Birth of the Draconequus

by HareTrinity

End of day's night

Following the initial burst of enthusiasm the group's morale had quickly dwindled. Finding the princesses was not a straightforward task; they had all heard Applejack say where she was headed nopony was quite sure where Celestia would have fled to. Canterlot seemed most likely but the group had agreed to check around Ponyville first and, following that agreement, had travelled mostly in silence. Nopony was sure what to say, mostly unwilling to risk any topic that would bring up the truth of who their foe was; a fact none of them wished to focus on at this time. Instead they half-heartedly looked over the fields and woodland they passed, hoping to see some sign of Luna or Celestia. However, their search was fruitless and before long the Everfree Forest loomed up ahead. The group came to a halt, staring up at its tall and foreboding trees.

"Only really there and Ponyville left..." mumbled Applejack, "Maybe we should go check on the fillies anyhow..."

"Bumping into Panic again is too risky right now, and the Everfree Forest is always too dangerous, let alone at night... Zecora and Spike will be taking good care of the foals, I'm sure. We'd best try Canterlot, if we make good time we might get there before sunrise..."

Rarity sighed, her strong lady-like composure starting to slip, "Oh Twilight, however are we going to find the princesses like this?"

At that moment, however, one of the princesses found them.

"Young Element bearers! I have been searching for you. Art thou unharmed?"

Twilight instantly perked up, "Princess Luna! Applejack was attacked but we got her back! Do you know where Celestia is? Is-"

Luna lifted a hoof to silence the unicorn as she landed, "All in good time. I take it you have put off battling the draconequus, that you are waiting until after you have consulted my sister regarding the Elements?"

The pony nodded.

"A wise choice... Come with me, she's not far from here..."

Twilight ran to keep up with the princess' fast pace, "So you don't know? How she wielded the Elements by herself, I mean?"

"My mind is foggy of that occasion."

"I- er, yes... But... Do you think it has something to do with why she's no longer connected to the Elements? Do we have to-"

"..."No longer connected"?" Luna eyed Twilight, "What is that supposed to mean?"

The unicorn faltered, "I mean, it's what she SAID, that she... Um... How is she?"

The moon princess looked up ahead as the school came into view, "She is... Troubled... She will not tell me what is wrong, but among her words I heard your name... I am hopeful you may help her, as you say you did with your friend?"

Luna opened the school's door and the six of them entered quietly. The princess lead the way to Cheerilee's office where, behind the desk, lay a pale-haired Celestia mumbling to herself.

"Princess!" exclaimed Twilight, rushing over, the others slowly filing into the room. Her tutor looked like she'd been crying and, as Celestia saw her student, new tears began streaming down her face.

"Twilight! Oh, my dearest pupil, I've let you down, I've let you all down..."

"Wait," Rainbow Dash looked at Luna, "How did you deal with Discord's spells before?"

"The few times he did target us the effects wore off at a distance... Quite a distance, however, I did not think it would be a good idea to take my sister so far away from Ponyville at this time..."

Twilight looked up, "She seems coherent... I don't get it though, she doesn't seem "frenzied" about her job..."

"Well, when Ah was under it was more like Ah was remembering all my past mistakes..." mused Applejack.

"But the princess hasn't MADE any mistakes-"

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT? I had to leave you and your new friends to face Nightmare Moon, and later I again let just my dear little ponies face Discord, and with the ch-"

"Princess!"

"-And that huge DRAGON that-"

Twilight held tightly onto Celestia's hoof, for whose comfort it was not clear, "It turned out okay! We were ready, we dealt with it fine, w-"

"And what if you hadn't?" whispered Celestia, avoiding her student's gaze. The others in the room watched in shocked silence as Twilight struggled to deal with the distressed royal.

"Princess, where are you getting all this? Some of it was difficult, yes, but that we trust each other is-"

The sun mare shook her head, struggling not to fall into sobs, "I took a gamble with your well-being, I-"

"Sister, our tasks come with difficult decisions. Equestria's love for you proves that you make the right ones. Now, please, help these ponies..."

Celestia gritted her teeth at her sister's words, "I... I will do my best, what is it you want?..."

