Darkshine

by Foxtrot

Part 6

The five friends had gathered as usual in Sugarcube Corner. Music of a soft and soothing kind played in the corner. Pinkie Pie was standing over a plate of freshly baked cupcakes. The Party Pony had a spatula clenched between her teeth. She surveyed the frosting with peculiar intentness.

Pinkie put down the spatula, licked her lips and rubbed her hooves together. Then she picked it up again. Her eyes narrowed with atypical concentration. 'If I fape fome offa here... an puf if on vere...' she started scooping and redistributing the frosting.'

Fluttershy came over to see what she was doing. 'Oh, Pinkie.' She smiled fondly. 'I don't think anyone will really mind if the frosting is just a bit, um, unevenly distributed.'

Pinkie gave her a full on Pinkie glare. 'Itf fopp...' she spat out the spatula. 'It's what she would have done.'

Fluttershy sighed. 'I know, Pinkie.'

'Is it so wrong to want things back the way they were?'

'Of course it isn't.' The two pony friends leaned together, sharing comfort.

Rainbow Dash was lying full length on Pinkie's couch. Her wings fanned gently. Her hooves were behind her head. Her eyes were pointed at the ceiling yet her gaze was directed inwards. 'She was the smartest pony I ever knew.'

Applejack nodded. 'Uh-huh.'

'You could ask her anything and she'd know. Or she'd read it up in a book. Or she'd go and find out.'

'That she would.'

'And she always knew what to do – well most of the time anyway.' Rainbow smiled fondly. 'And she was never afraid of anything. Except that one time when she thought she was gonna be late with the Princess's letter.' The pegasus's smile faded. 'I guess we let her down then, as well.'

'Hey, now.' AJ nudged her shoulder. 'We've been over all that. There ain't no call to go reopenin' old wounds.'

'Maybe I want to. Maybe I like it.' Dash scowled and rolled onto her side.

Fluttershy sighed. 'I've been thinking a lot about death, recently.'

Rarity raised a doubtful eyebrow. 'Fluttershy, whatever prompted such morbid imaginings?'

'My little animal friends don't live very long. They pass on all the time. I guess I'm just seeing the skull beneath the skin a lot more than I used to.'

The room filled with a lack of conversation.

'Cupcake anyone?' Pinkie Pie presented her creations with a smile of triumph.

'Why Pinkie darling. I could murder one.' Rarity took a sniff. 'These look simply divine. Have you been experimenting?'

'Sure have.' Pinkie nodded. Her curls bounced up and down. 'New re-ci-pe,' she sang. 'Strawberry fondant and vanilla essence.' Everypony crowded round, glad of the distraction. And the confections were indeed delicious; Pinkie's burgeoning skills were a welcome source of joy.

While she was eating Applejack remembered the news. She glanced at her friends. Everypony was so happy and involved with the cupcakes, was now really the time? And yet, as Applejack reminded herself, it didn't do to go concealing things and letting them fester. 'Everypony, I was talking to Miss Cheerilee today.'

Rarity, with cupcake magically suspended before open mouth, raised an eyebrow.

'It seems that Canterlot's sendin' us a new librarian.'

Rarity's cupcake plummeted with an audible splat. 'I say. They can't do that.'

'Damn right they can't,' said Rainbow Dash. 'That's Twilight's job.'

'I am one hundred percent with you there, Rainbow. But y'see... it's been gettin' on five months, now.'

'Um... I don't think it's right to deprive the colts and fillies of a librarian.' Fluttershy swung a hoof back-and-forth. 'Not at this crucial stage in their education. Sorry.'

'To hay with it.' Rainbow Dash punched a pillow.

'I pronounce my new recipe a positively brilliantly unqualifyedly successful success.' Pinkie Pie smiled a brilliant smile.

#

Princess Luna paced a nervous line back and forth in front of Sugarcube Corner. She didn't care that she was causing the folk of Ponyville to stay away in trepidation.

She had fought Discord. She had been possessed by the Dark and come back. She had stood at her sister's side on countless battles in the Elder Days. So why so nervous?

What was scary about 5 perfectly ordinary pones, even if they did bear the Elements of Harmony? Especially as she now had the sixth. Luna stamped an emphatic forehoof on the ground. She was an immortal princess and by Equestria she was going to act like one. Then she knocked, very timidly, on the door.

