Another Life, Another Fate

by MatCor1337

*Friendship Is Magic, Pt 2

Everyone stared, wide-eyed and open mouthed at the armoured woman. She looked down at the citizens of Ponyville with an expression that was growing into a frown of boredom and annoyance when she realised that standing there with those stupid looks was all they were going to do. That is, until she spoke again. “Really? Those shocked expressions are all I get for blessing you with my presence?” she asked in mock hurt. “After all this time, had I been completely forgotten? Does my crown no longer count? Do any of you have the slightest idea of who I am?”

“Ooh, ooh, are we playing guessing games?” Pinkie Pie abruptly chirped in her usual cheery tone, obviously getting over her shock. “Umm, Pokey Smokes? How about Queen Meanie? No, Black Snooty! Black Snooty!”

The armoured intruder clenched her fist and teeth in irritation. “Did not a single one of you see the signs!?” she roared, clearly angered that she had been forgotten like a bad dream.

“I did!” someone suddenly called out. She, and everyone else in the hall turned their gaze to a young woman with a black leather jacket and fiery coloured hair. Sunset Shimmer took a few steps towards the podium before continuing. “And I know exactly who you are. You’re the ‘Mare’ in the Moon; Nightmare Moon!”

There was a collective gasp in the building whilst the dark woman grinned upon hearing her name. “Well well,” she began, “it looks like somebody still bothers to learn history these days.”

Taking it as an insult to her people, Mayor Mare snapped herself out of her trance and took action. “Guards! Seize her! Only she knows where the Princess is!” she commanded. The guards did as they were told, the avions flew towards the balcony with their weapons at the ready, whilst the elves charged immobilisation and containment spells. However, Nightmare Moon was more than prepared, as she used her magic to throw the guards to the ground and walls with little effort.

As some of the townsfolk tried to help the guards recover, she took that moment to speak once more. “I hope that you have enjoyed your precious sun while you still could, because you’ll never see it again! The night will last FOREVER! HAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!” And with that the blue, starry mist once again surrounded her. After the mist had formed another sphere, it dispersed and Nightmare Moon was gone.

The hall was dead silent. No one wanted to say or do anything at the moment. They were slowly getting the idea that they were in very big trouble, and that the fate of all Equestria was at stake. Seeing that her citizens needed her, Mayor Mare decided to address the terrified populace. “People of Ponyville, do not panic,” she began, “we are going to begin search parties to look for this intruder and demand that she tell us where our princess is! But in the meantime, I ask that you all remain calm and wait in your homes until this matter is solved. Thank you.”

As everyone began to leave the building, Rainbow Dash went to gather with her friends. It seemed that Applejack had the same idea, for she and Pinkie were standing in the open where they would be easily spotted. Rainbow hovered in the air for a few minutes waiting for everyone to be out of the hall, but when she didn’t see a sign of the person she was really looking for, she glided over to the apple farmer and gave her a concerned look. “Hey, where’s Twilight? I didn’t see her leave the hall.” She said.

“Sorry RD, but Ah haven’t seen ‘er since the ceremony went south.” Applejack replies.

“Oh man, what could’ve happened to her?”

“I know!” Pinkie piped in with her normal cheery voice.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack immediately gave her their attention. “Really? You know where Twilight is?” Rainbow asks.

“Nope, not really, just that she snuck out a little before that metal meanie left and everyone was quiet.” Pinkie had a large grin as she gave them her useless information.

“Maybe she went back to the library,” Applejack thought out loud. “It’s the best we’ve got fer places that she’d be.”

“Yeah, you’re right. C’mon, let’s go!” Rainbow proclaimed as she sped to the library/house. Applejack and Pinkie ran after her, not knowing that two other women following them had the same idea.

---

Entering her home after teleporting from the Town Hall, Twilight rushed to her room and ran for her duffle bag. After rummaging through the enchanted carry-on, she found what she was looking for and pulled it out. Now on her bed were the pieces of grey armor with wolf pelts on the inside for some comfort. It wasn’t a full suit like her father’s, but anything more would hamper her maneuverability, plus she’d enchanted the titanium to be stronger and lighter than normal.