Twilight stared at her mentor, obviously pained to see her in such a state. Rarity spoke up, "We need to know how we can use the Elements of Harmony without six ponies, your highness..."

"You don't need six ponies for the Elements, they just need to be equally represented... Luna and I used to represent three each, and alone I... I presented all six... I... You just need to each feel the sixth Element is in all of you and it will be, especially if you can grip onto a time it has aided you against your foe."

"That's all?"

"Well, it is easier with more ponies, but Luna is the strongest Element of Laughter here and I do not think that would be wise..."

The named pony stepped forward, "Sister, what is this about? I know you handed the Elements on but surely this is no time to argue ownership?"

Celestia scrambled to her feet, seeming nervous, "It is not the ownership I worry about, it... It..."

"...Me? Sister, what aren't you saying? Is it true that you said you cannot use the Elements again? Why ever n-"

"SISTER! How could I? How could I ever use them again, after what they did to YOU?"

The moon princess faltered, "Me? But... I was not myself then, and for ones such as us the banishment was only a short ti-"

"It was NOT short! It was ten hundred years! I thought it would just clarify your mind, at worst turn you to stone! Not banish you, with all your hate, to the moon itself! It was hard enough with Discord, but my own flesh and blood? How could I forgive them, sister? How could I forgive them for that?"

Her words echoed around the dark school office and were followed by a long silence. The Ponyville ponies looked from princess to princess; from Celestia's panicked and tearful state to Luna's expression as the night princess finally realised what her kin had gone through for so many years. Outside the faint sound of laughter could be heard but, as if sealed off entirely, those in the office were aware only of the princesses.

Finally the blue mare stepped forwards, crossing the floor to her sibling and nuzzling the sun princess gently, "I do. I forgive them and you both. You did what you thought was right and it is finally in the past. Now come, sister, I will be Laughter once more, but I want you with me. We cannot let these ponies face this alone."

Meeting her sister's gaze Celestia smiled, a rush of colour shooting through her body as Panic's curse was broken.

Luna looked to the box of Elements and lifted out the Element of Laughter which, at the touch of her magic, shivered and reformed into a jewelled orb. With a faint smile forming the princess turned to Twilight, "Now tell me, young pony... What is thine plan?"

---

In the last hour of darkness a pony wrapped in a cape galloped into Ponyville. Thunder rumbled overhead. A heavy rain had started and the few street lamps still lit were dim and flickering. Tricks and surprises lurked at both the pony's sides; buildings acting as giant Jack-in-the-boxes, misshapen trick mirrors, trapdoors, toy guns; all this and more sprung upon the crazed ponies rushing about the streets of Ponyville, though the caped pony paid them no heed, running a direct route towards the library. Behind her streamed out her blonde mane and tail in ponytails which, along with a cowboy hat, made her unmistakeable to the dark creature that watched from the shadows.

"Well, well, well..." the creature mumbled to herself, "Quicker than I thought they'd be... Still, I have better pranks than that...!"

The pony made it to the remains of the library and glanced around. Nopony to be seen. Looking up to the branches of the great tree the pony took a deep breath and stepped forward. And down?

Glancing to her hooves the pony let out a loud shriek as the quicksand pulled at her and, terrified, she fought to break free.

Panic popped into sight in front of the pony, hovering above the quicksand as she guffawed loudly, "Why, Applejack! I never thought I'd hea-"

"Pinkie... How could you?" whimpered a quiet voice.

The smile vanished from the draconequus' face as she looked at the soaked figure in front of her. It couldn't be. The rain was fading the magic that had coloured the mane blonde. It couldn't be. The wind tore the hat off the pony's head, her hair's ponytails starting to come apart.

"Fluttershy???"

"After all the times you said you'd look out for me..."

The draconequus herself sounded nervous now, "No! I didn't mean for this, I... I'm sorry!"

The quicksand vanished, leaving Fluttershy standing on solid ground, and the wind and rain started to die down as the draconequus rushed over.

"I suppose... I would feel better, if..."

"If?"

"Could you stay still for a moment, please?"

Panic looked confused, "I suppose?"

POOMF. Twilight transported herself, Rarity and Applejack down as those with wings flew over from a nearby rooftop.

The draconequus looked to them, then back to Fluttershy.

