My Little Pony: Sora's Misadventures in Equestria

by Codex92

The Beginning of the End (Part 2)

Sombra continued to laugh, succeeding in ridding of Equestria's saving graces as he stood on the busted crystal stump of the Tree of Harmony. Struck with disbelief, the wielders and Mane Six all stared at the shattered remains of the Tree, the broken pieces of the Elements of Harmony, and the chains from the destroyed Keyblades of Harmony around Sora. With the Keyblades' destruction, it left Sora unbearably weakened. He managed to grab the chain bearing the Element of Magic, guilt weighing heavily in his heart. The Tree of Harmony is gone, and he was left utterly defenseless, as well as all of Equestria.

"This...This can't be happening," Ventus uttered. "Sombra...He destroyed the Tree."

"But how did he get away?" Riku growled.

Sora grunted, struggling to roll over onto his stomach, clutching the keychain tightly. "I...I knew...we missed," he uttered. "Why...? Why did I not seek him out?" If he had the strength to pound his hooves into the dirt, he would have left a crack in the earth. "Why do I keep making things worse!?"

"You fools shouldn't have let your guards down," Sombra gloated, laughing at Sora's despair. "You led me right to your source of power, and I was able to destroy it with my own hooves! Now, you have NOTHING that can destroy me! I am invincible!"

"Don't think you've won just yet!" Terra yelled as he, Aqua, Ventus, Lea, Riku, Xion, and Kairi summoned their Keyblades. "You can still die, and we will find a way to end you once and for all!"

"We can still beat you the old fashioned way; whooping your ass until you fade away back into the darkness you were born in!" Lea said.

"And how will you do that if neither of you could land a hoof on me with those weapons of yours?" Sombra questioned with a cocky smirk. Stomping his hoof, he shot several dark crystals around the heroes, trapping them inside. He knew Kairi was capable of destroying his darkness with her light, but she was still physically incapable of disposing of him as his power trounced hers. Approaching the cage, he watched some of the wielders trying to cut themselves free, Twilight and Sora disheartened by the destroyed Elements, and the other mares of the Mane Six either glaring defiantly at him or backing away from his piercing gaze. "Without you interfering, I can take back the Crystal Empire again...Or, I can start with Equestria, then the empire, and then the rest of this worthless world."

"No!" Twilight exclaimed.

"First, I'll take over your little town of Ponyville," Sombra said.

They all gasped. They didn't want everyone living in Ponyville to be Sombra's first victims. Even worse, Manami was still here, and if he went after her, Sora would be even more devastated. Kairi growled, launching a holy spell through her Keyblade, blasting part of the crystal cage apart. She managed to fly through in the haze of the smoke and charge toward Sombra. The others tried to follow, but more crystals popped up, keeping the others trapped. Sombra grinned, luring the alicorn with the pure heart.

"You're not stepping foot into Ponyville, you monster!" Kairi yelled.

"Foolish princess," Sombra said. He leapt back, creating more dark crystals around him, each one breaking to turn into several crystal blades. Using his dark magic, he blasted a beam at Kairi, which she dodged, only to be met with the incoming swords. She flinched, blocking one, but the others struck her and knocked her back. Sombra then warped in front of her, shifting into mist as she tried to swipe at him. His swords returned and struck her from behind, sending her flying into Sombra as he reverted to his normal state, then struck her hard in the gut with the butt of a newly crafted crystal broadsword. She gagged, then was met by a swift punch to the back of her head, knocking her unconscious. "Even with your light, it pales in comparison to my darkness."

Sora glanced up, his eyes widening as he saw Kairi laying unconscious at Sombra's hooves. "N-No! Not her!" Sora cried out. He tried to move, but his limbs felt like putty. Sombra glanced at him between the crystals, smirking in amusement at the look of fear in the broken stallion's face. "Let her go! Take me instead! Leave her and everyone else alone!"

"Ah. So she is special to you," Sombra stated. Lifting the unconscious alicorn in his aura, covering her horn with dark crystals to seal her magic, he approached the crystals as his eyes began to glow. The cage began to fill with darkness, making everyone wary as they circled together in the center of their prison. "What are you going to do to stop me, foal? Without your Elements, without your harmonious power, I could control all of you in an instant." Tendrils began to seep out, reaching out to the wielders and ponies with sharp claws. Sombra let out a dark chuckle, dismissing them after watching them tremble in trepidation. "But why bother wasting my power on you when you've lost one of the few with this pure light? If you wish to save your precious princess, hero, we will settle this with a rematch; without any power to hold a candle to mine."

Sombra cackled, changing into his mist form again, stealing Kairi within his gaseous form and flew out of the cavern. "No! Kairi!" Sora yelled. Helpless, Sora could only lie there, tears streaming down his face as he just watched his wife get knocked out and kidnapped by another villain. "Damn it...Damn it! Sombra, you bastard! If he kills her...If he kills her...!"

He was starting to get mad as darkness began to seep from him. Without the Elements, if he tapped into his Anti-Form, he darkness would run wild.

"Sora, stop!" Xion begged. She ran over to him, standing on top of him and pressed his face into the ground. Sora wasn't able to wriggle free with his lacking strength, even the darkness in his heart was just as weak. "You can't get angry! Without the Elements' power in your heart, you'll lose control again!"

"She's right," Ventus agreed as everyone gathered around him. "You need to calm down."

"How can I be calm!? Kairi's been taken from me again!" Sora shouted. "I can't even protect her anymore...I lost all my strength when the Keyblades were forcefully ejected from my heart...I-I can't even...move..." Thankfully, his darkness ebbed away, but Sora laid on the ground sobbing. "I messed up again...I should have...Why didn't I go after him?"

"Come on, Sora," Riku said. "We can't just give up. We need to fight."

"If I could move, I would punch you so hard in the face right now, Riku!" Sora screamed. "What part of what happened to me didn't go through your head!? I can't do anything now!" Panting heavily, he stared at the Keyblade of Magic's chain, losing his grasp on it. "...What hope is even left? I just doomed Equestria...There is no hope anymore..."

Xion got off of Sora, unable to believe hearing Sora admit to have truly given up. The others were in shock as well. Sora was making such a huge breakthrough, only to have it shattered no thanks to Sombra and his miraculous survivability against the Elements of Harmony. Twilight looked down at the ground, staring at the broken Elements. She picked up a couple pieces belonging to the Element of Honesty, trying in vain to put them back together, but the light that was in them was snuffed out.

Dropping them, she felt like it was hopeless as well. When she looked back up at everyone, her friends were clearly worried about what'll happen to their loved ones back in town. She even expected Pinkie Pie to try to lift up their spirits with a funny joke or something silly, but Pinkie couldn't, not with Sora as miserable as he is now. Everyone was in danger, and she felt like she did a horrible job trying to deal with Sombra with her own ideas. She wasn't ready to be the leader Equestria needed.

Summoning her Keyblade, she eyed the chain dangling from the hilt. They held no power like the Elements, nor the Keyblades of Harmony. The crown that represented her link with Sora was like the glue that bound them all together. Since he first arrived, Sora had always been the one with the most confidence, taking charge and putting himself in harm's way for everyone else around him. In the end, he persevered, refusing to let the bad guy get away, and he kept getting back up when he was put down. They can't give up now; they can't give up hope.

Her gaze hardened, steeling her determination and approached the edge of the crystals. She dismissed her Keyblade and began to dig away at the ground with her hooves. Getting smacked by some stray dirt, Riku looked back, wondering what Twilight was doing.

"Twilight?" he uttered.

"I'm not going to give up," she said, grunting as she continued digging away. "We can't just stay here and let Sombra get away with this. I don't have a plan, but I don't care when everyone's lives are at stake."

Though their chances of succeeding are incredibly slim, they all knew Twilight was right. They can't just give up.

"Then make some room," Riku said, standing beside Twilight and helped her dig through the earth. "I'm not having that Heartless plan to go after Flurry Heart again."

"I've got a whole lot more muscle," Terra said, joining the duo and dug his powerful hooves into the ground.

The others soon joined together, cooperating and digging away to make a tunnel underneath the crystals and out the other side. Their spirits were lifted by Twilight's lead, and in no time, they were able to dig their way down enough to go beneath the formed crystals of darkness and freed from their prison. Sora didn't know why they would bother, his ears twitching as he heard them dig. They couldn't fight Sombra. Not even Twilight had enough power herself to last a minute against Sombra, even with all the training she had done.

Once they were through, Xion climbed back through the hole, running over to Sora to leave him sitting in the cavern. "Come on, Sora. We've got to stop Sombra."

She tried to help Sora stand up, but he refused to budge. "I can't fight anymore," he grumbled. "We won't win."

"Everyone's counting on us!" she said. "We've got to at least try!"

"What's the point!?" Sora argued. "Just look at me, Xion! I'm only weighing you all down! Sombra's impossible to kill! He's won!"

Xion furrowed her brows, dropping Sora, giving up trying to help him stand. "So you're just going to let him kill Kairi?" she questioned. "We're all trying to be as supportive as we can to you, but instead of making some kind of effort against all odds, you're just going to lay here and give up!? You're going to give up on the girl who you love when you would physically give your heart to!?" Sora didn't answer. Frustrated, Xion didn't know whether to feel pity for Sora or furious with his outlook on life changed after the last few months. "...I want to believe that you are better than this. I thought I knew you enough because I am you...Maybe you are right; we don't know you at all. Because you're not the Sora we all know anymore." He still made no reaction to her harsh words. "I hope Roxas can knock some sense into you. If not, then just stay here and let everything you worked hard to save dies with this world if we lose."

Xion turned and jumped into the tunnel, catching up with the others as they made they ran through the Everfree Forest and back to town before it's too late. Sora laid there, staring at the floor, bitter, upset, lacking any hope for the future. He glanced at his Keyblade laying beside him, questioning himself if he really was meant to wield it. Time and time again, all the training and strength he had obtained was always getting pulled from him, reducing him to a much weaker state: Castle Oblivion before having no memories climbing the mysterious building and after a year of sleeping to regain his lost memories, entering the Dream Realm for his and Riku's Mark of Mastery exam, and after he nearly lost his heart in the same realm while he was tricked by the Organization and nearly became one of their vessels. No matter how strong he got, it was always taken from him. Why bother trying if all his efforts would be in vain?

---

Upon exiting the Everfree Forest, the sky over the land was gloomy and bathed in a bright twilight, similar to the atmosphere of Sombra's reign. Quickly, the heroes all rushed into town, finding dark crystals sprouting up around the streets, and all was eerily quiet.

"No. He's already been through Ponyville," Twilight uttered.

"Did he...take everyone's hearts?" Aqua asked.

Thankfully, their fears were quelled when they saw some of the townsponies leaving their homes, but their eyes were glowing an ominous green. They were under Sombra's spell, slowly walking out of their homes and were leaving Ponyville, heading toward Canterlot. Applejack spotted her sister among the crowd, running up to her and tried to stop her.

"Apple Bloom, what's happened!?" she asked, but the filly continued walking. "Apple Bloom, it's your big sister!"

"He's hypnotized them with his magic," Riku grunted.

From the castle, Ventus gasped when he saw Donald, Goofy, Spike, and Starlight were under the same spell, but so was Manami. Twilight tried to use her magic to free Sora's mother from the spell, not wanting Sora to be in more distress if he ever found out she would turn into one of Sombra's slaves. Sadly, her spell backfired, Sombra's magic far too powerful for her own.

"I-I can't break them free," she uttered in despair.

Up ahead, Lea spotted Sweet Delight and Axle Beam. "Oh, please, not them!" Lea ran up to his girlfriend and her son, but when he saw their faces, they were under the same hypnotic trance. Panicking, he tried to get them to stop, but they ignored him. "Sweety! Axle! Wake up! You gotta recognize me!"

"We must lay siege to Canterlot," Sweet mumbled in her monotone trance.

Startled, he gave up trying to stop them, distraught to learn that Sombra planned to used everyone in Ponyville to lead an invasion to Equestria's capital. "This is bad," Lea uttered.

"We can't get through to anypony!" Rarity said after trying to stop Sweetie Belle, but had no luck as well.

"Nooooo!" Pinkie cried out, being dragged by one of Mrs. Cake's back legs while she and Mr. Cake pulled a cart with their twins in the back, the toddlers also under Sombra's spell, along with a horribly black cake with dark green frosting. Pinkie let go, bawling her eyes out as she pointed at the abomination of a pastry. "Sombra had the Cakes make him a black licorice fruitcake that says 'Congratulations to Our Favorite Supreme Emperor King Sombra' in green frosting! IT'S THE MOST HIDEOUS CAKE I'VE EVER SEEN!"

"Of course he would have too much of an ego to have that arranged," Terra muttered.

"What are we supposed to do!?" Rainbow asked.

"I don't know anymore!" Twilight exclaimed. "If Sombra forces us to fight them, I don't want to hurt anypony! Everypony thought I would do a great job leading, and this is what I was afraid of what could happen!"

Xion growled, but as she looked back, she gasped in shock at what was approaching in the distance. "Uhh, I think we forgot something else that the Tree was important for as well!" she said.

Looking back toward the direction of the Everfree Forest, everyone gawked at the foliage from the dangerous forest suddenly overrunning Ponyville. Vines stretched out and were beginning to surround nearby trees, bushes, houses, overwhelming them and covering them. Not only was the Tree of Harmony important to the Elements and protecting the world from darkness, it was also responsible for containing the overgrown and wild forest from invading the nearby town.

"Damn it! The Everfree Forest is growing out of control!" Aqua cursed. Looking back at Canterlot in the distance, then back to the overgrown forest beginning to invade Ponyville, the group were left with little options to rescue the world. Sombra was the worst, but if the Everfree isn't contained soon, all the citizens of Ponyville won't be able to return home. "We're going to need to split up. Twilight, you and the girls deal with the forest. The rest of us will go after Sombra."

"Aqua's right," Terra agreed. "Sombra's far too dangerous for the rest of you since you won't survive any dark powers he'll use against us."

Twilight didn't like the idea, but she knew it was the only thing that could be done. If she was able, she could help stop Sombra, but she couldn't leave her friends defenseless if out of control vines aren't the only things they need to worry about without the Tree's influence protecting their world. And Sora was left behind in the middle of the forest. She couldn't leave him there on his own if he couldn't protect himself.

"...Ok," Twilight said. She looked at Riku, who looked back at her, both of them wearing the same worried gazes. She approached him and the two hugged each other tightly. "Be careful."

"You too," Riku said.

The two parted, the experienced wielders running off past the hypnotized ponies of Ponyville to face Sombra. Twilight looked back at the Everfree Forest, summoning her Keyblade while Rainbow flew over to the nearby flower stand, picking up some gardening tools for her and the other mares to cut down the overgrowing mass of vines heading toward them.

"For our friends!" Fluttershy said.

"For our families!" Applejack and Rarity both added.

"For our home!" Rainbow and Pinkie cheered.

Twilight breathed in deeply and exhaled, bringing holding her Keyblade vertically in front of her. "For Equestria, and our world's light..." The chain began glowing brightly, calling forth her Harmony Link with Sora. Bringing the hilt to her mouth, she crouched low in a similar stance to the stallion's. "Let's go!"

She sped off with her friends hot on her heels with a battle cry. They weren't going to let their world fall to darkness and ensure everyone living here will be rescued.

---

Sombra stood at the entrance to Canterlot, his presence scaring the ponies who lived in the grand city. Though he planned to use Ponyville as his personal, hypnotized army, they weren't needed for his coup on the castle. When he approached the castle gates, the guards present spotted him. But as they were about to blow their horns to sound the alarm, Sombra easily destroyed them with his dark magic. Startled, the guards atop the wall had no idea how to stop someone so powerful, never getting the chance to scramble or alert the rest of the royal guard as Sombra swiftly flung them off their perch and into the moat. They hit the water with a splash, scrambling to get out with Sombra standing on the shore, waiting for them with a smirk.

"...Boo," he said, watching them scream and scramble away with their tails between their legs. He laughed at their cowardice, making his way to the drawbridge. "Pathetic defense. Why would Grogar need assistance when I am able to do this alone?" Summoning his crystal broadsword, he sliced the large doors blocking his entrance, then kicked it down, shattering it to pieces and scattering them all over the front courtyard. The other guards inside fled, leaving the castle and the princesses completely defenseless. Marching his way to the throne room, he blasted the doors open with his magic. Inside, however, he was astonished to see no sign of Celestia or Luna on either throne. Confused, he expected some form of retaliation with the alicorn sisters, but they weren't even here in the castle. "Odd. Have they heard of my presence and fled?

"Heh. This is so easy, I feel a bit overprepared for my conquest." Sombra walked across the royal carpet and stood on the dais where the two thrones of the sun and moon sat. Flicking his red cloak, it turned into a shroud of darkness, spilling it over Luna's throne. Appearing in the dark mist, Kairi now sat upon it, her body bound in dark chains with her muzzle gagged by a cloth of dark red. She was still unconscious and the dark crystal shards remained embedded in her horn to prevent her spellcasting. "If Sora is willing to risk his life for you, then I will be sure to break him before I run my blade through his weak heart."

"Sombra!" Barging through the destroyed throne room doors, Riku, Xion, Lea, Aqua, Terra, and Ventus ran in with their Keyblades drawn.

Chuckling, Sombra turned around, stepping down from small flight of steps to greet them. "This castle belongs to me now. Your princesses are nowhere to be found. They abandoned their kingdom to save their own hides."

The wielders were actually glad Celestia and Luna weren't here and Sombra was unaware they had been busy preparing for Twilight's coronation. "This castle doesn't belong to you. We're going to put an end to your reign," Riku promised.

Sombra laughed out loud, barely bothered by the weak threat. "What could you possibly do to defeat me!? None of you could land a scratch on me! You have no power to match mine!"

They didn't really know how they would last against Sombra with only the six of them. It was clear Sombra was far more powerful than anything they've ever faced before. Their own strength wouldn't be enough, even if they worked together. Without Sora, without the Elements, they stand no chance. But they weren't going to let Sombra get away with an easy victory. They were going to make him fight for it at the cost of their lives.

Riku growled, glancing over at Kairi. If anything, neither of them don't want to risk having her die by Sombra's hooves. Not just for Sora's sake, but for all the worlds and the other Princesses of Heart. He was dead set on wanting to kill her and her light. He had an insane idea brewing in his head, and he hoped it would be enough to sway him from ending Kairi's life despite how reckless it might be.