Using the time to also catch her breath, Twilight put on her armour where they were needed, taking off her overcoat to put on the breastplate and bracers before putting it on again. Fastening her grieves, the now completely suited up elf turned her attention to her bed, where she saw Sauron rapidly open and close his claws in excitement for the upcoming fight.

“You coming or what?” Twilight rhetorically asked with a smirk. Sauron’s response was a large grin of grey fangs as he leaped from the bed and onto her shoulder. She smiled fondly at her Familiar and marched dutifully out her bedroom and down the stairs.

“What do you think you’re doing?” an irritated voice called out. Twilight stopped in her tracks and turned towards an angry looking Sunset Shimmer.

“Going to stop Nightmare Moon from plunging the nation into eternal night like you intend to do.” Twilight replied simply, surprising the other elf. Sunset was going to say something else, but stopped herself when a certain rainbow-haired avion burst through the front door, locking onto Twilight.

“There you are.” Said Rainbow Dash. “What’s the big deal sneaking off like that? I was getting worried that you were kidnapped and that… that…” she trailed off when she had finally noticed what the beige-skinned woman was wearing. “Uh, Twilight? Why are you wearing that armor?”

By now Applejack and Pinkie Pie had entered the library and overheard Rainbow’s question. Pinkie had her unchanging, cheery smile whilst Applejack had an expression of thought. After a few seconds, the apple farmer understood what was happening. “You’re goin’ after her, aren’t ya?” she asked.

Pinkie’s eyes widened as she looked to her cousin, and then back at Twilight when she too came to the same conclusion. Rainbow Dash, however, was not as calm about it as the two humans were.

“What? You can’t be serious, can you? Did you see how easily she took down those guards?”

Twilight took a deep breath and looked at Rainbow in the eyes. “I know Rainbow, and that’s why I need to go. It’s part of the reason why I came to Ponyville in the first place; it was mainly to make a new life for myself, but it was for this as well. I have to do this.”

“Not alone you’re not!” a feminine, upper-class toned voice called out. The five women turned to the doorway and saw Rarity and Fluttershy standing at the entrance, the latter poorly trying to hide behind the former from becoming the center of attention. “No offence to you dear, but this is our town. If you’re going after that armored maniac, than we’re coming too.” Rarity continued.

“That is, umm, if that’s okay with you?” Fluttershy meekly asked just above a whisper.

“Yeah! She’s right!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “There’s no way that I’m gonna let you go out there to fight that whack-job on your own.”
The others were quite impressed with the outburst, and Twilight couldn’t help but give a thankful smile.

“Thanks girls,” She said. “I could probably use the extra help, whatever it is that you can help with.”

“So, how do ya suppose we go and defeat this ‘Nightmare Moon’ lady?” Applejack asks.

“Well, according to a book I have, when Princess Celestia defeated Nightmare Moon the first time, she used these artifacts called the ‘Elements of Harmony’ and that they had the power to banish her in the moon.” Sunset informed, Twilight summoning her own copy of the book in question in a flash of lavender light, then opened it to the necessary page, showing it to them as she continued. “According to this there are six Elements of Harmony; Honesty, Kindness, Loyalty, Generosity, and Laughter. The sixth element is a mystery, but when the other five are together a spark will ignite and summon forth the sixth.”

“So, where exactly are these Elements?” asked Pinkie Pie.

“They’ll most likely be sealed in the old castle where the princess used to live… in the Everfree Forest.” Twilight said with grimace. She knew she could handle herself in those woods, but she was worried about the others.

The girls exchanged glances; they were taught growing up to stay away from the Everfree, after all. They were quiet for about a minute, until Rainbow made a challenging grin and said, “Well then, just give us a sec to gather up a few things and we’ll meet ya at the entrance to the forest. Don’t go ahead without us!” she called back once she was outside the tree house/library. All the others nodded their agreement and made their way back to their homes to get what they thought they’d need.

Twilight gave a thankful sigh in that she wouldn’t have to face a demigod on her own. She was confident that she could take Nightmare Moon on in a fight, but was more worried that it would be dragged out and the Everfree Forest - perhaps even Ponyville - would be destroyed. She turned her head to Sauron who was on her right shoulder, growling in irritation when no one seemed to notice him. Twilight gave him a warm smile, but he just made a growling sound that could have been a grumble; he knew where this was going.

