Restoring Harmony to the Cosmos

by Orfearus

Cosmic Disorder

The powerful sun shone down upon the plains of Equestria. The grass, which had previously been wilting from the lengthy night, was now burnt from the eternal sun. The beautiful fields of Equestria, cultivated through peace and harmony, had turned a dreary brown; the fields seemed like they would be more suitable in a war-torn country instead. It was on these fields, stretching for miles in all directions, that the four intrepid ponies lay to rest.

Well, it is sorta like a war Applejack thought to herself, staring over dreary distance. Except instead of fighting an enemy for land and riches, were fighting against time for magic and harmony – its own riches in itself.

She hadn't been able to sleep much, due to the blinding light of the sun. Every few seconds when she put her head down, she let her eyelids fall only to have them snap back up. Not even a minute of sleep, nor a second of rest. Perhaps it was simply knowing how close they were, that within a couple of days (if you could call them days without the cycle of the sun and moon) they would be back home.

Eventually, she just gave up trying to sleep and stared out across Equestria, imagining what lay on the horizon. Just over that hill could be Sweet Apple Acers. Or Manehatten. It's hard to tell where anything is this deep into the wilderness. She looked to her side as another thought crossed her mind. Or it could be the spring. I hope were getting close by now. Feeling even more restless thinking about their journey, she got to her feet.

Weariness was evident from her first step - the normally confident and extremely capable pony stumbled over her own hooves. Wake up you crazy hooves she thought, trying to shake the numbness from them. She looked around, hoping nopony saw her slip up. Surprisingly, Rainbow Dash was also awake, too focused on the Equestrian plains to notice her weary friend. She walked over, simply wanting somepony to talk to after the hours of thinking in solitude.

"'ey Dash. Slept well?"

The pegasus turned her head and smiled, moving over to give the earth pony a place to sit.

"Eh, I've had better. It's this blinding sunlight. How about you?"

"Naw, not a wink. Still as tired and worn out as before."

She turned towards her friend, as if looking for permission to drone on to somepony about her problems. Dash smiled back at her, conveying a message that words could not. I'm here for you, let's see if I can help.

"Bein a leader's hard. Very hard" Applejack said, turning her head towards the sun. Twilight flashed across her mind, and she wondered how that unicorn managed to be a leader for such a long time. A new respect started to enter her mind, before she re-focused her tired brain on the time at hand

"Ah'm constantly worryin bout every teensy thing tha' could go wrong, and Ah'm breakin mah back trying to make sure it doesn't. And when it does, cause it's bound t' happen sooner or later, ah gotta go and fix it."

She reached into her saddlebag and pulled out one of the few remaining apple sandwiches from their limited supply of food.

"A've been rationin these here sandwiches, cause ah knew how long this journey would take. So far, i's been good, but tha' doesn't make sayin 'NO' to Pinkie any easier." She replaced the sandwich and turned to Rainbow Dash, trusting her friend to be there for her at a time like this.

The reckless pegasus, who normally dove headfirst into anything let her actions speak for her, realized that this was one of the rare times when words spoke louder than action. She let her thoughts fly free thinking about what was just said, wanting, needing to find the right words for her friend. As they slowly formed in her mind, she turned back to her dear friend, and faithful leader.

"Applejack, your the truly responsible pony, and the leader we need. It's only thanks to you that were still safe. While every pony was losing their head in the darkness, you were able to bring us together. And it's only thanks to your strict attitude and unwavering will that we still have food left. It's because of you that we're as close to the spring as we are."

"And I know it runs deeper than that. You were born to be a leader. Perhaps not to organize everything, but to lead and keep us safe. Remember back to Winter Wrap Up? While we were all worried about our fashion and holiday's, the first thing that concerned you was making sure we had food for everypony. You take care of Ponyville, and all of us! There is no pony I would rather be with on this journey than you."

Applejack lay down, resting her head on the browning field.

"Thanks Dash. Tha' doesn't physically make th' job any easier, but it sure makes it worth a whole lot more."