"...Well, if you think you're powerful now, the Organization must have really left out some important details to someone like you," he said.

"What are you blathering about?" Sombra questioned. "What is this 'Organization' you think I belong to? I work alone."

Confused, the wielders looked at each other. They thought that Sombra might have gone rogue with the Organization, but he really doesn't know about them.

"...You mean...you've never heard of someone named Xehanort?" Terra asked.

"Should I? I have no idea who you're talking about," Sombra growled.

"Then why is your body so resistant to light?" Aqua questioned. "How did you even return when you were destroyed?"

"I was brought back by a fool who thought he could order me around!" Sombra exclaimed. He approached them menacingly, tired of the derailment of questioning, forcing the wielders to back up slightly. "To work for weaklings like that, I'd rather stay dead than cooperate with those beneath me!" He then glared at Riku for his earlier comment. "And you. You still think I am weak? Must I show my power to you again and pin you on my new mantle!?"

"Err, alive or dead? Because alive is probably the smarter idea," Lea commented, earning a sharp tug on the tail from Aqua and a sharp hiss, shushing him.

"I know how powerful you are," Riku said, being cautious with how he chose his next words. "But...there is something that could make you infinitely more powerful you aren't aware of."

Shocked, Lea, Terra, Aqua, Ventus, and Xion looked at Riku. "What is he doing?" Ventus whispered.

Riku managed to peak Sombra's curiosity as he slowed to a halt. "...Is this a ploy to lower my guard, are you really foolish enough to tell me something like this?"

"What could we possibly do to you that we couldn't back in the Crystal Empire?" Riku answered with his own question. Sombra hummed, seeing the stallion's point, but if he was going to be distracted again by a sneak attack, he wasn't going to be fooled by a trick like that again. "You heard of something called...Kingdom Hearts?"

The other wielders blanched, horrified expressions on their faces as they gawked at Riku like he had lost his mind. "...Kingdom Hearts?" Sombra repeated. "Is it another Crystal Heart I was not aware of?"

"More powerful than a thousand Crystal Hearts," Riku exaggerated. "But it doesn't exist in Equestria." Sombra grunted, forging his dark crystal sword and thrust it at Riku. The pegasus flinched as the blade stopped a few inches from his muzzle, swallowing his fear as he continued. "Just by judging our appearance and our Keyblades, we're not from your world. We're from another beyond this one's."

"...Other worlds..." Sombra suddenly seemed interested, having grown curious about the wielders' attire and their blades that were once able to inflict pain upon him. "You mean there are other worlds beyond the stars?"

"Exactly. But Kingdom Hearts is known as the heart of all worlds, including Equestria's," Riku said. "They say if you are able to summon it and use its power, you could do just about anything you wish. Even be granted unlimited power. You would be unstoppable, not even the power of light could harm you."

Slowly, Sombra lowered his sword, leaving Riku to exhale, unaware he had been holding his breath after continuing his expository gambit. "Go on," Sombra ordered, grinning slightly in fascination.

"Riku, what are you doing?" Xion hissed.

Ignoring her, Riku lowered his Keyblade, baffling his friends as he was just casually conversating with the Heartless. "In order for Kingdom Hearts to appear, there are a couple different ways we know that'll summon it. One is by creating a war, with one side of light and another side of darkness clashing until it appears. But you need a specific number of warriors from both sides in order to do so, which would span in the hundreds of thousands...And they all must be Keyblade wielders."

Sombra snorted in irritation, part of him hoping for bloodshed. "Then is there an easier method, and much faster?"

"It may take a bit of time, but faster than trying to spark a war." He looked over at Kairi, pointing his hoof at the unconscious alicorn. "The other way is to find and gather seven maidens with hearts filled with pure light. They are called the Princesses of Heart, and Kairi is one of them."

Curious, Sombra looked over his shoulder and stared at Kairi. "...A Princess of Heart? With light so powerful...and pure..." He looked back at Riku, an eyebrow raised as he thought back to Flurry Heart injuring him with magic beams filled with light, albeit small and weak on appearance with her young age. "...The alicorn infant had the same light. Which means she is also another one of these seven special maidens?"

Riku hesitated, gulping nervously as he slowly nodded his head. "...Yes. Flurry Heart...is also a Princess of Heart," he admitted. "So, if you tried to kill either of them, then their light would be transferred to a new maiden in another world. You have two of the five princesses here in this world already. If you travel to every world beyond the galaxy, you might find another princess. You're strong enough to force them to summon Kingdom Hearts, and you would be granted what you desire; power."

The others couldn't believe Riku would break the number one rule to someone like Sombra involving the world order. But, despite how bad of an idea it was, they realized that he said this to Sombra so he didn't kill Kairi. Her light was far more important to protect, and Sora really would have been emotionally devastated if he were to go through with his plan to kill her and snuff out her light.

Sombra chuckled, bearing a toothy grin at the incredible amount of information he never knew. "That's all it requires? Seven princesses with that foul, purified light in their hearts, to obtain a power beyond my wildest imagination?" Riku nodded again in response. Sombra began to walk toward Riku again, making him step back as the stallion had a devilish glint in his gaze. "I must thank you for enlightening me. I will stay my hoof and not kill my captive princess." Riku had breathed a sigh of relief, his guard completely dropped. Sombra's grin widened, then dashed forward, slamming the pommel of his crystal blade into Riku's stomach, making him grunt and gasp for breath. "But their lives are forfeit when I take this Kingdom Hearts!"

Sombra then headbutt Riku, sending him flying back into Lea. The others tried to rush Sombra to retaliate, but his slashed his sword into the ground, shooting dark crystals up from the floor and slamming them into Aqua, Terra, Ventus, and Xion. As they flew back, he summoned more pillars of crystals around them, pouring his darkness into them, and conducted them with a powerful volt of dark electricity. The lightning shot out and struck each pillar, forming a web that painfully shocked the six Key bearers. They were trapped and dealt with hundreds of volts of dark lightning for several agonizing seconds before Sombra ended his spell. All six of them collapsed, their bodies twitching, unable to move.

Cackling maniacally, Sombra created six more of his mind-controlling helmets, hovering them to each stunned wielder's heads. They could only helplessly watch as their vision was obscured by darkness as the helmets slammed down on their heads. They struggled, but Sombra's power began to course through, turning the thin slits of the helms' eyes green, their struggles ceased as they were now under Sombra's control. Kairi started to wake up when she heard her friends crying out in pain. When her vision focused and shook her head, she gasped beneath her gag, watching Sombra slam his helmets down on Lea, Aqua, Terra, Ventus, Xion, and Riku, permanently controlling their wills.

Trying to move her limbs, she grunted, looking down at the chains binding her. Glancing up at her horn, she saw some dark crystal shards sticking out from her vision. As she tried to figure a way out, Sombra made his way back to the throne with his small army of Key bearers marching behind him. Kairi glared at the dark unicorn, leaning back until her head pressed against the back of Luna's throne.

Sombra dispersed her gag into darkness, freeing her mouth, giving her a chance to summon her Keyblade in her teeth. "What did you do to them?" she asked angrily.

"They are now my loyal soldiers, and they will help me get what I want," Sombra said. He leaned closer, pinning his hoof against her head to keep her from trying to take a swing at him. "Tell me, princess, where are these other pure hearted maidens of yours?"

"I'm the only one," Kairi growled.

Sombra growled back, not allowing the alicorn to be defiant with her. He slapped Kairi hard in the face with the back of his hoof, making her spit out her Keyblade, clattering to the side as he forced her to look him in the eyes.

"Your companion said otherwise," Sombra muttered. "The infant back in the Crystal Empire is just like you, a Princess of Heart." Kairi gasped, trying to glance at her mind-controlled friends, wondering what happened to Sora, and who told Sombra about her and the Princesses of Heart. "You must have some connection with the other maidens beyond this world. Locate them and I will send my minions to take them by force if I have to."

"I-It doesn't work like that," Kairi said. "We don't even know who the new princesses are...Why do you want them?"

Sombra growled, his eyes lighting up green in anger. "To make Kingdom Hearts mine to control."

---

Twilight grunted, slicing away at the incoming vines near her. Heartless also began to appear, forcing her to deal with simple Shadows at first as they went after her or her friends while doing their best to handle the invading forest. With her training these last few months, she was barely tired, but she would run out of energy soon, dashing between each of her friends to protect them from a stray Heartless that snuck past her. The Heartless began to grow more fearsome as Equestrian ones began to appear. Shadow Ponies soon joined the normal ones, then other equine Heartless that existed in the Sombra timeline began appearing to cause Twilight more grief. Iron Ponies stomped over the vines and shook the ground as they stomped toward her, Dark Pegasi swooped down, intercepting Rainbow Dash and began chasing her, and Unicorn Wizards launched volleys of elemental spells on the other mares.

"Whoa! What are these things!?" Rainbow shouted, weaving around the overgrown vines around town, the Dark Pegasi able to swerve tightly around the bends as she can.

"Pony Heartless!?" Rarity shrieked, yelping as she avoided getting blasted by a Blizzard spell.

"They're the same ones from the alternate Sombra timeline," Twilight uttered. "Oh, please tell me nopony in our world turned into these Heartless! They shouldn't exist!" Leaping away from a stomping Iron Pony, she cast a Magnet spell, sucking in the Dark Pegasi tailing Rainbow Dash. She slashed at them, then blasted them in different directions, knocking them into the other Heartless attacking Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie. The Iron Pony caught up with her and reared back, dropping back down to crush her in its mighty, metallic hooves. Blocking both hooves with her Keyblade, Twilight grunted, straining to hold back the heavy stomp. With a yell, she managed the push hard, sending the Iron Pony flying into the air. Leaping after it, she aimed at its weak spot on its back, slamming it back down to the ground and thrusting her Keyblade deep into its body, killing it. More just kept coming, and they weren't stopping. "This is bad. Sombra's dark influence must have created these Heartless. And without the Tree of Harmony, I don't think I can keep up if they just keep spawning."

Out of nowhere, an Iron Pony charged forward, ramming into Twilight and sent her crashing into her friends. The Heartless began to surround them, the six mares scrambling back up with the alicorn wishing for some more help. As if her prayers were answered, a bright golden light suddenly engulfed the area just as the Heartless were about to pounce the Mane Six. The blinding light faded, and standing before them, to their surprise, was Yen Sid and Mickey.

"Are you girls alright?" Yen Sid asked, keeping his horn lit as he and Mickey prepared to fight another wave of Equestrian Heartless that began to appear.

"Master Yen Sid? King Mickey?" Twilight uttered. "H-How did you-?"

"Master Yen Sid sensed a powerful surge of darkness affecting Equestria," Mickey said. "He came to get me to help, and it doesn't look any good with Heartless like these popping up."

"Sombra's back, and he destroyed the Elements of Harmony," Applejack said.

"Where are the others?" Yen Sid asked while blasting an Iron Pony with a Firaja spell.

"They went after Sombra up in Canterlot," Fluttershy said, letting out a shriek when she felt herself being pulled in by a purple Unicorn Wizard's magical gravitational pull.

Mickey flipped over the girls, slashing away at the Heartless, then shot a wild-flying orb of light that went after the other Unicorn Wizards. "All of them went after him and left you girls behind to fight these Heartless?" Mickey questioned.

Before they got anymore information, Mickey let out a yelp when one of the vines snuck up on him and grabbed him by one of his legs, flinging him around, preventing him from freeing himself. Yen Sid tried to help his pupil, but was hoisted off the ground by another vine out of his sight. The elder wizard's hat fell to the ground, unable to focus enough to even use a weak spell to burn the vines to release them. Twilight was about to help them, only for two powerful beams of magic from the sky to blast away the Heartless nearby. Through the clouds, Celestia and Luna dove down, summoning their ethereal weapons, striking down any surviving Heartless as they landed.

"Celestia and Luna!" Pinkie cheered. "Now we have a cavalry to save us!"

"But how did they know about-?" Rarity's question was answered when another beam of magic struck a set of vines that were about to grab them like Mickey and Yen Sid.

"I warned them." Approaching the group to help save the day were Star Swirl, Rockhoof, Flash Magnus, Mistmane, Mage Meadowbrook, and Somnambula. The other Pillars went off to stop the vines, Rockhoof easily snapping them apart and any Heartless in his way with his strength and trusty shovel, Meadowbrook with her different apothecary concoctions that dealt with the annoying weeds, Mistmane using her restorative spells to try to calm the wild, untamed forest, and Flash and Somnambula distracting the Heartless away from the sorceress, the stallion smacking foes away with his Netitus shield. Star Swirl the Bearded used his magic to cut the vines holding Mickey and Yen Sid aloft, dropping them to the ground. Mickey landed on his feet and continued taking out the Heartless while Yen Sid grunted as he flopped to the ground, letting out a small groan. "Well, now, it seems the old wizard couldn't handle a little weed at his ankle."

Star Swirl walked up to the former Keyblade Master, holding his hoof out to him to help him up. Letting out a grunt, he accepted the hoof and got back up.

"I could have, but I didn't want to let your magic shrivel up with YOUR old age," Yen Sid shot back, levitating his wizard's hat back on his head with a grin.

"Star Swirl, how did you know we were in trouble?" Twilight asked.

"I felt something terrible moments ago," he said. "By the look of the Everfree running loose and these Heartless swarming Ponyville, I was right to fear the Tree of Harmony was destroyed. It was as if a part of my essence died along with it."

"...Right. You helped create the Tree," Twilight uttered. She hung her head, feeling as though she had failed to uphold her duty as Equestria's present day Element bearer and as the future ruler of Equestria. "I'm sorry. We thought the Elements of Harmony would stop Sombra, but he destroyed them along with the Tree of Harmony."

Hearing the dark stallion's name, Luna paused after slicing down a group of Shadow Ponies. "Sombra?" Looking up at her ring, she couldn't believe the fact her beloved's darkness had made a return while the real Sombra currently exists within her engagement ring and the Dream Realm. "...How is this possible?"

"Then this explains the darkness I sensed," Yen Sid said. "Much like what happened years prior upon the Crystal Empire's return."

"Sora thinks that Sombra's body must have been a vessel they built for him," Twilight explained. "He was able to breach through the Crystal Heart's barrier, and he survived getting blasted by both our Elements and the Keyblades of Harmony."

Luna's eyes widened at the mention of a vessel. She felt the light from Sombra radiating from the crescent gemstone, sensing his desire to get his revenge for the monster who destroyed his life and credibility.

"Then our wielders from another world will not stand a chance," Star Swirl grumbled. "Not even Sora if he does not have those Keyblades."

Twilight gasped, nearly forgetting about Sora. With how wild the Everfree Forest has already grown and Heartless running about, he was too weak to move or defend himself from the wilderness and darkness beginning to spread.

"Sora's back where the Tree was!" Twilight exclaimed.

"What? He's still around here?" Star Swirl asked in surprise. "Is he trying to keep the heart of the forest from reaching too far from this town?"

"No! He lost all of his strength when the Keyblades of Harmony were destroyed!" Twilight said. "He can barely move after they were forcefully pulled from his heart...He knew Sombra wasn't destroyed, and...he blames himself again for failing us."

The Pillars had no idea Sora was rendered powerless. After witnessing him in his Harmony Form against the Pony of Shadows, his power to wield all six Elements at once through the Keyblades showed that the young warrior was their seventh Pillar of Equestria. The lights from the Elements were imprinted in his heart, and with their destruction, it had devastating effects to his own natural strength. Star Swirl had heard of the unfortunate news when Cozy Glow was the very pony responsible for Equestria's magic being stolen, even his months in depressing solitude when he chose to deal with his "pupil" by himself.

"Then we must find him," Yen Sid said. "You girls try to help the others in Canterlot."

"But what about the Everfree Forest!?" Rainbow asked, yelping as she avoided getting hit by a stray Blizzard spell from a Unicorn Wizard. "Or these Heartless!?"

"I can handle containing the Everfree," Star Swirl said. "Who else was able to control it before the Tree of Harmony was planted?"

"We'll help slow down the vines and any Heartless that come after you," Celestia said, Luna snapping back to her senses and nodded, twirling her scythe around.

"Then you won't mind if I borrow the rest of the Pillars and have them aid me and Mickey in rescuing Sora?" Yen Sid asked the other elder unicorn.

"He is a fellow Pillar of this world's light," Star Swirl answered without hesitation. "Even without the Elements or the Tree, I believe M was right in believing Sora was meant to be a protector of our world."

The other Pillars nodded in agreement with Star Swirl. They joined Yen Sid and Mickey and began their rough trek through the wild infestation and toward the Everfree Forest. Celestia and Luna covered Star Swirl, the two princesses hacking away at the Heartless while the wizard tried to push back the overgrowth throughout the town and back to the forest where it should stay. Twilight hoped Sora will be alright, gathering her friends and teleporting them to Canterlot to help the other wielders and make an attempt to stop Sombra.

---

Sora stared at the dark crystals around him. He didn't bother trying to move his limbs, feeling heavier than iron in his weakened state. He expected some pep talk from Jiminy, but he forgot the cricket was with Donald and Goofy while he holed himself up in his room for the last three months. It wouldn't have worked either way; he lost, Sombra won, and he let everyone down.

"Giving up already?" Sora's ears twitched, shock turning to ire at the voice who mocked him. Standing over his prone form, M leaned his head down, looking at the defeated pegasus. "Come on, Sora. I thought you were stronger than that."

"...Leave me alone," Sora growled.

"You can't get rid of me that easily." Stepping over Sora, M turned around, looking around at the scattered chains of the Keyblades of Harmony. "Even if you weren't as useless as a limp noodle sitting in a pot of ice cold water."

"Why are you even here?" Sora questioned. "Haven't you tormented me enough? I attacked Cozy Glow, just like you wanted."

"Hey, I never said to go berserk using the power of darkness and bash her until she was a helpless little ragdoll," M corrected. "I asked you to either give up her for your friends, or them for her. But, from your broody behavior, I'm going to assume you 'disowned' her, but you still care too much to truly let her go."

"You already know anyway, so why bother reminding me?" Sora asked. "You know everything that's going to happen. So if you're going to yell at me, tell me I'm useless as a hero, for dooming this world you once loved along with Celestia and Luna, then just do it, get it over with, and leave me the hell alone!"