Sunset wurld her head in Twilight’s direction when she heard the growls, and her eyes widened upon finally noticing the creature on the other elf’s shoulder. “What the heck is that!?” she screamed, pointing at Sauron.

“Familiar. Questions later.” Twilight said simply, and immediately after, Sauron was enveloped in flames. But this wasn’t normal fire; it was like an eerily dark version of a rainbow thrown into a storm. Once the Familiar was fully engulfed, it began to envelope Twilight’s entire arm and the right side of her torso, yet she felt no pain and soon the flames dispersed to reveal her armor and clothes to be undamaged, not even singed. “Well, we better get going.” She told her housemate, Sunset nodding numbly as they walked out the door, Twilight closing and locking it behind them.

---

Twilight and Sunset were the first to arrive at the forest entrance and only had to wait about five minutes before the others did. She found it a little amusing that they seemed to have prepared for a war:

Rainbow Dash had extra armor atop her police uniform with two pistols and some non-lethal grenades. Applejack had an M16 assault rifle, two SMGs and some frag grenades. Rarity had switched her mecha-tendrils for weaponized servo-arms; one having a powerful looking claw, one a plasma-blaster, another a cone shaped drill, and lastly a melta. Twilight raised an eyebrow, wondering how she got or built weapons from the Old World. Pinkie Pie had an oversized mallet with a head larger than her torso slouched over her shoulder, and Fluttershy was most surprising by having brought a sabre and whip. Which was odd, because the meek girl didn’t seem the type for either.

Twilight thought questions could wait another time, and addressed the group of armed women. “Alright girls, let’s get this done.” She said, and after a chorus of approving nods she turned around and led the group into the Everfree Forest.

The first five minutes into the Everfree was quiet save for the rustling of leaves or the occasional twig snapping from being stepped on. Only Twilight appeared unfazed whilst the others seemed anxious, and although Rainbow was doing a good job at hiding it, the mage could still sense her nervousness.

“Are you all okay? You guys seem nervous, is something wrong?” Twilight decided to finally ask.

“Well darling, the Everfree Forest isn’t a place most people tend to travel through.” Said Rarity, one of her servo-arms making a nodding motion.

“Yeah, there’s all sorts o’ big ‘n’ dangerous critters out here.” Piped Applejack.

“Yes-er-y! There are Manticors, Hydra, Timberwolves, and an Ursa Major just to name a few!” Pinkie Pie chimed in a little too cheerfully.

“Wait, did you say Timberwolves?” Twilight asks the pink-haired girl.

“Yep!” she replied. “And as far as I know, the Everfree is the only place that they live in, making them really rare.”

“Huh,” Twilight mused as she turned back to where they were going. She’d read plenty of books about the strange creatures to know of their uncanny ‘regenerating’ ability and that the Everfree was, at least in Equestria, the only place where they lived. “Guess that means that I walked through here on my way to Ponyville.”

“WHAT?!” the other six girls yelled.

“I’ll explain later, right now we’ve got a deranged former princess to deal with. Now come on!” Twilight said as she quickened her pace, shortly followed by the others.

---

[A/N: Not sure how to best alter the scenes where they discover their Elements to fit this universe yet, but I’ll add them when I do!]

---

Finally reaching the castle ruins, the group enters a large open room with an oddly shaped podium in the center. Twilight notices that it is holding some stone balls with a gem carving in them, telling her that they were the Elements lying dormant. “Rainbow, Fluttershy, could you two get those down here please?” she asks.

“On it.” Replied Rainbow Dash as the two avion girls did as they were asked. After the last stone was placed on the floor, Twilight sat down and took a meditative position.

“Okay girls; the book said that once the first five are together, a spark will reveal the sixth. So I’m gonna need you to be quiet for now so that I can concentrate.”

“C’mon y’all, let’s get ‘er some privacy ta focus.” Says Applejack, lightly ushering the others into the next room. Rainbow seemed a bit hesitant about leaving Twilight vulnerable, but left the room as well, though she kept close to the door.

Sunset, however, hadn’t moved.

“Shouldn’t you be going with them?” Twilight questioned when she noticed that the fiery haired girl was still in the room.