"Here, let me help you out and take some responsibility off your hooves. I'll go wake everypony up and get us moving again."

As Applejack just lay there, glad for a small break from the overwhelming tasks of leadership, as Rainbow Dash headed over to where the other two ponies were resting, somehow finding sleep under the mid-day sun

"Time to wake up sleepyhead" she said, gently nudging Fluttershy awake. "We need to get going"

The dazed pegasus looked up with sleep in her eyes, staring at the pegasus who's shadow shielded her from the bright sun.

"Already?" She wearily asked

"Unfortunately, yes. The princesses magic won't come back on its own."

Rainbow Dash glided over to the sleeping Earth pony, leaving Fluttershy to guard her eyes from the sun as they slowly adjusted to the blinding daylight.

"Pinkie, time to get going"

The earth pony gave no response to the pegasus's prompting

"Pinkie, wake up"

Still nothing.

An idea crossed Rainbow's mind, at the same time a smile crossed her face

"Pinkie, it's time to party"

"Did somepony say PARTY!" she shouted, immediately awake.

Applejack, who was watching the whole event from the top of the hill, burst into laughter. "Tha's not nice, Dash."

"So? It's hilarious!"

"So... is there a party or not?" asked a still confused Pinkie Pie

Dash snickered a bit under her breath. "Yes Pinkie, there's a party. But it's waiting for you at the Spring of Magic, so we better get moving if we want to make it while there's still cake left!"

"Then what are we waiting for? It's not a real party until Pinkie's there!" She started bouncing up and down, excited to get moving once more.

"Alright Dash, which way are we goin?" Applejack walked up to Rainbow Dash and handed the compass to her. That small action spoke worlds. Not only did she hand over her leadership, but her trust and safety with it. Rainbow Dash excitedly took the compass, eager to prove her capability - both to her friends, and herself

"Ok. We're so close now compass. Take us to the spring"

The reaction was immediate, the needle glowing a fierce blue and coming to life. It swung around and pointed straight off into the distance, over the brown plains and towards the distant horizon. The response was so strong, it was like the compass had been waiting it's entire life for those words

"I think I've found the way!" she said, picking up the compass in her mouth. With a single leap, she took to the skies, and the lead.

.........

The sun shone bright on Canterlot Castle, piercing the windows and winding its way into every crack of the building. From a distance, the castle seemed noble and proud, standing tall underneath the powerful sun. From up close, it seemed majestic and regal, a fitting home for royalty and the proper place from which all of Equestria could be seen. The many windows and balconies of the castle threw it open to the world that was governed from within. On one of these balconies, the princess of the sun could be seen standing, surveying the world in front of her. At her side was the faithful unicorn whose magic she had come to rely so heavily on during the past week.

The princess looked down into the bright eyes of her faithful student, eager to stimulate her mind with another conversation, and possibly learn something herself from that talented unicorn.

"Celestia, do you think they're safe out there?" A true concern permeated her voice

"Yes Twilight. As long as they have each other, nothing can harm them."

"I just feel that I should be out there, with them. I should be there to help."

"But Twilight, my dear student, you are there to help them. Every time they see the sun, they know that you are by their side. Every time they wish for you at their side, they know how much more they need you to be here. A true measure of a friends strength is not only how well they can work together, but how well they can work apart."

Twilight's gaze loomed on the horizion, as if hoping to see her friends return from their journey any minute.

"That still doesn't make the waiting any easier. I feel I should be doing something, anything to help them."

"And that's the worst feeling, isn't it. Knowing that you've already done as much as you can and now you have to trust your future to your friends and hope they are strong enough."

Twilight took a step back in shock.

"I... I didn't mean it like that. I trust them completely and know that..."

"I know you do Twilight. You just need to sometimes take a different perspective on things."

Twilight measured the next words she was going to say, looking at them from all angles. They seemed harmless enough, and true to her heart.

"I know they're capable of their task, and that wanting to go after them and be with them is useless, but I can't help missing them."

"And perhaps that's best, for that means your heart and soul are with them."