M silently leered at Sora, barely uttering a word. Slowly, he stepped toward Sora as the stallion waited to get pushed around, be insulted, be dragged around the crystal cage and have his face pounded against it. He stopped in front of him, but his hoof reached for the Keyblade of Magic's chain in front of Sora's snout. The master picked up the chain, eyeing it, then let out a long sigh.

"...I did know that the Tree of Harmony would be destroyed," he said. "I knew Sombra would return, and he would be responsible for its destruction. I also knew the Elements of Harmony would be broken as well, even your Keyblades that held the same power as those precious gems. The Tree wasn't going to last forever, but it was enough time to help keep the light of this world intact." Sora wasn't surprised, but he had expected M to go off on him for talking back, yelling at him, and granting him a punishment he deserved. "But now, the light is going to fade, all because of one fatal mistake in your judgement. I could be harsh and tell you to grow up and stop acting like a big baby...but if I did, I would only change your personality. And your wife asked you never to change who you are. Right?"

"...What?" Sora mumbled.

Ignoring Sora's question, M began to walk around him. "I may have been a bit of a mule for what I did to you, but I had to in order for your heart to finally remove that veil over your eyes to see Cozy Glow for who she really is." He stopped and picked up the Keyblade of Honesty's chain. "Hearts are strong or weak depending on who decides to use them. Your heart is quite strong, and it affects those around you, good or bad." Sora couldn't move his head, but his ears swiveled, hearing M continue his stroll, then pick up the chain belonging to the Keyblade of Kindness. "Stubborn as you may be, your moral code surpassed those who even dreamed of trying to do good for others weaker than them. You give others a chance to redeem themselves, proving to everyone and yourself that these dark hearts can be filled with light again. Some aren't worth saving, but you go that extra mile to do so, which becomes a blessing or a curse if they decide to use your heart like a chew toy." M picked up the chain for Loyalty's Keyblade, then made his way over to Laughter's chain. "I think your mother put it best that you bring hope to all worlds you come across. You break the most important rule not to meddle in another world's affairs, but you do it so you ensure that world can live peacefully. And you do so without asking for anything in return, but others thank you and reward you for being their light to guide their way."

He picked up the Keyblade of Generosity's chain, then made his way back in front of Sora, seeing him soak in his surprisingly encouraging words. Sora was confused, having no idea what M's intentions are anymore, if he was a hero or a villain, or just some crazy psychopath from a distant past who wants to see the events of the future unfold in person.

"...I don't understand," Sora uttered.

"What I'm getting at is that you, Sora, are important to everybody you meet," M paraphrased. "Without you, Equestria, Disney Castle, Twilight Town, Traverse Town, your own home world, EVERY world out there...They would vanish in the Realm of Darkness forever." Grabbing the back of Sora's jacket with his free hoof, he pulled the pegasus up to a sitting position. Sora grunted as he was forced up, unable to stay upright as he leaned forward, planting his forehooves into the ground to keep himself from falling over. His limbs shook, still not getting what M was telling him while his weakened body protested against any movement. "You recall stopping Starlight Glimmer when she went back in time to alter one moment in Equestria's past to split Twilight and her friends and prevent them from ever being friends? I witnessed all of those alternate realities in that onslaught of butterfly and snowball effects with all those paradoxes. Oh, and, by the way, I want to thank you, Twilight, AND Starlight for giving me a migraine and a few anxiety attacks when those visions came up."

"You...You saw those?" Sora asked.

"Yup. And there was one key factor that resulted in that one little change in history. I probably don't need to tell you what it is since I know you know." Sora's ears drooped. Of course he knew the result of all those horrible timelines; he had died at different points in his adventure, and everyone had suffered in some way, not just Equestria. "Exactly. Without you in their lives, heroes, villains, worlds you may not have even been to yet, everyone would suffer a fate worse than what you think you're going through with your young, existential crisis."

Lifting his head up, Sora still wanted to know why he was truly this special, why HE specifically was the only one that mattered to everyone in the whole galaxy. "Why does it have to be me?" he asked. "If you already know what'll happen...why don't you solve it yourself."

"Because time is already a fickle mistress to mess with," M explained, sighing in annoyance while shaking his head. "If I fixed everything, then I shouldn't be here giving you this talk right now."

"But you got involved with Celestia and Luna," Sora reminded the robed master. "You were involved with finding the Pillars, the Tree of Harmony, all of Equestria. You had the power to save Luna when she let her darkness consume her, but you let it happen. You even made it worse by turning Sombra into a Heartless! How can you tell me it's my responsibility to fix a mess you made and everything else when you can do it so much easier than I can!?"

M quickly thrust his free hoof, grabbing Sora's jacket and pulled him closer, startling the pegasus. Sora winced, expecting to get punched for overstepping a boundary he didn't see, but instead, M gently lowered him back down, placing a hoof on his shoulder to keep him steady.

"...You don't think the idea crossed my mind, Sora?" M asked. "For many, many years, ever since I was able to foresee into the future, I've seen everyone within them go through their lives without my influence. But when there was one little thing I wanted to change to make it better for that one individual...everything else turns to disaster. Stop a villain myself, another rises up and does far more damage. Give Munny to a little beggar girl who was homeless and an orphan, my good deed turns her into a nightmare as she's older and spits on everyone below her. Exaggerated as that last one is, I've SEEN the scenario play out before I shoved that thought aside. The fact is, kid, whatever I see in my visions, I HAVE to stay its course."

"...You mean...you're just some kind of...observer?" Sora asked.

"...I had no choice," M uttered, his voice breaking as he lowered his head. "...Want to know the sad part? When I first met Celly and Lulu all those years ago...I didn't see a single vision about them as they grew up from adorable little fillies up until they were fully grown mares. They were the most...pleasant and calming years I've experienced, where my visions of the first Keyblade War made me anxious to plan to inform my own apprentices of what's to come. I thought that something I would do for those two meant I could help someone, play with them, make them laugh or tell them entertaining stories...To be their uncle they never had." He tightened his grip on Sora's shoulder, who was surprised to see someone like M about to break down in tears. "...It was only during their coronation and ascension as alicorn princesses when I began to see visions of their future as co-rulers of Equestria...

"I saw Lulu turn into a monster...Abandoned and unloved by her subjects, her own sister...her future husband...even me..." M's hoof trembled as he began to choke back a sob. "...After the Pillars disappeared in limbo with the Pony of Shadows...I had to disappear from their lives, too...And to create the evil tyrant who would take control of the Crystal Empire, I had no choice when I lured the clueless stallion closer, and turn him into a deadly monster to forcefully split him apart from Lulu. So many times since those visions came to me, I had wanted to save that sweet little filly from a fate she doesn't deserve! And I couldn't because otherwise, Equestria would have fallen to darkness in some umpteenth way!" He then grabbed Sora's other shoulder and shook the pegasus, looking him dead in the eyes under the veil of his hood. "You think I feel good doing that to her when she didn't deserve any of that!? To let her heart be consumed by darkness and create a monster who threatened to engulf their own world into darkness!? Because I don't deserve to be called to be a part of their family when I had to abandon them to keep the future from crumbling to pieces!"

Stunned, Sora was utterly speechless. M breathed heavily, his gaze softening as he slowly released Sora's shoulders, being careful he didn't fall over. As M wiped away the tears with the sleeve of his coat, Sora could somewhat see why M couldn't have intervened. If by some strange occurrence, anything he could have done before he was even born could have resulted in him not being born at all, or dying sooner than what he was able to learn from the alternate timelines. In a strange way, M and Sora had a lot in common, their roles highly important with keeping the worlds safe from destruction. M was the middle ground, forced to keep the balance between darkness and light, even as one side was going to win over the other.

"...I didn't know...you felt that way," Sora finally said after a long moment of silence. "...What I tried to do pales in comparison to what you've been doing for eons."

Sniffling, M managed to compose himself. "Nobody should, kid. Not even on my own worst enemies," he said, letting out a heavy sigh and cleared his throat. "But know that I understand what you went through. You want to help everyone, but in the end, there's only so much you can do to try to save everyone...It's impossible." He grabbed Sora's hoof, holding it out, then placed the six chains in his hoof. "But not when you're alone." Confused, Sora looked down at the six keychains, the symbols marking the Mane Six's cutie marks reminding him of that. "Equestria needs their Warrior of Light, Sora. The Tree of Harmony wouldn't have trusted anyone else if it didn't sense just how strong your heart truly was. So, don't let Her hard work go to waste after a millennia of preserving the harmony of this world."

"Huh? But...I can't take on Sombra," Sora said, looking back up at M. "Not like this. The Keyblades took away all my strength. I can't even move on my own feet."

"That hasn't stopped you before," M assured. He backed away, holding out his hoof as a glowing light began to appear behind him. "Are you going to stay here and feel sorry for yourself? Or are you going to get back up, keep trying, and fight for those you love?"

The light flashed brighter, blinding Sora as he weakly held his free hoof over his face, clenching his eyes shut. When he could see again, M was already gone. He wanted to ask for his help, but M probably couldn't offer anymore assistance aside from what he was able to in the last few moments. Sora looked back down at the keychains. He knew what he should do, but what can he do in the current state he was in? If he did try to go after Sombra, he wouldn't last a fraction of a second.

Instead, his friends went off to stop him. And save Kairi from his clutches. He really did give up, and because he lost his power and his hope, she was in peril yet again. He managed to get back up and try again, saving them from Sombra, and then he pushed them all away and gave up when all hope for Equestria died with the Tree of Harmony.

Sora, don't ever change.

Reaching his free hoof into his pocket, he pulled out Kairi's charm. He feels ashamed for letting the love of his life down, laying on the ground and watching her getting beaten by Sombra and kidnapped as his hostage for world conquest. He was going to throw everyone away over his own mistakes, for things he couldn't control. He quit on everyone. And he was going to make the biggest mistake of them all for doing so.

His gaze hardened, closing his eyes and placing Kairi's charm over his heart. "...I'm not losing anyone else," he said to himself. Placing the charm back in his pocket, he held the chains up and stared at them, then placed them in another pocket in his jacket. Sora then looked at his Keyblade, grunting slightly as he leaned forward to pick it up with his hoof, holding it up as his foreleg shook from its weight, but he kept his limb from dropping. "I am not going to give up on them." Gripping the hilt in his mouth, he grunted as he stood himself up, refusing to fall back down. He turned, facing the tunnel his friends dug out, slowly stepping forward. His wings painfully stretched out to help him keep his balance, limping slightly in his steps, but he fought back against his weak body's protests. "Hang on, guys...I'm on my way."

Sora reached the edge of the hole, slowly lowering his upper half down, then slid down to the bottom on his belly. When he came to a stop, he strained his body to move, getting back up, then looked up and began to climb his way out on the other side. It was a struggle, and though Sora slipped a couple times, he refused to stay down and give up again. Memories he shared with everyone flashed through his mind as he began to climb up, letting it fuel his ambition to be there for them and have many more memories just like them. He finally reached his front hooves at the edge of the exit, pulling himself up as his hind legs pushed up, crawling his way out. Panting slightly, he didn't stop to rest, getting himself back up on his hooves, and with more effort in his slow rush, he trotted to the mouth of the cave.

Racing as quickly as his body was able, he crossed the empty ravine and climbed up the natural staircase. He could see the Everfree Forest growing out of control without the Tree of Harmony's presence, promising the Tree he'll fix this mess and not let its hard work be in vain. Barely crossing several yards, he paused as Heartless began to appear and block his path. Slightly surprised to see Heartless he fought in the Sombra timeline were here, he grit his teeth, gripping his Keyblade tightly and prepared himself for a tough fight.

"Get out of my way," Sora warned. They didn't heed his warning, the Dark Pegasi reacting first and flew toward Sora. Resorting to use magic as his only means of defense, he was distracted when a spinning shield shot through the shrubbery, smacking the Dark Pegasi away from him. "...Goofy?"

Sora thought Donald and Goofy came through the forest to find him, but he didn't expect his actual saviors to come through the bushes and wipe out the Heartless in front of him. Flash Magnus charged through, ramming the smaller Equestrian Heartless with his shield out, Mickey zipping around and smacking away any stunned or distracted Heartless, Rockhoof charging in while laughing with enjoyment as he smacked Heartless with his spade, hacking down the thick foliage in his path, and Yen Sid, Somnambula, Mistmane, and Meadowbrook following behind while using their unique skills to back up the front line.

"Found ye in the knick of time, lad!" Rockhoof cheered, bucking an Iron Pony off into the ravine.

"Y-Your Majesty? Master Yen Sid? The Pillars?" Sora uttered in shock.

Meadowbrook, Mistmane, and Somnambula hurried over to Sora, the marshland witch doctor pulling out a bottle with green liquid from her pouch of potions. "Are ya alright, sugar?" Meadowbrook asked. "The others told us y'all were affected badly by the Tree of Harmony's destruction."

"H-How do you guys know what happened to the Tree?" Sora asked.

"Our souls and hearts were connected to the Tree when we planted it with M's help," Somnambula answered. "It pained us, but it did not quash the hope we still hold within our hearts."

"We refuse to lose our world to the darkness released by the monster responsible for destroying our beautiful Tree," Mistmane added.

Somnambula gently pulled Sora's Keyblade out of his mouth while Meadowbrook popped the cork on the potion. "Here. This'll perk ya up a little bit," she said.

Meadowbrook helped tilt the potion bottle for Sora as he drank the green liquid. It tasted almost similar to Zecora's version of their curative Potions, but unlike the zebra's masterful apothecary brews, Meadowbrook's was near instantaneous. His body did feel a little bit better, but it was enough for him to move without being slowed down too much. Sora shuddered after drinking the last gulp, not missing the gruesome taste of healthy medicine.

"It's weird how I can tolerate that 'flavor' after drinking several of those for weeks," Sora gagged, eliciting a giggle from the three mares. He looked around, finding no sign of Star Swirl among them. "What about Star Swirl the Bearded?"

"He's back in town with Celestia and Luna, keeping the forest from growing too far out," Yen Sid said. He blasted several Heartless with a flick of his horn, only to have more of them appear through a void of darkness. "They just keep spawning this deep in the forest. We must head back into Ponyville. Rockhoof, carry Sora!"

"Aye!" Rockhoof scooped Sora up in his shovel, flicking him up in the air and startling the pegasus. He fell and flopped onto Rockhoof's back, questioning if Rockhoof always did that to others in his time to rescue his villagers in his time. "Hold on, laddie!"

"At least I'm not thrown halfway across a huge city by a muscular person this time," Sora uttered to himself.

He held on tightly, his Keyblade returning to his hoof in a flash of light as Rockhoof ran forward, the others following while providing cover for the Mighty Helm shovel wielder. Rockhoof barreled through the path, slicing his sharp spade through quickly growing vines that tried to stop them. Not wanting to feel like the helpless warrior, Sora assisted in fending off the Heartless heading for them. Taking aim, he fired light bullets at incoming Shadow Ponies and Dark Pegasi. Sadly, they could only knock them back or stun them, his power still too weak despite Meadowbrook's helpful energy boost. It was enough for the rest of the group to pick them off with spells or striking them from those who have weapons.

They managed to escape without issue, but Sora saw the state of Ponyville without the Tree of Harmony's protection. The Everfree Forest was invading the town, constantly growing over the buildings and structures and threatening to cover every inch of the town in long, winding green vines and roots. Dark crystals were also jutting out from the ground, no doubt Sombra's handiwork. Sora worried if everyone in Ponyville was at least safe in their homes or managed to evacuate. In the center of town, Star Swirl was focusing his magic on pushing back the forest's advances, Celestia and Luna flying around helping to slice any stray vines or Heartless attacking them. Star Swirl spotted the rescue party, unleashing his magic and retracting a sizable amount of vines from the area.

"Thank the maker you are alright," Star Swirl said to Sora.

Rockhoof skid to a halt, letting Sora climb off his back, stumbling slightly as he tried to get back his footing. "Where is everyone?" he asked.

"We haven't seen any sign of anypony upon our arrival," Star Swirl said. "Twilight and her friends were busy dealing with the Everfree's invasion, but we took over and let them head up to Canterlot to assist your friends."

"I've got to help," Sora mumbled. He flapped his wings, trying to fly, but he couldn't flap hard enough and wound up crashing to the ground with a grunt. Frustrated, he stood back up and tried again, his body still too frail to exert himself. "Damn it! I can't fly...It'll take me days to make it on foot, and I don't have time on my hands."

Flash Magnus glanced around, spotting small cart nearby. "Then I'll help fly you up to Canterlot!" The warrior pegasus flew over to the cart, snapping off vines that began to creep over it, then dragged it over to Sora. "Climb on while I get myself hitched up!"

Sora nodded, grateful for the assistance. Luna finished cutting down a Unicorn Wizard, watching Sora make his way to the cart while Flash Magnus attached himself to the front. With the other Pillars, Yen Sid, and Mickey back, she flew over to the two stallions.

"Sora, wait!" she called out. Sora turned, wincing slightly when she heard Luna. After what he said to her and Celestia months ago, he regretted going off on the eldest sibling for what she could have done for Luna in the past. She wasn't upset with him, though he wasn't sure what she wanted. "Twilight told us Sombra is back. And...he was able to conquer the Crystal Empire in...a new body?"

"...Yeah. He was much more resistant to the light now," Sora said. "A lot of the members in the Organization I've beaten before came back the same way. Vessels made by one of them as a backup...I think they planned to use one for Sombra, too."

"...I see..." Glancing up at her ring, she saw it glint slightly, nodding her head silently. She removed her ring, startling Sora, never once seeing her take off Sombra's engagement ring up until now. "...Can a fragment of one's light inhabit these vessels? Make them whole again?"

"...I think so," Sora answered, though he was unsure of the theory himself. "It seemed to work with his Heartless."

"And if multiple fragments of others are in the same vessel...can they fight for dominance to claim it for their own?" Sora started to realize what Luna was trying to ask. It had happened with him and Ventus, and though he didn't doubt Sombra's skills as a Dream Eater, he didn't know if he was strong enough to battle against his darkness and reclaim what King Sombra took from him. He didn't have a chance to answer her next question, using her magic to hold out his hoof. She placed his ring in her hoof, entrusting it with him, giving him a pleading gaze. "My Sombra wants revenge for that monster's cruelty...and, if possible, to return him to the world of the living. You promised me before you would try to save him. I lost hope years ago when you said light would kill him. But now, I trust that this time, you CAN bring him back to me."

