Fires of Friendship and Ice of Hatred

by Super Ponyman

Chapter 18: Fire vs Ice, FINAL ROUND!

Author's Note:

It's Time... the Showdown between Queen Diamanda and the heroes...

But will one hero fall prey to temptation of power?

(Twilight's Castle, Training Room)

The Training Room was a recent installment to her castle, replacing the old storm cellar that was only used once when dealing with an rouge Cyclone Dragon, it was quickly shut down by Burning Star using Dark Magic after Twilight's normal magic didn't work.

Twilight Sparkle, her mane a mess and her eyes filled with determination, was taking out her frustrations on a punching bag. It had the face of Celestia on it, she couldn't find any other bag lying around, so she settled for this one.

She had recently learned that Burning Star and Queen Diamanda were to duel each other, one on one... she had to do nothing, just leave everything to Burning Star...

As she let her hooves clobber the bag, she started to think about how she came so far, only to once again be rendered the backup Alicorn again!

It seemed like Burning Star was doing the heroism, while she was stuck caring for the ponies that were bickering and fighting amongst themselves, while her partner saved them time after time from Monsters like Ursa Minors and villains such as Queen Chrysalis...

Celestia sent her on missions that she seemed capable of doing on her own, like when she was sent to contend with King Sombra, she wasn't even an Alicorn!

Why would she send her on a mission that was pretty much suicide for her?!

She felt inferior to Burning Star!

She felt inferior to Celestia and Luna!

In Both in popularity and power!

That was about to change...

Twilight's eyes, unknown to her, began to glow a bright green. She landed one last strike that sent the sandbag flying off the chain and into the wall, breaking open and leaving a massive indent as well...

She had never been so mad in her entire life!

Twilight said out loud, "Is this what I'm supposed to be? A pretty face that smiles and waves while my partner and husband (who she just realized that Burning Star married her just to gain an edge over Celestia) did all the heroics?!"

Twilight Sparkle put on her Element of Magic Tiara, her chest collar, a down coat with a collar, and her Shoes before walking out into the streets of Ponyville, it was snowing.

It was Hearths Warming Eve... a time to give gifts and receive gifts...

Twilight said to herself, "I'll beat Queen Diamanda on my own! I've beaten Tirek, defeating her should be no different! It's just another villain..."

A voice in Twilight's mind began to stir and say in a prideful voice.

"Yes Twilight, it is time for a change of leadership. Time to show Equestria what we can do. Show them your power, OUR POWER!

(The Castle of the Two Sisters, Throne Room)

Burning Star stood at the entrance to the castle of the two sisters... the same castle he met Twilight in...

The castle he began his journey to becoming a good pony...

it may be the castle he ends his journey, defending his home from Diamanda...

Across the hall stood his opponent, the pony and windigo he had been preparing to destroy...

The Windigo Queen... Diamanda!

The Queen was equally determined as her fiery opponent, she had not trudged through the Everfree to die in battle to The Alicorn of Fire!

Both combatants approached each other, with true power in their stride.

It was Burning Star, who fought with flames with the Fire of Friendship as his ally...

And Queen Diamanda, drawing upon her command of the cold from the Ice of Hatred that surrounded her heart...

Burning Star took one look at his opponent and repeated words he said years ago, "You sure you want to do this, Diamanda? If you lose, I will kill you."

Diamanda hardened her gaze and snarled, "I will freeze you to death before you even get so much as a candle lit."

Burning Star ignited his mane and tail and said, "You won't even get a snow flurry going before I reduce you to ashes!"

Both Pony and Windigo were fighting outside in the forest, While the Elements of Harmony were taking out bad guys pretty well, with Burning Star's friends showing why they were called the Masters of Nature.

Thunder Fury conjured up a storm cloud so large it blotted out the sunlight, then he rained bolts of lightning that destroyed the frosty Windigo Soldiers.

Sea Breeze caused the water vapor in the air to harden into razor sharp needles, that shredded a good dozen or more grunts.

Iron Steed tackled and crashed through the oncoming horde of icy grunts, shrugging off the blasts of ice and snow thanks to his large metal body.

Quickfire blasted through dozens of the Windigos with shots of his crossbows and swings of his sword, a fiery glow in his eye.

Wind Walker created a massive tornado and tore up the Windigos that tried to flee. His eyes were glowing bright white and his teeth were bared in fearsome determination.

