Kingdom Hearts of Harmony

by steel soul

The Key: Part Two

Kingdom Hearts of Harmony

By Steel Soul

The Key: Part Two

Starlight Glimmer stood on the precipice of the battle field, her eyes fixated on the chaotic scene unfolding before her. The air crackled with the clash of metal and the magical bursts of energy as the Heartless...no...as the Demon Tide battled against Sora and his companions, Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Starlight's gaze, however, was primarily drawn towards the stallion wielding the blade made to look like a key.

Remembering the first time she fought him in their initial confrontation, she had been momentarily surprised by the stallion's skills. His mastery with his blade over those Heartless she controlled, was something she had not expected in the least.

Still, in the end, she had won the fight, having used that yellow mare's relationship with that stallion to throw him off his game long enough for the griffion to get the killing blow.

Or so she had thought.

Here she was now, standing in scorching disbelief as the stallion she thought had been out of her hair was fighting hale and whole. Even more so, he was displaying skills she had never seen a pegasus used before. She had thought that the rainbow maned mare was special, but this stallion was on a whole other level.

"Who..." The mare began, speaking softly to herself, "Are you?"

The dark ball of Shadows released a torrent of Heartless his way, their twisted forms contrasting sharply with the radiant aura emanating from the stallion's weapon. Even despite the odds, he would clash with it head on. Every swing, every parry, was a dance between light and darkness.

Despite her frustration, Starlight couldn't help but marvel at the unnatural abilities displayed by the mysterious pegasus. Even with how tired he should have been after getting stabbed, his movements, while clearly awkward here and there, were something to behold. Not to mention his control over magic surpassed anything she had ever witnessed in Equestria. Pegasus ponies were not known for their magical prowess, yet here he was, manipulating fire, ice, wind...not to mention barrier magic, one of the hardest to master.

"No..." The mare corrected herself, frowning. "What are you?"

Said stallion grunted as he landed on his hooves, the Keyblade he held in one of them digging into the ground to stop himself getting pushed back any further. Looking up, he could feel the malevolent energy emanating from the pulsating ball of darkness before him, The Demon Tide looming ominously in the distance.

Holding his Keyblade out in front of him, The wielder of it pointed at the Heartless before shooting off Crystalized ice from the tip of the weapon. The chilly ice shot forth from the Keyblade, slicing through the air with a glint of frost. It would not impact it however as the Heartless intercepted the blast with a stream of shadows it shot forth, taking the brunt of the attack.

Clicking his teeth in frustration, the stallion jumped in the air, dodging the remaining Shadows that had not been affected by his magical missile of ice before rearing his hoof back and then throwing the magical key in their direction, destroying any that came in contact with the blade of light.

As he landed upon the ground again, Rarity hurried to his side, her horn emitting a small beam of light at the tip before shooting off towards her side, striking a nearby creature that was too close for comfort. "Sora, darling! Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?"

The stallion shook his head before summoning his Keyblade once more, fending off another wave of the small Shadows that dared to get too close to him. "I'm fine, Rarity. Just getting a little winded." He frowned as he placed a hoof over his heart, "Not to mention every time I use my magic it takes a little bit more out of me. I might have enough for one or two bursts left, and that's if I'm not forced to use my curing Spell."

"Doesn't help that there's no end to them!" Rainbow Dash swooped down next to them, her wings flapping furiously to keep her airborne. Sweat dripped from her forehead as she unleashed a powerful gust of wind, blowing the Shadows away momentarily. "You'd think we would've exhausted all the Heartless within that stupid thing by now with the way we are kicking their butts." She growled as she landed. "Kinda feels like Fluttershy's brother who can't take a hint and leave me alone with the way its acting."

Pushing the fact that he had just learned that Fluttershy had a brother aside, the stallion couldn't help but nod in agreement. "I was half hoping that something would give soon," Sora admitted, glancing towards the dark ball of Shadows. "But it seems like they're endlessly being spawned from the Demon Tide itself, almost like it's a Corridor to the World of Darkness. If we can't get rid of that, then this will never end."

The prismatic mare scoffed. "Fat chance of that happening. It feels like that Starlight mare is the one feeding it all that Darkness or whatever." She growled as she spotted Starlight smirking in the distance, observing the trio. "We can't even get close to her with that thing in the way."

"I've noticed." The Keyblade Wielder spoke, frowning as he remembered more than a few times he did try and reach the purple unicorn, only to have himself knocked back by a wave a Heartless striking him at his side. He lamented the amount of potions he already used from both Rarity and Rainbow Dash. He was pretty sure his pegasus friend was down to her last one. "I've never seen someone control the Heartless like she does...except maybe Maleficent."