Sora didn't want to let Luna down again. He had failed her and Sombra, freeing him from the clutches of his Heartless, only for his life to end as he was saved. He wasn't sure if he would succeed this time, but Luna truly believed Sora can save Sombra. He nodded slightly, pocketing the ring in his pouch for safekeeping.

"...Luna, I will not let you down again," Sora promised. "And...what I said to Celestia when I was...I'm-"

"Bring my love back," she interrupted. "My sister and I understood you were upset. We know that human who verbally lashed out at everypony was not the real you."

Not expecting to be forgiven so easily, Sora sighed and nodded his head. He climbed into the cart, giving Luna one last look and gave her a Pinkie Promise; he will bring Sombra back to her as the stallion she fell in love with, not the monster wreaking havoc now. When Flash saw Sora was ready, he galloped onward, picking up speed and flew up into the sky in the direction toward Canterlot.

"This time, Sombra, you'll be back with your princess," Sora said to himself.

---

Twilight successfully teleported herself and her friends at the entrance to Canterlot Castle. With one problem on their hooves to deal with, the ease of their burdens only got worse when they saw what awaited them. Standing guard in front of the raised drawbridge and the walls surrounding the castle, hypnotized ponies from Ponyville and even Canterlot stood as Sombra's "soldiers".

"Oh, you have got to be kidding!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"He's even controlling everypony in Canterlot," Twilight uttered.

"Using everypony against us...This is crueler than anything any bad guy has ever done!" Pinkie shrieked. "...Maybe not as worse as Cozy Glow, but still WAY worse!"

"I can't believe he's forcing us to fight all of our friends," Fluttershy said.

"Not if I have anything to say about that!" Rainbow sped off, her speed enough to get past all the entranced ponies.

To her surprise, flying up behind the wall, all the Wonderbolts blocked her path, their eyes glowing green like the rest of the controlled ponies below them. Stupefied that even her own flight team was under Sombra's control, Rainbow didn't notice Donald on the wall among the crowd, raising his staff and zapping her with a Thundaga spell. Thankfully, her resistance to lightning only hurt her slightly, but she was forced to retreat back to her friends.

"Must protect our king," Donald mumbled in his trance, aiming his staff down at the Mane Six, ordering the Wonderbolts to dive down and attack them.

Twilight quickly cast Aeroga, catching all the Wonderbolts in her protective whirlwind, then pushed them away with her magic, sending them scattering across the area. "This is just getting worse and worse with each minute," Twilight said. "We can't hurt everypony."

"Well, we better figure out somethin' fast, because they ain't gonna hesitate!" Applejack pointed out as the ponies stationed outside the walls began to charge at them.

Twilight cast Graviga, weighing them down to slow them down without inflicting any injuries on them. Sailing above the slowed ponies, a familiar shield spun rapidly toward them. Twilight grunted and knocked it back, seeing Goofy behind enemy lines attacking them just like his mage companion. Donald flew down to join them as Goofy recalled his shield, then the duo charged forward to attack the mares directly.

The girls split up to deal with everyone else while Twilight dashed forward, ramming herself into Donald and Goofy. Twilight knew Donald and Goofy were hardened fighters and could take a beating, but with the other ponies around them, she didn't want to risk them getting hurt by either of their attacks. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy distracted the pegasi, Applejack, Pinkie, and Rarity dealing with the others, including the unicorns who fired magic beams at the two pegasi weaving and dodging their pursuers.

Twilight leapt back as Donald unleashed a close range Firaga between the three of them, guarding with a barrier and Goofy doing the same with his own shield. Using the momentum from the explosion, Goofy flipped and tossed his shield to the ground, landing on it and riding it like a skateboard. Turning hard, he headed straight toward Twilight again, given an extra boost in speed with Donald's wind magic. Jumping high, Twilight slammed flat side of her Keyblade into Goofy's neck, clotheslining him, his shield launching up into the air as his feet shot up from the impact.

"Sorry," she apologized, slamming the diamond dog hard into the ground. His shield came back down, clonking Goofy in the head, further knocking him out cold. She then faced Donald, only to gasp when the griffon began casting a unique spell of his: Duck Flare. Several magical fireworks appeared in front of him, lighting up and flying erratically before homing in on the alicorn. Twilight grabbed Goofy's shield, blocking the incoming fireworks. Blocking the ones that soared higher above her with the shield, she blasted the ones lower at her level with small Fire spells, setting them off as they made contact. "Seriously!? Magic fireworks!? What else has that duck withheld from me since we first met!?"

Donald squawked, summoning hundreds of fireworks around him. They all aimed at Twilight, making her gasp as she quickly protected herself with Goofy's shield. They struck the round shield, the barrage more powerful than the individual ones sailing about before exploding, and it didn't feel like it would stop anytime soon. Thinking quickly, she shot up into the air, dropping the shield and flew away from the fireworks. They still homed in on her, even as she picked up speed to keep her distance. She dove down behind Donald, ending his "unlimited" magic firework barrage at the worst time for him. He was then picked up in Twilight's magic and lifted up, being used as a shield against his own spell. Too slow to react in his hypnotized state, Donald squawked as he took the remaining fireworks for the alicorn he intended to aim them at.

With the last of the fireworks blowing up literally in the mage's face, Twilight felt his limbs go limp, his spell managing to do enough to knock himself out. Gently lowering the dazed Donald, the worst defense seems to have been dealt with, but her friends weren't faring any better despite their best efforts. They tried to avoid harming everyone, tried to incapacitate some of them without physically hurting them, but it's so much harder when everyone is basically someone the girls know deeply.

The girls regrouped, unable to stop their friends from Ponyville and Canterlot. "Oh, this is just impossible!" Rarity said. "We can't leave them like this, or hurt them!"

"She's right!" Applejack agreed. "We need to get inside!"

"I know," Twilight said. "We can't do anything for them out here. Gather 'round, girls!" Her friends huddled close to each Twilight as she used her magic to teleport them inside the castle. Luckily, they weren't guarding the interior halls, giving them a slight moment of reprieve. "We have to stop Sombra. It's the only way we can free them now."

"Yeah. Great. Stopping Sombra without any means of defeating him easily," Pinkie giggled nervously, feeling unconvinced that they can do this.

"Maybe if the rest of us had Keyblades, we could stand a higher chance," Rainbow grumbled. "I've gotten a lot more responsible, and I never begged for one for like...a few years."

"Well, like it or not, Dash, Twilight got hers by accident," Applejack said. "And there's already six of our students who have them."

"Couldn't we have tried to seek them out for help?" Fluttershy suggested. "Sandbar lives in Ponyville...unless he was turned into one of Sombra's guards, too."

"Conveniently, he and his family went on a little vacation trip to the beach, so thank goodness I didn't see them in the crowd of our hypnotized, not-evil friends controlled by the worst baddie in all of baddie-land," Pinkie said, spiraling into worry and devastation.

"They're still apprentices," Twilight said. "Even together, they wouldn't last as long as we did...I don't know what we can do."

Behind them, Fluttershy yelped when she felt something tug at her tail. Turning around, they all gasped when they saw Dizzy standing behind them, his eyes glowing green as he stared blankly at them.

"Must protect my king," the draconequus colt mumbled.

"Oh no! Dizzy!" Fluttershy cried out. "Not you, too!" Despite having a dangerous draconequus colt under Sombra's spell, Fluttershy picked up Dizzy and gently shook him. "Please, snap out of it! You can't let him take over somepony like you!"

A few seconds passed, the colt's lips scrunching as he began to snort with laughter. Shocked, the mares watched Dizzy blink, his eyes returning to their red iris and yellow sclera, faking the hypnosis.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist," he laughed.

"Y-You were faking!?" Rainbow shouted. "Are you insane, you little brat!?"

"We ARE insane, and I'll have you know that's ME you're talking about." Behind them, Discord stood, munching on a random pickle in his claw. "Seems to me like you girls are all in quite the pickle." In a small flash, a jar of strawberry jam appeared in his hand. "Or perhaps you're in a jam?" he asked, dunking the pickle in the jelly, taking another bite.

Fluttershy flew into Discord, dropping his random snack as he hugged him tightly with Dizzy squished between them. "Discord! I'm so glad you're here!"

"You're just now decidin' to help us when it's gotten this bad?" Applejack questioned.

"Well, I was sure all of you were confident with taking care of Sombra yourselves," Discord said. He pat Fluttershy's head, then lowered her back to the ground, Dizzy hovering out of Fluttershy's hooves and floated beside him. "But, I see no Elements of Harmony. No other princesses to assist you. And yet, surprise, surprise, Sombra is still on the loose. And to think I was going to set up a proper celebration for Equestria's protectors all along the castle." Snapping his fingers, several banners and flyers appeared around them with silly illustrations of each mare, though the ones with Fluttershy made her look more radiant and regal than her other friends' goofy expressions. "Maybe that was a mistake, too, if I was going to be yelled at for 'refusing to help'."

"Discord, we really need your help!" Twilight begged. "Sombra destroyed the Tree of Harmony, and the Elements! We can't fight him by ourselves!"

"Then why not just ask Sora to do the job? Isn't he the main character of this tale?" Discord questioned.

"He...He can't," Rainbow said.

"When the Elements shattered, the Keyblades of Harmony were also destroyed with them," Rarity added.

Both draconequui's eyes widened, looking to each other, then back at the mares. "Wait, they were destroyed, too?" Dizzy asked.

"Even worse, Sora's strength was tied to those Keyblades," Twilight said. "He couldn't even find the strength to stand, let alone crawl out of the cave where the Tree was planted. We...left him back there."

Discord and Dizzy winced, neither of them expecting the Keyblades of Harmony to actually be connected to the gems. They soon heard a crash coming from further down the hall, along with a yell a moment later, the sound of their voice surprising them.

"...Was that Sora?" Pinkie asked.

---

Flash Magnus reached Canterlot within a matter of minutes as they approached the mountain city's capital. Sora could see more dark crystals around the city, but when they arrived at the castle, both stallions gawked at the guards protecting the liberated castle. Everyone he knew from Ponyville was under Sombra's spell, even those he recognized in Canterlot as well. Laying on the ground, he could spot Donald and Goofy, possibly hypnotized by Sombra's influence as well and acted as one of the many of the unicorn's enslaved soldiers.

"No way," Sora uttered worriedly. "The Apples, the Cakes, Starlight, everyone from Ponyville..." His eyes widened, dread welling in his heart. "...W-Was my mom also-?"

"Incoming!" Flash yelled out, quickly diving down. Sora hung on, looking back to see the Wonderbolts chasing after them. On the ground, unicorns fired magic beams at them to shoot them down. The experienced soldier of the past weaved flawlessly from the anti-air fire, even with extra weight from Sora and the cart hitched to him. His maneuverability kept them and the cart from getting struck, but the Wonderbolts were built for speed and were catching up to them. "They really don't want us getting close to the perimeter! I've flown circles around dragons several thousand times bigger than me!"

Sora grunted, watching Flash speed up, rising and dipping to avoid the magic fire down below, keeping him from getting any closer to the entrance. Behind him, he saw Spitfire and Soarin stretching their hooves out, inching closer to the back of the cart. With his Keyblade, he inflicted Blind on them, startling them as they suddenly couldn't see with the veil of shadow over their vision and slowed down. The other remaining Wonderbolts continued to give chase, never letting up. Sora realized that there was no way they could outlast them and the other ponies down below, and even though Flash Magnus wasn't showing it, he was already getting exhausted from the evasive maneuvers and combating against the Heartless back in Ponyville.

"Go around the side!" Sora said. "And build up enough speed as you can!"

"What!? By yourself!?" Flash questioned. "What are you going to do!?"

"...Falling with style," Sora uttered to himself. "When I give the signal, fly away from the castle and get back to Ponyville to help the others!" Flash had no clue what Sora was planning, but he put his trust in the skilled warrior of light. Banking around to get enough distance, he flew up higher and higher, slowly angling himself and the cart behind him, then began to dive down, flapping his wings hard to pick up speed. Standing up on the cart, Sora held his Keyblade in his mouth, timing his window as they were close to breaking the sound barrier. Flash Magnus aimed for one of the window murals in one of the halls, ironically heading for the one featuring Sora and Spike defeating Heartless Sombra with the Crystal Heart's power and the Keyblades of Harmony. With a couple quick slices, he cut Flash free from the harness of the cart. "NOW!"

Flash angled himself sharply down to the ground, startled by the lack of weight he was pulling as he reversed his direction and flew backwards. He watched Sora riding the cart, then flip it over, using it as a shield to protect himself from breaking through the glass mural. The Wonderbolts were going after the wielder, threatening to hurt themselves while still pursuing him. With his back to the cart, he diverted their flight with Aero, sparing them from slamming into the walls of the castle or to the ground. Bracing himself. Sora heard the cart shatter the glass, destroying the entire mural. The cart slammed into the wall, shattering to pieces, followed by Sora as he let out a pained grunt, landing on the shattered pieces of wood.

"Jeeze. Good luck, Sora," Flash grimaced, making his way back to Ponyville before the Wonderbolts spotted him and gave chase again.

Groaning, Sora began to stand up, already feeling Mage Meadowbrook's potion fading away after the crash landing. "Not a smart idea, but at least I'm not cut up from broken glass," Sora muttered to himself. Limping out of the debris, he got his bearings where he was within the castle, then slowly made his way to the throne room. As he rounded the corner, he didn't notice someone yell and charge at him. Getting tackled by another mind-controlled pony, Sora dropped his Keyblade in the struggle and grasped the hoof that tried to reach for his throat. When he looked at who attacked him, his face paled and his heart sank. "M-Mom!?"

Pinning him to the ground, Manami leered at Sora, her eyes glowing and trapped in the same enslaved state as the rest of Sombra's victims. "Must. Protect. My king," she uttered.

"No. No, not you too," Sora mumbled. He tried to push his mother off of him, but his strength was fading fast. Unable to kick her off, he struggled to keep her hooves from choking his neck, but that was becoming a losing battle as he was internally struggling to hurt his own mother to get himself out. "Please...Please don't make me hurt you. I broke out of my darkness, you can break free from Sombra's spell."

Manami was too far under to hear Sora. He couldn't do it, fighting a losing battle. Luckily, running down the hall, Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow, Dizzy, and Discord investigated the crash and were surprised to find Sora here. Twilight enveloped Manami in her telekinesis, pulling the mind-controlled mare off of him.

"Sora, what are you doing here!?" Twilight asked, shocked, but mostly relieved to see he was alright.

Applejack ran over to help him up, leaning against her as he winced in pain. "I...got a lift," he said. "Landing could have gone better."

"I thought you couldn't move after the Keyblades of Harmony shot out of you like that," Rarity said.

"...It's still a struggle for me to move," Sora admitted. He stepped away from Applejack, nearly losing his balance, but he managed to stay upright. "I still think I messed up royally with everything months ago, even today...but I would never forgive myself if I gave up so easily on all my friends when they need me the most." For the first time in months, the mares saw Sora give them a genuine smile. "I may not be at my full strength, but I'm going to keep fighting til my last breath."

They were relieved to see the old Sora was back. Their moment was ruined when a massive ball of fire came down from the hall, headed straight for them. Twilight reacted in time, putting up a barrier around them as the fireball exploded. Dropping her spell and blowing the smoke away, they all gasped when they saw Lea with his Keyblade aimed at them, his head obscured by Sombra's helmet. Behind him, Aqua, Terra, Ventus, Riku, and Xion stepped in formation with the unicorn stallion, all of them under Sombra's control.

"Oh no. Them as well?" Twilight uttered.

"Why can't we just have a happy moment with Sora anymore!?" Pinkie shrieked.

"There's no way we'll be able to win." Sora wasn't going to back down, but in his weakened state and Twilight being the only able wielder among them to try to survive a six-on-one battle with their mind-controlled friends, they weren't going to win. Realizing Discord was among them, having heard nothing come from the draconequus or his youthful counterpart, who quickly snapped Manami into a magic bubble for Twilight after the surprise Firaga spell, they had a real chance. "Discord, you gotta help us."

"Why? You're here now," Discord said. "The seven of you can deal with this on your own."

"Discord, you know we can't!" Twilight scolded. "We just told you what happened to him back at the Tree!"

"But by helping you, I could end up making a big mistake and help the villain," Discord stated. "Or you just want me to deal with all your problems like your weapon of 'harmony'. Doesn't sound harmonious, and I'm the Lord of Chaos. Even I know that's just despicably wrong." Sora grimaced as Discord paraphrased his harsh words months ago. "I truly thought we were friends, but clearly, all the heartfelt truths I did bring to you all don't mean a thing if all anypony sees me as is a tool."

"But Discord, you do matter to us," Fluttershy tried to reason.

"I know you do, Fluttershy. I'm talking about Sora." Discord pointed his finger at the stallion.

"Seriously, now's not a good time for apologies when our friends are coming this way and ready to kill us through Sombra's brain-controlling helmets!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"No, he is right," Sora said, making Rainbow groan. "I was out of line, and I was in a dark place. I refused to see the light in it, but failing to stop Sombra for good, I realize just how different I became...Everyone else may think I'm not at fault, but I still believe I am. And yelling at all of you, pushing you away when you were all trying to support me...I felt like I really don't deserve to have you as my friends in that moment." The enslaved wielders were getting closer, but Sora ignored them. He winced as he lowered himself to the ground, begging in front of Discord for forgiveness. "I'm really sorry, Discord...I do understand if you can't forgive me, but if you won't help us for me, then help us for the girls...for Kairi...everyone in this world...I can't do this alone."

Discord pouted, playing with his goatee while leering down at the groveling stallion at his feet. Twilight began to panic, getting in front of everyone with her Keyblade held in front of her, glancing at her friends and the draconequus. Discord looked at the incoming wielders as they started to run toward them, leaping up with their Keyblades prepared to strike.

"...Fine," Discord finally said, snapping his fingers.

The controlled wielders were suddenly trapped in a massive cloud of pink cotton candy, inhibiting their movements as they struggled in their sticky confines. Sora looked up, watching his friends squirm, their bodies trapped in Discord's signature concoction. Sighing in relief, he stood back up.

