The Dark King Rises. Part 2
Edits done by Vates Despero, Clayton the Hunter, Gigas, Halusm, and King of Kings.
The Dark King Rises.
Part 2.
<<>><<>><<>>
"Ugh… Why does my head hurt?" Soarin slurred with a moan as he woke up a couple of hours later, gently prodding his head and discovering a new lump quite close to the one he already had.
"Because I knocked you out," Valerie replied coolly.
"... I see," Soarin muttered, blinked a few times, then Valerie's words sunk in. "WAIT, WHAT!?" He shouted before flinching from the sudden pain shooting through his head.
"Meh, you'll live," Valerie replied with a scoff. "I mean it," she deadpanned. "After everything that happened to you, I'm surprised the only injuries you have are the lumps on your head that I inflicted," she surmised with a faint hint of pride.
"I really hate you sometimes, you know that?" Jazz muttered, irritated, as she shot Valerie yet another unimpressive glare.
Shrugging, Valerie turned to the large screen on the wall. "You aren't the first… Although you are one of the few still alive."
"Can you two please do this someplace else?" Tucker complained, looking up from his screen with an exasperated sigh.
"We can take this to the living room if you want," Valerie suggested with blatantly false sincerity, grinning coyly.
"You know, sometimes I really hate you too," Tucker groaned, turning his attention back to his screen.
"Heh, two for two. I'm on a roll," Valerie declared proudly.
"That's not a good thing," Jazz told her, frowning, her arms crossed over her chest.
Shrugging, Valerie looked at the information displayed on the screen instead. Tucker was hard at work, sifting through the increasing amount of data as the scans of the moss he started a while ago neared their final stages.
"This is remarkable… and impossible," he mumbled, rubbing the top of his head as he leaned back in his chair, looking up at the larger screen to get a better picture.
"What is?" Jazz asked.
"It’s the moss I picked up. It’s not showing any signs of spectral energy at all!"
"So?" Valerie replied.
"That shouldn't be possible," Tucker explained. "Pretty much anything that stays within the Zone gets infused with spectral energy. It is, after all, the ghosts' realm. To find something alive and growing in that place, completely devoid of spectral energy is highly unlikely. And yet, here we have that very thing."
"Any idea how that's possible?" Jazz asked.
"...I’ve got some ideas, all of them pretty farfetched," he answered after a moment, partially lost in thought.
"Well, just humor us," Valerie insisted.
Silence.
"Tucker?"
Releasing a sigh, Tucker took a moment to rub the sleep out of his eyes. "Okay, try to imagine this: we know it’s possible for materials from our world to find their way into the Ghost Zone. Anything from stuff the ghosts decided to take back with them, to what we bring when we venture into the Zone ourselves."
"Yes, we already know that much," Jazz responded.
"Yeah, but those were always artificial objects. Now, at least from what Wulf has said, we have plant life sprouting up all over the place. We all know that, apart from a couple of notable exceptions, life and death do not mix. And so far the land we've seen in the Ghost Zone has always been barren rock; dead, lifeless."
"Hold on," Valerie cut in, "what about Skulker's hunting ground? I was there once, and it was flourishing with life."
"Yes, I know. And it’s been bothering me ever since I first heard of it," Tucker answered. "With Wulf’s claim that plant life is beginning to emerge on the other chunks of land found in the Ghost Zone, I'm starting to think that there’s more going on than we've previously suspected."
"How so?" Jazz asked.
"Well, the amount of growth that seems to be happening all at once first led me to believe that it could be some kind of accidental contamination as a result of a ghost traversing between our world and the Ghost Zone, perhaps through a seed store. But now, I think the seeds have always been present, buried deep within the soil."
"Hold on," Valerie said. "If that's true, then why didn't the stuff show up sooner? And for that matter, how did it get there in the first place?"
"That would be my next point," Tucker replied. "We know from the Ghost Zone's history that most of the land was once connected as one large piece; with structures and the like built on top of it… and only on top of it."
"What do you mean?" Jazz asked, puzzled. Then a spark of growing realization started to show. "Hold on, why would they..."
"... only build on top of the landmass if they could build anywhere they wanted, in three dimensions, including upside down?" Tucker finished. "Things like that don't really matter if the gravity is only localised to where you stand. No, I'm starting to think the ghosts didn't build any of the structures that we found in the Zone. Or not all of them, at least."
"Then who did?" Valerie asked, genuinely intrigued.
"Whoever that land belonged to, before it somehow wound up in the Ghost Zone," Tucker answered, staring once more at the information displayed on his screen. "Which also explains where those... seeds of life, come from. I believe that they have always been there, buried in the land, waiting to grow. Those lands, they aren't dead; they're dormant. Or, they were, at least. Now it seems something has 'awakened' them, and life is taking hold once more."
"... You're right," Valerie said after a moment. "That doesn't make any sense."
"But what if he's right?" Jazz wondered.
"Then someone, somewhere, is missing one heck of a chunk of their backyard."
"... Not that it's impossible," Tucker reminded them. "Remember what Pariah Dark did to Amity Park? Or what Wulf said about an entire land of crystals suddenly disappearing?"
"Are… are you saying that the ghosts are actually stealing parts of the world?" Soarin asked, finally speaking up.
"... I'm not sure. But even so, I doubt it came from this world," Tucker answered after a moment. "We would've noticed such a large disruption to our geography... I think."
"Not ours?" Jazz said, surprised. "Then whose world are we talking about?"
Tucker, surprised by Jazz's question, turned and gave her a puzzled look. "Wait, you mean you hadn't already figured this out yourself?"
"Figured what out?"
"Jazz, think. All those different types of ghosts. All those different species. Only a few can be traced back to Earth. The rest however, they originate from someplace else."
Silence settled down over the small group as Jazz, Soarin, and Valerie stared wide eyed at Tucker's revelation.
"You can't be serious, can you?" Valerie shot back at him.
Raising a single eyebrow, Tucker merely pointed a finger at Soarin. "We already know life exist outside our own world. But if that's not enough proof for you… I know you were around when The Box Ghost got ahold of Pandora's box, and released its evil here in Amity Park. Remember what came out of it? What was mixed in with all the other horrible things that cursed box spewed forth?"
Valerie's brow knitted together as she thought back, remembering all the various monstrosities she faced that day. Then one of those creatures sharpened in her mind's eye, and she gasped as she turned to look at Soarin.
"There were unicorns. Twisted, demonic unicorns."
<<>><<>><<>>
"Alright, everypony," Twilight called as she and her friends entered one of the palace's empty rooms; dropping the book she'd found in the library on top of the circular table standing in the center, splayed open to the page where it started describing the workings of the Crystal Fair.
"It looks like there are several things we have to do to make this Crystal Fair a reality."
"Don't you worry none, sugarcube," Applejack replied. "We'll all do our part."
Twilight gave her friends a beaming smile as the magic of harmony manifested around them; the air filling with music.
"Princess Cadance needs our help, her magic will not last forever. I think we can do it, but we need to work together. We have to get this right. Yes, we have to make them see. We can save the crystal ponies with their history~y," Twilight sang, allowing the magic to guide her.
"It says that they like jousting," Rainbow Dash joined in, donning a set of armor she saw standing off to the side.
"They flew a flag of many hues~," Rarity picked up, already choosing appropriate fabrics from the palace's stores.
"Made sweets of crystal berries," Applejack's warm voice took over.
"They had a petting zoo with tiny ewes~," Fluttershy sang with glee.
""Oh, we have to get this right. Yes, we have to make them see. We can save the Crystal Ponies with their his~tory.""
"There was a crystal flugelhorn, that every pony liked to play~," Pinkie Pie noted, seeing the image displayed in the book.
"And the Crystal Kingdom anthem, can you learn it in a da~ay~y?"