Twilight still stared at the sky and wondered what her friends were up to. Where their travels took them, what the spring was like, and the challenges they had to fight on the way. What had they encountered out there?

"Celestia, that statue's been gone from the gardens for over a week. Do you believe that Discord is behind all this?"

That question got a response out of Celestia. For if not only she had her doubts, but her own student, than perhaps they had merit to them. Unfortunately, that put a more chilling explanation for what had happened at the forefront of her mind.

"No Twilight. Discord prefers a more ... forward approach rather than sneaking around with curses and shadows. For now, the prison probably holds. But I fear it is weakening."

"How?"

"It is the nature of the curse upon us. I may have used all of our magic, but I still have a connection with magic. For now. It weakens every day, and once it breaks the past spells I've cast, the ones used to trap Discord or hold the world together, may start to fail. For now the sun holds the prison strong. But for how much longer, I don't know."

"Wait, so if it's not Discord, than..."

"Somepony else want's to set Discord free"

"Somepony else that knows Discord's magic. An apprentice?"

There was a slight glimmer in Celestia's eyes, as her faithful student put the numbers together. "Yes. He most likely had an apprentice before becoming trapped, who has planned for years to bring about his escape. But when he faces the Elements of Harmony, even he will falter."

The two of them stared in silence at the great expanse of land that was Equestria, stretching before them. The silence was peaceful, and relaxing, until a gentle sound broke it from behind them, as Luna walked towards the balcony them.

"Hello sister. Would you care to join us?" Celestia said, in her most welcoming voice

"If it's not disturbing anything, I would love to."

In silence, the three of them simply stared at the sun. It's warm rays brought comfort to them, but a comfort that was only skin deep. Under the surface, Luna was cold. Cold and concerned. She was the first to break the silence

"Celestia, sister. We need to talk."

Celestia turned her head around to face Luna. "Yes, we do. We've needed to talk for a while now"

Twilight glanced around, knowing that this conversation was not for her, and rose to leave

"Twilight wait." It was Luna that called out. "Please stay. I feel this is important for you to hear to, and fear that I may lose the courage to speak on my own."

Twilight simply shook her head. "Luna, these are your ghosts you need to fight, and yourself you need to trust, not me. I know you are strong enough to face it on your own." She left, rather swiftly, before either princess could say something else. They needed their time alone together, and she was determined to give it to them.

"Luna, what has come between us that you must muster up courage to talk to me? To talk to your own sister? You know I am always there for you, always wanting to help."

"I know you are. But it hasn't always felt that way, and I haven't always been that... sisterly to you"

They're thoughts flowed back to a thousand years ago, to the days before, and the nights after. To every conversation since her return. To the present day. No matter when they talked, or what they mentioned, there was always a tone that penetrated their exchanges.

"The past is still haunting you?" Celestia asked

"The past still haunts both of us" Luna replied

Celestia's gaze fell to the ground, overlooking Equestria. But she wasn't seeing present-day Equestria in front of her, but a time from her past. She looked back up.

"Yes. Yes it does."

Their eyes locked, and they knew each other was thinking of that tragic day, over a millennium ago. Back to a time when the princesses ruled in peace. A time when Celestia would raise the sun every day, a faithful apprentice at her side, and hold court where all the ponies of Equestria would come just for a chance to tell her how grateful they were. I time when Luna would raise the moon every night, and all the ponies of Equestria would sleep, unaware of the great princesses struggle. Unaware of all those nights of solitude she spent, wishing for somepony, anypony to appreciate her. All those nights of solitude turned into nights of planning and preparing. All those nights where, if even a single pony had come and shown their love, the entire history of Equestria would be changed. But nopony came; nopony ever came, and no relief came to Luna. There was nothing to keep Nightmare Moon in check. Not wanting to relive the pain just yet Luna stopped her memories from progressing beyond that point.