“Excuse me for sounding rude, but I don’t completely trust you.” She admitted, narrowing her eyes slightly towards the beige-skinned elf. “I mean, you come to Ponyville the day that an ancient threat returns and claim that that was the reason you’re here in the first place. I’ve been Princess Celestia’s personal student for most of my life, and I only found out about Nightmare Moon this- err, yesterday morning, yet you came prepared for a fight. Don’t know about you but that sound quite suspicious to me.”

Twilight gave her a small smile. “Funny thing about what you said is that I’d actually be mad if you did trust me without doing anything to earn it. And I made the connection between Nightmare Moon and the “Mare In The Moon” when I was five - though my dad did help - so I’ve had years of preparation.”

Ignoring Sunset’s surprised look, Twilight closed her eyes and begun some breathing exercises that her mother taught her to help concentration; in through the nose, and out through the mouth. In… Out… In… Out… As she did this, the miniature boulders were enveloped in the lavender glow of her magic that gently began to levitate them off the ground. She could feel the power that kept them bonded together, easily identifying each Element, but was still unable to find the sixth. Before she could search any further, a sudden cold chill caused Twilight to shiver and open her eyes, just in time to see a familiar starry mist scoop up the stones.

“No!” Twilight and Sunset cried out, the two girls rushing into the mist as it teleported them and the Elements to one of the castle’s towers. Hitting the floor, they looked up just in time to see the mist disperse and reveal the armored form of Nightmare Moon.

“You truly believed that these little rocks could defeat me again? HA!” she laughed. “Now that I have your precious elements, what are you going to do?” she asks, expecting the little ‘children’ in front of her to cower in fear.

She did not expect what they did do, however.

With a look of resolve and determination on their faces, Twilight and Sunset’s hands started to glow lavender and cyan before the latter clapped them together, creating a runic circle between them, and the former stretched her arms out to her sides. Sunset pulled her hands apart and summoned a two-foot long sceptre with a yin-yang styled red and yellow sun within a gold ring at one end. Twilight brought her arms across her chest as she summoned her weapons, which took the form of three-foot long handles shaped like a fireman's-axe with a mass of gears and cogs at the top that connected to a curved object that was the same length as the handle, which was covered in a blinding-white glow.

Though she raised an eyebrow, Nightmare Moon wasn’t very impressed, expecting a little more from the girls’ bravado and courage than a simple sceptre and whatever the beige-skinned girl’s weapon was. So when the fire-haired girl started collecting magic into her sceptre and the tanned girl began spinning her weapons, her expectations weren’t high.

‘Do they really think that their little light show will intimidate me?’ she thought. Just before she was about to say her mental question out loud, Twilight stopped spinning her weapons and brought them across her chest in an X formation. As she did this, the gears and cogs started to spin rapidly, the glowing parts shooting up ninety degrees adjacent to the handles. She then shifted her stance and swung her weapons apart, the light dissipating when she finished her arching maneuver, revealing two well-polished blades with runes engraved in them.

Both Sunset and Nightmare Moon stared in wide-eyed shock, the dark woman feeling a sudden chill crawl up her spine when she saw what the weapons really were. ‘S-scythes?!’ she screamed in her mind ‘But… Th-that’s impossible!’

“Before we beat you, it’s only polite that we tell you our names. My name is Twilight Sparkle.” The scythe wielding elf said.

“A-and I’m Sunset Shimmer, personal student of Princess Celestia.” Added Sunset, still in shock of Twilight using such legendary weapons.

Nightmare Moon stretched both her hands to the sides and summoned a sword in each. She would never say that she was scared, but Twilight put her on edge. If there’s one thing she took to heart, it’s that you never underestimate a Scythe Meister if you value your life. After all… it was a belief that the unconventional weapons were gifts from Death - the Grim Reaper - itself.

Before either of the three could make a move, though, Nightmare Moon had to amass a shield to defend herself from a sudden storm of projectiles. Following where they were coming from, the two elves saw Rainbow Dash flying through a window, the barrels of her pistols flashing as they fired, and Fluttershy not far behind her. The two avions landed by Twilight and Sunset and took up stances, Fluttershy nervously drawing her sabre and Rainbow reloading her pistols.

“Heard you guys scream in the other room but found you gone until we saw some lights here. Came as fast as we could.” Rainbow informed them, her pistols now cocked and ready. She then took notice of Twilight’s choice of weaponry and commented, “Nice blades.”