""Oh, we have to get this right. Yes, we have to make them see. We can save the Crystal Ponies with their history~y.""
<<>><<>><<>>
Several miniature explosions blew craters in the layers of snow outside the shield. The two combatants responsible fighting without pause. The snow melted, formed puddles, and froze again in mere seconds. The steam that was produced by the heat of battle rising up and clouding the already obscured air, forming a frozen fog amidst the blizzard howling across the frozen plain, leaving only vague blurs to be seen, only noticeable from the glow of their attacks.
Glowing green bolts and blasts flickered through the air, with bursts of light illuminating the point of impact, while the challenging roars of the two fighters cut through the howling winds.
"You're not getting away with this!" Danny shouted, eyes burning, before dodging to his right and jumping backwards to avoid Sombra's next attack. Glaring up at the billowing mass of darkness, barely able to make out his form through the storm that had taken hold of the land, Danny's hands burned with unearthly energy.
Firing a salvo of bolts towards the large shadow, Danny heard Sombra's dark, and increasingly annoying, laugh as the fiend avoided his attack with relative ease.
"Fool," Sombra spoke up, his voice disconcertingly closer than Danny had believed him to be. "Had you taken your chance when you managed to knock me down, maybe you would have been able to stop me." Sombra's shadowy face slowly materialized right next to Danny's. Sombra's eyes gave a wicked gleam, as a mocking grin split his face. "But, no. Trying to act like the hero you pretend to be, you just had to give me a fair chance. And now, now you're unable to even hit m—"
A beam of searing hot green sliced through Sombra's face; the shadow merely dissipating temporarily as it allowed the beam to pass harmlessly through it.
Flying back quickly, Danny hovered in the air, snow blowing past him as he scanned his surroundings.
Clenching his right hand into a fist, he knew he had a serious problem.
'Damnit. Where did this blizzard come from all of a sudden?' Danny questioned, trying to get a fix on his target, who he knew was nearby; the cold in his core assuring him of that. Yet Sombra remained hidden from view, only revealing himself as he attacked. 'Seriously, did he summon this storm, or what?' He thought, before noticing a sickly glow coming from behind him. Danny narrowly dodged Sombra's attack, only to be struck down as a mass of shadows punched him in the gut.
Wheezing for air, Danny fell to the ground, snow already beginning to cover him as he strained to force air back into his lungs.
"Gaahh..."
Pushing a hand underneath him, he rolled himself over. Lying on his back, his eyes assaulted by the freezing snow, he knew he had to come up with something to fight the shade.
'I don't get it,' he thought. The snowstorm was beginning to obscure his vision. 'First, I managed to hurt him because of how bright my attack was. But now when I try to do it again, it doesn’t work.' The cold slowly seeped into his already freezing body, numbing him to his core. '… It has to be the blizzard. It’s blocking out most of the light, shielding him from anything I throw at him,' he deduced, only to feel the weight of the snow growing heavier on top of him.
Hovering above him and watching with remorseless eyes, Sombra laughed darkly.
"Fool. From what that box fool told me, I believed you to be a challenge," he scoffed as he floated down until the only thing separating him from Danny was the layer of snow that had built up over the half ghost. "Yet all you proved to be was a nuisance," he said before rising high above, several tendrils lancing down from his form. "Now you'll die where you lie."
Danny could hear his muted voice through the snow as he struggled to come up with something, anything, to stop this threat, yet coming up blank. And, as the snow grew heavier, his eyes closed, and a familiar but old voice echoed from the depths of his memory.
'You must first learn to control your mind if you wish to control your shadow.'
<<>><<>><<>>
Many years ago.
Danny was sitting within Frostbite's abode, elbows placed on a table and head resting on his hands.
"You're troubled, Great One. As is to be expected," Frostbite spoke, slowly moving to his kitchen to grab a warming beverage for Danny. "Possessing another ghost is a harrowing, draining experience. Especially considering what happened to you." He returned with a glass of warm cocoa, offering it to Danny. "Here, drink. It will help."
"How?" Danny asked, troubled.
"You don't want it?"
"... Yeah, I do," Danny muttered, grabbing the glass.
"Then it will help."
Taking a moment to drink, only the sound of Danny greedily gulping down the cocoa could be heard. With a 'thud' Danny placed the glass back on the table with more force than was needed.
"So, how do you feel?"
"Better... slightly."
"Then it has helped... slightly," Frostbite said with a small chuckle. "Now, let's talk about this shade of yours." Both he and Danny looked up at the shadow sitting on the ceiling, picking its nose.
"Do we have to?" Danny muttered.
"Yes, we do," Frostbite replied, crossing his arms. "Obviously, you don't have any control over your shade. That is something we need to work on, or the fragment of your mind within this shade might grow into something more troublesome."
"More troublesome?" Danny asked, warily, staring at his shadow. "How?"
Sitting down himself, Frostbite shot Danny a most serious look. "I'll be honest; I don't have much experience with this kind of thing. However, over the years I have picked up a thing or two, and I am worried that, if left alone, your shade might grow into something…" he struggled to find the right words.
"Something, what?"
"I don't know," Frostbite admitted. "It holds a part of your mind, so whatever it might grow into should be a reflection of your own. Yet who, or what depends on just how much of you is in there. And, of course, whether or not you learn to control it."
"Then how do I control this… thing?"
"It won't be easy. As I already told you, you first need to learn to control your mind if you want to control your shadow." Danny shot him a weary glance, which left Frostbite to add to his explanation. "Don't worry. We'll help you in this task, much as we helped you when your ice shaping ability presented itself."
"... Thanks, Frostbite," Danny muttered, sighing as he stared up at his shadow again.
"But perhaps it would be best if I took care of this for now," Frostbite remarked, following Danny's gaze, and lifting a hand.
Once again, as he had done when Danny first approached Frostbite with his shadow problem, the frost giant created a gem of ice in his outstretched hand; a pure icy blue light shining from within.
With a hiss the shadow shielded itself, before falling down and merging back with Danny.
Blinking dumbly for a moment, Danny looked at his shadow, then at the ice gem held in Frostbite's hand; noticing the light was dimming.
"Neat trick," Danny said. "I've got to remember that one."
"All in due time, Great One," Frostbite replied. "All in due time."
<<>><<>><<>>
Danny's eyes shot open, glowing a bright icy blue. The snow covering him no longer felt cold, and he could feel the layer of cold lending him its strength.
A explosion of ice and light blew away the snow covering him; burning away the tendrils of darkness boring down on him, leaving Sombra to roar in pain as the light seared into him.
Slowly hovering up into the sky, upper body hanging down a bit, Danny glared up at the dark king from beneath a furrowed brow, hands clenching into fists.
"I'm a nuisance, huh? Please, I've barely even started," he taunted, seeing the look of surprise on Sombra's face.
Charging energy into his hands, making them glow an icy blue, he formed a medium sized ice crystal in each, filling them with his energy.
"And I haven't run out of tricks either," he finished, and threw the two radiant ice gems at Sombra; their light slicing through Sombra's shadowy body.
<<>><<>><<>>
"It looks amazing!" Twilight said happily, grateful. "I don't know how I could have done this without you," she continued as she walked around the many stalls she and her friends had put up, levitating the history book she'd found in the library before her. "One last check to make sure everything is in place, and then the festivities can begin," she added, taking notice of several crystal ponies exiting their houses and moving towards them.
"What's this thing for?" Applejack asked, pushing against a crudely hewn crystal statue shaped like a heart on a pedestal, causing it to wobble on the spot.
"The last piece of information in the book mentioned a crystal heart as the Fair's center piece," Twilight answered. "So I used my magic to carve one out of a largish crystal."
"Nice work, Twi," Applejack complimented. "Ah think we're ready ta get this fair up an' running."