"You know I regret my actions" she said, the unspoken words that she finally gave voice to

"And you know I am sorry for mine" replied her sister. The princess of the sun looked down to her sister, a tear in her eye. "But not just on that fateful day, all those years ago, but every day leading up to it for a century. I wasn't there for you. I had all the love in the world from our subjects, all the devotion they could give, and yet not enough love to give back to my own sister. I knew your suffering during the night, all the troubles you faced every time the sun rose, yet I did nothing. I realized how much you needed a friend, and yet I was still just a co-ruler to you. I wasn't there for you. I've failed you as a sister, and a friend. I'm sorry."

Luna had come here to apologize, but never expected that it would be her sister that broke down in sorrows and regrets. All those years she had fought alone, she believed nopony knew her sorrows. Perhaps it would have been better if nopony knew, rather than have somepony you trusted know about them, and still do nothing.

"All that time, you knew my pain?"

"I suspected it. But I brushed it off as mere suspitions, not something real and tangible to be concerned with. Now I realize just how wrong I was. I realize that Nightmare Moon's rise to power was all my fault. It should have been me spending those thousand years of solitude, me who had to endure the pain, for it was my failure that caused it."

Tears streamed down from the alicorn's eyes. Tears of regret, tears of sorrow, tears of pain.

"But you did live in pain for those years." Luna said

"I lived in regret. Every day I would wake up, look to the moon, and say 'What have I done?' Every day I was ashamed, too embarrased with myself to look myself in the mirror. And when I caught a passing glance, all I saw was a broken pony, a pony who had made a grave mistake that she could not undo. Every morning, the sun would be raised and the moon would be lowered by me. Every morning my heart would be overwhelmed with sorrow for forcing such an imprisonment on you. I stole a thousand years of your life, and have forced you to live the rest in the shadow of Nightmare Moon, the shadow of my own failure. How can I ever make up for my mistakes?"

The pain from all the years on the moon rushed back to Luna. Isolation. Lonelyness. Sorrow. Regret. Every day she regretted not being strong enough. Every day she wished she had never attempted what she did. Every day Nightmare Moon would whisper in her mind that it was her right, the she deserved the power. The only company she had was that of her vengerfu soul. And every day she fought it, hoping that through this fight she could make up for her mistakes. And now she realized just how much of a fight her sister went through every day, not with a vengeful soul, but with her own soul, for it was her action that caused such pain.

"Tia" she said, looking up to her sister.

Celestia looked down. She had not heard that name since they were fillies. Since they were best of friends.

"Tia, I realize now that your actions may have been part of what drove me to jealousy. Part, for my own actions cannot be forgotten as well. But you've paid for your mistake a thousand times over, every single day for that thousand years. And I don't want you to live in pain anymore. I want us to be... to be friends again, like we were before. Like we were, so long ago. So Tia, I forgive you for your actions. For not being there, for fighting and imprisoning me, for everything. Tia, I forgive you."

"You... You forgive me? You can overlook such horrible transgressions on our very friendship?"

One image was burned in Luna's mind for all those year. The last look on Celestia's face. The sorrow and regret, the overwhelming sadness at what she was driven to do. And now, she finally understood that image

"Yes Tia. I forgive you."

Celestia fell to her knees, at a loss for words. She was at a loss for anything. Such overwhelming relief and joy penetrated her body. She had never thought it was possible to make up for her actions, and would dedicate her life to trying to help her sister. But that young alicorn had shown herself to be stronger, and had lifted the pain from her soul. For the first time in a thousand years, she did not feel that pang of sadness she was so used to. For the first time in a thousand years, she felt joy.

Luna looked down at her sister, crying on the floor. This time she was the one that spread her wing, she was the one to comfort her sister, as she lay down beside her.

"Friends?" she asked, looking into her sisters tear-filled eyes.

"Friends." she replied. "Now and forever."

.........

It stood in the spring of magic contemplating what was to come. The ponies were getting closer, and the time to act was almost upon it. Everything would be over within a few short minutes, whether for better or worse, it would be over. It stared down at its reflection, coal black eyes glancing over its form and coming to rest upon its single wing. Memories and words danced unbidden through it's mind.