"Thanks, Discord," Sora said, but Discord clamped his paw over his muzzle.

"No no no. I didn't do this for you," Discord chided, releasing the stallion's snout. "I am doing this for Fluttershy, and the thought of saving the whole world could give me the a new mural on the wall as a heroic Lord of Chaos instead of evil."

"And for us as well, right?" Pinkie questioned.

"Yes, yes, of course. And the lot of you, friendship and all that, blah blah blah," Discord droned on.

"He was also doing it for everypony," Dizzy translated. "But mostly for the fame and Fluttershy to reward him with a kiss for his bravery."

"Not true at all!" Discord argued.

"Ok. Then I'll take the kiss while you get the glory," Dizzy taunted, skipping over to Fluttershy, only to be grabbed by the tail by the older draconequus and held upside down.

"Oh, no you don't mister. That's my kiss AND my glory. No splitsies." Sora sighed, disappointed that Discord is still sore with him, but at least he managed to convince him to help them. With the threats inside the castle dealt with, Discord carried the pouting Dizzy and strut his way down the hall to the throne room. The mares followed him, Twilight and Sora slowing down as they looked back at the trapped ponies. Manami was still trying to bash at the bubble Dizzy put her in, failing to break free. The other wielders squirmed, unable to move or break free with their Keyblades or magic. Discord must have placed some sort of nullifying spell within the cloud to prevent them from using their magic. Sora promised to come back for them, nodding to Twilight as the two hurried after Discord and the other mares. Discord approached the door, releasing Dizzy as he cracked his knuckles, only to fly through and kick the door down. "Ha! Boom, baby!"

He and Dizzy struck a sassy pose, their entrance making Sombra turn around at the end of the room. Sora and the girls walked in behind Discord, finding Kairi tied up in Luna's throne. The room was covered in dark crystals, but when got a look at Kairi, they gasped, seeing bright red hoof marks on the alicorn's cheeks. Growling, Sora summoned his Keyblade and stepped forward, glaring angrily at the smirking unicorn Heartless.

"What the hell did you do to Kairi?" he demanded.

"Finally able to stand after your heart attack?" Sombra asked with a laugh. Kairi was worried, helplessly watching from her seat as Sombra walked down the dais steps. "Finally took your time getting here."

"Shut up! What did you do to her!?" Sora shouted. "If you struck her-!"

"If she weren't as stubborn as you worthless peons, I wouldn't have resorted to using violence on a unique type of princess," Sombra interrupted.

"W-What are you talking about?" Sora questioned.

"One of your mindless friends thought he could sway me into sparing her life with a delightful source of information I never knew existed. Hiding an immense source of power locked by the hearts of seven pure maidens across the galaxy; Kingdom Hearts?" Sora gasped, shocked. He looked back at the girls and both draconequui, confused and wondered who was stupid enough to tell Sombra about Kingdom Hearts. "The silver-haired one told me more than enough, and to be fair, he convinced me enough to at least spare your lover. For the moment."

"Riku?" Twilight uttered in disbelief.

Sora growled, shaking his head, and prepared himself for a fight. "You're not leaving this world over my dead body!"

"That can be arranged." Sombra dashed forward in his mist form, reaching Sora as he returned to normal with a dark crystal blade reared back to thrust at him.

Discord and Dizzy stepped in, snapping their fingers and sent Sombra flying back to the steps leading to the dais. "Well, that would have to be over MY dead body, Sombra," Discord said. Sombra landed on his hooves, snarling as he leered at the draconequus. "I'm the hero of this story now."

"Pick on somepony with power your own size!" Dizzy goaded.

Not wanting to be bested by the Lord of Chaos, nor the little fledgling lookalike, Sombra yelled and launched a beam of darkness at them. Smirking, Discord snapped his fingers, turning the magical beam into vanilla pudding. Baffled, but refusing to lose, Sombra continued launching spells, but Dizzy and Discord continued making a mockery of him by transforming his magic into random things that made them completely harmless.

"Sora had his chance in the spotlight, so now it's my turn to be the star," Discord said. He looked back at the others, timing his snaps without even looking at Sombra to cancel his beams. "You know, I really was betting on you seven to save the day. Although, if you think about it, being your 'friend', perhaps you always win because friendship wins?"

"...I...guess?" Sora said, confused.

"Batter up!" Dizzy cheered, wearing a junior league baseball player's uniform with a big helmet that purposefully covered his eyes and holding the bat upside down. Wiggling his rump while standing on two legs, he reared the bat back for a swing at Sombra's next beam. The bat suddenly grew fingers and snapped, turning the beam into literal cake batter, then he comically spun around, smacking the batter back at Sombra. Sombra sputtered, getting more furious as he was being made a fool of, Dizzy stopping his spinning, though his helmet continued until he stopped it by grabbing the thick rim and tilted it up. "Cake batter, too!"

"Agh! You insignificant little whelp!" Sombra roared.

"I'm way older than you!" Dizzy corrected, blowing a raspberry at the unicorn.

"Although I think all the credit for friendship prevailing over all goes to Fluttershy," Discord continued. "After this, we'll have a nice romantic victory dinner, and she'll lavish me as her savior and feed me grapes. But hold the grapes and leave the stems."

Fluttershy giggled, considering Discord's silly idea. Sombra paused as he overheard Discord talking about the yellow pegasus, and his relationship with her. Grinning madly, he fully charged his horn with darkness, lowering his horn to aim at Discord, but then redirected his aim toward Fluttershy. Kairi noticed and gasped.

"Fluttershy, look out!" she cried out.

Sombra fired, Kairi's warning getting Discord and Dizzy's attention, gasping in horror as time ticked to a crawl. The others noticed too, Sora unable to move fast enough, but Discord and Dizzy did. They both took the full brunt of the dark magical beam, releasing a pained yell as a traumatic sound rang out in the room. Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Sora, and Kairi watched both draconequui sail over the Mane Six and stallion, horrified by the impact and dead silence when the mysterious sound echoed around them. They both hit the ground, neither of them moving.

"Dizzy! Discord!" Fluttershy cried out, running over to them as tears ran down her face in fear.

The other girls rushed over to them, but Sora was in shock. He dropped his Keyblade, dropping to his rump as the hope he had just gotten back immediately faded away.

"...No...No, this is not happening," he mumbled, his shoulders slumping in disbelief.

Kairi grimaced and looked away while Sombra laughed. "Not even the Lord of Chaos can defeat me if his heart has gone soft!" he gloated. "Nothing in this world can stop me. Not the Elements of Harmony, not Sora, and certainly not Discord. I am a God of Darkness among you insignificant foals!"

Fluttershy cradled Discord's head while Rarity picked up Dizzy. "Please wake up, Discord," Fluttershy tearfully begged, nuzzling his cheek. "Don't leave me..." By some miracle, Discord let out a weak grunt, surprisingly still alive as he opened his eyes. Relieved, Fluttershy kissed the draconequus's cheek, hugging his neck tightly. "Discord, you're ok!"

"I...didn't think I would," Discord said, coughing slightly as he felt faint. "But, it appears I truly wasn't enough to stop him. I have nothing left to give."

The Mane Six were devastated, their only chance to defeat Sombra no match when he extorted his love and desire to protect Fluttershy. Sora grunted, unable to believe Discord was down and out as he got back up and joined the girls.

"No. You're not dead yet," Sora tried to encourage. "You have to keep fighting."

"I would, but...that blast was far more powerful than I expected," Discord admitted.

"And he underestimated my might, just like all of you," Sombra mocked.

Sora growled, fed up with Sombra's voice, but Discord grasped the stallion's hoof before he ran to his demise. "Listen to me. All of you," he said. "You don't need me. You don't need the princesses. And you certainly didn't need the Elements of Harmony." He let out another few coughs, looking at Fluttershy as he gently caressed her cheek with his paw. "Fluttershy, you will always be kind." Fluttershy sniffled, grasping his hand with her hoof. He then turned his gaze to the other mares. "Applejack, you will always be honest. Rarity, you will always be generous. Rainbow Dash will be as loyal as can be. Pinkie will always bring laughter wherever she goes. Twilight, you are and always will be the embodiment of magic." The other mares began to well up with tears, thinking this was going to be Discord's final words if the blast did more than they expected of the draconequus. Discord then looked at Sora, trying to hold back his own tears. "And you, Sora...You are the shining light that will break through the thickest darkness."

"...But...I can't," Sora muttered. "I can't stop Sombra now."

"You're giving up so soon?" Discord questioned. He grasped Sora's hoof tighter, still disappointed despite his weakened state. "You felt so confident earlier. Have you really lost sight of what's been in front of you this whole time? You're all here, together, willing to give everything you've got for this world. No one can take that away from any of you. Because, your true strength..." Discord released Sora's hoof, pointing his talon directly over the stallion's heart. "Has been right here...all along."

Sora glanced down at his chest as Discord's arm drooped. The draconequus passed out, thankfully still breathing the Fluttershy's relief. Sora placed his right hoof over his heart. The pocket close to where his heart lied held Kairi's charm. He pulled it out, glancing at the seashell charm, then to Discord. Rarity gently laid Dizzy next to him while Fluttershy carefully lowered his head to let him rest. Lifting his head, he stared at the Mane Six, all of them with tear-stricken faces, feeling motivated by Discord's words. As they looked at him, their eyes sparkled a rainbow glint in his vision. He let out a gasp, his eyes flickering with the same rainbow light, realization striking him: the Elements of Harmony weren't truly gone.

"You will need more than a sentimental speech to destroy me," Sombra said, amused by the draconequus's motivating final words before he finishes the deed.

Sora's gaze hardened, refusing to let Sombra get to him. Placing Kairi's charm back in his pocket, he summoned his Keyblade back to his mouth, slowly turning around, showing his more determined expression. Sombra smirked at the wielder's false hope, holding out his crystal blade.

"He's not wrong, Sombra," Sora said. "Alone, I won't stand a chance...but together, we've proven we can handle anything thrown at us." He began to step forward, Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rainbow following behind him as they all showed they were done cowering under his immense power. "You may boast about your power and the darkness you control, but you can't control us with fear. We're not afraid of you, or the darkness."

"You should be." Sombra reared his head back, launching a beam of darkness at Sora.

He blocked the incoming beam, grunting slightly as it began to push him back. It ended with a blast, making Sora yell as he was sent flying back to the girls, dropping his Keyblade as Applejack and Rainbow Dash caught him. Sombra smirked, but his grin drooped as he watched Sora get back up with the help of the farmer and Wonderbolt. Sora summoned his Keyblade back to his hoof, continuing his march toward Sombra.

"You can knock us down, but I'm not staying down," Sora grunted. "I refuse to give up on my friends anymore! And if you keep bringing me down-!" Sombra roared and launched another beam at Sora. He managed to block it again, this time, Rainbow and Applejack helped Sora push back as they stood behind him. With a yell, Sora swung his Keyblade, deflecting Sombra's spell, startling the unicorn as he knocked it back to one of the side walls. "-I'll just get right back up. Again-"

Sombra let out another yell and another magic beam. This time, Twilight stepped in, helping Sora block it with her Keyblade as well as their weapons crossed. They sent it flying back toward Sombra, making the stallion duck, glancing back at the hole it left, then back to the seven ponies with a snarl.

"And again!" Twilight added. Sombra began unleashing a barrage of magic beams, watching Twilight and Sora deflect them with ease. Somehow, Sora was gathering strength with the other mares helping from behind or being there to support him at his sides. "As long as we're together, we will NEVER stop until we defeat you!"

"Stop toying with me, AND DIE!!!!!!" Sombra stomped his hooves, unleashing every ounce of his dark power into a massive beam at the heroes.

Sora and Twilight both crossed their Keyblades again, blocking the beam as they struggled to push it back. They started to skid back, but they refused to give up. Twilight activated her Harmony Links to increase her strength, but it wasn't enough. Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Pinkie helped them push back, grunting in exertion. Light began to radiate from the six Element bearers, connecting all six mares like the Elements of Harmony had before. In a bright flash, the light forcefully pushed hard against Sombra's beam, striking him and sending him flying back, crashing through Celestia's throne and into the back wall of the room.

The seven ponies panted, the mares slowly rising up, in awe by the power welling from within their hearts. The light of their friendship they shared was just like the Elements of Harmony. It began to dawn on them that they never lost the Elements after all; their hearts WERE the Elements. Like the Tree of Harmony's gift, granting them new harmonious forms they hadn't used in so long, their power had been inside them all this time.

"What's...happening?" Kairi uttered.

Sora looked up, smiling. "...The Elements of Harmony aren't broken." Sombra roared, scattering the pieces of Celestia's thrown with his telekinesis. When he jumped back on the dais, his gnarled expression turned to shock, sensing the powerful light the Mane Six are releasing. Sora looked back at Sombra with a wide smirk. "You never destroyed the Elements of Harmony, Sombra! They've been right in front of you this whole time!"

"W-What!? This...This is impossible!" Sombra exclaimed in disbelief. "I took away your source of power! YOU HAVE NOTHING!"

"You're wrong," Sora said. "You can't break our friendship...And I'll never break my own friendships with everyone I love." Placing his left hoof over his heart, he closed his eyes. For all of his friends, his family, his home in Equestria and Destiny Islands, memories flashed through his heart and all the bonds he made all over the galaxy. "Friendship truly is magic...And my friends..." Shooting his eyes open, he gave Sombra a defiant stare. "ARE MY POWER!"

Above him, the girls gasped as their Element powers reacted on their own. At the same time, Sora's necklace began to shine brightly, the crown floating up slightly in front of him. He stared at his necklace in confusion, looking down when he felt the chains from the Keyblades of Harmony shifting around, then fly out and began to surround him, each one glimmering in a similar aura to each of the mares' respective Elements. Sombra began to panic, launching another beam of darkness at Sora and stopping whatever lightshow he was inadvertently putting on. It reached the perimeter of the floating chains, only to fizzle out in a bright flash of light.

"What is this!?" Sombra demanded. "What are you doing!?"

"...This light," Sora uttered in awe. "...The Tree of Harmony?"

The chains and Sora's necklace shined brighter, blinding Sombra as he roared in pain, covering his face with his hoof. The Mane Six fired a rainbow light from their connected magic, soaring over them, then dropped down and engulfed Sora and the floating keychains. The warmth from the light made Sora gasp, feeling his strength return to him.

"I shall grant you the last of my light," a feminine voice rang out in Sora's mind. "Be the light of hope for this realm, my Warrior of Light."

It really was the Tree that spoke to him, just like back when it rescued him and the Young Six from the sphere of stolen magic. "...I will," Sora answered, closing his eyes as his body was washed with light.

As the rainbow light continued to swirl around Sora, Twilight and her friends floated back down to the ground. They were wondering what was happening to Sora when six colorful lights shot out from the rainbow vortex. To their amazement, it was the Keyblades of Harmony, fully restored as if they were never destroyed. The Keyblades swirled above them, slowly standing upright and spinning slightly, hovering over each mare matching the Elements they represented. As they floated down, the girls all watched as they descended, slowing to a halt and hovered in front of them.

"What...What are they doing?" Twilight asked. "Don't they belong to Sora?"

"Well, they are floating in front of us, and mine's definitely Laughter with the silly balloons," Pinkie said. "Unless I'm supposed to be the one with the diamonds?"

"Pinkie, of all the times to be silly, this is by far the strangest time to do so," Rarity chided.

"Wait...you guys don't think that...?" Rainbow began to grin, a curious thought growing in her head. She reached her hoof out to touch the grip of the Keyblade of Loyalty, and when she grabbed it, her eyes widened as she felt a mysterious power flow through her, along with memories of combat. Though she saw Sora within this form in these flashes, transforming the Keyblade into its spear and daggers, and attacking foes in these Formchanges, it was like she was granted the knowledge to fight and use them within seconds. As it ended, she blinked and shook her head, staring at the Keyblade firmly grasped in her hoof. "...Heh...Hehehehehahahahahaha! Whoa! That was awesome!"

"Rainbow Dash, what happened?" Fluttershy asked.

Wanting to test something, Rainbow thrust the Keyblade of Loyalty into the ground, causing rainbow lightning bolts to rain down around the blade as it sank into the floor. It then popped up in a bright flash, turning into its spear form. Rainbow's grin widened as her eyes sparkled, twirling it around in her hooves with perfect precision. The mares all gawked in awe as Rainbow began giggling like her old fangirl phase with the Wonderbolts.

"Did you see that!? I totally did Sora's Formchange thing!" she cheered.

"But how!?" Twilight exclaimed.

"I don't know! It's like, when I touched it...all of Sora's memories using it just rushed into my head," Rainbow explained. "I think...I think it means the Keyblades of Harmony have chosen US!"

"For realisies!?" Pinkie squealed. "OOH! I wanna try!" Pinkie thrust her hoof out and grabbed the Keyblade of Laughter. She felt that same rush Rainbow had as memories and skills from Sora using this Keyblade's power went through her mind. As soon as she came back to her senses, she stared at her Keyblade, which began to inflate like a balloon before it popped and deflated wildly around her. They soon came to a stop in front of her, transforming into dual bubble guns in blue and yellow. "Wow! That was a doozy! And my Pinkie Sense didn't even go off on that doozy!"

"My goodness...have they really chosen us?" Rarity asked.

"Obviously!" Rainbow said, only to be disheartened when she glanced at Twilight, pouting angrily. "Aww man! That means Twilight has two Keyblades now! That's not cool!"

Curious, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight reached out and grabbed their respective Keyblades of Harmony. Their own flash of memories was just as intense as Rainbow and Pinkie's, though the former three were amazed by the power flowing through them as new Key bearers. Once they were pulled from the rush of combat experience, their Keyblades began to transform as well. Fluttershy's blade stretched out and coiled into a whip, Rarity's blade grew thinner as the teeth and guard snapped off, radiating different sparks of elemental magic in each one, Applejack's grew longer and created a giant flat-headed hammer, which she was surprised she could hold normally like Sora could, and Twilight's new Keyblade of Magic shrunk into a wand that exuded incredible magical power.

"Oh...Oh my," Fluttershy mumbled.

"Oh my, indeed," Rarity tittered, watching the diamond shards circling around her.

"This...This is incredible," Applejack uttered, giving the giant hammer a few test swings, barely feeling any weight to it.

