Birthday Wish

by Midnight Spawn

The Final Trial (3 posts)

James and Twilight stood in a large empty room. They had been there for who knows how long with...

..urgh...

...no sign of Stormcloud or any final trial.

"What do you think's going on?" Twilight asked James.

"I don't know. Maybe he's trying to starve us?"

Twilight drew back a little. "Doesn't seem like him. Maybe he's busy with the others?"

"Or maybe he's

hhhh.... hhhh...

gone to earth and is wreaking havoc!"

"Let's hope not..." Twilight sat in thought.

"Oh," James began, "Just thought you'd like to know something."

"What's that?"

"I noticed a little while back," he used his magic to open a view through the nearest wall, "We haven't gotten any higher than when we started."

"Oh no... Is there no way to the top from the inside?"

Suddenly, in burst the rest of the element bearers, each running toward the unicorns.

"Twilight, thank Celestia you're safe! Ah was afraid somethin' awful had happened to ya!" Applejack pulled the unicorn close despite not being one for hugs.

"Oh," Fluttershy was shaking, "It was terrible! There were all these ponies... saying things like, 'I like your mane today!' and 'Can I see your cutie mark?' and all sorts of things!"

"...Those aren't mean things, Fluttershy..."

"But they were stallions who said it! It was terrifying!"

Rarity interrupted, "At least we all made it here in one piece. Did he say this was the last room?"

Oh, yes, this is where it all ends. Stormcloud hovered to the ground and gazed at them all. The foes glared at each other, but James looked sad.

"Are you okay, Stormcloud?"

"Yea!" Twilight joined in, "You look awful! Worried you might not win this battle?"

"Stormcloud, you don't look too good. What's happening?"

Stormcloud looked reluctant to answer. I... I thought I had... found the solution to the degradation...

"Oh, the whole sleep deprivation?"

But I don't think there is a cure. King Sombra is waking up and trying to push me out.

"You're tired and just want this whole thing to end, right?"

Heh... Don't pretend to understand, kid. Before I'm through, I'm winning this! This room is made for battle. Two ponies will fight to the death here. Of everypony here, one of you will not leave. James? Who's your favorite pony? I'm going to need a volunteer.

"What?! No! There is no way I'm letting anypony do that! Why would you possibly think I'd let you get away with this?"

Fluttershy walked up withe her head raised, "I'll do it."

"No, Fluttershy, I'll do it." Twilight stopped her.

"Okay, you do it..." Fluttershy quickly stepped back down relieved.

"Nopony is doing it!" James insisted. "Stormcloud, if you don't have much time left, wouldn't you like to do one good thing before it's over? Don't you want to go knowing you had friends surrounding you?"

Hahaha! You don't know me very well do you? Oh! I just had a wonderful idea! It's so perfect--I know which two ponies are going to fight.

"No. You're better than this, I know you are because I see it in you. We can find a solution together before Sombra sends you back to earth."

But this is just too good! Princess Celestia hasn't gotten a turn playing, so why not now?

Suddenly the princess appeared in the room, confused and looking around. When she spotted the ponies, she smiled. "My little ponies! Is everypony all right?"

Well, not EVERYpony... In another flash of light, Princess Luna was at the other side of the room, colorless and clearly under Stormcloud's influence.

Twilight realized what Stormcloud was planning. One of the princesses wasn't coming back to Equestria with them "NOOO!!" Twilight yelled. The shout echoed and filled the room, accompanied only by the sound of Stormcloud's laughter.

Post #2

Stormcloud had wisely made himself scarce, leaving the ponies alone with a violent princess Luna.

Celestia stood tall with a determined look about her. Even as Luna charged at her, the princess did not move. The ponies watched in horror as Luna ran straight into Celestia, knocking her off her feet. The sun princess slid along the ground before shakily standing to her feet once more. Half-way up, she glanced over to see Princess Luna charging at her again. She could have moved, she had time, but once again she refused to fight and let the dark mare knock her into the nearby wall.

"Princess!" Twilight called out.

Celestia grimaced and looked up at yet another attack coming. Closing her eyes, she braced herself as Luna picked her up and tossed her to the side. She landed with a grunt before shaking her head, her mane flowing everywhere.

"How in the name of strawberry frosting did this happen?!" Pinkie asked, bouncing up and down nervously.

Bahaha! Aren't you even going to fight back? Stormcloud's voice came from Princess Luna's lips and silenced everypony in the room.

Celestia looked up and saw Nightmare Moon--her sister--standing over her, smiling and horn glowing. "No... I won't play this game of yours, Stormcloud. I won't hurt my sister."

Hm. Suit yourself. With that, Luna used her magic to lift Celestia up and threw her as hard as she could into the wall once more. This time, however, just as the sun princess reached it, she flipped and landed hoof-first, her wings spreading and feathers flying around her. Braced against the wall, she pushed off and landed near the other ponies, first shielding them with her wings, then separating her wings to show the ponies gone.

Wha-?! Celestia stood there in all elegance, facing off against her sister. Against Stormcloud. "You won't hurt them. I've teleported them away from here, so you have no leverage. I care not for my own life, so threaten it all you want." The princess had known that Stormcloud would have decided the only way to make her fight was to threaten her friends. The princess just didn't care if he threatened her life; she would gladly give it if it meant her ponies and sister were safe.