The cyan pegasus raised an eyebrow. "Maleficent? Is that the name of that crazy witch you defeated when you were a kid?"

The stallion answered her with a nod before pushing forward, slicing a Heartless in half, destroying it completely. "She was pretty strong, could even turn into a dragon." He shook his head. "The only reason we won was because I had all my powers and my friends to back me. As I am now, I can't get as close as I want to without something giving." The stallion frowned as he looked towards the Demon Tide. "We need an opening...and the only way to get that is..."

"That stallion you told Fluttershy to get, right?" Rainbow finished for him, before lashing out with a vicious kick sending a Shadow sprawling into vapors. "That Sunburst pony."

Sora nodded solemnly. "Exactly. If his memories were anything to go by, he's the most important pony in the world to Starlight. If anyone can get through to her, it would be him."

"So in the end we're just wasting time for Fluttershy to do her thing and wake the stallion right." The pegasus mare sighed. "You really do plan on saving that unicorn...even after she tired to kill you."

The stallion smiled wryly, his eyes never leaving the Demon Tide. "I may not agree with her methods, but I understand why she did what she did. And besides, I can't just stand by and watch someone else fall into the darkness. That's not who I am." He frowned. "Sombra gave me no choice...but Starlight...I know I can save the light inside of her."

Rarity glided towards the stallion, placing a hoof on his shoulder. "Then we will do everything we can to help make sure that happens," She frowned. "But that does pose the question on how Fluttershy is going to wake up our friend. It took Twilight a few days to wake up from nearly getting her heart taken after all, and here we are, praying to Celestia mind you, that Fluttershy can wake him up in significantly less time than that. The odds are against us."

"Well saying it like that..." the cyan pegasus mused as she cracked her hooves. "It makes me want to defy those odds even more."

"Of course you would say that Rainbow Dash" Rarity responded with a dry dull tone. "You are the only pony I know that would still fight with a one percent chance stacked against you."

"What can I say?" the brash pegasus spoke with a wide smirk, giving the white unicorn a wink. "I'm just that awesome."

The sharp yell from in front of them caused all three ponies to look ahead. In the distance, the could see that Starlight's frustration had reached its peak, the mare stopping the ground hard as the Demon Tide withdrew to her side. "Why are you fools not taking anything seriously?" Starlight's voice echoed across the battlefield, carrying a dangerous undertone. "You banter and joke as if you are on a Sunday walk when you know you are about to lose it all! Are you mocking me?!"

The three she had addressed looked at each other before Sora stepped forward, his Keyblade at the ready. "We're not mocking you, Starlight. We may joke around here and there but make no mistake—we are taking this seriously. We are not going to let your Darkness destroy everything we hold dear. Not today."

"Foolishness." Starlight spat before closing her eyes. "You are nothing but pretty speeches and empty words colt. Joking around...telling me you will save me from myself. Do you really think that's possible? That I'll simply turn my back on my goals and go along with your plans, like a good little mare?"

"I do believe." The stallion admitted, much to the unicorn's shock and surprise. "I believe that there is still a light inside of you. The fact that you are doing all of this for your friend Sunburst proves it."

"And what do you know!?" The unicorn yelled after reeling back, indignation upon her face. "What do you know about why I'm doing this?!"

"Because...I lost my friends...my family...both to the Heartless and to the Darkness," Sora admitted, his voice calm and gentle. "I know what it's like to feel lost and alone, to think that there's no hope." Pointing his Keybade back at her he frowned. "But I also know that there's always a way out of the darkness." Slowly, the stallion moved the blade of light off to the side, pointing it in another direction. Relaxing his hoof, he allowed it to fall, the weapon dissipating in a gentle glow of light.

"Ah...Sora...What the hey are you doing?" Rainbow Dash asked, with a confused expression on her face. Rarity mirrored her friend's expression, eyeing the stallion with a mix of concern and curiosity.

"If she was someone like Riku...I think fighting would be the best way to get to her...to get her to understand." He replied, his eyes never leaving Starlight's. "But...talking about what you need to talk about, it can work too. Twilight and you girls taught me that. So...I'm not going to fight you anymore Starlight."

The unexpected shift in Sora's approach left Starlight momentarily speechless. "I...you...are you crazy!? I tried to kill you! I...You should...Why are you doing this!?"

"I told you before. I'm going to save you."