Twilight stared at the wand, feeling her magic strengthened tenfold in its Formchanged state. "Now...you girls are also Keyblade wielders, just like me," the alicorn uttered in awe. Snapping out of her amazed stupor, she looked back up at the light still shrouding Sora. "But...what about-?" The rainbow light dispersed, and when they saw Sora, their jaws dropped in astonishment. Kairi let out a small gasp, and when Sombra was able to see as the light faded, his eyes trembled, feeling a more powerful source of light that came from Sora than his Harmony Form had unleashed. "...Sora?"

Sora floated in place, hovering off the ground by a mysterious force as his wings remained at his sides. His clothes changed to a pure white, but all around his jacket, there were the symbols of each of the Mane Six's cutie marks placed around the clothing. Each one was the same color of each mare's exact cutie mark, but in the center on his chest was a large crown-shaped symbol of bright silver. His spiky hair, even his facial hair, turned into a bright white, his mane flowing calmly just like Celestia and Luna's in an ethereal breeze. As he straightened his body up, he opened his eyes, his irises shimmering into a rainbow before settling on a light gold, staring intensely at the suddenly nervous Sombra.

Slowly lifting his right foreleg out to the side, light began to appear and build up in his hoof, then flashed brightly as a new Keyblade was forged. It appeared in the others' line of view at its thinnest, but when he twisted around, the mares gasped at its design. The blade stretched as long as the Ultima Keyblade had, even bearing the similar wire-like spiral wrapping around it, but the thin spirals were colored in bright purples and blues, just like the Tree of Harmony's bark. The actual blade within the wired twists were split in three, the two ends rising and curving up to the end, forming the shape of a heart, and the middle one stopped in the center and shaped into a crown similar to Sora's necklace. The guard was in the shape of a pair of angel wings with little pieces connected to them by a couple centimeters with little star shapes on the upper portion next to where it met the base of the spirals, like the wings were radiating light as they were spread out. And hanging from the hilt was a chain of clear crystal, linked in a heart-shaped pattern, and connected to a six-pointed wayfinder at the end of the keychain. Within the star-shaped chain, a silver crown rested in the center, and the arms each had all of the Mane Six's cutie marks inside.

"A new form?" Kairi uttered.

"...No..." Sombra clenched his teeth, growling angrily. "No! I will not allow this!" Slamming his hooves to the floor, Sombra shot up dozens of large pillars of dark crystals in the room. The Mane Six yelped, leaping back as they were blocked off from Sora. "You're supposed to have no power over me! You will never destroy me! And I will end your weak light as well as your worthless life!"

He charged forward with a roar, leaping high and bringing his crystal blade down on top of Sora. Sora swiftly raised his new Keyblade, blocking Sombra's sword, but also shattering it, turning the darkened shards of crystal into nothingness. Sombra stared in bewilderment, then gagged when Sora shot his left hoof forward and grabbed the Heartless by his neck. Sombra grasped the stallion's hooves, wincing in pain as he felt pure light radiating from his body, trying to wriggle out of his grip. Sora lowered him, leering at him eye to eye, then with a flick of his new Keyblade, the sliced behind him, shattering the dark crystals from where he floated to the entrance of the throne room.

"...Is my light weak now?" Sora questioned. Sombra suddenly began to feel threatened, despite trying his hardest not to show it. "What you've done...it's inexcusable. You are a monster who should have never existed. You go so far as to threaten the life of a baby, and you attack and hurt my princess, physically assaulting her to learn more about Kingdom Hearts and the power you can wield with it." Pulling Sombra closer, bumping his snout against his, Sora grit his teeth and tightened his grip around Sombra's neck. "Buddy, you just barked up the wrong tree..." Sora then grinned, spinning around and slamming Sombra hard into the ground, right in front of the stunned Mane Six. "You'll be the perfect test dummy for my friends, and their new Keyblades." Hovering off of Sombra, he flew back to the raised dais, landing beside Kairi. A quick swing broke her chains binding her, and a flash of light appeared around the pink alicorn, healing the painful smacks Sombra inflicted on her face. She then yelped as she was lifted out of the throne, Sora taking her spot, then being seated in the stallion's lap. "Begin thrashing the brute to your hearts' desire, fair maidens of the Elements!"

"...Sora, are you...are you feeling alright?" Kairi asked, only to squeak when he pulled her in for a deep kiss.

After a minute, he finally pulled away, stunning the alicorn as she blinked at him. "A whole lot better," he said with his cheeky grin, but it wilted to a frown as he gently pressed his forehead to hers, leaving her awe from the calming warmth that radiated from his new form. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to rescue you sooner...I'm sorry I pushed you away. I lost sight of myself for one small mistake...And if I lost all of you, I would have been hurt far more than what Cozy Glow did to me." She blushed when she felt his hoof run along her short hair, then gently cup her cheek. "Forgive me?"

Kairi smiled, bringing her lips back to Sora's for a more passionate kiss. "I'll always love you no matter what dumb stunt you pull," she assured. "I'm just happy to have the silly, childish man I fell in love with again." Sora grinned, letting out a small laugh as he cuddled with her. "But...are you really going to just sit here with me and watch the others fight Sombra? And...are the others really new wielders?"

"Just watch," Sora said, holding Kairi tightly as he waited with anticipation.

Sombra groaned, picking himself off the floor. Rubbing his neck, he winced as he felt Sora's hooves burned into his flesh. He stared down the Mane Six, who were a little baffled by Sora's proclamation, acting like a king watching a show with Kairi sitting in his lap.

"I don't know what he's up to, but if he wants to watch you six die, then I will gladly-" Sombra didn't finish his sentence when his neck was suddenly wrapped by the Element of Kindness's whip form.

He choked as the whip pulled taut, eyeing Fluttershy, not expecting the timid pegasus to be the first one out of them to strike first. Even her friends were surprised, but the harsh glare of her Stare was enough for them to know why she decided to go first.

"How dare you hurt my Discord?" Fluttershy growled. Sombra tried to pull away, but to his surprise, Fluttershy was much stronger than she seemed. She yanked hard, making him choke and sent him stumbling forward, pulling the whip tighter. "I hate monsters like you who hurt my friends. But don't you EVER hurt my coltfriend! EVER!"

With the loudest yell the quiet pegasus has ever made, she flicked the whip down hard, sending Sombra crashing face first into the floor. She then flung Sombra up, releasing his neck, then rapidly swung it to really give the unicorn a painful whipping. Helplessly floating in midair from the barrage of swift strikes, Fluttershy stopped, flying up, then wrapped the whip around Sombra's back left leg. She yanked him up after her, then quickly dove back down and flipped around, sending him crash landing back to the hard floor, leaving a slight imprint of his stunned form. Fluttershy landed, cracking the whip a few times as she coiled it up in her hoof, gripping the end and stretched it out, prepared to whip him some more.

"Whoohoo! Nice one, Fluttershy!" Pinkie cheered.

"And now he knows never to cross Fluttershy," Rainbow said. Sombra grunted, still able to move after Fluttershy startled him with her new "taming" skills. Rainbow grinned, feeling electricity course through her lance. "My turn!"

Sombra quickly looked at Rainbow as she dashed toward him. Growling, he phased away from her in his mist form. Rainbow snickered, zipping past him faster than he could blink, followed by powerful volts of electricity striking at him in his incorporeal form. Roaring, his body was forced back to his physical state, leaving him wide open for Rainbow to rush in and strike Sombra with lightning fast speed. Even if his body weren't temporarily stunned, he couldn't have evaded each thrust or spiraling slash hitting him. Each blow added a jolt of lightning to rain down on him, further adding more pain with the passive lightning spells. Rainbow then leapt up to the ceiling, her double-sided lance sparking with electricity before she lunged down at Mach speed, landing on Sombra and shocked him with a powerful bolt of rainbow lightning on his back.

Rainbow laughed with excitement, flipping back to her friends while Pinkie Pie bounced up to Sombra, her double bubble guns hopping along behind her. Sombra panted as he got back up, only to look up to face the barrel of Pinkie's guns, one for each eyeball.

"Draw, pardner!" Pinkie exclaimed, grabbing the guns, then unleashed a barrage of bubbles in Sombra's face. They popped in his face, burning him as he staggered backward, failing to smack them away as they only inflicted pain to his hooves. Pinkie began hopping around, spinning and flipping, pulling off silly tricks while constantly firing an infinite number of bubbles at the Heartless. "WHEEEEEEEE! Bubble party!"

She fired stray bubbles, letting them spiral up and hover above Sombra. They began to merge, forming a massive bubble, threatening to pop if a dozen more were to be added. She gave Sombra a small breather, watching him pant and growl, squinting his eyes after getting blasted point blank in the face.

"You insufferable, crazy mare!" Sombra yelled. "What is your brain made of to be this mad!? Quartz!?"

"Hey, leave my mommy out of this!" Pinkie shrieked, twirling her guns before setting them in her invisible holsters at her sides. The bubble then dropped down on Sombra like a one ton weight, crushing him to the floor as he gagged from the now heavy bubble before it popped, laughter echoing as a gravitational force sucked the stallion up and suspended him in midair. Pinkie huffed and turned away, hopping back to her spot. "The nerve of some baddies being mommy haters. Who wants a go next!?"

"Want me to go?" Applejack asked the fashionista.

"I think I'm ready to go next, actually," Rarity said.

With her rapier held in her magic aura, she waited as Sombra dropped to the ground. He snarled, landing on his hooves, creating a new crystal broadsword and roared as he ran toward Rarity. She continued to patiently wait for the right moment, and as Sombra began to slice at her, she twirled and leapt back. The moment one of her back hooves touched the ground, she lunged forward, thrusting her rapier straight through Sombra, followed by a small explosion of fire that burned the stallion. Turning around, she swung the thin crystal-like blade, each strike she landed adding an elemental flair to her attacks that sent him stumbling away from her. He retaliated by thrusting her blade, but missed as she elegantly backflipped, her curly tail narrowly getting hacked off, and landed gracefully on his sword. Rarity bounded off the blade, spiraling over Sombra while stabbing at the stallion, confusing him as she seemed to miss striking him. Landing behind him, Rarity posed like a ballerina finishing her dance, causing a swift barrage of elemental spells to blow up right in Sombra's face.

Sombra yelled as he was blasted off toward Applejack, Rarity giving her the next shot. Applejack swung upward, smacking Sombra with the apple-shaped hammer head, launching him straight to the ceiling. Sombra crashed through the roof, leaving a sizeable hole, but he growled, phasing into mist and diving back down into the castle. He shifted and began to thrust his blade down on Applejack, only to be met with her powerful hind legs straight to the gut. The painful buck caused him to gag, leaving him winded and suspended a couple inches off the ground as Applejack spun around. Swinging her giant hammer, she struck him and continued spinning, trapping Sombra against the hammerhead for a few seconds before she leapt, letting out a grunt and bringing her hammer down to strike the ground. Hard. The impact caused the whole mountain to shake, cracking the solid marble floor spanning over a dozen feet from the impact spot.

Applejack removed the hammer from the ground, revealing Sombra in a painful daze, his eyes bloodshot and seething with fury as he was being bested by each Keyblade of Harmony, one by one. The only one left was Twilight's turn with her second Keyblade. Her magic focused with Magic's power, increasing the level of her spells by several margins. She yelled with a flick of the wand, creating a massive meteor in the room and crashing it down on Sombra. The flaming rock exploded in a sea of flames, only shrouding Sombra as he let out a roar from his singed body. After they died out, he leered at the lavender alicorn, but the first step he took, lightning began to rain down around him. He backed up, jumping as he nearly felt a bolt almost strike at his tail. He looked around for an escape, but lightning strikes consistently rained down and enclosed him into the center, trapping him as the last bolt turned into a massive pillar of crackling electrical energy. Paralyzed, the wind began to chill around him and started to wildly spiral around him. Combining her most powerful Blizzard and Aero spells, Twilight waved her wand as it shimmered with magical energy, then thrust it forward, creating a massive hurricane around Sombra, raining down huge chunks of ice in a deadly hailstorm. Losing his footing, Sombra was picked off by the powerful gale winds, his body battered by the magical hail as it swirled in the opposite direction he was flailing in.

Twilight spread her wings and dove into the hurricane, confronting Sombra with all her Harmony Links activating at once. She started teleporting around Sombra, warping up close to slash away at him while alternating with different magic spells at a distance, keeping him in a constant state of pain with her deadly hailstorm. One last upward slash sent Sombra flying up to the ceiling once more as the magical storm died down. Twilight teleported above Sombra, telekinetically holding Magic's wand form to the tip of Harmony, building a glowing light as the wand rapidly spun in place.

"ULTIMA!" Twilight shouted, unleashing a bright orb of energy point blank into Sombra's chest.

The orb intensified in size and brightness as it exploded around the dark stallion, engulfing the room in a blinding light. Sombra yelled as he was sent flying back down, hitting the ground and bouncing painfully back toward the dais, heading straight for Sora and Kairi. Sora teleported the two of them to safety while Sombra crashed into Luna's throne, destroying it as well. Twilight floated down and stood beside her friends, ready to unleash more pain to the Heartless unicorn. Stunned, Kairi was still held in Sora's hooves, amazed by what she had just witnessed.

"H-How?" Kairi uttered. "Twilight, I get, but...the others have no experience."

"It was...quite exhilarating," Rarity answered. "I saw images of Sora using those very same moves, and...it's like I had KNOWN how to fight like that as long as he had."

"Almost like pure instinct," Applejack added.

"And it was super awesome!" Rainbow squealed. "I finally have my very own Keyblade!"

"And after begging since season one of this story, we ALL have Keyblades!" Pinkie cheered with a wide grin.

"Don't celebrate just yet," Sora said. "We're not done with Sombra."

Under the debris of Luna's throne, Sombra growled as darkness began to radiate out of control rom his body. He stood up with a mighty, distorted, demonic roar, shattering the windows in the room and blowing the pieces of cushion, wood, and metal from the thrones away. His eyes now glowed a blood red in his fury, the purple mist flowing like a torrential river in a flood and mixed with the aura of darkness billowing around him. Kairi grew pale at how strong Sombra's darkness was. He had been holding that all back this whole time, and is only now unleashing the one thousand years of darkness built up from his banishment to the shadows. Sora lowered Kairi down and hovered in front of her and the Mane Six, barely phased by the unicorn's enraged power boost.

"I...will NOT...be humiliated by you insufferable, meddling 'heroes'!" Sombra shouted. "This is MY world! I AM THE ALL POWERFUL EMPORER SOMBRA! I WILL NOT BE DENIED WHAT IS MINE!"

His horn suddenly burst with darkness, channeling all of his power inside as the darkness grew and grew with such intensity. He let out an ear-splitting roar, lowering his head and firing a beam of darkness that spanned the width of the entire throne room. The girls winced and began to brace themselves, but Sora grunted, holding up his left hoof. The beam struck his hoof, blocking it with ease as the light around his body increased in power, stopping it in its tracks. Sombra growled, pouring more of his magic into it, but Sora didn't budge. He kept the beam held back, letting Sombra use up all of his energy and leave him vulnerable. Feeling the beam grow weaker after several long seconds, Sora thrust his Keyblade into the dark beam, shining a bright light and pierced through it. Sombra's eyes widened, failing to cut it off before the tiny beam struck his horn, forcefully rearing his head back as he roared from the painful magical backlash in his skull.

He grabbed his head, unable to see as he nearly crumbled from the splitting migraine he just received. "This world doesn't belong to a monster," Sora said. The Keyblades of Harmony returned to their original forms in the Mane Six's hooves, ready to use their power and their light to finally put an end to the Heartless unicorn king. "Ladies, let's show him what's truly the strongest power of all."

The Mane Six nodded, all six mares following Sora's lead as they placed a hoof over their hearts and closed their eyes, their light shining through as the Element bearers began to float in the air.

"For our friends," Fluttershy said.

"For our families," Rarity and Applejack said together.

"For our home," Rainbow and Pinkie said together.

"For Equestria," Twilight said.

"For the light," Sora said. He shot his eyes open, and as one, the seven bearers spun their Keyblades in perfect synchronization, then thrust them forward and twist them with the teeth facing downward. The Mane Six's eyes flashed white as they opened theirs, colorful lights building around the end of their blades with Sora's building a white so bright and pure, it held a similar light to a Princess of Heart's. Together, they fired their beams of light to one point in front of them, releasing a bright rainbow of light that shot forward and flew toward Sombra. Just as Sombra had his vision return, he screamed with fury as the light surrounded him, trapping him as it began to burn him. His body was holding out, but he was wracked with unbearable pain. "Keep it going, girls!

"Just one more thing." He dug into his pouch, pulling out Luna's engagement ring. He flapped his wings, flying into the endless rainbow beam, coming to a stop in front of Sombra, watching him yelling and growling, his eyes growing wide with rage at his presence. "I could destroy you here and now. Or maybe, just push you right into the Elements slowly constricting light so it can burn you slowly and painfully." He held the ring up in front of the Heartless, the gem sparkling with the real Sombra's light. "But someone else deserves to get some payback for what you've done."

"W-What...are you...talking about!?" Sombra questioned.

"Time for a reunion." Sora tossed his Keyblade, letting it fly and press into Sombra's back as he grabbed the unicorn's head.

"What are you doing!?" Sombra demanded as he tried to struggle out of the pegasus's grip, but he held his neck still, aiming the ring to go over his curved red horn. "No! What is in that ring!? NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Sora grunted, slipping the lunar-shaped ring through his horn. Sombra yelled as his eyes glowed a bright white, his vision fading as his own cries of agony echoed through his eardrums.

---

Gasping, Sombra looked around as his vision returned. He was no longer in Canterlot Castle, and there was no sign of Sora or the Element bearers. All he could see was a vast void of blackness, but it wasn't darkness, nor the shadows he had been banished to before. The only source of light illuminating him and the mysterious realm was below him. An image of himself ruling a ruined Crystal Empire with crystal ponies enslaved by his dark power in a blood-red background.

"...What is this? Where am I!?" Sombra questioned. "Where did you place me, colt!?"