Pinkie Pie stuck her head out. 'Oh hi, Princess. Cupcake?'

#

The five of them sat together, facing her with hooves placed primly together. 'Good news everypony,' she began. Instantly their ears pricked up. 'As you know, I have been working in the Black Archive for some time now. I believe I have outlined a method to free Twilight Sparkle from her current possession by the Dark.'

Rainbow Dash sprang into the air. 'Best news ever! Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get her.'

Luna took a step backwards. 'No, you misunderstand me. The research is in its very early stages. I have defined the theory – the application is yet to be determined.'

Just like that, the life and the joy went out of them. Rainbow Dash, once more earthbound, shuffled back to sit dejected with the rest. 'Oh. Right. We misunderstood. But we thought...'

Pity tore at Luna with claws. 'I am sorry you are all disappointed. But it is definitely positive progress. I thought you should know.'

'Thank you kindly,' said Applejack with great formality. 'We 'preciate you taking the time to keep us in the loop, Princess.'

'Luna.'

'Luna. Sorry, Ah keep forgetting.' This was not going anything like she'd imagined. Did none of them understand what she'd done? The magical theoretical work, it was groundbreaking, possibly revolutionary. But no. Looking at them all she saw they didn't understand and they didn't really want to. It was Twilight Sparkle they were interested in.

An interval of silence, awkward looks and shuffling hooves ensued. Luna's gaze wandered around the room. 'Oh. Are those cupcakes?'

Pinkie Pie stared at her, unblinking. 'You just had one.'

'So I did. I, er... wondered if this was some kind of celebration. A party.' Luna gave her a weak smile.

'We don't really have parties,' said Fluttershy. 'Not any more.'

'Not in the mood, I guess.' Rainbow Dash flopped back onto the couch.

'I do them quite a lot,' added Pinkie brightly. 'For other people. Over at the foal's hospital, mostly.'

'It is not good for you to mope like this. You should have some fun on occasion.' Luna almost added your Princess commands it but stopped herself just in time.

'Ah, shoot.' Applejack gave her an apologetic look. 'It don't seem right somehow. Not when there's just the five of us.'

'But there are six, now.' Luna blurted the words. She couldn't help herself. And now they were all staring at her, as watchful and expressionless as that creepy owl Twilight had insisted on keeping around the place. Luna felt her cheeks burning with shame. 'I ask your pardon. I see it was crass of me to expect to replace Twilight Sparkle in your hearts. Crass, and foolish.'

'Beggin' your pardon, Luna,' said Applejack. 'We don't want you replacin' Twilight. We just want you to be you. That'd be fine.'

'This was a mistake. I should go.'

Fluttershy started forwards. 'Princess, er, Luna, you don't have to...'

'Excuse me.' Luna turned, thrust the door open and stepped outside. She leaped into the air, spread her wings and was gone.

#

Stupid Luna.

The Princess of the Moon slammed the bedroom door behind her. With a flare of her horn she sealed it with a triple ward spell. She didn't want anyone coming in right now, not even Tia.

She stood in the middle of the room. Her wings were trembling, her dark elegant form was shaking all over. She'd been doing so well. She was getting to know the folk of Equestria – they'd stopped being afraid of her (mostly). Things had been going great with Tia, really great. And now this happened and she was back to square one.

She squeezed her eyes shut. Hot tears trickled down her cheeks.

Stupid, stupid Luna. To imagine any of them would actually want to be friends with her.

It was times like these...

Luna took a deep trembling breath.

It was times like these she just wanted everything to stop. She wanted to disappear.

Rage boiled up inside her. She destroyed a couch – blasted it to atoms with her horn. With a lash of magic she splintered a mirror into countless shining fragments. Her fury mounted. She shredded the appointment calendar on the bureau. Then she leaped forward, thrust the point of her horn right through a cushion lying innocently on the bed. It stuck there. She whirled around and around, rearing and bucking, trying to throw the stupid thing off.

There was a knock at the door. It was not a servant's knock and it was not Tia's. Luna came to a total stop. She stood in the exact centre of the room with the pillow still transfixed by her horn. It appeared to be snowing. After a moment she realised it was torn shreds of the murdered appointment book, still whirling in the air.