"You didn't answer my question!" the purple unicorn exclaimed, her voice laced with frustration. "Why are you doing this? Why do you care so much about saving me?"

"It because...I know Sunburst's feeling for you." The stallion smiled as he took another step forward. "It was though him, that I know that you are a good mare deep down." The stallion closed his eyes. "Yes...some of the things you did...I'm sure there are no few number that will never forgive you. Maybe...they never will...but that doesn't mean you can't try." Slowly, he held out his hoof to the mare. "So please..."

Starlight's inner turmoil began to flow throughout her whole body at Sora's gesture and words, her head shaking widely. When she regained her senses, the mare raised her hoof high, glaring at the stallion in front of her. "You...You don't...You...If you saved him show me! Show me that he's okay right now! Show me or I'll-!"

"Starlight! Stop!"

The sudden and familiar voiced had nearly given Starlight a heart-attack. Slowly but surely, her gaze shifted towards where the voice had come from. She wasn't the only one to be surprised as Sora and all the others nearby all turned, finding the source of the voice. Not too far away, were two figures, one, a yellow mare with a dull pink mane, helping another figure hobble froward, an orange stallion with fiery red hair. His shimmering turquoise eyes never once leaving Starlight, even though it looked as though he could fall over any second.

Out of everyone near, Rainbow Dash was the first to speak, pumping her hoof ethusiasitly. "Fluttershy?! You were able to work him up?! Dang girl! I knew you could do it!"

The shy mare shook her head. "N-No, Rainbow Dash. It wasn't me." Fluttershy's voice was barely above a whisper as she continued to support Sunburst, who was clearly struggling to stay upright. "It was him. He woke up on his own. All I did was...tell him what he needed to hear."

"Fluttershy..." Sora's voice cut though the distance between the two of them and the butter yellow mare couldn't help but turn towards the stallion when he spoke. His smile was warm and genuine, his nod giving her a warm filly in her belly. "Thanks Shy..."

The timid mare wanted to speak...to say anything...but whatever it was she was going to say was quickly put to rest when Sunburst tried to move, quickly forcing the mare to keep him steady lest he fell to the ground. Fluttershy's eyes widened with concern as she used her gentle touch to steady him. "Sunburst, please be careful. You're still weak," she pleaded softly.

"Please..." The stallion spoke again, ignoring the mare's words. All his attention was on the mare in front of him. On Starlight. "I'm okay now...just please...stop..."

She stood there, frozen in place, staring at the stallion who had once been her closest friend. Memories of their past flooded her mind...memories of what she done. Memories of causing many ponies to lose their heart so she could study the effects of the bubble. She had tried to push her emotions down before. She had tired to keep herself in check. She had to tell herself it was for the greater good. That it was all to save Sunburst. It was all to free him. All that work...and...it wasn't her...she...

Her heart was pounding in her chest, as she looked at the stallion, her breathing becoming heavier and more ragged with each passing second. She knew that she should be feeling happy, that Sunburst was alive and well, but instead, all she could feel was the crushing weight of guilt that was threatening to drown her.

"S-Sunburst..." Her voice was barely above a whisper, as she took a step forward, her eyes locked onto his. "Oh sun and moon I..." She took a step froward.

"Starlight! Watch out!"

The mare didn't know who said it. It didn't matter anyway, she only had time to look up once before she found that Heartless she had been using, the Demon Tide, launching an attack.

Towards her.

She tried to reach back out towards the beast but she felt nothing. It was then Sora's words repeated in her head.

"Nothing ever good comes with working with the Heartless. I've seen it too many times to count."

They turned on me…just like he said, Starlight thought, her eyes widening in horror as the Demon Tide closed in on her. She desperately tried to conjure a shield, to push the Heartless away, but the magic refused to respond to her frantic commands.

The world seemed to slow down as Starlight watched the darkness approach her. In that moment, all she could see were the memories of her past, flashing before her eyes. She saw herself as a foal. The time she had met and befriended Sunburst. Her time together playing with him. Studying with him. She remembered the day he left. All those years apart from him. She remembered when he had come back into her life.

Slowly her gaze shifted from the Darkness and towards Sunburst, the stallion struggling as he pushed himself off Fluttershy in a desperate attempt to save her. She smiled softly. Knowing that at the very least, even if she was about to pay for her sins, she was going to see him one last time. That was enough for a bad mare like her.

"I'm...Sorry..."

She closed her eyes, and readied herself for the end.

"Reflect!"