The yellow mare forced a smile, politely asking, "Just a little longer?"

"Come, Twilight!" called out Luna, "Before we miss our chance!"

The young purple unicorn lowered her head, concentrating, her horn starting to glow as she opened her eyes to reveal their shining white forms. Around her the Elements lit up; her tiara, Luna's orb, and the necklaces of her friends glowing brighter and brighter, their power building up until-

"How tiresome. Know what would make this more fun? If it was a game!"

Panic shot up into the air as the rainbow came crashing down upon her. It swooped up in pursuit, following her in impressive loops as she dived and dodged among the streets and skies of Ponyville, filling the clouds with holes that showed the paling night sky above.

"Nearly worked!" yelled Rainbow Dash as she gave chase.

The draconequus laughed cheerfully as she dodged Rainbow Dash's dives, the Elements' rainbow still close behind. She zigzagged around Applejack's lasso and then looped around Fluttershy as the yellow pony made attempts to grab her. Princess Luna aimed her magic and let out blasts of energy but Panic ducked and weaved among them, still laughing.

Seeing their chance as she came low across the ground Rarity and Twilight tried their combined magic's strength and caught hold of the draconequus' feet, only to find themselves dragged along the ground into a bush.

"YES! Faster, faster! Catch me if you- aha!"

Panic skid to a halt mid-air as she found Princess Celestia suddenly in front of her, horn dazzlingly bright! Turning on the spot Panic took off again, grinning as she glanced back, "Nice try but no- hm?"

Nopony was giving chase. They were all staring at her. The rainbow was nowhere to be seen and, from her tail tip, she was slowly turning to stone.

"Oh..."

The draconequus landed by Celestia and the Element bearers.

"Aha... Hahaha! It looks like you've won!" Panic's voice began to speed up as the stone transformation spread from the tail to her hips, "You're GOOD at this Celestia, didn't think you'd just try to delay me! Hey, do you think I should pose? Something fun? Oh, I know, a handstand! handstands are fun aren't they? Though I have paws, maybe a paw-stand..."

Rarity was starting to cry, "Pinkie..."

"It's okay, you lot won fair and square! Hey, what should we play next?", asked Panic, her voice now sounding much like her old self's, making use of her hind feet to balance her handstand moments before the stone transformation claimed them, "Hey! Dashie! Handstands, right? Awesome?"

"Yeah..." Rainbow Dash was fighting back tears, "Real awesome...!"

Fluttershy was staring on, shocked, and only just managing to choke out the words, "I'm so sorry I had to trick you..."

"It's okay, I'm sorry I pranked you!"

"Oh, Pinkie... I will try to find a way to fix this, I promise!"

Panic grinned, half her body now stone as it slowly spread through her torso, "Twilight, you silly! I know you'd never leave me like this! How would ya manage without me, right?"

"Pinkie... Don't ya understand what's happenin'?"

The draconequus winked at Applejack, the forelegs she stood on turning grey, "Hey now, didn't I say I preferred Panic? But I guess it's okay if you lot still use Pinkie, you're my best friends in the whole wide world after all! Oh, hey now...! Don't be so down, it's all just a big game really..."

Twilight rushed forward to nuzzle the creature that had been, and maybe in some way still was, her friend. Soon Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash followed suit. Celestia seemed unsure of what to say but, at her side, Luna whispered for her to give them some time. The sun princess nodded and looked to the East...

"Come on everypony, SMILE!" Panic cheerfully commented, giving an encouraging grin to her friends and sticking out her tongue. The stone transformation finished encapsulating her entire being just as the first rays of sunlight reached Ponyville.

"What... What happened?"

The Elements of Harmony had cleared the draconequus magic from Ponyville.

"Look! It's Princess Celestia!"

"We're saved!"

"Is she... Crying?"

It took a few minutes before those who had defeated Panic would explain anything to the villagers. As the truth started to come out, however, it did not take long before the heroes' mourning was shared, for the sun had risen upon the village to find it one pony short.

Comments

[NightmareDash]

At first, I was like: "The return of Mare-Do-Well?"

But then I was like: "Nope, just Applejack."

And then I was like: "Oh, it's Fluttershy. Clever!"