"Ooh, looks like they're already getting excited," Pinkie Pie proclaimed excitedly, spinning around on the spot to see all the ponies moving to surround them.
"... They don't look excited," Rainbow Dash remarked, giving the ponies a wary look. "Kinda creeping me out, actually."
"I agree," Rarity gave voice to her thoughts, taking a step back towards the center; soon mirrored by Fluttershy who shied away behind her fashionista friend.
"Uh… Maybe they just wanna thank us fer what we're doin' for 'em?" Applejack suggested, giving the ponies slowly closing in on them a nervous smile.
"You think so?!" Pinkie Pie shouted, smiling and rushing to the mare closest to her. "Oh, you're welcome. But really, this party hasn't even started yet. Just wait until the fireworks start, an—" she couldn't finish as the mare interrupted her by slapping her in the muzzle.
"HEY! Don't be a party pooper!" Pinkie Pie scolded, offended.
"Wait, I know her!" Twilight spoke up. "She's the mare I talked to earlier this morning." She proceeded to walk towards the pony, giving her and those around her a wary glance. "Is there something wrong? I know we haven't had much experience setting up a Crystal Fair, but I'm sure we haven't done anything wrong," she said, glancing at the stalls, balloons, and various forms of entertainment she and her friends had set up, before turning her gaze back to the mare. "Surely there has to be some kind of misun..." her voice died in her throat as she finally noticed the mare's eyes; cold, dead, and with the irises' colored a dark red.
"Girls," Twilight said, frightened, backing away, mirrored by her friends. "Something is horribly wrong!"
"Yeah, but what!?" Rainbow Dash replied, flexing her wings.
"Their eyes," Fluttershy squeaked, trembling. "Those aren't their eyes."
"Of course they are," Spike answered, standing before Rarity to shield her with his body. "Who else's would they be?"
A collective gasp came from the group as they all came to the same horrifying realization.
""SOMBRA!""
<<>><<>><<>>
"SIR!" one of the guards shouted as he rushed into the throne room, catching Shining Armor and Cadance's attention. "Sir, we've got a situation!"
"What is it, what's going on?" Cadance asked, worried, as she stepped closer, answering for her husband who had claimed to have a throbbing headache.
"The crystal ponies, they… Well, they are attacking."
"What!?" Cadance shouted in shocked disbelief. Then a bright burst of purple light blinded them, as Twilight and her friends teleported in the throne room.
"Cadance!" Twilight shouted before the last wisps of her magic had dissipated. "The crystal ponies. They're attacking!"
"WHAT!?" Cadance shouted even louder. "What happened? Why is this happening?"
"Unknown, Princess," the guard replied.
"It's Sombra," Fluttershy squeaked, shaking, curled up in a small ball and hiding behind her mane.
"Excuse me!?" Cadance replied, giving the timid mare a worried glance.
"It's true," Applejack answered for her friend, "Tha crystal ponies are under some kinda weirdo mind control, er somethin'."
"But that's impossible," Cadance countered. "I broke any mind control the ponies were under the moment I created the shield around the city."
"You sure about that?" Rainbow Dash shot back. " 'Cause they're all acting weird, with their eyes all red and creepy."
"We've seen a similar thing," the guard responded. "Their eyes were glowing a dark red."
"Glowing red!?" Cadance repeated, shocked, not knowing what to make of the situation, or how it was even possible.
"Yeah," came Rainbow Dash's voice, filled with fright. "Just like that!" She continued as she pointed a slightly shaking hoof towards Shining Armor, who glared at the group with empty eyes; his irises glowing red.
"Shining," Cadance gasped.
"BBBFF!" Twilight shouted, tears in her eyes, and all eyes shifted to the dark crystals growing out of Shining Armor's horn; a faint, dark glow coming off of them.
"No!" Cadance shrieked, rushing towards her husband to try and snap him out of his mind controlled state. "Not again! NOT AGAIN!" She cried, yet was unable to get near him as, with a flash of his horn, Cadance was blasted away and slammed into the adjacent wall, knocking her out cold as she slowly slumped to the floor.
"Cadance!" Twilight shouted.
"Princess!" The guard and Twilight's friends yelled; all of them rushing to the stricken Princess, seeing the magical glow around her horn fade out of existence.
"Oh no!" Twilight gasped, head snapping to the nearest window, just in time to see the shield fail and fade.
The clip clopping of hooves on the floor brought their attention back to Shining Armor, slowly making his way towards them; mind blank and eyes glowing.
They all vanished in a burst of powerful purple magic.
<<>><<>><<>>
Several minutes before that.
"RHAAAA!!" Sombra roared in a mix of rage and pain as his shadowy form was burned by the pure glow of Danny's ice crystals, forcing him back into his solid self and drop to the ground, panting.
Before him, slowly lowering himself, Danny hovered in the air; both hands raised up by his sides, new ice gems growing in his palms.
"So, still a nuisance, huh?" He asked, grinning smugly. "Or am I more of a challenge than you thought me to be?"
Sombra fired a trio of burning green bolts at Danny over his remark, but his aim was sloppy and Danny easily avoided the destructive energy.
"Getting desperate now?" Danny smirked. "And here I thought you were a real threat."
Sombra growled, before spitting the foul taste he had in his mouth in the snow.
"Dude, gross," Danny commented. Sombra, however, didn't seem to care.
Beginning with a low chuckle, growing into an all out roaring laughter, his eyes focused on Danny once more, his red irises burning brightly.
"Fool," Sombra sneered, "your pathetic attempts to fight me are meaningless at best."
"You sure about that?" Danny shot back. "Seems to me that my attempts have some effect."
Sombra chuckled darkly as shadowy smoke started to cover his form once more, and he slowly rose up in a dark cloud.
"Your attempts are meaningless, because you are still trying to be the hero. And, like every other hero, you will do everything in your power to save the weak and powerless."
Danny's confident stance sagged slightly, a worried frown growing on his features. "Yeah, what of it?"
"What of it?" Sombra repeated, baring his teeth, and the red of his eyes intensified. "I need only fight you. But you?" The shield covering the city began to flicker and fade. "You'll have to fight the very weaklings you seek to save." In a blinding burst of light Sombra launched one more attack on Danny before fleeing, forcing the half ghost to avoid the destructive burst and lose sight of the cowardly cur.
"What the!?" Danny muttered as he cleared his eyes, his voice full of dread. "Where did that guy go now?"
He then realized the shield was no longer covering the city, allowing the blizzard free reign. And with it, Sombra.
"Oh no," he murmured, hurrying towards the city.
<<>><<>><<>>
A flash of purple filled the building and Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Spike, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Cadance, and the lone guard found themselves in the library; Cadance unconscious, and the guard, braced to fight his Prince and commanding officer, looking around in confusion.
"What happened?" He asked, not daring to relax.
"I teleported us out of the palace and to the library," Twilight answered, voice hollow. "Rainbow Dash, could you lock the door?"
"Uh, sure," Rainbow Dash replied, slowly hovering towards the double door. "... Hey, AJ. Mind giving me a hoof?!" She shouted a second later, and the farm pony was quick to respond. A few seconds ticked by, then the sound of a bookcase being moved filled the otherwise still air; soon followed by a second case, and the sound of several books falling on top of Rainbow Dash's head, who shouted in surprise and frustration.
"Are you alright, Twilight?" Rarity asked, placing a comforting hoof on Twilight's back.
"No… No I'm not," she answered, remembering her brother's eyes, and what he had done to Cadance.
A sorrowful sigh escaped her, and she somberly turned her head towards her sister-in-law. "How's she doing?"
"She's not injured," the guard replied, scanning the new surroundings for any possible threat.