"This is your form. Different, imperfect, flawed. Just like mine. And that's why it's powerful."

It looked over at the Draconequus perched atop a nearby rock

"But father, wouldn't I be more powerful with a perfect form?"

It knew the Draconequus wasn't it's real father, but as a filly he was the only creature there for it. It didn't know its real parents, never had, never would. Its first sight of the world was an empty grassy plain; it's second a swooping hawk. Powerful, majestic, and hungry. Once eyed by a predator, you cannot escape. With fear as the first real emotion it felt in the world, it closed its eyes and waited for the end. The end that didn't come. The third sight it saw was the Draconequus. So in a way, he was it's father. He taught it everything it knew.

"You want to be perfect? Alright then, I grant you perfection."

Blackness surrounded it, a magic it could not comprehend at the time

"Father, I'm scared!"

"Scared of what, my child. Scared of perfection?"

The blackness cleared, and two gleaming white wings laid on its back. Fully functional, real wings. But rather than flying, it simply stared at them

"What's wrong, little one?"

"This wing. It's not me. It's not right. It's not natural." It lowered it's horn to the new wing, and it burst into magic.

"You right. Perfection is not natural. We all have flaws, and those flaws are what make the world. Those flaws make us unique, and give us power. All I do is find those inherit flaws in each pony, and bring them forward. And the power that they hold, is unbelievable.

Flaws held power, and make us who we are. So why is it called chaos to bring those flaws out? Why did every pony oppose it when it tried to bring discord about, tried to bring forth those flaws and those true character traits? It had withstood such opposition all its life and never found those answers. So it continued to fight, to bring them about.

A faint black aura started to surround it, as it drew magic from it's soul and the spring. All it knew was fear, overwhelming, oppressing fear, the same fear it had felt upon first contact with the magic. But it was not afraid. For through this fear brought redemption, and it led to forgiveness.

Through this fear it could bring back about its master's revival

Master, I have wronged you it thought. But I will make it right. Please, forgive me as I free you from the pain you have suffered for the eternity past. The black aura drained magic from the world around, bringing an immense power to its control. It already harnessed a magic that was greater than any unicorn could imagine, and would have one that that rivaled that of the princesses by the time it was ready. The world around it turned dark, the sun blocked from its view, as all it felt was magic. Beautiful, powerful magic shot out through it's horn, and headed straight for the sun.

This is for you, father.

.........

The sun shone brightly on the two unicorns, lying comfortably on the polished floor of the observatory. It was extraordinarily warm in the direct sunlight, and the view from up there! The view was something to take your breath away. The flat plains revealed all their secrets to the castle, their vantage point open to the beauty of the world around them. They could finally rest, reprieved from their duties because the alicorns were busy conversing downstairs, and relaxed knowing that if their friends were arriving home, they would be the first to see it.

"The sun's beautiful this time of day" Twilight idly said

"It truly is spectacular! And knowing that our friends are seeing the same sun does wonders to calm my nerves."

"The colors are quite vivid."

"Extraordinary. I haven't seen the sky alight with such reds and oranges in weeks. It's almost like the sun itself is fighting to light the sky on fire."

"We haven't seen a sunset like this in weeks."

"Twilight, is the sun supposed to be setting?"

Twilight's mind snapped to action.

"No Rarity. No it isn't." She got to her feet, and stared at the sun, reaching deep into her well of magic. She had to do something. What, she wasn't quite sure of at the moment.

"Twilight, what can I do to help?"

Twilight looked down at her friend, vision contorted through the purple field of magic. "Catch me if I fall"

The sheer power the unicorn harnessed was enough to lift her off her feet, suspending her few feet above the ground in a magical field. She felt the walls around her well, and pushed against the familiar resistance. This time, they finally gave way, flooding her body with a greater power than she normally felt. She strained to contain the power, and opted it best to simply channel it through her horn rather than try and suppress it.

When she reached the barrier of space, her concentration did not even flinch against the numbing cold. The sun had moved from it's normal place, but there was still magic in the air. Something had moved the sun, and she could follow the signs left by it and find the sun once more.