The mare gasped as she opened her eyes again, the sight of the stallion she had been fighting before coming into view, his body glowing bright blue as his magic activated. The barrier stretched wide before the Heartless stuck it, each and every Shadow bouncing off in a spark of light. The stallion drew both of his hooves towards his chest before spreading them wide, causing the magic shield to react. Beams of light shot off in all directions in front of him, just like before, shredding any Heartless that was careless enough to be within range of the attack.

When the magic died Sora's gaze to shifted behind him, a wide, goofy smile forming on his face. "I knew saving a bit of my magic was the best thing to do. Are you okay Starlight?"

The unicorn stared at the Keyblade Wielder, her eyes wide in shock and disbelief, unable to believe what she was hearing. After everything she had done, after all the pain she had caused, he saved her. "You...what are you...Why would you..."

"Do I need a reason?" the stallion answered as he turned to face the enemy in front of him. "And I wanted to save you...that's all." The blade made like a key shifted from his hoof to his maw, shimmering with a warm glowing light. "As for you, Heartless, I think you overstayed your welcome! Rarity! Rainbow! You guys ready to show this Demon Tide the door?"

"Ready as ever, Sora!" The brash blue pegasus called out, flying high in the sky above the Heartless, her hooves snapping her goggles over her eyes. "Let's show this jerk what happens when they mess with Equestria!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself, darling!" The eloquent mare spoke, the magic that gripped the cloth she had been using as a weapon stretching tight as she pulled the red hood of her jacket over her head. "I've never been one to shy away from a bit of drama, especially when it involves vanquishing creatures of darkness."

The stallion smiled and nodded to his two friends before turning to look back at Starlight. "It's best you get to safety with Fluttershy and the others." He frowned. "Don't...don't make me regret saving you...okay?"

Starlight felt a mix of emotions swirl inside her at his words. Gratitude, guilt, confusion, pain...hurt...hope? She nodded slowly before quickly getting up, exiting the field towards the butter yellow mare and leaving Sora and his party to fight the Heartless

Always the first to act, the Keyblade Wielder pushed himself towards the Demon Tide. His movements were a dance of precision and power as he weaved through the dark creatures launched his way, his Keyblade slashing through each and every Shadow that got within his range.

Nearing his target, he jumped and slashed, his blade connecting with the ball of Darkness, cutting it like butter. He smirked, noticing that it began to pulse with orange light. "Not so tough without Starlight's dark heart to boost you huh?" The monster seemed to react to his taunt as a flow of Heartlesses were shot out, forcing him away from it. Flying backwards, the keyblade wielder lashed at the Heartless, destroying the bulk as he sailed across the sky. Landing back on his hooves with a grunt, he barely had time to think before he jumped away, narrowly dodging black claws as many Shadows were dropped to the ground, each and every last one making a beeline towards Sora's position.

"I got ya Spiky!"

Rainbow shot across the stallion before spinning in place, the air she kicked up creating a small tornado, sucking up the Heartless as they few into it. The stallion watched as the tornado of wind and rainbows engulfed the many Heartless, shooting them into the sky before the cyan mare quickly followed after them. With her unmatched speed she flew, striking the Shadow's that were trapped in the air over and over again, each one dissipating into a cloud of smoke as she unleashed her barrage of kicks and punches, leaving a trail of colorful contrails behind her as she effortlessly dispatched the beast. Finding herself dealing with the last one, the mare spun in the air before delivering a devastating strike, sending the creature head first into the ground. Done with her show of power, the mare saluted before dashing away, ready to take on whatever was next on her plate.

Meanwhile, Rarity gracefully twirled her way through the battlefield, The cloth she had been using to fight formed into a hard whip. With swift and elegant movements, The fashionista weaved her way through the chaos, her whip cracking and lashing out at any Heartless that dared to come near her. "Take that you ruffians! I've had just about enough of you and your Darkness!" She huffed. "Besides, formal black was so last season."

From behind her, she heard Sora's voice call out before she found the stallion in question, cutting through a Heartless that was about to pounce on her. "Sorry for butting in Rarity!" He smiled as he turned to the mare. "You doing okay?"

The white unicorn flashed a charming smile at the young hero, twirling her makeshift whip elegantly before responding. "Oh, darling, I'm fabulous! Just a little dance with the shadows, nothing I can't handle." She smiled as she cracked her whip in front of herself. "Though I do have to say, thank you for the save. A true hero indeed."

"Happy to help where I can..." Sora lashed out with his blade, cutting down three Heartless that neared him. "Still...Didn't know you could fight this well, Rarity."