"You should know where this is." His ears perked, hearing his own voice, but with less malice. Behind him, a light shone down on the other side of the platform he stood on, which began to transform in a bright light. Sombra grunted as he was blinded, but when he looked down once it subsided, the image beneath him had changed. On his right, there was half of his face with a sinister grin, glowing green eyes seeping purple mist with a destroyed Crystal Empire in the distance, but the left had another version of him, a normal unicorn stallion with matching fur and manestyle, but his eyes were a bright green, and behind him was a glittering Crystal Empire under a starry sky and full moon, and within that moon was an image of Princess Luna. Hearing a set of hooves clop from a soft landing, he turned around, staring at the real Sombra, who glared at his darker half with a sneer of determination. "But since you never had a heart, you wouldn't know, would you?"

King Sombra was baffled to see his other self still alive. "How do you still live?"

"A similar question I should be asking you," Sombra said. "The light of the Crystal Heart killed us both, but my light was not truly gone. By a miracle, a fragment of my heart found its way into the very ring Sora placed around your horn. That ring was going to be used to propose to the mare I love, but because of you, I could not bear to break her heart and show her what came out when I met the wielder who was my lover's uncle." A pillar of bright blue crystal shot up in front of Sombra, swiping his hoof at it, causing it to shatter and form into a bright blue crystal broadsword. Holding the blade in his magic, he stared down the Heartless with anger. "You destroyed my life and made a mockery of my name and my image. So now, I will take back what rightfully belongs to me."

King Sombra's lips curled into a grin, his laughter quiet before turning into an uproarious cackle. "Is this Sora's grand plan!? After all of that, he's choosing to let an inferior version of me try to take my life!?" Similar with the real Sombra, the Heartless created a pillar of dark crystal, forging his own dark crystal broadsword, pointing it at the confident stallion. "You were never able to fight back! Your heart gave in to my power! You will only fail again!"

"Not this time," Sombra assured. "I believe in Sora. Despite battling you, he believed that I could face you and take back what was stolen from me. He was tasked with bringing me back to my dear princess of the night, and though he's failed me once, I do not blame him for trying. This time, however, victory shall be mine."

"You are a fool for thinking you can take me by yourself!" King Sombra mocked, but when Sombra smirked, his reaction confused the dark unicorn tyrant.

"Who said I was going to fight you alone?" Sombra asked.

Suddenly appearing beside Sombra, several flashes of light revealed the plethora of Dream Eaters he and Luna raised and created. King Sombra gawked at the colorful creatures as they angrily leered at him. Though all he saw were the many smaller species, King Sombra thought he could simply slay them. Two loud thuds landed behind him, hearing two low growls looming over him. Daring to look back, his eyes widened, finding a Tyranto Rex and a Skelterwild leering down at him, both of them letting out a simultaneous roar.

"What in the name of-!?" Both dinosaur Spirits lunged forward, chomping down on the Heartless. The Skelterwild caught King Sombra by one of his front hooves, shaking his head around and flinging him like a ragdoll. The Tyranto Rex mashed its muzzle into its dino companion, grabbing one of King Sombra's hind legs, then the two began playing tug of war with the Heartless stallion. "AHHHHH! GET THESE STUPID BEASTS OFF ME!"

Sombra watched his T-rex Spirits "play" with his dark half, then flung him to the center of the platform, where the rest of the Dream Eaters had their turn attacking the Heartless king. He was trampled, blasted with different magic spells, punched, kicked, tackled, slapped, smacked, knocked around without any opening to retaliate or escape. After a triple team of Kyroos knocked King Sombra back, he rolled to a stop behind an elephant Dream Eater called a Zolephant.

"Tantor, sit," Sombra ordered, which the Spirit obeyed.

King Sombra let out a groan, only to gag and wheeze when he felt the heavy elephant Dream Eater's rump forcefully sat down on him, leaving only his head and forehooves free. "Get...this...thing off me!" he demanded.

He lit his horn to blast the elephant off of him, but Sombra swung his sword down on his dark half, slicing off his horn. King Sombra roared, watching his horn clatter before him, his stump being turned to crystal to keep him from growing it back. Sombra then stabbed the Heartless's hoof, pinning it to the platform as he yelled in agony. Tantor stood back up, joining his fellow Dream Eaters as they surrounded the two Sombras.

"You will no longer harm the ones I love ever again," Sombra promise, twisting his blade, then sliced off the Heartless's hoof. King Sombra screamed, which was cut off as a crystal pillar shot up under his stomach, launching him up into the air. Sombra raised his sword high, his Spirit companions releasing their natural cries as they all faded to light, transferring their power to his to boost his own. His crystal blade grew long and shimmered brightly, glancing up at his darkness as he began to plummet back to the ground. King Sombra landed on the pillar, shattering it, and as he bounced off the ground, Sombra rushed forward, his powered up blade following behind him. "For the Crystal Empire." He rapidly sliced at King Sombra, sliding behind him, then turned around for another barrage. "For Queen Amore!" His strikes were stronger, more vengeance-fueled for the former queen he had slain with his own hooves by this monster. "For Luna!" Thrusting his sword skyward, he unleashed a powerful spell, the darkness glittering with stars as they all shot down and repeatedly struck King Sombra in a meteor shower. While the Heartless was helplessly battered by the endless stars, Sombra approached him, flicking his sword in his aura. King Sombra fell, only to be held by his mane in the true stallion's hoof, closing his eyes and took a deep breath. "...For myself."

Sombra shot his eyes open, plunging his sword straight through King Sombra's chest. The Heartless gagged, unable to breathe as his quivering irises stared at his "weaker" half. Sombra released his hold on his blade, letting the crystals grow and infest the defeated Heartless. The Spirits freed themselves from the crystal broadsword, joining Sombra as they all watched the dark unicorn king finally succumb to the light. King Sombra fell over, his body fading away as his half of the mural beneath them did the same. The platform shined brightly, changing once more, giving Sombra's light full reign of his newly deserved body. The image changed to him as a guard of the Crystal Empire, standing beside Princess Luna as the two gazed at the stars, the hill they were on giving an even setting of the Crystal Empire on the right and Canterlot on the left.

The world began to turn bright, slowly becoming blinding as Sombra could hear the last remnant of his darker self being destroyed outside his heart. He looked at the Dream Eaters, all of them bowing to him, the symbol on his chest depicting him as a Spirit among them disappearing in a flash of light.

"Farewell, my dream companions," Sombra said to the Dream Eaters before looking up at the light, closing his eyes as he could not wait to be free. "I'm coming home, my love..."

---

Sombra's body was illuminated in a bright light within the swirling rainbow of friendship. Sora grunted, losing his grip and let go, watching the rainbow consume the darkness as it crashed into the tapestry in the back, dropping the stallion to the ground as the tapestry fluttered around the covered body. The rainbow light then blew out into a bright shockwave of color, washing over Equestria and purifying the darkened land. The mind-controlled victims returned to their senses, questioning where they were and what happened to them, and Ponyville was freed from the Everfree Forest's wild and untamed foliage.

Sora's new form faded, along with his new Keyblade, but they weren't out of the woods just yet. While the Mane Six checked up on Discord and Dizzy, Sora approached the tapestry, his Kingdom Keyblade in his mouth with caution. Kairi followed him as the couple stared at the mass underneath. They heard a groan as they saw movement, preparing themselves in case the unicorn tyrant somehow still survived. The stallion stood up, facing away from them as the tapestry slipped off his form. He looked at his hooves, touching his face and running his hooves through his mane.

"Sombra?" Sora called out.

The stallion let out a small gasp. Slowly turning around, Sora and Kairi looked at Sombra; the real Sombra. Even though he still wore the royal red cloak, metal grieves and circlet, his horn was that of a normal unicorn's, his eyes were green, and his teeth bared no sharp fangs.

"...Sora..." Sombra grinned, feeling elated to be back. "I'm...I'm back. Hah! I'm really back!" Sombra began to laugh with joy, then he ran over to the couple and caught Sora in a hug, surprising the wielder. "Sora, my friend, I am in your debt until the end of my days!"

"O-Ok! Take it easy, Sombra!" Sora chuckled.

It was odd to see Sombra as a calm and calculated warrior, now seeing him acting like a colt as he felt like the happiest stallion in Equestria. "That monster is no more, and it's all thanks to you and your friends!" Sombra continued to praise. Finally releasing Sora, he glanced up at the base of his horn, where Luna's ring rested. He took it off and stared at the blue gemstone and the twinkling starlight within. "And I can truly be reunited with my princess."

"We're glad you're back," Sora said with a grin.

---

Out in the halls, Manami groaned, her head spinning as she rubbed her temples with her hooves. "Ogh...What happened?" she mumbled. She opened her eyes, finding herself in a bubble, and clearly not in the Castle of Friendship. In front of her, she found Lea, Aqua, Terra, Ventus, Riku, and Xion trapped in a mass of pink cloud. The last thing she could recall was hearing the good news from Donald, Goofy, and Spike about Sombra's defeat, but then completely blanked out. The other wielders were coming to as well, feeling just as confused as they were trapped in one of Discord's cotton candy clouds, but with a surprising lack of chocolate milk. "...Did something happen involving celebrating a villain's defeat and drinking ourselves under the table, or did we miss something important?"

"If we're in a cotton candy cloud, then I think the drinks were probably drunk inside a table in Discord's world," Ventus said.

"Wait! Sombra!" Riku exclaimed. "He invaded the castle! And then he...Ah, crud. He must have put us under his spell."

"Huh!? You mean he was alive!?" Manami screeched. "Then where the heck are we!?"

"Our castle." Walking down the hall, Celestia and Luna had returned to Canterlot, entrusting Star Swirl and the Pillars of Equestria to help keep the Everfree Forest in check. Both princesses helped free them from their confines, popping Manami's bubble and teleporting the cotton candy cloud from the wielders. "Sombra's influence must have vanished upon his defeat. Though, it doesn't explain Discord's magic floating around."

"So, uhh...we beat Sombra, but...lost our minds?" Lea asked.

"No. I think Twilight and her friends and Sora saved all of Equestria," Celestia said.

"Sora's here?" Xion questioned. "But...I thought he was still back in the forest where the Tree of Harmony was."

"Though weakened by the loss of the Tree, he still had the will to fight despite the lack he once had," Luna said.

"So...Sora really did pull through in the end?" Ventus asked.

"I guess there's only one way to find out," Aqua said.

"Hey, wait up!" Racing down the hall, Donald and Goofy panted as they found the group. "What happened to us?"

"We suddenly woke up in front of Canterlot Castle with everyone from town!" Donald said.

"I think everything will be explained when we find the others," Celestia said.

They began their search around the throne room where Sombra most likely would have been if he took over the castle. "If Discord was here, why did he choose now of all times to help?" Aqua questioned. She grimaced, her clothes sticky from the sweet strawberry flavored cloud. "He thought we could handle it, and then he does help when things get worse."

The doors to the throne room were wide opened, and they could see how much damage was done in the battle. All the windows were broken, both Celestia and Luna's thrones were broken, the floor was cracked or caved in, there was a hole in the ceiling, and if anymore collateral was done, it could have collapsed the entire room. Despite the damage, the Mane Six were nursing Discord and Dizzy back to health, the two draconequui laying on a luxurious sofa with fluffy pillows, both of them wide awake after taking a powerful hit for Fluttershy. Sora and Kairi spotted them as they watched Discord and Dizzy getting pampered, the wielders baffled seeing Sora was back to his happy and cheerful self.

"What the heck is going on in here?" Riku questioned.

The girls looked over at the entrance, relieved to see Celestia and Luna were here, along with the rest of their friends and Sora's mom. "Riku!" Twilight ran up to Riku and hugged him tightly. "You're all ok!" she said, wincing slightly as her fur was sticking to his clothes. "And...still covered in chaotic cotton candy."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll shower later," Riku said. "But why is Discord here? And...lounging in a decrepit throne room after someone played rodeo with a Behemoth?"

"It's a bit of a long story," Sora answered. "We'll show you guys back at the castle. And you guys are going to be in for a pretty big surprise."

"And what of Sombra?" Luna asked.

Sora and Kairi looked at each other and smirked. "Well...why don't you ask him yourself?" Kairi said, pointing behind them.

Confused, they looked back at the entrance. Hidden behind one of the doors, Sombra revealed himself, making Luna gasp in surprise. The others were just as surprised, though Manami grimaced and backed away, not realizing it wasn't the Heartless that attacked them.

"...Sombra," the princess of the night uttered.

"I have returned home, my love," Sombra said, walking up to his princess.

Luna couldn't hold back her tears, smiling with joy, seeing her lover back in the flesh. She ran up to him as he did the same, long lost lovers closing the gap as they embraced each other. Luna began to cry, sobbing happily as she was able to feel his warmth in the waking world for the first time in over a thousand years. It paled in comparison to being with him in the Dream Realm; though it was where they were reunited, being able to seek comfort in him physically was what she desired most. And her wish came true. Even in a vessel, nothing about Sombra's new body was different.

"I'm so happy you are here now," Luna said.

"I will never leave your side again," Sombra promised. As the couple pulled away, Sombra presented Luna her engagement ring, the very ring that saved his life and brought him back to her. "Luna, my beautiful moon, will you-?"

"My answer is yes!" Luna interjected, embracing Sombra once more and kissed him deeply on the lips. She missed this feeling, even as they had kissed before when he was a Dream Eater. It was much more special, and their lives together won't be squandered by the unfortunate circumstances of their past. Parting with a loud smack, Luna was absolutely giddy to finally be betrothed by her stallion. Sombra gently placed the ring back on Luna's horn, right where it belonged. "Oh, if only we could share our long awaited marriage now."

"Heh. Uhh, I would too, my dear," Sombra agreed nervously. "But...I'm not sure if we should have such a big announcement after that Heartless shared my name. And...almost took over the entire world."

Luna frowned, wilting slightly, but she knew he had a point. "Yes. That is true," she mumbled.

"Perhaps your wedding should be a little more private," Celestia suggested as she approached her sister and future brother-in-law. "Say, for example, in another world? And inviting those close to you who know the real Sombra and not his 'evil twin'?"

"You mean like...the world Sora and Kairi had their wedding?" Luna asked. "Oh, that would be a most enjoyous setting! The mountains were beautiful at night as well as sunset! The two of us under the stars of another world!"

"You really approve of my proposal to your sister, Princess?" Sombra asked.

"You were there for Luna when she needed somepony many years ago," Celestia said, frowning slightly. "I did not notice her suffering when you had. Both of your duties between kingdoms kept you apart, but you were still there for her when she was alone." She placed a hoof on Sombra's shoulder, then surprised him when she pulled him closer to hug him. "You are more than worthy enough to take my sister's hoof in marriage, and my full blessing. And, from now on, you call me 'big sister', not princess."

Sombra sheepishly chuckled after Celestia released him. "Uhh, hard habit to break since I was born a peasant in my time. But...I am willing to try...sister."

Manami shuffled over to Sora as she watched Celestia and Luna talking about Sombra and Luna's future wedding plans, clearly missing a lot of details involving the unicorn stallion. "Umm...Isn't he supposed to be the bad guy?" she questioned. "And...he had a thing with Luna?"

"That's the real Sombra, mom," Sora explained. "And...well, it's a pretty long, sad story."

"...Ok?" she uttered, tilting her head slightly, still feeling clueless. "So, the others said we were under the evil Sombra's magic spell. What happened to me?"

"Uhh...You and everyone in Ponyville were used by the Heartless Sombra to be his slaves and his personal guards," Sora explained. "...And, you were in the castle...and tried to attack me."

"I DID WHAT!?" Manami screeched, startling everyone. "Was that why I was in a bubble!? Did he turn me into a raging psychopath and force me to try to hurt my baby!?"

"Mom, relax," Sora assured. "I was actually lucky the girls found me when I crashed into the castle, and Twilight pulled you off of me before you tried to choke me."

"I...I was going to...Oh my goodness..." Manami's face went pale, then her eyes began to roll into her head.

Sora quickly caught her as she passed out, horrified by what she tried to do in her hypnotized state. "Maybe you should have eased up on the details?" Terra suggested.

"She knows I've taken worst amounts of damage before," Sora said. He carried her over to the couch Discord was resting on, stealing one of his pillows and placed it on the floor, gently laying his mother's head on it. "I think she would have worried more if I actually took a swing at her to push me off, but I didn't have the strength to during that moment."

"Sora, are you sure you're feeling alright now?" Donald asked.

"Yeah. I'm back to my old self again," Sora said, grabbing Donald and Goofy and hugged his two friends. "However strong I get, I always have my friends there by my side through better or worse. All for one and one for all, right?"

"Well, you can't be the old Sora with that bush on your face," Goofy pointed out with a chuckle.

"What's wrong with a beard!?" Sora questioned. "Kairi might like the scruffy look!"

"You are shaving that thing off when we get back to Ponyville," Kairi chided. "And you're in need of a haircut."

Sora grumbled as he scratched his beard while his friends laughed at his expression. It was good for everyone to see Sora was back to his old self, and they couldn't wait to see what they missed and how the battle against the Heartless Sombra went. Twilight made her way over to Celestia and Luna, taking full responsibility for letting things get so far out of hand that their world would have been consumed by darkness.

"Celestia, Luna, I think I know exactly what you two are going to say," she said. "I should have called on you to ask for help when things got worse, even if there might not have been a chance any of us would have succeeded. A good leader knows when to ask for help, and I didn't. Equestria deserves somepony much better than me as its leader."

Celestia and Luna looked at each other, then back to Twilight. "Well, I still believe you are capable of being a good leader," Celestia said, surprising Twilight. "You are right; a good leader knows when to ask for help, but a great leader has the courage to admit when they've made a mistake and the strength to make it right. You've shown more than enough proof that you will be a great leader."

"W-Will be?" Twilight questioned.

"Celestia and I had talked about it while getting things prepared," Luna said. "It did seem a little unfair that we thrust this upon you so suddenly without being given time to prepare. And at the worst time when Equestria was in peril from the monster who almost killed my Sombra."

Twilight breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Thank goodness! I really wasn't ready for it at all!"

"What!?" Discord exclaimed. He shot up off the couch, astonishing the Mane Six, Sora, and Kairi seeing him up and about after he was just badly injured. "Not ready!? So Twilight's not taking over!? I was just pretending to be hurt and gave one of the most convincing speeches to get them to fight back!?"

"'Pretending!?'" Sora exclaimed. "You were faking it that whole time!? You idiot, I thought Sombra fatally wounded you!"

