replaced with a look of… surprise. “Strange… dreams?”
Twilight could only sigh. “Voices in my dream. They talk to me like I know them from somewhere.”
“Well, do you?”
“No, but they keep on saying that I do.”
Rainbow blinked as she was trying to understand what Twilight was saying. “That’s weird.”
Twilight nodded. “You're telling me.”
Moments passed as the two resumed walking. The talking had stopped and now there was silence. As they reached the entrance of the cafeteria, Rainbow turned herself towards Twilight. She too sighed and faced the girl.
“Well… since you told me, I should tell you something too,” Rainbow said as she put a hand behind her head.
Twilight looked at Rainbow with a confused look. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I know how you feel about those weird dreams of yours,” Rainbow murmured as she entered the cafeteria. “You aren’t the only one getting them.”
“What do you mean?” asked Twilight. She raised her eyebrow and looked towards Rainbow, “Are you having these dreams as well?”
Rainbow only smiled and shrugged as she entered the cafeteria and walked away. Twilight only stood there, completely dumbfounded by her response. “Wait, so those voices are talking to you too?!” called out Twilight but Rainbow didn't respond.
So I’m not going absolutely crazy after all. That’s a first.
***
As Twilight ate her lunch, she looked up and noticed the balloons stitched on Pinkie’s shirt. Then the three red apples on Applejack’s belt and the three pink butterflies on Fluttershy's sweater. Something about them seemed very familiar to her. Twilight only shook her head out of her thoughts as she began to eat her lunch.
Laughter.
Twilight’s eyes widened in shock as she listened to the voice.
Princess Luna? Is that you talking?
She looked and saw that Pinkie was laughing at something that was said at the table. Her laughing was soon stopped as Rarity came to the table. She also noticed that during the entire time, Fluttershy stayed quiet.
“Well that’s an obvious one,” muttered Twilight to herself as she took a sip from her milk carton. she looked and noticed the three blue diamonds that where on the hem of Rarity's dress.
"Something about those designs.....they seem familiar.....but I don't know why....."
“I cannot believe what I had just saw,” declared Rarity in a dramatic tone, sitting next to Pinkie.
“Well, what did ya see?” Applejack asked, expecting Rarity's dramatization.
“As I was entering the cafeteria, I looked and saw my sister standing in the front, ” Rarity began to say.
“And?”
“She was setting up the table for the the ‘Flowers for Hearts.’” gasped Rarity as she added in a dramatic tone.
Applejack rolled her eyes and simply sighed. “That’s what’s got ya freaking out?”
“Yes!” shouted Rarity back in response. “Why would I not be freaking out for something like that?”
Applejack simply shrugged and muttered, “Whatever you say there, Rarity.”
“I need to know who is going to give me a flower,” Rarity stated as she shot a glare at the farm girl.
“Whatever,” Applejack hummed as she went back to eating her lunch.
Twilight blinked. “What is she even talking about?”
“Oh, Twilight dear,” Rarity chimed with a smile. “They're for the Spring Fling coming up in the next couple of weeks.”
“Eeyup,” added Applejack. “Usually the guy sends his flowers to the girl the week before the dance, and then after he sends the flower he usually asks the girl out.”
“That is why I thought it would be something of importance to bring up,“ huffed Rarity. She then smiled at the rest of them. “Is there anyone you girls want to ask you to the dance?”
“I know who Pinkie wants to ask her,” snickered Rainbow as she put her tray down at their table. “And I think the rest of you girls know, too.”
Pinkie’s grin grew into a frown as she glared at the girl. “If you say Pokey Pierce I’ll be so mad at you!”
Rainbow laughed in response and elbowed her. “Oh, come on, Pinkie, I’m just messing with you.”
Pinkie smirked at Rainbow and with a playful smile simply remarked, “Well I know who Rainbow wants to ask her to the dance.”
“Oh, come on! That’s so unfair!” Rainbow whined, her face getting redder by the second.
Pinkie giggled as she elbowed her friend with a playful grin. “Calm down, Rainbow,” she mocked as her giggle grew louder. “I’m just playing with you.”
Rainbow’s face grew a bright red as the rest of the table all began to laugh. She sighed as she buried her head in her arms, trying to hide her blushing face. The laughter of the other girls had stopped as they heard the bell ring in the classroom. They gathered up their belongings and hurried as they made their ways towards their next period class.