"She has some swelling on her head," Fluttershy replied, already taking care of the pink alicorn. "From the blow against the wall, knocking her out. She is also suffering from exhaustion after using her magic for so long, so I don't think she will be awake for a while," but as soon as she said that, Cadance began to stir. "Or maybe not."
"Cadance!" Twilight gasped, hurrying to help her former foalsitter back to her hooves.
"Nhg… Twilight," Cadance murmured, holding a hoof against her head, eyes squeezed shut in a pained grimace. "What… What happened?" Her eyes shot back open as recent memories came flooding back. "Shining Armor! Where's Shining Armor?"
All ponies, and dragon, present looked down, save for the guard who could only glare with anger burning in his eyes.
"Where is my husband!?" Cadance nearly shouted, frantically looking around for him, but coming to the shocking realization that they were no longer in the palace.
"Cadance," Twilight spoke up, voice wavering, "Shining.. he's," a choked sob escaped her, "he… Sombra has him under his control. Just like the crystal ponies… He... he attacked you and he was going to attack us next, so I teleported us to this library."
Cadance fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face, while an rough, irritated grunt came from the guard.
"Hey, what's your problem?" Rainbow Dash glowered.
"My problem?" the guard replied with trained professionalism, though his irritation was clearly visible in his eyes. "How about the fact that you teleported me along with you, forcing me to leave my squad while they deal with the crystal ponies. Or how about you," -he turned to Twilight- "not even trying to stop the Prince, your brother, and instead fleeing to this place," he released a rough sigh. "It is as I said before," he turned to Cadance. "This is no place for civilians."
"Hey!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
"I beg your pardon?" said Rarity.
"An' what tha hay do you mean by that?!" Applejack glared.
"And what shitty ass third world shit-hole military trained you to be this stupid and unprofessional?" Vates Despero demanded.*
"I.. uuhm.. Don't really like you saying that…Eeep," Fluttershy said softly.
"Well, you're no fun... and did anypony else hear that weird disembodied voice?" Pinkie Pie frowned.
"What! How could you say that?" Twilight asked, offended. "I would never abandon my big brother."
"And yet, here we are," the guard motioned around them.
Pinkie Pie looked around at all her friends. "Seriously? Just me?" she asked again.
"Hey buddy," Rainbow Dash stood face to face with the stallion. "Keep talking, and we're going to have a problem."
"We already have a problem!" he replied seriously, angry. "But I haven't seen you do anything to stop this situation."
"Oh yeah!?" Rainbow Dash shouted. "You must be blind, because clearly you don't recognize who you're talking to."
"Oh, I know all about you. Hard not to," he replied. "And although I am grateful for what you and your friends have done in the past, it doesn't change the fact that you are still an untrained, undisciplined, civilian in a hostile zone. Furthermore," he cut Rainbow Dash off before she could give voice to her thoughts, "you do not have the Elements with you! We were all briefed before you arrived; we were told that you would come to help, but that the Elements wouldn't be used. Something Princess Celestia's message was quite clear about. So, without the artifacts you used to stop threats such as Discord, what purpose do you have here other than to run away when the situation grows out of control?" he asked, and the brazen Pegasus' stance sagged slightly, mirrored by her friends who shot each other uneasy glances.
Sighing tiredly, the guard continued. "Look, don't get me wrong here. The rest of the guards and I are truly grateful for what you have done for Equestria. But right now, you are only getting in the way. Instead of being teleported away, I could have helped my fellow guards trying to contain the situation and hopefully even brake Sombra's hold over the Prince. Instead, I was dragged along with you when things became too dangerous. We were trained to deal with situations just like this one; unknown and potentially dangerous scenarios in an unfamiliar land. Being in such stressful conditions can do things to ponies not used to it; it clouds your judgment, making you act before thinking things through. And, to prove my point. You've been so busy running away, I doubt any of you have thought about the human not being with you."
A loud, shocked gasp escaped several of the mares, Twilight's being the loudest.
"Oh no, Danny!" Twilight shouted, shocked. "He was still out in the city… We need to find him!" She declared before charging her horn, readying another teleportation spell.
"Twilight, wait!" Cadance shouted, stopping the mare before she could do something rash and (probably) stupid. "It's far too dangerous. We need to think this through."
"But... What about Danny?"
"You won't help him by getting captured, or worse," Cadance whispered the last part.
"But, then what do we do?" Rarity asked.
With a heavy sigh, Cadance sat down, eyes closed. "As much as I hate to say it, the situation has changed dramatically. Strong Will is right," she said, gesturing to the guard. "Without the Elements, all of you are in tremendous danger."
"What are you saying, Princess?" Rainbow Dash asked, not liking Cadance's tone of voice.
Steeling her resolve, she looked up at Rainbow Dash. "What I am saying is that I can't, in good conscience, put your lives at any further risk. As Strong Will said, he and the rest of the guards present are trained for situations like this. It’s why Shining and I selected them to accompany us to the Empire. We must trust that they will be able to deal with this new development."
"Thank you, Princess," Strong Will said, bringing Cadance's attention back to him.
"Strong Will. As you have made clear, you are best suited for this situation. Therefore, I will teleport you back to the palace. Rejoin your squad and, please, do anything in your power to free my husband's mind."
"Princess, with all due respect, I can't possibly leave you here alone, without protection."
"Nor will you. While tired I might be, I am still more than capable of defending myself. Besides, even without the Elements, these mares are still quite capable in their own right. I'll be fine," she said, looking at the ponies, and dragon beside her. "We'll be fine."
"But, your Maj—"
"That's an order!" Cadance snapped.
The soldier jerked to attention and sharply replied, "Yes, your Majesty."
"Good. Now, prepare yourself," Cadance said, charging her horn. "And good luck," she added as Strong Will vanished in a burst of magic.
Silence.
"... Sooo.. Now what?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Now, now we're going to find a way to stop Sombra," Cadance answered, looking around the library.
"But I thought you said we weren't allowed to go back out there?" Spike replied, scratching his head.
"True, but I never said it was an order, did I?" Cadance answered with a wink, then a light laugh. "Heh, I know you Twilight," she continued as she turned to the aforementioned mare, "and if half of what you’ve told me about your friends is true, then I know you won't sit by silently, waiting for all of this to blow over even if I ordered you to stay put." Matching mischievous smirks found their way onto Applejack and Rainbow Dash's lips. "But that doesn't mean I’ll allow you to face that monster without a way to help you."
"Wait, you mean you know something that could stop Sombra?" Twilight asked, surprised.
"No," Cadance answered, extinguishing the brief spark of hope Twilight had felt at her words, "but I know something that could help us." She looked around the wealth of knowledge once lost. "We might find a way to stop what’s happening within one of these books."
"... Ehehe... Actually, Princess," Rainbow Dash spoke up, rubbing the back of her neck as she shot the Princess an awkward look. "We already kinda did that."
"You, what?" Cadance replied, dumbfounded, blinking her eyes rapidly.
"Oh right... You might have been asleep when we told you and Shining Armor about that."
Blinking again, Cadance sat silently.
"We could show you what we've found," Twilight offered, breaking the awkward silence.
"Yes... That might be for the best," Cadance replied, glad to steer the attention away from her, and watching as Twilight showed her a black, ominous looking book; a strange vibe coming off of it.
<<>><<>><<>>
Strong winds howled through the streets, the snow already covering up the buildings, leaving a growing layer of white. Yet it was unable to cover the darkness prowling through the streets; an evil laugh echoing on the winds instilled fear in the hearts of all who heard it. Yet despite their fright, the victims also lacked the energy and free will to run and hide.
Instead, all those whose mind was clouded by Sombra's darkness found themselves marching towards the palace, much as they were forced to do when the city first returned to the mortal realm. Gathering around and inside the palace, they bowed deeply, faces pressing against the ground as a cloud of darkness solidified in the courtyard's center; his burning eyes observing his unwilling subjects with malice.