Luna felt both completely insane and perfectly calm. It was surprising to her that such a thing was possible. She certainly didn't care if anyone saw her with a pillow stuck on her head. She dismissed the wards and opened the door. SURPRISE, yelled Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity.

'Um,' said Pinkie Pie into the silence. 'What's that?'

'That?' Luna looked cross-eyed at the object dangling about level with her eyebrows. 'It's a pillow.'

Pinkie Pie appeared to give this the the deepest and most serious consideration. 'Okie-Dokie-Lokie. Makes perfect sense to me. Anyway – PARTY. YAY.'

What followed was kind of a blur. Pinkie Pie produced something she called a 'party cannon'. Luna had memories of dancing in a line with the others, of flying, whirling round and round in midair, her hooves joined with those of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. And how free she felt, how joyful, just Luna again, the filly who had run through the long grass chasing butterflies. A thousand years of history become as light as air. Truly back to square one.

Then the servants turned up to see what was going on, as servants would, and the told them they all had to join in – a royal command, no less. And they did, especially when they saw their Princess just wanted to have fun, nothing more. And some courtiers and guards stuck their heads round the door, and they ended up joining in too. And somewhere, Luna knew, in a high tower, her older sister was watching over all with loving kindness.

#

Magic, Princess Celestia had once told her faithful student, was in essence the exercise of the imagination. Darkshine had been putting that assertion to the test. The Avatar of Night stood with hooves firmly planted in the powdery lunar soil. She closed her eyes. A frown of concentration appeared on her forehead. Her horn-tip glowed, its radiance faint in the naked sun's glare.

Ponyville Library formed mistily around her.

The lines of shelves, the cubbyholes filled with scrolls, the writing desk, even the clutter and heaped books she had not got round to tidying up, all of it faded into material existence. The illusion wavered, then stabilised. Darkshine looked around and gave a little hiss of triumph.

Owloysius, sitting on his perch, turned his head to stare at his mistress with unblinking eyes.

Darkshine's smile became a petulant snarl. The owl vanished. Satisfied, she trotted over to examine the shelves. Illusory volumes sat in their places, just as she had remembered them. She levitated out the hefty and ancient Concordance of the Sages. The pages riffled past her eyes. Each one was filled with dense, crabbed, faultlessly recalled and visualised text. Darkshine jiggled her hooves up and down in triumph. Everything had been imagined into its proper place now. Surely it was merely a matter of time.

She went to her writing desk. It was covered in books which had been marked with various sticky bits of paper. There were also manuscript pages covered in her own precise cursive writing. She had been working at this since her exile. And now, with her powers of recall tuned to their present high pitch, she believed she could at last complete her research.

She swept away a few stray chewed quills and flipped through the manuscript pages. They had been divided into three headings: 1) on physical displacement over planetary distances. Fairly self explanatory, that. 2) circumvention of the Solar Magic. Bound to come in useful when she faced Celestia again. 3) The Final Night. She frowned. It was still not clear what that was all about. Sometimes she felt like two people sharing a single body. But Darkshine had told her...

She frowned and shook her head. Enough of this. There was still plenty to be getting on with. 'Spike!'

There was a prolonged clattering. The door opened and the little dragon appeared. He had a mop and bucket in hand. 'I'm kinda busy right now.'

Darkshine rolled her eyes. 'Spike, what are you doing?'

'Cleaning the place up,' he said, like it was the most obvious thing imaginable.

'Spike, that's not necessary. The dust isn't real. Just like everything else here.'

'It sure feels real.' He swiped a claw across a nearby shelf and examined his fingertip. 'Looks real, too. Besides, I... er...' he sighed. 'I like to do domestic stuff. It makes me feel like things are back the way they were. If you know what I mean.'

Darkshine was silent.

'It's not like there's a lot to do around here...' he nudged the bucket with a foot.

Guilt worried away at Darkshine's soul. She shook it off. 'Never mind about that. Spike, I need the Pervulsions of Themyscra. Has it shown up yet?'

'Pervulsions of Themyscra. Hmmm.' He placed a clawtip on his chin and thought about it. 'Ah-hah!' He reached into an untidied pile, extracted a wormy old volume and brandished it in triumph.

Darkshine rubbed her hooves together. 'Bring it here.'