Fine. You and me. Just the way I like it. With a shout, Luna leaped forward, flying off the ground and straight for the princess.

The ponies watched from their perch on the ceiling as Luna ran into Celestia again, knocking her hard to the ground.

"But Pr--hmmffff!" Pinkie was silenced by a hoof from Applejack. Stormcloud didn't need to know they were still here.

It took Celestia a bit longer to get up this time. "Sister..." she whispered, nopony hearing her.

Twilight felt helpless. All she could do was watch as Luna hovered in the air, looking down upon the unicorn's mentor. What could she do? How could she stop Nightmare Moon? Last time, she had the elements, but now she couldn't even go down to help!

Once again, Luna raced toward the princess. This time, however, Celestia teleported out of the way, causing Luna to topple and fall over herself. When she had regained her composure, she looked back at Celestia. Somehow Celestia thought she saw Luna grimacing and Stormcloud smiling at the same time. You will learn to fear us! And we will punish you for what you did to us!

"I... I do fear you... I fear what you've become. I'm afraid you might not realize what your doing, that you've turned into something your not."

"We have only revealed to us what was truly in our nature all along! To fight. To have our revenge. You banished us!"

"And I cried every night as I looked up at the moon. I couldn't bare to send you away, but even more I could not bare to let you stay where you were."

"We were the princess of the night!"

"You were a monster of the night. Sister, don't let it take you again! I saw you change. I know you're pure inside."

"LIES! This is what we are inside!" Some nearby rocks obeyed her silent command and flew to her, hovering by her side. With a laugh, Luna launched the projectiles at Celestia who barely jumped out of the way.

James whispered to Twilight, "When Stormcloud clouds someone's mind, he needs something to act as the support stone. He takes something that pony may not have felt for a long time and bases their angry attitude off of that. Luna forgave her sister, but Stormcloud has resurrected those old feelings!"

"We HAVE to do something, James! I won't stand here and watch this happen!"

James silently agreed, but could do nothing but turn his attention back to the fight.

Post #3

Celestia fell to the ground again, this time too weak to get up. Luna had thrown everything she had at her, and Celestia had taken it all. She refused to fight. And if one of them wasn't going to leave... it was going to be her. They had Twilight to lead them now, and she wouldn't let harm befall them. Not as long as she could do something about it.

No. James WASN'T going to let her go through with this.

Now you are sorry! Now you wish you had never cast us out! But then you laughed at our misfortune! You never thought twice before dooming us! You were glad we were gone.

You... you never loved us. You were ashamed of us. And when you sent us away... you were glad we were gone. You were glad we were gone.

Celestia let the tears fall. The honorable, strong princess was now a heap on the floor, crying part from pain and part from how wrong her sister was. "I..." She looked at her sister, her eyes showing pain not for herself but for the one she loved more than anything else in the world. "I never... was glad you were gone... not a day went by..." she was having trouble talking without crying, "... that I didn't think of you. I loved you then as I love you now."

When the sisters had reunited all those years ago, Celestia had stayed strong, holding in the feelings. She had shed a few tears, but now it was all coming out. All the sadness she had felt when her sister was gone, she felt she was experiencing it all over again. "It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I had to protect my subjects... such is the way of the crown that we wear, sister. It's weight is unbearable for a single pony. That is why I needed you. I still need you."

She was glad you were gone! Luna shouted at herself. For a brief instant, Luna's eyes flashed to her own, but it was short-lived before she was snarling again. Of course you're sorry now! I have won! You were glad we were gone!

That was it. That's the support stone. You were glad we were gone. That's the cloud's basis!

James dropped himself down, landing more loudly than he meant to. Luna looked at him. Oh, you are back. I suppose you are here to beg that we not kill your princess?

"Actually, no I'm not."

What?!

"By all means, kill her."

Uh... I-I will.

James didn't say a thing.

You think we won't?

"Be my guest."

"Has he got James too?" Rarity whispered to the others.

"Just wait, I'm sure he has a plan," Twilight said as she bit her lip.

O-okay... Luna looked down at Celestia and her horn glowed a powerful black.

"But before you do," James said as he walked closer to the two. "There's something I want you to see."

Comments

[TheMainManeMaineBrony]

HOLY SH!T! O EM EFFING JEE!!!
I'm sorry, I'm just...wow. Just wow. At the risk of sounding cliché, this is THE! WORST! POSSIBLE! THING!

[idontevengohereanymoreso]

Oh, no...... Stormcloud, why?............ It doesn't need to be like this. I am your friend, Stormcloud. No matter what you say, I am your friend. And friends look out for each other. A Friend helps their friends when they're doing something wrong. Stop, Stormcloud. And think. Will you really be happy if a Princess gets killed? Will you be happy if you rule over a dark, dismal Equestria? Will you be content knowing you could have had a friend, one who cared for you? Will you be happy knowing you could have had a friend?............................. Will you? Think about it.

[TheMainManeMaineBrony]

Of course. I have to go to bed just after post 3 comes out.

[idontevengohereanymoreso]

3457805 Exactly my case!