“Thanks. Where’re the others?” Twilight asks, keeping her eyes on Nightmare Moon, knowing she considered her the greater threat.

“On their way, the tower’s pretty tall and some stairs could’ve collapsed and slow them down.”

“Right, then how about we get this started? I doubt she’ll just stand there as we wait for backup.”

Without further delay, Twilight vanished in a flash of light and reappeared behind the dark alicorn, already swinging her scythes. Nightmare Moon only just managed to twist her body and hold her swords in the right position to block the blow. Getting out of their stupor, Sunset instructed Rainbow and Fluttershy to flank Nightmare Moon’s sides, the two nodding to each other before doing so as she gathered magic into her sceptre. Nightmare Moon mustered the strength to push Twilight away, but had to leap to the side as her position was struck by a hail of bullets and fire balls, right into Fluttershy. When they got close, the two clashed blades for a moment, the normally meek avion impressing everyone with her swordsman skills.

After getting into a blade lock, Nightmare Moon shoved Fluttershy away and narrowly dodged a swing from one of Twilight’s scythes, blocking the other one. She then made some distance between them by kicking Twilight in the gut before having to erect a shield to block more of Rainbow’s bullets, dodging Sunset’s fire balls as well. Nightmare Moon ground her teeth together and seethed in her mind, ‘Those two are going to be a nuisance. I can’t focus on the Scythe-Meister with either of them interfering. That pink-haired avion doesn’t seem like an aggressor, so I’ll leave her be just for now, it’s the other two I must dispose of first.’

Devising a plan, she teleported just as Twilight came in for another attack and appeared behind Rainbow Dash. Whirling around and using her great speed, the young police officer scarcely avoided being cut in half, a tear in her body armour being proof of that. She wasn’t given room to breath however as Nightmare Moon teleported behind her again, this time delivering a powerful kick to the back that sent her crashing to the ground.

“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy cried out, immediately rushing to her downed friend’s side. Seeing that two obstacles had been dealt with, Nightmare Moon shifted her attention to Sunset and charged a basketball sized sphere of dark energy before firing it towards her. Sunset was stock-still as the deadly spell came racing toward her, only able to think of how she failed to save the world. ‘Princess Celestia… I’m sorry.’ She thought sadly as she closed her eyes and waited for oblivion.

Oblivion that would never come, as Twilight teleported right in front of Sunset, the gears and cogs in her scythes turning and shifting the blades another ninety degrees - aligned with the handles - before she thrust them into the ground, creating a wall of black crystals just in time to block Nightmare Moon’s spell. “One.” Said Twilight, pulling her scythes from the ground and turning to Sunset, “Give me ONE reason to why I should let you get away with just standing there like an idiot.”

In any other situation Sunset wouldn’t take being insulted lightly, but again she was frozen, this time by her saviour. Or more specifically, her eyes. Crimson iris’ surrounded by green with a trail of purple flame-like smoke emitting from the corners. Without a doubt, those were the tell-tale signs of using Dark Magic.

It would seem that Nightmare Moon came to the same conclusion despite not seeing Twilight’s eyes. “What?! How could you possibly know Dark Magic like that?!” she bellowed, growing increasingly unnerved as knew of only one person who used crystal-themed spells.

Twilight turned to face the dark alicorn, shifting her weapons back to their scythe form, and used them to shatter the crystal wall she made before addressing Nightmare Moon. “First off; my father taught me. Second; my special talent is in magic itself - that means every aspect and type of magic. And thirdly; I’m a bit of a badass.” She said simply.

Before Nightmare Moon could make a retort, she was forced to dodge a ball of heated plasma that was aimed at her head. Twisting her body, she saw the other three girls standing at the doorway into the room, the chamber of Rarity’s plasma-blaster lightly steaming. “Next time I won’t shoot just once.” The cybernetic elf threatened.

The dark alicorn growled, firing a storm of magic bolts at the now larger group, causing them to scatter. Applejack ducked behind a broken column, using it as cover as she fired her M16 at Nightmare Moon. Nightmare Moon summoned a shield to block the farmer’s bullets but had to jump back to avoid being incinerated by Rarity’s melta-gun. That last action proved to be a mistake, however.