"Is it really a surprise? A lady must always know how to defend herself if no pony else is there to do it for her after all." The unicorn’s whip cracked again, this time slicing through the air and striking a Heartless square in the chest. The creature dissipated into smoke, leaving behind only a faint lingering darkness. She smiled. "Not that I wouldn't allow you to shine, of course, Darling. Upstaging the Hero was never my forte."

"Appreciate the sentiment Rarity." The stallion said after a small chuckle. "But I don't mind sharing. Friendship and teamwork is always better then fighting alone."

"Dang right!" Rainbow yelled as she landed beside the two. "So you really not trying to push all the work onto yourself now?"

"I...Still have a lot to think about...but...I promise to never not ask for help when I need it at least."

The rainbow maned mare grinned. "That's what I like to hear, Hero. Also that friendship speech..." She chuckled. "You totally give Twilight a run for her bits in delivery. Just as cheesy too."

"Now now, Rainbow." Rarity gently scolded, her voice dripping with amusement. "Let's not tease poor Sora too much. After all, he did just save us from certain doom."

"I saved him first." Rainbow rebutted. "Without me he wouldn't even be here!"

"Yeah...though wasn't it Ventus that gave me my magic back." Sora countered. "And from what I could hear, he was going to save me anyway so..."

"Gah! Details, details! Just be glad we're here to help you out at all, okay." The pegasus scoffed. "You're lucky to have such awesome friends like us."

Sora chuckled as he swung his Keyblade, cutting down another wave of the Shadow's in front of him. "Trust me, Rainbow, I know how lucky I am. And right now, I couldn't ask for better friends." He smiled as he pointed his keyblade at the Demon Tide. "So lets finish this and go home! You two think you can clear the way for me?"

"If it's a path you need, then it is a path you shall have, Darling." Rarity mused before getting into a battle position. "Shall we Rainbow, dear?"

"Absolutely, Rarity!" The cyan pegasus replied, her wings buzzing with excitement. "Just focus on the big bad guy, Sora! We'll take care of the rest!"

Sora nodded, his own determination shining just as brightly as the girls. "Thanks, guys. Let's do this!"

With a powerful flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash shot into the sky, leaving trails of prismatic colors in her wake. She zoomed forward, the energy she created doing so cutting though the Heartless like a hot knife though butter. Rarity would follow after her, taking care of any stagglers as she went. Both mare's played their parts well, creating a verturelly clear path in front of the stallion.

Seizing the opportunity, The Keyblade Wielder dashed forward, his Keyblade gleaming with a radiant light within his maw. He sliced through the remaining Heartless as he went, the dark Shadows dissipating into thin air. The Demon tide seemed to sense the stallion's intent, the ball of Shadow's pulsing with anger and fear. The shadows it shot out seemed to become more focused. Each one trying to intercept the stallion as he neared.

Sora dodged and parried with expert precision however, deftly maneuvering though the onslaught of Shadows. The Demon Tide onslaught was relentless, but he remained unfazed. He yelled as he pushed forward with a final burst of speed,The stallion quickly closing in on the heart of the Demon Tide. Though he could feel the darkness pulsating within it, but he refused to let it consume him, his body glowing in bright light in defiance to it. Gripping his Keyblade tightly, he summoned all his strength and unleashed a powerful strike, channeling his light into the heart of darkness.

Pulling the Keyblade out of the orb, he began slicing and dicing at the swirling darkness, each strike releasing bursts of radiant light that dispersed the shadows all around him. Unrelating was Sora's blade as he danced in the air, cutting through the darkness with precision and grace. With each strike, he could feel the Darkness weaking, a feeling that only edging the stallion on to continue.

After more then a few more slashes, he pulled away before gripping his keyblade in his hoof. "This is all I've got! Take this!" a large light began to build at the end of his blade. It was different from the magic he was displaying before, its radiances soothing to all, despite how dangerous it looked. "Ragnarok!"

The radiant light burst forth from Sora's Keyblade, transforming into a swirling vortex that consumed all that was in front of it...and that being the Demon Tide itself. The power of the stallion’s magic ripped though the darkness, obliterating any remnants of the Demon Tide and dispersing the lingering Shadows in its wake.

Landing gracefully upon the ground, the stallion stuck his Keyblade into the dirt before looking upwards, watching as the last vapors of the monster vanished from sight, a giant crystal heart flowing into the sky before vanishing, like the ones before. Just as it did cracks began to form at the top of the dome that covered the entire forest, soft beams of light shimmering though each and every last one. Slowly, the cracks grew wider and wider, until finally, the dome shattered into a thousand gleaming pieces before disappearing, revealing the clear blue sky above.