A sudden burst of magical light brought their collective attention to a lone stallion, clad in guard armor, teleporting into their midst.
"Alright, now where to?" Strong Will said, then his eyes widened as he noticed just where he materialized and just who was with him. "... Oh, son of a diamond d—"
Sombra's roaring laughter echoed throughout the palace.
<<>><<>><<>>
Danny found himself at the edge of the city, hands clenching and unclenching nervously. He figured the blizzard now blinding the city would provide him cover, but he was still worried. To follow Sombra and, most likely, run into someone in his ghost form would be a serious problem.
True, there was an easy fix for this: Go invisible. And his intangibility would keep the snow from hitting him and revealing his form. But even then, the idea of running into someone while being a ghost kept him rooted on the spot, memories from years back of people reacting in fear at the sight of him still causing him undue trauma.
The fear in their eyes. The horror of their screams. The panic as they all scrambled to get away from him. All of it, coming back to him in waves of pain and uncertainty.
'Am I doing the right thing here?' Danny asked himself, holding a gloved hand up, studying the blue glow surrounding it. 'Or is what Sombra said true? Am I just trying to be a hero?' A flash of dark green filled his eyes for a split second, before the glow of ice blue reasserted itself. 'All my powers have ever done was hurt others...' Sam's smiling face flashed before his mind's eye. 'How is this any different?'
Suddenly his eyes flashed a vibrant orange, and Danny's mind went spinning. Grabbing his head with both hands, clenching his eyes shut, he tried to regain control over his senses.
"No!" he stated forcefully, "NO!" His arms dropped to his sides as he looked back up. "I'm not doing this for me. I'm doing this for them," he stated firmly as determination shone within his eyes' icy glow. "And I've been standing here doing nothing for far too long!" He rose up and flew into the city, determined to find the shadow he had challenged, and finish the fight.
Yet, unbeknownst to him, there was another battle already taking place, deep within the core of his mind.
The shield did more than strip his ghost self from his mortal form. It reacted with Shadow, tried to block the corruption infecting both their minds. Breaking the flimsy shackles Shadow had placed around Nightmare Moon in the process, and restarting the conflict over control.
Two fights were now taking place within the city of crystals. One between light and shadows. The other between darkness and corruption.
<<>><<>><<>>
"And as stated by this book, we've been working on setting up this Crystal Fair to renew the spirit of love and unity in the Empire, so they could protect it from harm," Twilight finished proudly, then gave a defeated sigh as she closed the book. "Unfortunately, we were unable to even begin with the Fair," she frowned, "and after all that hard work I put into that crystal heart."
"Crystal Heart?" Cadance repeated, blinking in disbelief. "You mean you found the Crystal Heart?"
"... Found?" Twilight repeated, blinking in confusion. "The book made mention of a crystal heart displayed as the centerpiece of the Fair, so I carved one out of a chunk of crystal."
"... Oh, Twilight," Cadance said, hoof pressed against her face.
"Uh oh... Did I do something wrong?" The purple mare asked.
"No… Well, yes. But no. You meant well, but the Crystal Heart isn't some sculpture one can just carve out of any old rock just lying around."
"Then what is it, Princess?" Applejack asked. "Ah saw Twilight's work, an' it seemed pretty darn fine ta me." Twilight gave her an appreciative smile.
A small, but somewhat awkward, smile found its way onto Cadance's lips. "I've no doubt about it, but the Crystal Heart isn't a sculpture at all." Her gaze then wandered down to her Cutie Mark. "It is, in fact, a very powerful magical artifact. One that shines with the love and light given by the crystal ponies."
"Oh, you mean like what you've been doing back at the palace?" Pinkie Pie said loudly, bouncing over to Princess Cadance and staring intently at her Cutie Mark.
"Yes, in a way," Cadance answered. "It is a powerful artifact passed down from Empress to Empress. Its magic represented by those who rightfully rule over the Crystal Empire… Even if there is no Empire to rule over."
A collective gasp came from all present, and they all looked at the image displayed on Cadance's flank; the mark of a crystal heart gaining new meaning.
"But if that's the case, then why haven't you used the Heart to fight against Sombra?" Twilight asked.
"Because, just like he did with this land, Sombra took the Heart and hid it away in a place only he knows."
"Then… if we found the Heart, you could use it against him?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Maybe…" Cadance answered, her tone uncertain. "Maybe not?"
"What do you mean?" Twilight queried.
"Well... first and foremost, I've never used the Heart before. Neither have my mother, or her mother, or her mother before that. Any knowledge we have about the Heart came from stories that were passed down through the generations."
"Big whoop," Rainbow Dash said nonchalantly. "We didn't know how the Elements of Harmony worked, but we still kicked Nightmare Moon's flank. This won’t be any different," she stated confidently, earning a smile from Cadance.
"Thank you for your trust, but I don't think it will be that easy."
"How so?" Rarity inquired.
"The Heart, from what I know, is like a living being. It needs love, compassion, and unity just like us. With it, it holds a power far greater than what Sombra could use. Without it, like anypony else, it will grow cold, closed off. Almost like a heart frozen in your chest."
"That sounds absolutely awful," Rarity said, appalled.
"It is," Cadance replied knowingly. "A heart closed off from love is a terrible thing, which is why Sombra has done such a thing to the ponies living here. They are connected to the Heart, and it is connected to them. If the ponies' hearts beat as one, the Heart's light will shine down upon them. But, as they are now…" she didn't finish. She didn't have to, the unsaid words all too clear.
Twilight stepped closer to her sister-in-law, placing a hoof on her back. "Then we know what to do," she said, sharing a determined look with her friends, while Cadance looked at her younger sister with surprise and confusion. "We'll find the Heart, and bring love and compassion back to the crystal ponies."
"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash cheered. "Wait, how're we gonna do that?"
"Well, obviously somepony will have to go look for the Heart."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get that. But how're we gonna spread love to these crystal ponies?"
"... I'm not sure," Twilight admitted, ears folding flat as she sat down with a sigh.
"Actually, I might be able to help with that," Cadance told them.
"You can?" Twilight said, unsure. Then she shook her head and jumped back on her hooves with a shouted, "You can!"
"I believe so, yes," Cadance assured. "If you find the Heart, I could lend my magic to it. It won’t be enough to unlock its full potential, but it should be able to restore the minds and hearts of several of the crystal ponies near it."
"And once they are," Twilight surmised, "their bonds of love and unity should increase the Heart's power, allowing more ponies to be freed from Sombra's grasp creating a positive feedback loop!"
"Then what're we waiting for!?" Rainbow Dash shouted, tired of just sitting around and eager to get started. "Let's go find that Heart and kick Sombra's flank."
"Right!" Twilight replied, determined.
"So, uh..." Spike spoke up, "where do we start?"
The mares, who were already preparing to leave in their quest to find the Crystal Heart, all came to a sudden stop; looks of awkward realization and confusion present.
"Well, uhh…" Twilight stammered, then turned to look at Cadance.
Cadance chuckled slightly. "The guards have been busy looking throughout the Empire. Mainly for any survivors, but also for any magical artifacts Sombra might have left behind. None of the latter were found."
"That makes sense," Rainbow Dash replied, much to the surprise of those around her. "What?" she asked. "It's just like in Daring Do, the treasure is always hidden away in some highly guarded place. Someplace where nopony would be able to just get to it, except for those who already know how."
"So... Where do you think the Heart is?" Twilight asked.
"Well, I know Sombra is evil and all, but I doubt that he's a complete idiot."
"He did outwit my aunts by taking the entire Empire with him," Cadance confirmed.
"Right. So he wouldn't just hide the Heart in some storage room or something. He would keep it close at hoof. It would probably be secured someplace nearby while he ruled over those he'd enslaved."