“Batter up!” an excited and almost joyful voice called out. Nightmare Moon was only able to turn her head and see the pink-haired girl with the giant mallet hit her with said weapon strong enough to send her into a wall. Pulling herself out of the indent she made, Nightmare Moon narrowly avoided being struck with attacks from Sunset Shimmer, Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who had regained consciousness at some point. She made another shield between herself and the group of strange girls before her battle instincts warned her of attack from behind, scarcely blocking a strike from Twilight and putting them into a blade-lock.

The struggle went on for a few moments until Nightmare Moon finally pushed Twilight away, sending a strong bolt of lightning towards the young elf. Twilight managed to block it with her own shield, but the force behind it sent her flying back towards the far side of the room. The dark alicorn could only enjoy it for a moment before she was suddenly clashing against Fluttershy once more, a notable increase in aggression in her swings - as minor as it is.

Rainbow took this chance to aid Twilight and flew towards the Scythe Meister. “You okay Twi?” she asked, helping the elf to her feet.

“Yeah, I’ve had worse.” Which was true, but the others didn’t need to know that yet. Twilight studied the fight from where they stood, seeing how the others went at Nightmare Moon from different angles and prevented her from dominating over any of them for too long. She went to get back into it, but her foot hit something hard and solid. Looking down, Twilight saw that it was one of the inert Elements of Harmony, the other four close by. Glancing over the stones and then the girls that came with her, Twilight was struck with an idea. “Get the girls and bring them to the Elements, I’ll distract her.” She told Rainbow Dash.

“Distract her? How the hell are you going to do that?” the officer questioned.

Her answer came when Twilight slammed the butts of her scythes together, the impact creating sparks and the gears shifting the blades straight. Suddenly, both weapons were covered in silver flames, the blade to her left shrinking as the other grew. When they reached a certain size, Twilight spun her now larger weapon above her head a few times before swinging it down in a wide stance, the blade lurching forward ninety-degrees. An instant later, the silver flames disappeared and the elf now held a scythe with runes etched into its curved pole, engravings of melting skulls within the five-foot blade and a massive cog with an upside down, jawless, four-horned skull attaching them together.

Rainbow blinked. “Okay, nevermind.”

Smirking, Twilight shot forward, using her magic to amplify her speed immensely. The reason she didn’t teleport was because she needed something first. That something was Fluttershy’s whip, which Twilight grabbed when she passed the meek avion in a blur that even Rainbow Dash barely noticed.

Meanwhile, Nightmare Moon had just managed to throw Pinkie Pie off of her when something hard and fast slammed into her, sending the dark alicorn through a column and into a wall. When she regained her bearings, Nightmare Moon’s eyes widened at the sight of Twilight with a single, but large scythe in her hands. The young elf took up a wide stance, her weapon’s blade above her head, and stared the dark woman dead in the eyes as she rhetorically asked, “Now then… where were we?”

The small group of uncanny fighters looked on in awe as Twilight battled Nightmare Moon, the beige-skinned girl even seeming to have the upperhand half the time. Among them, Fluttershy’s keen eyes told her that, although still fast, the dark alicorn’s movements were stiff and mostly focused on defence, even her expression showed a tiny hint of fear. ‘Could it have something to do with what I felt earlier?’ she thought. She too had seen Twilight use Dark Magic to protect Sunset Shimmer and read the stories of how Death itself would gift a selected few with Its personal weapons - the Death-scythes - which can change form to better fit its new user, but believed that neither matched it. Whatever it was she felt when she shook Twilight’s hand, Fluttershy was certain that they’d find out about it; one way or another.

A little too distracted with the fight, Sunset almost jumped out of her skin when Rainbow suddenly grabbed her shoulder. “C’mon, we need to get the Elements while Twilight keeps her busy.” She said. The personal student of Celestia would’ve argued, but realised that the young police officer was right: Twilight was holding her own remarkably well and the Elements were the only thing that could actually beat Nightmare Moon. With a nod, Sunset rallied the others to the Elements to help her activate them.