"Really, Sora? You thought the evil Sombra was powerful enough to kill a creature of chaos like myself!?" Discord asked the stallion. "For goodness sake, when Aqua beat me up like a punching bag for shrinking you down to the size of an insect and faked a friendship problem to keep you all away from the school so I could run it over Starlight, I felt absolutely nothing!"

"Wait. You just...let me beat you up?" Aqua asked.

"Yes! You needed an outlet to unleash your rage on, and I was doing you a favor so you didn't lose your cool all the time, pun NOT intended!" Discord explained. Aqua winced, not really intending to treat Discord like he was a punching bag, though it felt a little awful to know he riled her up on purpose to help her blow off steam where she didn't risk hurting everyone. Discord let out an annoyed groan, walking away and headed for one of the broken windows. "Unbelievable. I did that so I can not only convince Twilight she would be a great leader, but to also show Sora he wasn't a washed out hero and that he truly DID have the power to defeat his foes within him. Ugh! What a waste of a perfectly good speech!"

With a huff, Discord jumped out the window, then teleported away with a pop. Everyone then looked at Dizzy, still laying on the couch as his eyes shifted to everyone leering at him.

"Uhh...Ooooogh. Owie. My...tummy still hurts from Sombra's evil power," Dizzy groaned, but no one was buying the act. "Maybe I'll feel better with a...tummy rub?"

"Dizzy," Fluttershy scolded.

The draconequus colt wilted, flopping off the couch. "Ok, we were faking it," he admitted. "But, it did work, right? You girls and Sora stopped Sombra all on your own. And without any silly gems to do so."

"But in the end, you two could have stopped Sombra anyway!" Sora exclaimed. As upset as he and his friends were, Sora really couldn't hold a grudge against Discord. "...Well, I guess in his own way, his heart was in the right place..."

Discord suddenly popped back into the throne room, startling everyone. "By the way, Sora, I forgive you for yelling at me," he said before teleporting away again.

"...Ok, is Discord going through a phase or something?" Ventus questioned aloud. "Why is he getting all moody and passive aggressive?"

"I don't know, and I am him," Dizzy said. "Maybe a millennial midlife crisis or something."

"And you're not overreacting like he is?" Rainbow asked.

"I think I have all the logic and optimism he threw away," Dizzy guessed with a shrug. He glanced up at Fluttershy, zipping over to her and giving him the big, puppy dog eye stare. "But, since we did technically help save the day with you, can we still get the hero's treatment?"

He fluttered his eyes innocently at Fluttershy, but she wasn't going to be swayed by his adorable charm. "After you pretended to be hurt and worried me sick, no. I don't think so."

Dizzy frowned with a small grunt. "Then...what about a kiss?" he asked. "If Discord won't take it, I will." Through a small tear in the fabric of reality, Discord's talon arm reached out and grabbed Dizzy by his head. "Hey!"

"I told you I get the kiss!" Discord scolded, dragging his younger self through the small tear before zipping it back up, which disappeared in a small flash.

Sombra had no idea what even happened and the odd dynamic between Discord and Dizzy. "...Is this normal?" he asked.

"Define normal in Discord's world," Luna answered.

"I am going to have some difficulty adjusting to the present time," Sombra uttered as he scratched his head, baffled.

"We will help you through that," Luna promised, nuzzling her future husband's cheek. "I had the same trouble with customs and mannerisms today. It isn't that hard."

"You were thinking of cancelling Nightmare Night when you believed everypony was besmirching your name and the one night of the year for fun spooks and scares," Celestia chimed in.

Luna winced, giving her older sister a dirty look. "That is untrue! I was not aware that being afraid can be considered fun for little colts and fillies!" she argued. "You neglected to inform me in more detail about Nightmare Night aside from it being a dedication to me!"

"Would you have gone to Ponyville that night if I told you there was a scary story involving Nightmare Moon and gobbling foals if they don't offer their candy to you?" Celestia jabbed back. Luna's cheeks puffed angrily, grumbling in defeat while Celestia giggled at the response. "I thought so."

"Then while we still run Equestria until Twilight is ready, I will create a holiday under your name and dedicate it to revealing your most embarrassing secrets!" Luna exclaimed. "When we were fillies, anytime Uncle M got us cake, you made such a mess that you literally rolled around in it like a swine to a mudpit!"

"Well, it's not much of a surprise when all of Equestria knows I have a weakness for cake." Her horn lit up as she teleported a news article, an old one from a few years ago in the Foal Free Press, Ponyville schoolhouse's extra curricular activity. Under the Gabby Gums article, there was a huge picture of Celestia being sneaky as she snuck a huge slice of cake, her cheeks covered in frosting and cake crumbs, but not sneaky enough for the young photographer who caught her in the act. "They really did get my good side. And those annual baking events I put on should have been a very big clue for a while now."

Luna fumed, scrambling her brain to find something she could use to tease Celestia. Sombra sighed and rubbed his forehead, wondering what he got himself into with Celestia as a future in-law.

"Oh, goodness...Fully grown mares, yet your bickering still lingers after one thousand years," the stallion grumbled.

"That's what happens when you have siblings," Rarity said. "You still quarrel with them, even if you're both old enough to make your own decisions."

"At least everything's finally back to being peaceful. For the most part," Terra said.

"And we'll keep this world peaceful like we always do," Sora said. He walked up to his friends, Xion still giving him the stinkeye from earlier back in the cave. "Guys...I'm sorry for earlier. I really lost sight of who I was."

"No kidding," Xion grumbled.

"I really felt like giving up on everything...And, I know it might still be hard to believe, but...a part of me still wished I could have helped Cozy Glow." The other wielders expressed their disdain at the filly, but Sora continued as he ran his hoof through his hair. "I know she doesn't deserve any sympathy from me anymore...I still don't. Perhaps if I met her long before she had this mindset to use her power for evil, maybe things could have been different. But the worst thing I could ever let happen...is if I completely gave up on everyone around me. And I did. You all kept going despite the odds, and all I did was feel guilty for failing and refusing to get back up and try again.

"They can take my home. They can take my heart. Cut me loose from all I know." As he gazed at his companions, Sora held out his hoof and summoned his new Keyblade. Everyone in the room gasped at its design, recognizing the crystal spirals matching the Tree of Harmony and the keychain at the end, bearing the Mane Six's cutie mark around the same silver crown as the one around his necklace. "But if it's my fate...then every step forward will lead me closer to home." The Mane Six surrounded Sora as he grinned at their friends. "The Tree gave me one last gift, before Sombra destroyed it. She entrusted her light to me, and I really was the seventh Element this world needed all along; to Her, I am everyone's ray of hope, and I believe She is right."

"...The Tree could talk?" Riku questioned.

"Hey, you think we can show everypony the big twist!?" Pinkie asked Twilight.

"What 'twist'?" Ventus asked.

"I was...kind of hoping to save that when we showed everyone how we defeated Sombra," Twilight said, but this was a surprise that the others should at least learn immediately. She decided to tell them all the good news. "Discord was actually right before; we didn't really need the Elements of Harmony to defeat Sombra."

"You...didn't?" Aqua asked.

"No. It's because we had the Elements all along; since we opened the box the Tree gifted me and the girls." She held her hoof out, a flash of light appearing as she summoned her Keyblade. However, to the princesses and outsiders' surprise, Twilight had called the Keyblade of Magic instead of Harmony. The other five mares did the same, baffling them even more when the remaining Keyblades of Harmony were also restored, and Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity were also Key bearers now. "We ARE the Elements of Harmony."

Their jaws hung open, gawking at the Keyblades. "...I have so many questions," Aqua mumbled.

"I guess the Tree of Harmony is much smarter than a normal magic tree," Lea uttered. "So, we got some new apprentices...Our workload just increased with the kids now."

"Wait until you see what we did to the evil unicorn king when we got these bad boys!" Rainbow gloated. "I think we'd be master material without needing to go through boring basics."

"We'll see about that once we get back home," Terra said.

"I still think you girls will need to learn how to properly cast spells now that you're like me," Twilight said. Rainbow groaned, still thinking she didn't need any training after they all had Sora's skills transferred to them upon contact with their new Keyblades. "But despite that, we all do pretty well together. When the time comes when we're all ready to lead Equestria, we definitely got this."

---

Grogar stomped his way inside their secret hideout, hidden in a canyon far beyond any civilization beneath a stone structure of a ram's head with curved horns, huffing in irritation. Reaching their inner sanctum, he grumbled as the remaining three villains he recruited for his grand master plan barely did anything to learn to cooperate with each other. Chrysalis minded her own business, Tirek was busy keeping his physique in check so he didn't lose the power Grogar bestowed upon him, and Cozy Glow was slicing the air in another corner.

"I hope the three of you will be enough for my plans!" Grogar said, announcing his presence to the other three villains.

"What about King Sombra?" Chrysalis questioned. "Did he succeed?"

"Far from it." Grogar approached his crystal ball, revealing to the changeling queen, centaur, and stunted pegasus how Sombra failed. Within the crystal ball, the gasped when they saw the Mane Six and Sora unleashing the power of the Elements, the mares now bearing the Keyblades of Harmony with Sora in a new, more powerful form than his Harmony Form, along with a brand new Keyblade. Sombra was easily bested by the seven of them, and even brought back the real Sombra once the Heartless was vanquished. "Sombra tried and failed, and I hope this shows you three that's exactly the kind of defeat you expect when you refuse to work together." Grogar pulled out the device used to incapacitate King Sombra, finding no need for it with the Heartless now deceased. He dropped it, then stomped on it with a grunt, shattering it to pieces. "Like I said before; as a Heartless, his greed for power made him take a gamble, and his hubris cost him his life and lost. If either of you doubt me or what you all saw as proof, then you WILL heed my words."

"Uhh, I never doubted you," Tirek said.

"Nope!" Chrysalis agreed nervously.

Cozy Glow leered at the crystal ball, staring intensely at Sora making a mockery of Sombra with his new power. He was back to his confident and goofy self after she tried and failed to break his heart and spirit. He only just got lucky once again, which infuriated the pegasus.

"Cozy Glow!" Grogar barked, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Do you doubt my plans, or do you wish to try to face Sora again by yourself now that he has gotten more powerful?"

"...No," Cozy Glow mumbled, left with no choice but to team up with Tirek, Chrysalis, and Grogar for her plans of world domination to come true.

"Good," Gogar grunted. "Then we will join forces and work together to bring Equestria to its knees!"

The evil ram laughed maniacally, the other three joining him with a little less enthusiasm and nervousness. Cozy Glow glanced back at the crystal ball, where it continued showing what was currently happening inside. Everyone was heading back to Ponyville along with the whole town after King Sombra placed them under his spell. It zoomed in on Sora as he talked with Riku and Kairi, the stallion giving his silver-haired friend a harsh punch in the shoulder and scolding him for something. The stunted mare glowered at the cheerful stallion, needing to get stronger than him to get back at him for humiliating her.

---

The sound of waves gently lapping at the shore of the quiet seafaring town in Destiny Islands. Kaito laid in the sand, staring at the night sky with his hands behind his head. He hated lying to Manami, but he needed some space, feeling like he was going through an existential crisis. He had no idea how long he'd been gone for, but with it being this late, she was probably going to worry. Letting out a breath, he sat up, getting a look at the empty sea out in the distance, then up on his feet. He began to brush the sand off his coat, but then he paused, sensing something, or someone, watching him from behind.

"So, this is where you've been hiding?" Kaito grunted, slowly turning around. Stepping out onto the sand from beneath the shaded underbrush, Xigbar revealed himself with a cocky grin. The sniper chuckled at the distasteful glower from the Nobody. "Nice place for a vacation. Should have planned one here on my one day off in the old Organization."

"How did you find me?" Kaito demanded.

"As if I'm gonna tell you. I got my sources," Xigbar said. "To be fair, though, it doesn't need to take a genius to put two and two together when it comes to you. And who you really are." Kaito grunted, glaring defiantly at Xigbar with his right hand held to his side, prepared to call forth his cutlass. "Should have realized just how similar you were to Sora in almost every way...Isn't that right, 'dad'?"

Author's Note:

The wayfinder keychain for Sora's brand new Keyblade was made by a highly dedicated fan of this story, KingdomQueen. She made this and a few other unique wayfinders for the rest of the Mane Six, and even for Spike a while back. After the last few years, I finally got up to this point to at least show off the special wayfinder she made that connected Sora with our six favorite pony heroines and being Equestria's seven unique lights to keep it and its inhabitants safe from the darkness. Just one more season to go, and the grand finale before this story finally comes to a close. At least, for now.

Until then, readers who have followed since the start or have found this and newcomers who managed to catch up with one of the longest series I've ever thought of writing, may your hearts be your guiding key.

Comments

[Postwarmonkey50]

Oh boy, Xigbar knows. I wonder if they're gonna use him to fill their ranks.

[Vakama95096]

I'm so happy for Luna right now and the rest of the Mane 6 finally got their keyblades. Finally!

[Federation-Cosmic-Bolt]

Pirates of the Caribbean with Silverstream is coming soon (next Chapter?) and i personally can't wait for that, not only did i see the Review for it from Caddicarus (and a few others) and also played KH3 up to that point... i honestly can't wait to see how this will Mold Silverstream into a Amazing Keyblade Welder... even curious what kind of struggle she has to face that puts her down a dark path to reach the light... cause if i remember correctly, Gallus helped out Rapunzel from the Tangle Movie and learnt something for healing?, Smolder helped Woody and the other toys while also learning how to control her Temper, Ocellus helped Sully and Mike and learnt to never allow herself to be feared by her own Monstrous Appearance, and if i remember correctly, this means Silverstream will have to learn something in the Caribbean by overcoming Davy Jones and learning something about herself, Yona will learn something from Elsa and about herself in Arendelle and Sandbar will help out the Big Hero 6 and learn something for himself there in San Fransokyo

[Love Of Flutterdash]

dad... WHAT?!?!?!

[dar88]

Wip it wip it real good

[dar88]

11725818
I think he was saying dad because he figured out he is sora father

[SoraFan23]

I am happy that Sora is bad to his old self!

[Garuda IV]

Happy to see Sora bounce back like that. Now, we get to see him with his new Drive Form, the Mane Six going through their own Keyblade training, Sombra and Luna's wedding, and seeing what Xigbar will do with his knowledge of Kaito's relationship to Sora.

Also curious to see if Sora will take Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy on any of his otherworldly trips now that they have their own keyblades.

[Nosoni]

Well this has been an exciting journey for Sora and the gang I cant wait to read what you have cooked up for the rest of this story keep doing an amazing work

[karmathewriter]

My good sir, I'm just gonna say this right now, if you do Gen 5 with Kingdom Hearts in mind, I think that series would make us lose our minds over what you're gonna do. I'm looking forward to your trip through season nine and finishing up Kingdom Hearts 3 (if you gonna use the original ending from Kingdom Hearts 3, I suppose it could explain why Sora's descendent would take up the key blade to look for their father, but that's what I thought) I look forward to the ending of this awesome story.

[Postwarmonkey50]

"Giving up already?" Sora's ears twitched, shock turning to ire at the voice who mocked him. Standing over his prone form, M leaned his head down, looking at the defeated pegasus. "Come on, Sora. I thought you were stronger than that."

You know, I'm still shocked that M came along and gave Sora a proper motivation. That was awesome. Though I think you meant his "Pony form", not his "Prone form"

[Postwarmonkey50]

He choked as the whip pulled taut, eyeing Fluttershy, not expecting the timid pegasus to be the first one out of them to strike first. Even her friends were surprised, but the harsh glare of her Stare was enough for them to know why she decided to go first.

Someone is having Sandman's abilities. I recognize that move anywhere.

[Postwarmonkey50]

11726082
If they do, then I'd picture a few things.

Arendale=Fluttershy (knowing she'll try to talk to Elsa) and Pinkie Pie (Because she loves to play in the snow)

Caribbean=Rarity (sucker for romance) + unknown

San Fransokyo= Rainbow (Because she loves action), and either Twilight (Because of Replica Riku. Oh yeah, and the science) or Applejack (Because she'll probably get competitive)

[Postwarmonkey50]

Will you be able to do the Hearth's Warming Eve special? As well as the Rainbow Roadtrip?

[Codex92]

11726897
No, I am right. When someone is "prone", they're laying on their stomachs. Sora has no strength to move and is lying on the ground like that in defeat, and M appears, standing over Sora and looking down at him.

[Postwarmonkey50]

11727153
Ooooh, right, my bad on that one.

[DeathRider2021]

I like that twist where The Keyblades of Harmony come to the Mane 6. Though it's kind of a bummer that Sora Can't do the formchanges any more. Unless Codex plan's to give Sora's new keyblade some formchanges.

I'm looking forward to the remaining three other world adventures with the young six the most. Especially the Caribbean Adventure.

[MLPFanForever]

Wow! This has been an amazing ride so far! Thanks for making it all the way to season 9 finale. I'm curious to see how you'll this amazing story. Hope to see Riku pop the question to Twilight soon. And I also hope you write a plot of brining in Riku's parents in the future.
Keep up the great work.

[Komodo Dragoon]

Another great chapter, and awesome that the rest of the Mane 6 are Keyblade wielders now. I did notice a pretty big typo while I was reading, though:

"Sombra's back, and he destroyed the Crystal Heart," Applejack said.

[Codex92]

11729638
Welp...my brain is just racing while writing like mad with my writing mojo coming back. I fixed that up. I'm too rushy wanting to finish this story while still procrastinating slightly.

[BenictheHedgehog]

I feel like this was planned out since season 2 for the mane 6 to have keyblades, but they weren’t ready for them yet & their form changes needed to be unlocked by Sora first. So til then, only Twilight got a Keyblade aka Harmony.

I am hoping that this means the other mane 6 will go to more worlds with the young six.

[Ashtorn]

images.assetsdelivery.com/compings_v2/profshop/profshop1611/profshop161100030.jpg
That's all I have to share after reading this. I'm not sure how to process this.

[MovieLord101]

I assume you want to change the Grogar/Discord twist? I know a lot of people didn't like that when the show did it.

[Codex92]

11736408
If you read the long description edit, all the links throughout a large amount of the chapters up until around season 6-7's chapters should be ignored because of those dead links. I don't want to risk ruining all the chapters and fixing sentences that have the url link code and accidentally erase a letter, word, or the entire sentence. So ignore all the links around those early chapters.