"Oh my..." Rarity was the first to gasp. "The sky...its back to normal." She could barely contain herself as she galloped towards his side, throwing her hooves around the stallion. "Sora, darling! You did it!"

"Dude, we did!" Rainbow corrected her as she flew to the stallion folding her hooves across her chest. "But I gotta admit Hero, that was stupid awesome! Just what the heck was that attack you suddenly pulled off!? You shot like...a gazillion lights at it and made it explode!

Sora smiled as Rarity let go of him, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment at the praise. "It's an old skill I picked up. Honestly, I haven't used it in a while and...ah..." As the stallion began to speak, exhaustion hit him like a truck. He would have hit the ground hard if it wasn't for Rainbow quickly flying down and keeping him steady.

"Whoa, easy there, Sora," Rainbow Dash said, supporting him. "Looks like all that showing put you through the ringer."

"Haha...Well...I did have to show you up, Dash." He smiled as he allowed her to pull him back up. "I had used the last of my magic to pull off that attack. Guess the blowback was a bit more then I could handle. I should be fine in a bit though."

"And thus the Hero saves the day."

Sora yelped before turning around, finding two familiar figures making their way towards him, the smaller of the two, Zidane, having been the one to speak.

The young colt shook his head with eyes closed, "Geeze...watching you not only save the girl but pull off a miracle and beat the bad guy. Can't say I'm not totally jealous of you right now." He smiled and winked at the stallion. "I can see why the shy yellow princess fell for you. Good job, hero. Good job showing me up."

"I...I...ah..." The stallion blushed at his words, his gaze falling away from the young colt as he spoke. "I don't know about that...I just...ah...I appreciate the kind words, Zidane." He smiled softly. "But as you know, it wasn't just me. We all fought together, and without everyone's support, we wouldn't have been able to defeat that Heartless at all."

"Ha! True." Zidane mused as he rubbed his muzzle with a hoof, "In fact I expect one hundred mares for my part in all of this as well as-Gah! Owowow! Kuja! Little bro! That's my ear! Thats my ear!!"

The smaller, silver-haired colt looked back at his brother as he pulled him by the ear with his magic. "I know. Now let's go big brother. We two should at least make sure no pony else was hurt in all that went on."

Sora couldn't stop the smile that played upon his lips, watching as the younger of the two brothers dragged the older away. It was during the end of his interaction with the two that Lightning made herself known, the butter yellow furred captain smiling softly as she placed a hoof on his shoulder. "Good job kid. No...Sora." She allowed her gaze to fall on the white and blue mare respectively. "You too. Can't say we wouldn't have made it out without any of you."

The stallion nodded gratefully towards the captain. "Thanks, Lightning. I'm just glad we were able to make it out of this intact." He turned his attention to the two mares. "I couldn't have done it without them though. You guys were incredible out there."

Rarity blushed and waved a hoof dismissively. "Oh, it was nothing, darling. Just another day of fighting evil in style for us after all."

"Yeah! And I was the best of course!" Rainbow Dash added, striking a pose in mid-air. "Wanna know why? Cause I'm Rainbow "Awesome" Dash! That's why!

Rarity groaned as she rolled her eyes at her boastful friend’s boastful declaration, almost as if she wasn’t used to hearing such words from her. "Oh, Rainbow, must you always make everything about yourself?"

Rainbow Dash grinned and shrugged. "Hey, when you're as awesome as me, it's hard not to."

Sora chuckled at his friend's banter before turning his gaze towards Fluttershy, the timid mare having found herself standing a ways away from the group, keeping eyes on Starlight, Sunburst, and the rest of the still unconscious ponies and griffon. As soon as his eyes caught hers she couldn't help but freeze and look away, a troubled expression forming on her face as she did so. The Keyblade wielder couldn't stop his own from matching hers. With everything that had been happening, he was able to take his mind off less important issues at the time, but now...now that everything was settled, events began to creep back into his mind once again.

Fluttershy's confession echoed in his mind, complicating things in a way he hadn't anticipated. The weight of her words lingered heavily on his heart, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions within him. Actions that she had been making, asking him to walk with her, sitting under the stars with him. And her words that day. The day she told him that he could always rely on her. It felt so much more different now after three simple little words.

"I love you," Sora he spoke, repeating her words to himself just under his breath.