Meanwhile, Twilight dodged a swipe from her opponent who seemed to be taking the fight more seriously - or was growing desperate, she couldn’t tell - but regardless, Nightmare Moon was now empowering her swords with magical fire. Both were growing tired, Nightmare Moon because she’s been battling multiple opponents weilding weapons she had no experience with for nearly twenty minutes, and Twilight for the multiple spells she’s used and another reason. Despite that, the young elf had more than enough strength for some banter. “What’s the matter, your highness? Getting tired from little old me?”

“Silence!” Nightmare Moon screamed. The girl before her being a Scythe Meister was worrying enough, but as the fight dragged on, she could feel a dark presence growing from within Twilight, one that she was using half her focus to keep contained if the mild strain in her expression was any indication.

Twilight knew from the minor change in her opponent’s expression that she’d discovered that she was holding something back. She spared a quick glance to the others and smirked when she saw the faint glow around each Element before turning back to Nightmare Moon. “You know, I wanted to save this for another time, but bringing it out now might start up some conversations.” She said.

Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow in confusion to Twilight’s remark, but remained primed and ready as said elf took a new stance… and froze,eyes widening as she recognised it. She even sweated slightly when the scythe blade was engulfed in lavender energy, wisps of black appearing every now-and-then. ‘Th-That’s a-!’

“Getsuga Tensho!” Twilight screamed as she swung her scythe, launching a crescent-shaped mass of energy towards Nightmare Moon. The dark alicorn’s fight-or-flight instincts kicked in, and she chose flight by leaping to the side, even using her wings for more momentum. The Getsuga Tensho continued it’s path, carving through the floor and decimating the wall that was behind Nightmare Moon, even when it struck the solid ground, it had enough power tear a wide and deep gash through the forest for nearly a quarter of a mile before dissipating.

The dark alicorn stared at the damage caused by Twilight’s attack - one only someone with a Death-scythe can do - before turning to the tiring elf and screaming, “You mad child! What did you hope to accomplish with such a technique in this crumbling ruin? Bring it down on our heads?!”

With a tired grin, Twilight answered. “Keep you distracted.”

Nightmare Moon was confused, but the room suddenly getting brighter made her eyes widen. She’d completely forgotten about the other six. Turning around, she saw them floating above the ground and bathed in light; Sunset Shimmer was wearing a golden tiara with a six-point, star-shaped gem whilst the rest wore gold necklaces with different shaped gems. Nightmare Moon went to stop them, but Twilight threw Fluttershy’s whip towards her, the elf using her magic to wrap it around her. The dark woman struggled, but she realised too late that it was another diversion.

Helpless now, Nightmare Moon could only scream as a torrent of rainbow energy was launched from the group and into her, the magic coiling around her body, blocking it from view. After a few seconds the light died down and the new Element Bearers were lowered to the ground. When they regained their bearings, they gazed across the room to look for Twilight and Nightmare Moon, but got a different sight.

Twilight was on the floor, her scythe gone, and was resting the head of a mysterious girl on her lap. The girl looked mid-teens with pale skin and short pale-blue hair, wore a black sleeveless dress, black shoes and had a small, black tiara on her head. As they came closer, and took notice of her blue wings and elf ears, she began to fidget and murmur something in her sleep before fluttering her cyan eyes open. The girl looked among the group around her and asked, “W-what’s happening? Where am I?”

“It’s okay, Princess Luna, you’re safe now.” Twilight answered, oblivious to the shocked faces aimed at her and the princess.

“And I have you to thank for that.” A voice suddenly said.

The group of eight whipped their heads to a nearby window, seeing the tip of the sun slowly rise above the horizon before a sudden flash made them cover their eyes. When they could see again, the residents of Ponyville and Sunset gasped at the figure that appeared. She had multi-colored hair, wore a white formal dress with shoes, bracelets, necklace, earrings and tiara that were gold. She also had elf ears and a large pair of white wigs on her back.

It was Princess Celestia.

Sunset and the other Element Bearers bowed deeply to the princess as she walked over to them. Twilight helped Luna up to her feet before giving a small, respectful bow of her own towards the solar monarch. For a few seconds the room was quiet, Celestia not saying a word since her appearance as she stepped closer to Luna, who was growing very nervous. Eventually when she was arms length from the smaller alicorn, Celestia spoke.