She tracked the celestial body with her magic, and tried to envelop it, to protected her beloved sun. But there was already magic around it! Something was acting upon her precious sun! She weaved a field of magic into the space around, and through it located the source of the other magic. The magic felt dark, ominous, unlike any she had ever felt before. But it was still magic, still channeled through a single beam to it's destination.If she could only break that magic and free the sun from it's grasp. Gathering all her power into a single lightning bolt, she struck the beam. It shattered like it was made of glass. It exploded outwards, bearing into her magic like knives, threatening to overwhelm her. But this was too important. She fought through the pain, and encircled the sun.

........

It recoiled in pain, as its magic was shattered. So there was another unicorn there, and one of great power. That was how the sun had been raised. But that unicorn was bound to have a flaw, something that it could use to gain that power. Smiling, and absorbing the magic from the spring once more, it returned to battle

.........

The black magic came back in full force, pressing down against her from all sides. She was surrounded by magic. Fear pressed inwards, suffocating her, threatening to destroy her. Fear. Despair. Worry. But she would not give in. She would not abandon the sun.

A sudden shock of magic exploded. It was around her, inside of her, and a part of her, all at once

...

...

...

She was... where was she?

All she could see was purple, and no sound penetrated the barriers around her mind

All she could feel was magic, a tremendous power, as the deepest walls in her body had been shattered from the shock. A magnitude of magic she never thought possible overwhelmed her soul. Reaching out, all that she could comprehend was magic, as the most powerful battle raged on around her. Two forces, equal in strength, fighting each other. The power of the sun, against the power of the unknown assailer. Neither could gain any headway; the two forces were perfectly matched. At the center of the battle, the most important object in all of Equestria; the sun. She could sit back and wait no longer - now was the time to act.

When enveloped this completely by magic, power is all that exists. There is no light or dark, no good or bad, there only is. And so she channeled her power towards the sun, towards the raging war, and joined. She knew what she wanted, what she needed to do. She fought to bring the sun back to the sky, to let it's bright light shine over the world once more. First, there was no reaction - she felt as if she were hitting a brick wall. But suddenly, the sun started to move. They were winning! It started it's slow trek across the sky, when

SNAP

The opposing force shattered into a million tendrils of magic, more ancient and powerful than she had ever felt. Ancient, yet familiar, as if she had encountered that magic before. Focusing on the task at hand, her and the remaining power guided the sun to its rightful place in the middle of the sky. When it arrived, she let out a heaving sigh of exhaustion, releasing her magic.

She plummeted from her magically-induced levitation towards the ground, landing on a soft as air surface, eyes closed, trying to restore enough energy to even lift herself up.

"TWILIGHT!"

Something invited her to sleep, to simply leave that world and regain her strength. But she could fight it, for just a few seconds longer.

"It's alright. I fought. I kept the sun in the middle of the sky."

She opened her eyes, expecting the rays of sun to illuminate the world around her. She was met with nothing but blackness.

"But...But...I"

She looked up to the sky and noticed her fatal error. Only now did she realize exactly which of the forces were fighting on which side

For hanging in the sky, for the first time since Harmony was brought about, was a full solar eclipse

.........

It stood in the spring, panting for breath. I did it. The harmony of the cosmos has been shattered. All thanks to that oblivious unicorn. It glanced at the spring. A pitch black form stared back at it. The curse had spread across it's entire body thanks to that last use of magic. There was no escaping the oppressive fear that surrounded it, every waking second of the day. But there was no chaos more complete than what it had just brought.

It walked over to the statue of Discord. In mere hours you will be free, my lord, and I will be redeemed. In mere hours, this world shall be yours!

Comments

[Orfearus]

I am extatic with how this chapter turned out. The most pleased I have ever been about a chapter update
Probably because I've been leading up to these events for a while, but still.
Big confrontation in the next chapter, and then it all winds down.
Thanks for staying with me this far, only a few more chapters to go