And like a ton of bricks, what she had done before saying such important words crossed his mind. The tears in her eyes as her mind controlled body held onto his like a vice. Right before Gilda...

Sora wanted to take a step forward. He wanted to talk to her now that everything had settled. He didn't know what to say...what he was going to tell her, but he at least wanted to...talk to her.

One hoof was raised before planting itself on the ground in front of him.

And then he stopped.

A chill ran down his spine.

A reaction?

No...A feeling.

What kind?

It was...dark...

Darker then dark.

and

D A N G E R

Before he could even think, his gaze shot upwards, The stallion's mind racing at what he saw. There in the sky, he could see them. Two figures. One he knew he knew to be Sunset Shimmer. The mare who betrayed Celestia. The princess had told him all about her. There was no way he could forget her after all she had done. The other though. He was new. A Ram like creature he had never seen before. His fur Blue. A dark shade of blue that very much went against the contrast of the sky. Despite how far away he was, Sora could feel his Pericering yellow eyes boring into his own. A type of yellow eyes he had seen before.

By then everyone noticed that the Keyblade Wielder was acting weird. Confusion would play across their features before following the Keyblade Wielder's gaze, gasping at what they saw as well. The atmosphere around them grew tense as the two figures descended upon the group, floating upon a platform of darkness. Sunset Shimmer, with her fiery red and orange mane, wore a confident smirk on her face as she looked between everyone present. The goat-like creature beside her exuded an air of darkness, his yellow eyes glinting with malevolence.

As the two figures landed before them, Sora couldn't help but feel a surge of anxiety. He instinctively summoned his keyblade as they touched the ground in front of him, ready to defend himself and his friends if necessary. The ram held up his hoof, a gesture of peace.

"Now now...none of that. I only came to observe an unexpected outcome. One that excided my expectations..." The ram-like creature spoke, his voice dripping with sinister amusement. "Had it been anyone else but you, Wielder of the Keyblade...And because it was you, it was well within my expectations you would win this day." He raised his head to the side, looking towards the stallion in question. "Because If you could not handle that...then...well...I would have been surely disappointed."

Sora’s grip on his Keyblade tightened in his maw. "Just...Who are you?" he demanded.

The ram chuckled softly "Of course one from the stars would not know of me. A traveler accosting every world he sees, destroying world order each time by banishing the Darkness within them." He raised an eyebrow. "All in the name of Justice, he goes about fighting the Heartless. Never allowing a world to run into its natural course."

The tension in the air was palpable as the horned creature spoke. The Keyblade Wielder swallowed, his mind racing over what the ram had just said. He knows...about me...He knows I'm not from this world. Sora's heart raced as his instincts urged him to take action. But before he could make a move, Sunset Shimmer stepped forward, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

"Don't get any funny ideas, little hero." She stomped her hoof, and soon the stallion and his friends were surrounded. The same type of lanky creatures Sunset had summoned before. Neo-Shadows.

"Now now...no need to threaten the boy," the blue ram spoke, his voice rather harsh towards his subordinate despite how calm his tone was. "He defeated the vile creature and saved the day. A hero such as he deserves a reward for all his trouble." Stepping froward, he cast his gaze down upon the Keyblade Wielder. "And so the prize will be an answer to the question you posed."

The aging ram raised his head as he looked upon all as if they were below him. "You...boy...and everyone here. Allow this old ram who has been away for far too long to reintroduce himself to the world." Pulling himself back up he gave them all a wicked grin. "My name, a name that carries with it a fear-soaked epoch of darkness that will soon tear Equestria apart, as it should have been long ago." He smirked. "You may call me Grogar, the rightful Emperor of Equestria."

"Grogar..." Rarity spoke, her blood turning cold at the name. Her voice shivered, filled with a mixture of disbelief and horror. "But...You...you're not real. You can't be real. You're just a story just to scare little foals into bed."

"No...he's real." Lightning answered, stepping forward to place herself beside Sora. "Princess Celestia was hoping it wasn't true...that it was just the Heartless running amuck on her world...but she always figured that if it was someone controlling them...it would have been you."

Grogar chuckled darkly as he shook his head, his voice resonating with an eerie power. "She was ever the optimistic mare...but always so...sure of herself. Even when she was young."

"Then...it's you." Sora spoke softly before turning his gaze towards the ram. "You know about...me...and you can use the Heartless." He frowned. "It's your fault isn't it? You're the one that introduced Heartless to this world."