“It has been a long time since we had last seen each other, little sister. A thousand years to be precise.” She said, drawing surprised gasps from the Bearers behind her. Luna seemed uncomfortable, not knowing what to do in this situation. She wanted to hug her sister, apologize for the things she’s done and plead for forgiveness. However, her plans were derailed when Celestia instead pulled her into a tight embrace. “I missed you, Luna… I missed you so much.”

Luna’s eyes widened, feeling the wetness of tears hitting her shoulder as her sister wept in a mix of sadness and joy. “S-sister?” Luna stammered, returning the hug.

“Oh, Luna, I’m so, so sorry little sister. For everything. Please… please forgive me.”

“T-Tia? Why are you apologizing? I’m the one who turned against you.”

Celestia pulled out of the embrace and tilted Luna’s head up so that she could look at her in the eyes. “Because no matter what you or others say, the truth is that I’m the one to blame. If I hadn’t been so selfish and ignorant to let the people fatten my ego with their praises, I wouldn’t have been so blind to the misery that that you were suffering. If I had only been a better sister - a better person - Nightmare Moon would never have existed. Everything that went wrong between us was all my fault. That is why I’m apologizing, and that is why I should be asking you for forgiveness.”

Luna stared into her older sister’s lavender eyes, seeing the sincere guilt in them, as well as the pain from the last thousand years of loneliness she’s gone through. Unable to keep it in any longer, Luna pulled Celestia in close and cried into her navel. “O-oh, s-sister… of c-course I forgive you. I-I could never hate you.”

With a smile and tears streaming down her face, Celestia tightened her hold on her sister, not intending to let go any time soon. “Thank you, Luna. Thank you.”

Twilight and the Element Bearers watched the scene with small, content smiles on their faces and maybe a tear or two… though Pinkie Pie may have taken it a bit far. “WAAAAAAAAAAAAH! IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL!” she cried, literally crying fountains from her eyes like some cartoon character.

Sunset sighed deeply and rubbed her forehead. “Way to ruin the moon, Pinkie.” She groaned.

The two princesses actually giggled at that, reluctantly ending the embrace and wiping their eyes of any lingering tears before Celestia addressed the group. “Words cannot describe how grateful I am for you seven to bring my sister back to me. You have my deepest thanks and my eternal gratitude.”

“It was nothing, your highness. We were simply willing to do what was necessary to protect Equestria and the world.” Said Twilight.
Celestia nodded. “Indeed. Now then, why don’t we all head back to Ponyville? I think a certain someone in the room may appreciate a little ‘welcome home’ party.” She joked.

“Tia~!” Luna whined, causing an uproar of laughter from everyone, the younger alicorn soon joining. When they got back to Ponyville, Princess Celestia made a grand speech about the brave heroics of Twilight and the Element Bearers, how they defeated Nightmare Moon and returned her own sister to her from the dark woman’s clutches. So with that, the Summer Sun Celebration was replaced with a town-wide party to celebrate the return of Princess Luna, on that went on for most of the day.

---

On the edge of town and under the canopy of the Everfree Forest, a lone figure stood, the cloak they wore dashing any hope of identifying any features. They gazed towards Ponyville where the princesses were being taken around the small town in an open horse-drawn carriage, but the two royals wasn’t the focus of their attention. It was the only one of the heroic group that wasn’t an Element Bearer: Twilight Sparkle. They debated if they should meet her now, but chose not to; one family reunion right after another would lose its weight. So instead they simply smiled, spoke the words “That’s my girl” to themselves, and turned around, walking deeper in the dark forest.

Author's Note:

Next story to be updated: A Mother's Love

Comments

[ValNitak Choas]

yea for update,
good update,
I have feeling the princess and sunset and other will be want to knew more about twilight's family and past
I am kind of hope twilight father is king of shadow sombra or what ever his name is,

[Twilight Chaos Sparkle]

Finally an update!

KEEP IT UP LAD!!

[MatCor1337]

8126760

[ValNitak Choas]

8127854 wehn i read part of twilight and her weapon, i for some reason picture maka form soul eater, but wear lord death outfit,

[Tali_The_Lamia]

From reading your description:
The two sorceresses is Rarity and Twilight
The police officer is Applejack
The gangster is Rainbow Dash
The vampire is Fluttershy
The Lunatic (obviously) is Pinkie
The cyborg is Sunset??

And I mean the description before clicking onto the story.