"What are you saying, dear?" Rarity asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Rainbow Dash asked her friends, who gave her a blank look in return. "He hid the Heart somewhere in the palace itself."
"... Which is also where all the crystal ponies were heading," Cadance gasped out. "Rainbow Dash, I think you might be right."
"I am?" Rainbow Dash said, surprised. "Ahem, I mean, of course I am," she boasted as she rubbed a hoof against her chest, before checking her smug reflection in the polished surface.
"But then, how're we supposta find tha Heart in tha Palace if tha crystal ponies are swarmin' tha place?" Applejack wondered, lifting her stetson to scratch her head.
"... I hate to say it, but the only way is to subdue them," Cadance answered ruefully.
"Well, we could just hold a giant snowball fight," Pinkie Pie piped up, grinning ear to ear as she bounced in front of a window.
"What do you m—" Twilight started to ask, when she saw the snow blowing past the transparent crystal window.
"Oh no!" Cadance shouted, looking up at her horn, only now realising her spell had stopped. "The shield!" She cried, rushing to where Pinkie Pie was bouncing and staring outside with a look of horror. "Sombra… He's inside!"
"Oh no!" Fluttershy squeaked, when a horrible thought came to her, "What about Strong Will?"
Silence.
"Meh," Rainbow Dash uttered lamely, shrugging, before her attention returned to the rest of the group.
Everypony else looked at one another, fear and concern plainly visible in all eyes. Yet there was also determination. Determination to help the crystal ponies, and stop Sombra. Elements, or no Elements…
"We have to help them!" Twilight stated as she looked outside. "We're the Elements of Harmony. It's our responsibility to stop evil like this." She turned on the spot, tail swishing. "Can I count on you, girls?"
"Oh yeah!" Rainbow Dash hoofpumped.
"Of course, Darling," Rarity chimed in.
"I'll prepare my special party mix!" Pinkie Pie proclaimed perkily.
"I… we... He makes me so angry I could yell," Fluttershy said angrily. "We've got to stop that meany."
"Count me in, sugar cube," Applejack smiled confidently.
"Eh... I guess," Spike continued with a shrug.
"And I shall be with you as well," Cadance stepped forth. "This is the land of my ancestors, and I will not stand idly by while Sombra unleashes his horrors against my subjects. We will find the Crystal Heart, and return peace to this land once and for all."
Twilight nodded, smiling brightly at her friends' answers. "Get ready," she told them, horn glowing. "If Sombra is already there, we don't want to run into him. So I'll teleport us a safe distance away from the castle. We'll have to hoof it from there, but it's safer than jumping head first into the unknown."
"Alright!" Rainbow Dash proclaimed, slamming her front hooves together. "It's time to kick flank!"
"And chew bubble gum," Pinkie Pie added, blowing a pink bubble right there after, which promptly blew up all over her face. "Ahh, that was my last piece."
She wasn't given much time to grieve over the loss of her sugary goodness as, in a flash of bright purple light, she and all the others vanished into thin air. The only thing to show they were ever there was a black book which lay forgotten on the floor.
... You have got to be kidding me!
<<>><<>><<>>
"How are you holding up?"
This was a question without a good answer. How was he holding up? Just a day ago he would have answered: Good. Great. Wonderful even. Now though, he wasn't sure. The last twenty-four hours had been a rollercoaster of emotions. He had experienced fear, horror, betrayal, disbelief, regret, hope, relief, and so much more.
Of course, being abducted by a ghost, and then being rescued by the woman you though to be nothing more than a psychiatrist, who then turned out to be part of a secret group that fights ghosts, with their main target being the mayor of the city who happened to be a half ghost himself, while her brother, accused of a murder he didn't commit, was also a half ghost who they were trying to find after he ran away, was a perfect reason for him to feel like he did right now. And now, on a new day to face new challenges, he didn't expect for this to happen. Something that threw his already unstable emotional state for a loop.
Of course, this also meant he didn't have a good answer for the question he'd just been asked.
"I'm fine," Soarin answered, giving his questioner an unconvincing smile.
"I know you're not," Jazz said apologetically, sighing.
"... I'll be fine," Soarin corrected.
Kneeling down and pulling the stallion into a hug, Jazz conveyed her faith in him without need for words.
"Still… I'm sorry," she admitted as she pulled away, slowly standing back up. "This has not gone at all how I pictured any of this happening… least of all this," Jazz confessed as she turned to look at the building behind her, smiling wryly at the strange, but familiar structure. "It's just, after everything that has happened, and everything that was revealed…" She sighed nervously, and this time Soarin calmed her down by holding her hand with his hoof. "... This has been a long time coming, hasn't it?"
"... I guess so," he muttered, taking in the details of the odd, out of place structure. A place he'd been told about. A place he'd flown over several times, yet it continued to confuse him. And if the architecture of the building's additions were any indication, those who were responsible for its construction were very colorful individuals indeed.
"Well, here goes," Jazz said, mustering all of her confidence as she closed the distance between her and the door, then rung the bell.
Seconds ticked by, feeling more like hours to the pair, and both were mentally debating just bolting and not looking back. But before either of them could implement such such a retreat, the door opened, revealing a red haired woman clad in a blue jump suit; looking surprised at the pair before her. Then an enormous smile grew on her face.
"Jasmine!"
"Hey, mom."
<<>><<>><<>>
"Where are you?" Danny said aloud, not even bothering to keep quiet, as the wind was more than loud enough to cover up any sounds he made.
"If only I could see more," he grunted, shielding his eyes with one hand in a vain attempt to see through the billowing snow. "How did that guy even summon a blizzard in the first place?"
Snow continued to assault his senses, adding to his growing frustration as he continued his search for the king of shadows. "Don't tell me he went back to the palace," Danny said, fearfully. "There's no way for them to stop a shade like Sombra if he did."
The sound of a door slamming shut cut through the wind, and Danny snapped his head around, peering through the blinding flurry of white, barely managing to see the silhouette of a house on his right.
"Hello! Is anyone out there?" he called, but received no answer. "Hello!" He tried again, making his way towards the building.
As he got closer, more details became apparent. Several houses came into view, all with their doors open wide, and a build-up of snow lying inside. Some doors slammed open and shut, only to be blocked by the growing heaps of snow. Some did manage to close fully, doing so with the sort of slam which first drew Danny there.
"Hello?" he tried again, moving for one of the houses. "Is anyone in here? Are you alright?" Getting no answer, he flew inside to investigate.
A sight similar to what he had seen within the home of that one mare greeted him. Empty, dirt-stained rooms with trash piled up in every corner. Yet, he did find one thing he hadn't see in that first home.
Dropping down to inspect a strange looking sludge lying on the floor, he couldn't shake the feeling he had seen the stuff before.
"Hold on," he mumbled, dragging a finger through the goop, then bringing it up to eye level. "This looks like the stuff the guys from high school were put in when the ghost warden placed them in suspended animation during summer camp.
Wiping off the mess, he looked around some more, spotting several worn out mattresses lying in one of the corners, with none of their owners present, save one.
"Oh no," Danny gasped, hovering towards the prone form.
Placing a hand on the small form, he could feel that the foal's body was already cold and stiff.
Danny's body tensed up as he slowly stood back up, his mind in turmoil.
"Sombra!" he growled, eyes flickering between dark green and icy blue.
He slowly turned around, teeth grinding together as he made his way outside; snow blowing in his face once more.
"ENOUGH WITH THE SNOW ALREADY!" he roared, stomping a foot on the ground; hands clenched into glowing blue fists.
A sphere of icy blue light exploded out from him, extending for several meters, before diffusing.
"YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY WITH THIS," he seethed, his eye color shifting to a dark green with increasing frequency. His shadow, too, reflected Danny's anger. Twisting and turning on the spot, giant bat wings sprouting from the back. Dark green eyes burned within the blackness of the shadow’s face, and even the glint of glowing green fangs could be seen.
The change Shadow went through went unnoticed by Danny, nor did he take notice of the fact that the weather had calmed with his mind blinded by the growing anger and hate he felt towards Sombra. And with grinding teeth and burning, color shifting eyes, he shot off into the air, heading towards the one place he knew Sombra would be.
Yet one voice, far away in the back of his mind, tried to reach out to him. Desperately trying to gain his attention.
"This is not who you are, Danny. Fight her!"
<<>><<>><<>>
"Hmm," Clockwork hummed, stroking his beard.
"What is it?" Sam asked, hovering beside him.
"It seems there are a few new developments... as expected. As planned, Danny's powers are developing once more. Although, he doesn't seem to be aware that he used his ice shaping abilities to stop the blizzard," Clockwork explained as he shifted back in time, and into his child form. "Understandable. His mind is under attack by Nightmare Moon. Using what he sees and experiences in the Empire against him. Using his anger and hate, increasing it to gain strength herself."
"And that's a good thing?" Sam asked, worried.
"Yes… and no." Clockwork sighed. "Despite all we have done, and are still doing, there are instances in time where we won't be able to do anything but stand by and watch. This is one such moment. Right now, one of two possibilities will happen. One possibility, though, I hope will never come to pass."
"Which is?" Sam asked, her voice betraying her reluctance to actually know.
Clockwork shot her a sideways glance, shifting into his adult form. "Nightmare Moon gains full control, and Danny is lost to the corruption."
"... Yeah, that would be bad."
"Indeed."
"The other?" Sam asked.
"... As we speak, Shadow is fighting Nightmare Moon, battling her for control. Both over his own form, as well as Danny's mind. Unfortunately, this is a fight he can not win... not on his own."
"Then, shouldn't we help him?"
"No!"
"But, if Shadow is unable to stop Nightmare Moon, and we won't help him, then what will happen?"
"... I already told you the answer, Sam," Clockwork said, smirking. "Danny will be saved by their history." His smirk fell, however, as the full meaning behind that statement came to him once more. "... But it will come at the cost of one's existence."
"What!?" Sam shouted. "Who?"
Clockwork didn't answer. Instead, he closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "... I just hope she will be able to bring balance to his mind once it is all over."
"Who will bring balance? Clockwork, what is going to happen?"
"Eclipse," was his only response.
<<>><<>><<>>
A blinding flash of light shone in between several buildings, and Twilight and her friends reappeared a safe distance away from the palace.
"Alright, everypony," Twilight said. "This is as close as I'm willing to risk teleporting, but I'm certain the snow... will… cover..."
"Hey, what happened to the snow?" Pinkie Pie asked, clearly disappointed.
"It just… stopped," Rainbow Dash noted, looking around suspiciously. "You can't just stop a storm like that that fast." She then looked up, her trained eye immediately spotting several things wrong. "And look, the clouds are still there. And by the look of it, they're still filled up to capacity… Something strange is going on."
"Stranger than a shadow pony that might, or might not be a ghost?" Applejack asked sarcastically.
"... Point taken," Rainbow Dash replied.
"Ooh! What's that?" Pinkie Pie called out, pointing a hoof towards a fast moving blur streaking towards the palace, a wavering blue aura tinged with green surrounding it.
"I don't know," Twilight answered, worried. "But I don't like the look of it."
The next moment, the blur shot straight through one of the palace's windows. A burst of blinding, icy blue light radiated out of all the windows, before a shock wave blew out all the remaining crystal glass; showering the streets below with shards and drawing the attention of the crystal ponies gathered below.
"Well, it certainly proved to be a distraction... whatever it was," Rarity said.
"Indeed," Cadance slowly nodded. "Let's not waste this opportunity, and head for the palace now that that thing, whatever it was, has distracted them all."
"But what was that thing?" Spike wondered.
"We'll worry about that later," Twilight told him, using her magic to place the small dragon on her back. And, as one, the group quickly but quietly made their way to the palace. Hoping that whatever had just happened would continue to draw the crystal ponies' attention.
<<>><<>><<>>
A few minutes earlier.
Danny flew through the air with blurring speed. His hands burning with arctic energy as he formed a large chunk of glowing ice in each hand; the aura of energy extending in his contrail, while his eyes continued to shift between dark green and icy blue.
"Sombra!" He all but growled, the influence of Nightmare Moon pushing aside any rational thought.
Flying straight and true, the palace grew larger and larger as he aimed himself at the target of his wrath. His destination was the window of the throne room he stared out when he observed the shield, that is where Sombra would be. Not bothering to slow down, he crossed his forearms in front of his face as a shield, and slammed through the crystal window, coming to a skidding halt in the dead center of the chamber.
Teeth bared, he righted himself, coming upon a sight both familiar and strange.
Many of the crystal ponies lay groveling on the floor. Among them were Shining Armor, as well as several guards that Danny didn't know. Their minds blank, and their eyes showing the red glow of Sombra's control.
And then there was Sombra, Danny saw him hovering above them all like a dark mist; his eyes the only noticeable detail of his face, staring down at him without any hint of surprise, clearly expecting him.
"LET THEM GO!" Danny roared, a wavering blue aura of energy extending around him.
Sombra only laughed darkly, before his eyes flashed with a red light, a light that was mirrored in the eyes of the ponies under his control, forcing them into motion. They closed in on Danny, the guards and Shining Armor moving the fastest, their energy undrained. Second were the adult ponies, dragging themselves forth with visible difficulty. And then Danny noticed several foals, their eyes dull, and their ribs clearly visible even through their coats.
Danny's fury rose to new heights, his shadow twisting and flexing in response; taking on a more equine shape. Sombra's eyes widened upon spotting this, but he was unable to act upon it as, with increasing luminosity, Danny's aura grew larger and more violent; one of his eyes burning a steady dark green.
"This is your end!" Danny said, a strange echo to his voice; his shadow grinning menacingly as a large horn burst out of its head. "There is only one king of shadows here," he roared, slamming a foot into the floor with a thunderous crack. And in a violent burst of power, his wavering aura exploded outwards, slamming everyone against the ground and blowing out all of the windows.
Sombra roared in pain as his form was torn apart by the light, and he quickly fled for safety with Danny hot on his tail.
"And that one is me!" Danny finished with a distinctly feminine echo woven into his voice, both of his eyes burning a dark green.
* In case it wasn't obvious already. Vates Despero really disliked Strong Will's character. Really, you should see some of his comments he left during editing. Read at your own risk!
Fuck you go die in a ditch somewhere you worthless fucking piece of shit I hope Sombra rapes your fucking eye socket. Oh look, I found a spare 'fuck'.
No, this is what you call 'professional incompetence', not 'trained professionalism'.
Actually you left your squad while they delt with the crystal ponies of your own free will... you know, when you ran away from the battle and into the throne-room?
Because he is dumber than a fucking post?
"Regrouping in a secure location to figure out what is going on and how best to stop it... like a stupid civilian! Real, professional, trained military personal run blindly into situations and generally be as useless as possible!"
They've done more than you... which is absolutely nothing at all. Well, nothing but yell at them for making the right decision.
You really are a fucking moron aren't you? Because you literally just finished saying "we were told that you would come to help, but that the Elements wouldn't be used. Something Princess Celestia's message was quite clear about." and then you ask that?!
No he is not. In fact discharge him for gross incompetence.
Then you're gonna die.
"With your flawed or completely hollow and meaningless statements of fancy."
You thank Celestia that Cadance got rid of the albatross around your necks.
I really fucking hate that guy.
And here is how I responded to it:
Man... When I was trying to make an unlikable character, I didn't think it would have this kind of effect.