'Uh, sure.' He placed the imaginary object on the imaginary desk. 'Need anything else?'

'No, I need to work. Be elsewhere.'

'OK then.' His footsteps receded. 'I'll just go take a nap, then. In my imaginary basket. Which, I might add, is very soft and comfortable. So thanks for that.'

She waved a hoof without looking up. So – the Pervulsions of Themyscra. The familiar academic mindset settled over her, like an old overcoat, as she scanned the pages. It was just a question of joining the dots, filling in the blanks, making the parts into a whole. The sort of task Twilight Sparkle had always excelled at. Though she still wasn't sure about the Final Night...

Our powers burgeon. Here it came, as always; the inner dialogue. The voice which was her voice. Yet you are troubled.

Twilight scowled and hunkered down over the desk. 'Maybe we aren't as close as you seem to think. Maybe I'm still me.'

You don't like the power? The Dark sounded surprised, even hurt.

Twilight sighed and hung her head. 'Of course I like it.'

Then you should know what we are going to do with it. It's only fair.

'I thought we were going back to Equestria.'

Of course we are.

Twilight felt a terrible cold sense of foreboding. 'Night Mare Moon wanted eternal night.'

The Dark laughed and it was like pins pricking her. Luna was weak and foolish. She would not permit herself to understand. What is eternal night, Twilight Sparkle? It is Darkness... the ultimate isolation. Loneliness which lasts forever.

Twilight took a deliberate step back from the desk.

But see for yourself. And now she had reason to curse her strengthened powers of visualisation for she saw now with the eyes of the heart, so keener than the ones in her head. The Darkness spread. It crept over the face of Equestria. It was clearly in no hurry. The towers of Canterlot dimmed and disappeared as they were swallowed up. The high rises of Manehattan were next. The Everfree Forest was darkened for good. At last the tide washed over Ponyville. She was forced to watch as the places she had loved faded to nothing.

At last the black was absolute. It was an absence so intense it made her eyes ache. But now a flash of the most brilliant colour came flying out of nothingness. It was Rainbow Dash. Her teeth were clenched, her eyes streamed with effort. Her wings were a blur, sending her faster than any pegasus had ever flown before – all to find the light. But no escape was possible because the dark was everywhere and it was eternal.

Pinkie Pie was curled in a ball, rocking back and forth on the featureless ground. Her eyes were empty. She was uttering an endless, mindless giggle.

And now Twilight heard a hopeless, broken hearted weeping. And that of course was Fluttershy, mourning the day which would never return.

Applejack was pounding her hooves uselessly into the ground until they bled. And Rarity was galloping over the darkling plain, calling out in despair; is there anyone there, oh can anyone hear me at all?

All her friends were locked in their prison cells. And this was forever.

They don't deserve this, thought Twilight Sparkle.

Deserve has nothing to do with it.

'You can't do this,' said Twilight clearly.

I can do it. I've done it before. They were a clever people. They walked upright on two legs. Their skins were pink and brown and yellow and red. See, and understand. There was a sudden blinding, soundless flash. A moment later Twilight heard a roar like the whole world crying out in pain. A cloud rose and swelled in the distance. It was glowing with its own internal fire. Its top spread out, reminding Twilight of something. A mushroom. Its light crawled over the faces of the cities and shone through the gaps in the buildings. And the works of a wondrous race were snuffed out in less than a day.

The fire came, Twilight Sparkle. And then winter and snow and freezing darkness. Famine and plague extinguished the last flickering remnants. And they were not even the first. There were others before them. Would you like to see?

Twilight's horn burst into life. The purple light shone out, tearing the vision to shreds. Once more she stood in the library at Ponyville. Her eyes rolled. Her breath came in short panicked gasps. Please, let this all be a dream. Sweet Celestia, let me be back with my friends. It's all I want.

Yet outside the library there was no kindly blue sky and green fields – merely the cold and barren acres of the moon. And inside there was the tightening spiral of horror and madness. The dark laughter slashed at her. Pain squeezed her temples. 'Spike,' she yelled. 'Spike, get in here!'

Spike stuck his head round the door. He took one look at her, then ran to her side. She leaned against him, gladly breathing in the dry dragon-scent of his scales. 'Stay with me. Don't leave me.'