Even the recent introduction of Hiller tearing up the icy demons with his viral claws and crushing them with hammerhooves in the most brutal way possible was a welcome sight!

Meanwhile, Burning Star and Queen Diamanda were dueling in the castle.

Burning Star blasted fireballs out of his horn, while Diamanda countered with a storm of icicles. The two attacks collided with a bang, sending smoke into the air.

Twilight Sparkle could see the fireworks from here, with Burning Star taking flight into the air to create a fire storm spell, while Diamanda created a Blizzard and hurled it at the Black Alicorn, who flung his attack at the Windigo Queen.

The two didn't notice Twilight taking flight to get a better angle on the battle.

Burning Star shouted at Diamanda, "Well then, you aren't all talk after all, huh? I'm impressed you know so many Dark Magic spells as well... I heard that you were the wife of my former mentor, King Sombra."

Queen Diamanda hammered Burning Star with an... Ice Hammer appropriately, sending him flying to the castle floor.

He struggled to his feet, Diamanda landed without grace as well, crashing into the old throne of Celestia and Luna.

She winced and said, "I-I am not going to lose to you... you pig of a pony..."

Burning Star coughed up blood, leaving him open to Diamanda lunging at him with an Ice Spear in hoof.

She hit something, but it wasn't a pony, It was a purple crystal construct of one!

Queen Diamanda was suddenly taken aback by what she saw.

The Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle, staring her down with her shield Up.

Diamanda snickered, "Heh, so Burning Star did find a mare to screw! How are you kids going to take it when they find out both their parents are dead and gone!"

Twilight then did something she never thought she ever would do again,

She lost her control over her anger and unleashed a blast of Dark Magic that cleaved the ground in two, sending the Queen sprawling backwards.

Twilight continued to speak, her voice growing deeper and darker "I wanted harmony, yet ponies like you still continue to breathe!"

Twilight's body began to change, her Dark Powers changing her body to suit her new persona.

"Queen Diamanda, I am very, very angry with you. You still continue to stay alive after all this time!"

Everypony looked up to see the torrential dark purple light pouring out of the castle, they stopped fighting the Windigos (who also suddenly stopped fighting) and ran to the door to see something terrifying...

Twilight Sparkle was blasting Queen Diamanda about the castle, a manic grin on her face!

What she said next scared even Burning Star, as he finally saw what Twilight had become...

"I am Midnight Sparkle! And Queen Diamanda, You will DIE! HAHA-HAHA-HEHA"

The Queen let out an ear piercing scream as Midnight Sparkle drove her horn through her heart saying, "You didn't need your heart, anyways... now, where was I? Oh yes, it's time for a change of leadership... hehehee."

The Queen collapsed to the floor and disappeared in a puff of icy mist, the rest of the windigos went with her.

Burning Star got to his hooves and ran over to Midnight Sparkle and said, "T-Twilight? Are you ok? You look... different to say the least."

Midnight Sparkle smirked and cupped Burning Star's face with her hooves, "I've never felt better, Burning Star, my love. I now understand magic fully! And it has told me that you have been disrupting harmony. So, you will be joining the Queen in death, if you do not kneel before me."

Burning Star shook his head, "Twilight, snap out of it! This isn't you, well you look amazing... but it is not you!"

Midnight grasped her head and screamed as Twilight Sparkle reappeared, appearing in her regalia, completely exhausted.

Twilight Sparkle turned to Burning Star and said, "You did it, Burning Star. T-Thank you."

The rest of the Main Six and Masters of Nature got into a pony pile with Burning Star and Twilight, rejoicing that they had won...

Until they heard a voice that should have disappeared by now...

"Oh you silly little ponies, you can't get rid of me THAT EASILY!"

Twilight Sparkle shouted at the voice, which seemed to be coming from all around them, "I know you're not me, how are you still speaking to me?!"

A pain went through Twilight's horn and her eyes glowed purple, screaming in pain as the source of that voice emerged from her horn.

Twilight froze in fear, so did her friends...

This pony was an Alicorn like Twilight, but she was a dark purple instead of the normal lavender. Her mane and tail was a combination of wild pinks, deep purples, and black highlights. Her eyes had some sort of light green, almost holographic mask and her horn was the same light green.

Twilight Sparkle muttered, "I-I-Impossible..."

Midnight Sparkle smirked, "I will no longer be locked away in your mind! I will show you the true power of MAGIC! Hahahaa-Hee-Haa!"