Grogar laughed, a deep and terrifying sound that reverberated through the air. "Oh, my dear boy, you give me too much credit. While it is true that I have dabbled in the darkness and awoken the Heartless upon this land, I cannot take full credit for their existence here. The Heartless are born from the darkness within every heart." He waved a hoof. "It was just a matter of time before they made themselves known. Such is the way, that light will always be swallowed by the darkness."

"That...That's crazy!" The Keyblade Wielder exclaimed. "Plunging a world into darkness just because you think it's the natural order? You're insane!"

"Insane? No. I simply understand the truth of this world and all others." The ram spoke, his voice firm. "Darkness is the foundation upon which everything is built. Light may shine for a time, but it will always be consumed by the shadows."

"This guy is nuts!" Rainbow spat. "I say we take this jerk out now!"

"I don't know what's going on, but the blue cutie is right." Zidane spoke, pulling his twinblades from their sheaths. "This guy is trouble with a capital T!"

Sora dug his hooves into the ground, glaring at the stallion. "I won't let you destroy Equestria or any other world! We'll stop you! Here and now!"

The ram raised an eyebrow. "Now, now. Can you really afford to challenge me in such a tired state as you all are?" He lowered his head. "Add to that your friend's are in no condition to defend themselves against all of my Heartlesses. Can you really say you can defeat me while leaving your friend's...your family at the mercy of the Darkness?"

Sora's heart sank as he looked around. Lightning had rested some . He knew she could defend herself if need by. And Zidane was ready to go as well. But everyone else? Rainbow wouldn't say it out loud but she was exhausted after all they had gone through. Rarity was the same. Fluttershy and Starlight had Sunburst to tend to. And more than a few ponies were still knocked out. Even with the shield gone and knowing that Lightning's guards were more then likely on their way here, he knew that if They attacked...not everyone was gonna make it out alive. That is what his instincts were telling him.

The Keyblade Wielder frowned. "You waited all this time to show yourself...because you knew that we wouldn't be able to do anything to you...right?"

"Quite perceptive for such a plain looking colt as yourself." Grogar waved a hoof. "I can see this little game of ours will be quite...interesting."

"Yeah! laugh it up buddy! Big talk for someone that had to cheat!" Rainbow growled as she stepped forwards.

"Cheat? Oh, my dear Rainbow Dash, there is no such thing as cheating in the game of darkness and light," he replied, his voice dripping with amusement. "I merely took advantage of an opportunity. I had some unfinished business with an associate of mine...or...former associate as it were." His gaze shifted until it fell upon Starlight Glimmer. "It saddens me to know that you have failed in the task I had given you...though I knew the outcome was inevitable." He turned away. "And because I knew it was inevitable I withdrew an appropriate compensation for my dealings with you. That was all I wanted to say. I leave you to your...what was it again? Celebration?"

"W-Wait! Y...you..."Starlight eyes went wide with realization. "It was you, wasn't it? You're the one who gave me that Heartless to study! You were my mysterious benefactor...Weren't you? And what do you mean by compensation?"

The ram stopped in his tracks before turning his head in her direction. "Ah...dear Starlight Glimmer. I am quite happy you caught on so quickly. Your studies into the Heartless have proven quite...inspirational. For that I left you your little...present." His gaze fell to Sunburst. "I did however acquire the many...many test subjects from your little lab. That is the compensation."

"Test subje...I..." She gasped as object horror formed on her face. "No...You...You didn't...The ponies that were in the lab...The ones still in their bubbles...you...you."

Sora's gaze flew to Starlight's. "Other ponies in the lab? I didn't see any..." The stallion's heart sank further as he realized what Grogar was saying. memories of seeing the indents in the ground. Many indents. Ones just like the one he found Sunburst in. "You...you have the other ponies?"

The ram raised a hoof to his lips before turning away, his form shifting into the corridor to darkness, disappearing completely within it. Sunset made to follow after, only stopping short to gaze at Sora.

"You lose again...hero." With that she vanished just as Grogar did, the portal dissipating in a wisp of smoke.

Comments

[Princespeedywhooves]

Ooooooh boy this is not good not good at all also welcome back starlight and sunburst to the realm of light again.

[GamerstarOmega]

So Grogar's in this story, very interesting

[AllenVth]

This was an ending to an arc. Starlight brought back from the light, but there are still consequences to what she did. Grogar studying the unique properties of pony hearts.
Shame Sora doesn't have his full power to skip to the final boss. He's going to seriously need to regain his strength to fight both Sunset and Grogar.

[FiredragonX]

Ooof that jab right at the end.