'I won't, Twi. Ever.' He linked his arms round her neck.

Twilight Sparkle raised her head. Her voice rang out, astonishingly loud and fierce. 'Darkshine! I reject you. I don't want anything more to do with you. Leave me be, you hear? Go away!'

It is too late for that. The voice was everywhere, it seemed to emanate from the very stones of the moon. The force of it drove her to her knees. Spike sank down beside her, a fingertip stuck in one ear while the other hand clutched her mane. You placed your hooves on the path of your own free will. There is no turning aside.

'You're lying.' Spike clambered to his feet. 'You don't understand anything. You just know about lies and hate.' There was a thunderous scowl on his face like the dragon he was. 'There's always time to change.'

Not this time. I am sorry. Darkshine's voice was softer, almost regretful. The library darkened all around them. The gilt titles on the books gleamed briefly then vanished. And now, visible before them for the very first time, stood Darkshine herself. She was like Twilight, yet unlike. Her limbs had lengthened, making her taller and more elegant. The lilac of her coat had darkened to a velvety blackness. There were streaks of purple visible in the inky cascade of her mane. Her back bore no wings but her horn was longer and sharper. Her eyes were a pitiless blue, the pupils dark blades. And yet, she was translucent; the horizontals and uprights of the bookshelves clearly visible through her.

Darkshine opened her scarlet mouth. Her teeth were a predator's fangs. 'What will you do now, Twilight Sparkle? Will you call out to your Princess? She cannot hear you. Will you beg your friends to forgive you? They will not.'

'Neither.' Twilight snorted through her nostrils. One hoof pawed the floor. 'I'm going to fight you.'

Darkshine was silent for a few heartbeats. Then she laughed; a musing, gentle sound at first. It quickly climbed to a brittle shriek of mockery. 'You, fight me? Are you jesting with me? Luna tried to fight. Luna – an alicorn with the tides of eternity flowing in her blood. She failed. What are you? A lowly unicorn mare with a flair for petty conjuration. I will consume you utterly. I will burn you up. There will be nothing left of you.'

'Maybe not.' And it was the old Twilight Sparkle returned once more; the favoured student who had read all the books, who knew what she was doing, who Had A Plan. 'You see, I've been doing a little research, here and there, when you weren't around.' Twilight looked very serious, in full-on lecture mode. 'The old sages... Starswirl the Bearded and those guys... they knew a thing or two about the Dark Magic. They knew how to fight it. How to counter it. I was able to build on their work just a little bit.'

'That is your answer? You think to use the risible tricks of a gang of dusty old fools? That is your plan?'

'Pretty much, yes.' Twilight's horn lit with an even purple glow.

The Avatar of Night took a single step backwards. 'I know this magic. I encountered it of old. It failed then, it will fail now.'

'Quiet. I'm concentrating.' Twilight screwed her eyes tight shut. The glow of her horn strengthened. The illusory library burned away like tissue paper in a bonfire. All three of them stood once more on the barren lunar plain.

'Why are you doing this, Twilight Sparkle?'

'I want to be back with my friends.' Twilight's voice was harsh with effort.

'Are you sure?' Darkshine's voice took on a silky, invidious quality. 'I think you want to hurt me, Twilight Sparkle. You want to punish me for all the things I made you do. It would certainly be easier than facing your friends again, wouldn't it?'

A frown appeared on Twilight's brow. 'Twi, don't listen to her.' Spike hugged his adopted sister close. 'Just cast the blasted magic, like we planned.'

'What, and pass up a chance for lovely, lovely revenge? I'm laughing at you, Twilight Sparkle. I'm scorning you, you pointless little filly.'

Twilight opened her eyes. An ugly snarl twisted her muzzle. 'You want to fight? Because we can. If you like.' Her magic beam darkened and narrowed. Purple edged shadows raced across the lunar surface.

Darkshine let out a scream and slammed her hooves into the dust. 'It is on!'

Comments

[Lurker]

Nooooooooo! There aren't suppose to be any cliffs on the moon!

Need to know what happens!

[Pleaseworkforonce]

586207 umm craters on the moon if you were in one it could have cliffs depending on how steep it is

[Menoshe]

587859

I think he meant cliffhangers, for a joke.

[Pleaseworkforonce]

589838 i need to stop staying for days on end lol