And here we are again, with a whole new chapter for you to enjoy.
Of course, as you are probably used by now, there will probably a bit of a wait for the next update, for any of my fics. Why? Well, let me just list the reasons up down here...
First off, I just bought one of these:
Along with this:
And then, of course, there is going to be all of this: 
And I am really looking forwards to this one: 
And, let's not forget this beauty:
and I'm sure there are a few items I'm forgetting.
Also, if you listen carefully, you'll be able to hear my wallet beg for mercy.
... So, yeah. The coming months are going to be busy, and really expensive for me. That just leaves one thing left to be said:
Oh, right. And inform me about any mistakes you found in the chapter, or tell me what you liked.
Until the next update... If I manage to drag myself away from my digital prison... never!
~Powerdrainer.
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No, this is what you call 'professional incompetence', not 'trained professionalism'.
"and his bearing, and his words, and his idiocy."
Actually you left your squad while they delt with the crystal ponies of your own free will... you know, when you ran away from the battle and into the throne-room?
Because he is dumber than a fucking post?
"Regrouping in a secure location to figure out what is going on and how best to stop it... like a stupid civilian! Real, professional, trained military personal run blindly into situations and generally be as useless as possible!"
They've done more than you... which is absolutely nothing at all.
Well, nothing but yell at them for making the right decision.
"what have you done for me lately? Besides save my ass back in the throne-room."
You really are a fucking moron aren't you? Because you literally just finished saying "we were told that you would come to help, but that the Elements wouldn't be used. Something Princess Celestia's message was quite clear about." and then you ask that?!
Not to mention they didn't have the Elements during the changeling invasion and they still did way fucking better than you "trained, disciplined, soldiers"!!
No. No you couldn't. You could have done absolutely nothing against the entire race of mind-slaves currently overrunning your companions, hence the reason you ran to tell your superior. Nor could you have done jack shit against the most powerful defensive mage alive, except perhaps get enslaved yourself.
No, actually they lost track of him back when they were successfully finding out how to stop Sombra and defend the Empire, then setting up the infrastructural for said protection. You know, the thing you and your subordinates failed to do?
No he is not. In fact discharge him for gross incompetence.
No they aren't. Literally. They are not trained to deal with mind-slaved populations, mind control crystals, or to take down their own strongest fighters. They also aren't Ghostkeeters so they aren't trained to handle shades either.
Then you're gonna die.
"With your flawed or completely hollow and meaningless statements of fancy."
Really? Because you just yelled at your betters about how that is exactly what should be done.
You thank Celestia that Cadance got rid of the albatross around your necks.
...
I really fucking hate that guy.
And there is some context... it makes much more sense in context as each comment was tailored to a particular bit of stupidity.
You know, you could have slipped the singing part after putting the video; I'm sure everyone here remember the lyrics.
And Vates Despero is right: the only thing worse than an incompetent idiot is a stubborn incompetent idiot .
6370808
6370847 Well... Maybe he wasn't even supposed to be there... for reasons.
Okay I'm pretty sure that 'history' will play a big role in the next chapter since you went to the trouble of adding that video. Man is this going to bug for a while. Can't wait for the next chapter!
Something's wrong here. I only got notified to the update of "The Dark King Rises part 2" and my Favourites says I have only 3 unread chapters despite there being 5 (3 here, 2 from other stories).
Why did I not get notified for the 2 chapters before, and why is it not recording the chapters as unread? (They are unticked, meaning I've never read them.)
6374217 Well, look at it from the bright side. Now you have three chapters to read.
6374234
Yeah, but I have to read them on my desktop because they're over 10,000 words long.
6374242 And seeing you didn't get the notifications for the new chapters of GoaP, make sure you've also checked out Silver Spirit to see if there aren't any unread chapters in that fic as well.
this is the kind of stuff that makes a great story moments where your right along side the character with all their decisions good and bad but to hell with the consequences
that being said i'm in the same way as you I have a ps4 and a new 3ds xl and i don't know what to buy first
6378313 ... I wonder why?
you know, i like that hes having that internal battle with in between his shadow and nightmare moon due to the shield because it makes since. if the barrier can seperate his ghost half from his human half, who is to say that it cant seperate nightmare moon from his shadow since the two are seprate entities. anyways i enjoyed this chapter. although i do see a secret reviled soon. *cough* danny's ghost half to ponies *cough*
I love you man. If I could hug you for making this story I would... as well as hugging the bytes that make up the story too.
This was the one that made me get an account here, and I haven't regretted coming here at all!
6392107 th03.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2014/002/5/d/fluffle_puff__special_somepony_by_chanceh96-d70ifl6.png
36.media.tumblr.com/056e1ac8e0175d87e723a0b0ed78a1f6/tumblr_mu3bbv6MJZ1s0sz7go5_1280.png
Those comment highlights in the author note were almost as entertaining as the chapter itself!
Really interested in the sacrifice that Clockwork mentioned, as well as who Eclipse might be...
Like we will ever see no mans sky. Good chapter, you can do it Danny!
Awesome chapter.
So Danny's becoming the new Pariah Dark... greaaaaat
6488343
>consoles
U wot m8
6497089
iambrony.steeph.tp-radio.de/mlp/gif/132915685874.gif?1334139225
Wow, Shadow is REALLY useful!
ovrload.ru/f/61301_sketch-1445722643562.jpg
THE OLD TEAM IS BROKEN
THE TRUTH GONE UNSPOKEN
SOME EVEN FORGOTTEN MY NAAAAME
6563639 I, eehhh... I got nothing.
6563715 Jetstream Sam? From Metal Gear Rising?
http://metalgear.wikia.com/wiki/The_Only_Thing_I_Know_for_Real
Yeessssssss, you finally adressed how unicorns appeared in the show. Only in a single sentance, but oh well. I hate it when authors just skip around the proverbial elephant in the room, expecting the readers to be dumber than rocks and not question it. Can't wait for the next chapter, guess I'll go back and re-read Sweeties story. I seem to remember a couple unread chapters on that story...
Is this fic on a hiatus? When's the estimated time of return?
6781389 It isn't on hiatus. It's just taking much, much longer than I would have liked myself. There is a massive update coming for Silver Spirit, but my editors are also taking their time considering the holidays and such. There is also a next chapter for The Baltimare Incident that still needs to be edited, and GoaP's next chapter is still being written. About a third done with that one. Not much, considering the time since the last update, but I spend most of it on the next chapter for SS, which clocks in well over 33K... Still, it's waiting on my editors right now.
6781431 on that note, which will get updated sooner, SS or this fix?
7046357 Guilt of a Phantom will be updated first, as well as The Baltimare Incident. The next chapter for SS will be delayed a bit, because GoaP and SS are about to interact once again with one another. But before this can happen some other things need to happen first. There are coming two or three chapters (need to work out the details first to see just how long these chapters are going to be, and if they need to be split up) detailing the history of a few very important characters in my fics.
Now, when GoaP updates, whenever that may be. I hope soon, but it certainly has been dragging on for a while now. But when it does, there is going to be a 30k chapter, plus a 5.5k chapter for TBI which needs to be published simultaneously for story progression reasons.
7047056 ok thank you for letting me know
Also just finished both stories after a long as buck binge read
7047936 Anything you liked in particular? Just curious.
7048098 ya in Surprise, Pinkie pie Literally kidnapped EVERYPONY in town except Danny for his birthday party and how she messed up with the crusaders in SSLMAO when I read that
and the family guy reference
The two combatants responsible were fighting without pause.
🎶NO WE'RE NOT DONE COMIN', AND YA BETTER GET READY! AND YA BETTER GET READY TO DIE!!!🎶
https://m.i'd say buying a PS4 is no excuse... but i own one myself so i know how addictive they can be.